Prime Visa vs Bilt Obsidian Card
Annual fees: Prime Visa $0/yr, Bilt Obsidian Card $95/yr. Strongest bonus categories: Prime Visa on gas stations, Bilt Obsidian Card on rent and dining.
Card data as of October 12, 2026.
Prime VisaChase · No annual fee
Bilt Obsidian CardCardless · $95/yr
Overview
- Annual fee
- Prime Visa$0LowestBilt Obsidian Card$95
- Welcome offerCurrent public offer
- Prime Visa$150 gift cardBilt Obsidian Card$200 in rewards
- Rewards
- Prime VisaCash backBilt Obsidian CardBilt Points
- Foreign transaction fee
- Prime VisaNoneBilt Obsidian CardNone
- Network
- Prime VisaVisa SignatureBilt Obsidian CardMastercard World Elite
Earn ratesPer $1 spent · points and cash back aren’t ranked against each other
- Dining
- Prime Visa2%Bilt Obsidian Card3x
- Grocery Stores
- Prime Visa1%Bilt Obsidian Card3x
- Gas Stations
- Prime Visa2%Bilt Obsidian Card1x
- Transit
- Prime Visa2%Bilt Obsidian Card1x
- Travel
- Prime Visa1%Bilt Obsidian Card2x
- Mortgage
- Prime Visa1%Bilt Obsidian Card1.25x
- Rent
- Prime Visa1%Bilt Obsidian Card1.25x
- Everything else
- Prime Visa1%Bilt Obsidian Card1x
Statement creditsAs the issuer states them · — means none on record
- Travel
- Prime Visa—Bilt Obsidian Card
- $100 hotel credit
Perks & access— means none on record
- Other perks
- Prime Visa—Bilt Obsidian Card
- 10% intro APR for 12 months
- 0% foreign transaction fees
Protections & insuranceLimits where published · — means none on record
- Trip insurance
- Prime Visa
- Up to $500,000 travel accident coverage
Bilt Obsidian Card- Trip cancellation up to $2,000/trip
- Trip Delay
- Baggage
- Prime Visa—Bilt Obsidian Card
- Luggage insurance up to $1,500
- Rental car
- Prime Visa—Bilt Obsidian Card
- MasterRental Coverage
- Purchase & returns
- Prime Visa
- $500 per claim on damage or theft
Bilt Obsidian Card- Purchase Assurance
- Extended warranty
- Prime Visa—Bilt Obsidian Card
- Extended warranty up to $10,000/claim
- Cell phone
- Prime Visa—Bilt Obsidian Card
- Cellular Wireless Telephone Protection
Pros & cons
- Pros
- Prime Visa
- 5% back at Amazon.com, Audible.com, Whole Foods Market and on Chase Travel with an eligible Prime membership
- 5% back on Chase Travel portal bookings with no cap
- 2% back at restaurants, gas stations, and transit - solid everyday categories
- $150 Amazon Gift Card welcome bonus with no minimum spend required
- No annual fee on the card itself (Prime membership separate)
Bilt Obsidian Card- 3x points on your choice of dining or grocery (up to $25K/year on grocery)
- 2x points on travel
- Earn up to 1.25X points on rent and mortgage with no transaction fees
- $200 Bilt Cash welcome bonus upon approval (no spending required)
- $100 annual Bilt Travel hotel credit ($50 semiannually)
- Cons
- Prime Visa
- Requires an eligible Amazon Prime membership to earn 5% (3% without Prime)
- Rewards locked to Amazon ecosystem - cannot transfer to airlines/hotels
- Only 1% back on non-category purchases - below average for catch-all spending
- No premium travel protections like trip delay insurance or lounge access
- Sign-up bonus is gift card, not flexible cash or points
Bilt Obsidian Card- $95 annual fee plus $50 per authorized user
- Complex earning structure for housing rewards (requires spending tiers or Bilt Cash redemption)
- Bilt Cash expires at year-end with only $100 rollover
- Grocery bonus category capped at $25K/year spending
- Hotel credit requires 2-night minimum via Bilt Travel portal
Category-by-Category Winner
The Bilt Obsidian Card wins in 3 of 5 categories. The Prime Visa leads in 2. 2 more categories depend on booking channel or caps.
Gas Stations
Prime Visa earns 2X vs 1X
Transit
Prime Visa earns 2X vs 1X
Dining
Depends: 3X applies only while dining is the elected 3X category (dining or grocery). Dining is the default at account opening; grocery can be chosen within 30 days of opening or each January.
Bilt Obsidian Card earns 3X when conditions are met; Prime Visa earns 2X (2X without restrictions)
Rent
Bilt Obsidian Card earns 1.25X vs 1X
1.25X via tiered option or up to 1X via Bilt Cash option; no transaction fee; no annual cap on housing payments
Mortgage
Bilt Obsidian Card earns 1.25X vs 1X
1.25X via tiered option or up to 1X via Bilt Cash option; no transaction fee
Travel
Bilt Obsidian Card earns 2X vs 1X
Grocery Stores
Depends: up to $25,000/yr; 3X applies only if grocery replaces the default dining as the elected 3X category (switch within 30 days of opening or each January); grocery 3X is limited to $25,000 a year.
Bilt Obsidian Card earns 3X when conditions are met; Prime Visa earns 1X (1X without restrictions)
Year One vs Ongoing Value
Modeled net value (bonus categories at unconditional rates, caps applied). Spend mix: dining 15%, groceries 15%, gas 10%, travel 10%, everything else 50%. Statement credits use the same recurring usable estimates as each card's detail page; first-year-only credits count in year one only. Welcome offers valued at each card's program rate shown on this page.
Both scenarios favor the Bilt Obsidian Card on net value (rewards, usable credits, fees, and welcome offer).
| Scenario | Prime Visa | Bilt Obsidian Card | Ongoing winner | Year-one winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light spender: $1,000/month | Rewards: $150 Credits (our usable estimate): $0 − Annual fee ($0) Ongoing: $150 Year one: $300 | Rewards: $264 Credits (our usable estimate): $20 − Annual fee ($95) Ongoing: $189 Year one: $389 | Bilt Obsidian Card | Bilt Obsidian Card |
| Heavy spender: $4,000/month | Rewards: $600 Credits (our usable estimate): $0 − Annual fee ($0) Ongoing: $600 Year one: $750 | Rewards: $1,056 Credits (our usable estimate): $20 − Annual fee ($95) Ongoing: $981 Year one: $1,181 | Bilt Obsidian Card | Bilt Obsidian Card |
Is the Fee Difference Worth It?
The Bilt Obsidian Card costs $95/yr — that's $95 more than the Prime Visa (no annual fee). To justify that gap, you need to extract at least $95 in annual value from the card's higher earn rates and benefits.
Bottom line: Use the year-one vs ongoing table for modeled earn value at your spend level. The $95 fee gap means the Bilt Obsidian Card needs roughly $95 more in annual rewards (or credits you will use) to break even on dining and grocery stores and everyday spend.
Which Card Is Right for You?
Get the Bilt Obsidian Card if you:
- +Do most of your spending at grocery stores
The Bottom Line
Both scenarios favor the Bilt Obsidian Card on net value (rewards, usable credits, fees, and welcome offer).
Published annual fees: Prime Visa $0/yr, Bilt Obsidian Card $95/yr — a $95 difference before welcome offers and credits.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is the Bilt Obsidian Card worth the higher annual fee?
- The Bilt Obsidian Card costs $95/yr vs $0/yr for the Prime Visa. Compare the year-one vs ongoing value table on this page — the $95 gap must be offset by higher earn rates, welcome offers, or credits you will use.
- Which card earns more rewards, the Prime Visa or Bilt Obsidian Card?
- Both cards earn 1X on everyday purchases. The difference is in bonus categories — check the earn rate comparison above for a full breakdown.
- What benefits does the Prime Visa have that the Bilt Obsidian Card doesn't?
- The Prime Visa focuses on earn rates, while the Bilt Obsidian Card offers cell phone protection.
- Should I get the Prime Visa or the Bilt Obsidian Card?
- Use the spend scenarios on this page: the Prime Visa has a lower $0/yr fee; the Bilt Obsidian Card must earn enough extra (or offer a larger welcome bonus) to justify $95/yr.
Editorial disclosure: CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Card data comes from issuers' published terms; catalog last published October 12, 2026, and each card page shows when its terms were last checked. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content.