Bilt vs Brick Rewards: Can You Earn Rent Rewards in the UK?
If you have spent any time looking for ways to get more value out of your monthly rent payments, you have probably heard of Bilt Rewards. It is a massive name in the loyalty space, allowing renters to earn points on their biggest monthly expense and redeem them for flights, hotel stays, and even future home deposits.
But there is a catch: Bilt is built specifically for the US housing and financial market. So, what are your options if you live in the UK? Enter Brick Rewards.
In this guide, we will compare Bilt Rewards and Brick Rewards, explaining the core differences in how they work, where they are available, and how you can start getting rewarded for paying your rent on time in the UK.
The Quick Verdict: What is the main difference?
The absolute most important difference between these two platforms comes down to geography and how they handle your money:
- Bilt Rewards is a US-only programme. It requires users to pay their rent by card (often using the Bilt Mastercard) through the Bilt platform. Bilt actively processes and moves the rent money.
- Brick Rewards is a UK-only app. It uses secure, read-only open banking to detect when you pay your rent. Brick never touches, handles, or moves your money, and you do not pay your rent through the app. You simply pay your landlord or letting agent exactly as you always do.
What is Bilt Rewards? (US Only)
Bilt Rewards is a highly popular US loyalty programme. It is best known for the Bilt Mastercard (issued by Wells Fargo), which allows US renters to earn points on their rent payments without being charged the standard card processing fees that landlords usually pass on to tenants.
How Bilt Works:
- Card-Based Payments: Users pay their rent by card through the Bilt platform. Bilt absorbs the card processing fee so the landlord receives the full amount.
- Earn Rate: The standard earn rate is 1 point per $1 spent on rent, capped at around 100,000 points per year.
- Rent Day: On the first of every month, Bilt offers double points on non-rent card spending.
- Bilt Card 2.0: Recently, Bilt updated its offering with a suite of three cards, a secondary currency called Bilt Cash, and expanded rewards that now cover mortgage payments.
- Redemption: Bilt points are highly flexible and can be transferred to major airline and hotel loyalty programmes, or used for dining, fitness, and travel.
Note: Bilt Rewards is not available to UK renters, and Bilt points cannot be earned on UK tenancies.
What is Brick Rewards? (The UK Alternative)
Brick Rewards is a UK rewards app designed specifically for UK renters. It allows you to earn points and rewards simply for paying your rent on time—without changing how, when, or where you pay.
How Brick Works:
- No Behaviour Change: You do not pay your rent through the Brick app. You do not need a new credit card, and you do not need to change your payment method. Whether you pay your landlord, a letting agent, an estate agent, or a housemate via bank transfer, you keep doing exactly that.
- Open Banking Detection: Brick uses secure open banking technology to connect to your existing UK bank account with read-only access. When your rent payment is detected leaving your account, Brick automatically verifies it and awards you points.
- Regulated and Secure: Open banking is a secure standard regulated by the FCA and used by millions of people in the UK. Rently Solutions Limited (trading as Brick Rewards) is an FCA-registered agent (reference 1050454) of Moneyhub Financial Technology Limited, which is fully FCA authorised.
- Credit Score Building: In addition to points, Brick allows you to opt in to report your on-time rent payments to Experian. This positive payment history may help improve your credit score over time, making it easier to secure loans, credit cards, or a mortgage in the future.
How Do the Rewards Compare?
Because the two platforms operate in completely different financial ecosystems, their reward structures are tailored to their respective regions.
Brick Rewards (UK):
- Local Partner Rewards: You can spend your points at local Brick partner businesses, including coffee shops, restaurants, bars, gyms, and beauty salons. These perks are built around your postcode, making them highly relevant to your daily life.
- Discounted Gift Cards: You can use your points to part-pay for gift cards at a discount. For example, you could get a £100 M&S gift card for £90 plus 200 points.
- Monthly Rent Giveaways: You can use your points to enter monthly prize draws, giving you the chance to win a month's rent.
- No Cash Value: Points are earned and spent on real-world rewards and discounts; they cannot be withdrawn as cash.
Bilt Rewards (US):
- Travel and Transfer Partners: Bilt points can be transferred directly to major airline and hotel partner programmes.
- Fitness and Dining: Points can be redeemed for group fitness classes, curated dining experiences, or art and home decor.
The Verdict: Which is right for you?
The choice here is entirely determined by where you live. If you are renting in the United States, Bilt Rewards is an established, card-centric way to earn travel points on your rent.
However, if you are renting in the UK, Brick Rewards is the UK's answer to rent rewards. It offers a seamless, secure, and completely hands-off way to get recognised for paying your rent on time. Because it uses open banking to detect your payments, you do not have to jump through hoops, apply for a new credit card, or change how you interact with your landlord. You simply connect your account, pay your rent as normal, and watch the points roll in.
Ready to start getting rewarded for your rent? Download Brick Rewards for free today on iOS or Android and make your rent payment work harder for you.