Your landlord won’t take cards, and every app adds a 3% fee. Plastiq is the best of the apps for paying rent with a credit card when your landlord won’t sign up for anything, while Bilt wins for fee-free rent rewards.
Below: a fee chart, the break-even math, and the cash advance trap to avoid.
First, the Math That Decides If It’s Worth It
Here’s the catch: most apps for paying rent with a credit card charge about 2.5% to 3.1%. If your card earns 2% back, you’re losing money every month.
Picture this: your rent is $1,800. At a 2.95% fee, you pay $53.10 extra. A 2% cash back card earns you $36, so you’re down about $17 a month.
Paying rent by card usually only makes sense when:
- You’re chasing a sign-up bonus worth far more than a few months of fees
- Your app charges no fee, like Bilt or some landlord platforms
- You need a short bridge, and you’ll pay the card in full before interest hits
Key takeaway: if you can’t beat the fee or clear the balance, use a free bank transfer instead.
Quick Fee Chart
Here’s how the seven apps for paying rent with a credit card compare on cost and setup.
| # | App | Credit Card Fee | Landlord Must Sign Up? | Reports Rent to Credit? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Plastiq | 2.99% + small delivery fee | No | Not listed |
| 2 | Bilt | No fee (rent pulled from your bank) | No | Yes |
| 3 | Zillow Rent Payments | 2.95% | Yes | Optional |
| 4 | Flex | 2.5% surcharge + other fees | No | Yes |
| 5 | Venmo | 3% | No (needs Venmo) | No |
| 6 | RentRedi | 3.1% | Yes | Varies |
| 7 | Story by J.P. Morgan | Currently $0 | Yes | Not listed |
The 7 Best Apps for Paying Rent With a Credit Card
1. Plastiq
Plastiq is the classic workaround. You charge your card, and Plastiq sends your landlord an ACH transfer or a mailed check. Your landlord never needs an account.
As of January 2026, the processing fee was 2.99%. There’s also a delivery fee: 99 cents for ACH or bill pay and $1.49 for a mailed check.
Real flaws users complain about:
- The fee often wipes out normal card rewards.
- Your card issuer decides how it codes the charge, so check that it’s treated as a purchase, not a cash advance.
Who Should Skip This: anyone using a card that earns less than 3% back with no sign-up bonus in play.
2. Bilt
The truth is, Bilt changed a lot this year. Bilt Card 2.0 launched February 7, 2026, with three cards: Blue ($0), Obsidian ($95) and Palladium ($495), issued through Cardless. You still pay no fee to earn points on rent, and the old 100,000-point yearly cap on housing is gone.
Here’s what most guides miss: Bilt 2.0 pulls rent from your checking account by ACH. It no longer charges rent to your credit line, so you can’t “float” rent until your statement is due.
Real flaws:
- You need the full rent in your bank account on rent day.
- Rent points depend on a rewards choice and your other card spending, which makes the math harder.
Who Should Skip This: renters who need to put rent on credit to cover a short gap.
3. Zillow Rent Payments
If your landlord already uses Zillow, this is the easy route. Credit cards cost 2.95%, bank transfers are free, and debit cards cost $4.95 to $9.95. It takes Visa, Mastercard, Amex and Discover, and you can opt into rent reporting.
Real flaws:
- Your landlord has to collect rent through Zillow.
- Fees and payment methods vary by state.
Who Should Skip This: tenants whose landlord wants checks or Zelle.
4. Flex
Flex is mainly a rent-splitting app, but it accepts credit cards for its payments. Its current pricing lists up to $5.99 a month for membership, a 0.5% processing fee, a split fee of up to 3% of what you borrow, and a 2.5% surcharge when you pay by credit card.
Real flaws:
- Fees stack fast. Some long-time members on older plans paid $14.99 a month plus 1% of rent.
- Flex warns that some card issuers code its payments as cash advances, which adds your issuer’s fees.
Who Should Skip This: anyone who can pay rent in one go from their bank.
5. Venmo
On the flip side, if your landlord is a small owner who already uses Venmo, a credit card send costs a flat 3%. Bank, debit and balance sends are free.
Real flaws:
- Personal payments don’t come with purchase protection, so a dispute is hard.
- Unverified accounts are capped at $299.99 a week in sending, which won’t cover rent.
Who Should Skip This: renters paying a big property manager with a formal portal.
6. RentRedi
Many independent landlords use RentRedi. Paying by card costs 3.1%, and the app grosses it up so your landlord gets the full amount. On $1,000 rent, you’d pay $1,032.30.
Real flaws:
- Debit cards are charged the same rate as credit cards.
- Your landlord chooses the platform, so you can’t pick a cheaper one.
Who Should Skip This: anyone who can link a bank account instead.
7. Story by J.P. Morgan
The story is J.P. Morgan’s rent platform for landlords. Chase says there are currently no transaction fees for tenants or landlords, though pricing may change. The landlord decides which payment methods tenants can use.
Real flaws:
- Your landlord must create an account and onboard the property.
- It’s not widely used yet, so most renters won’t find it.
Who Should Skip This: renters whose landlord won’t switch platforms.
The Cash Advance Trap
That brings us to the biggest mistake people make: assuming a rent payment counts as a normal purchase. It depends on the merchant code your card issuer assigns.
If it codes as a cash advance, you can get hit twice:
- The app’s processing fee, usually 2.5% to 3.1%
- Your issuer’s cash advance fee, plus a higher APR with no grace period
Bottom line: call your card issuer before your first payment and ask how that specific app is coded.
Building Credit While You Pay Rent
Now, you might be wondering whether paying rent can help your credit. Bilt, Flex and Zillow can report on-time rent payments, which may help a thin credit file.
If you’re starting from scratch, a credit builder like Kovo credit can add a payment history alongside rent reporting. And if you don’t have a traditional bank account, see how to get a Cash App card without an ID before you set up digital rent payments.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can I pay rent with a credit card if my landlord doesn’t accept cards?
Yes. Plastiq charges your card and sends your landlord a check or bank transfer, for about a 2.99% fee.
Is paying rent with a credit card a good idea?
Only if your rewards or sign-up bonus beat the fee and you pay the card off in full. Otherwise, interest and fees cost more.
Does Bilt still let you pay rent with a credit card?
Bilt 2.0 earns points on rent with no fee, but it pulls the payment from your checking account by ACH instead of your credit line.
Does paying rent with a credit card count as a cash advance?
Sometimes. It depends on how your issuer codes the payment. Ask your issuer before you pay.
Which app has the lowest fee for paying rent by credit card?
Bilt and Story by J.P. Morgan currently charge no rent fee, but both need setup. Apps that charge your card directly mostly land between 2.5% and 3.1%, and Flex adds other fees on top of its surcharge.
Final Thoughts
The best apps for paying rent with a credit card only pay off when the rewards beat the fee. Use Bilt for fee-free points, Plastiq when your landlord won’t sign up for anything, and a free bank transfer whenever the math doesn’t work. Run the numbers on next month’s rent before you switch.
This guide is for general information and isn’t financial advice. Fees change often, so confirm them in the app before you pay.
