Editorial disclosure: CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Card data comes from issuers' published terms; data as of September 27, 2026. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content.
Annual fees: Bilt Palladium Card $495/yr, Citi Strata Credit Card $0/yr. Strongest bonus categories: Bilt Palladium Card on rent and travel, Citi Strata Credit Card on travel.
Card data as of September 27, 2026.
Annual Fee
Welcome Bonus
| Category | Bilt Palladium Card | Citi Strata Credit Card |
|---|---|---|
| Beauty | 2X | 3X |
| Fitness | 2X | 3X |
The Citi Strata Credit Card wins in 8 of 11 categories. The Bilt Palladium Card leads in 3. 2 more categories depend on booking channel or caps.
Rent
Bilt Palladium 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 Palladium Card earns 1.25X vs 1X
1.25X via tiered option or up to 1X via Bilt Cash option; no transaction fee
Travel
Depends: via issuer travel portal
Citi Strata Credit Card earns 5X when conditions are met; Bilt Palladium Card earns 2X (2X without restrictions)
Grocery Stores
Citi Strata Credit Card earns 3X vs 2X
Gas Stations
Citi Strata Credit Card earns 3X vs 2X
Transit
Citi Strata Credit Card earns 3X vs 2X
Top Spend Category
Depends: Must select category at citi.com/selfselect
Citi Strata Credit Card earns 3X when conditions are met; Bilt Palladium Card earns 2X (2X without restrictions)
Modeled value is close across spend levels — especially once statement credits are counted.
Everyday (non-bonus) spend earns 2X on the Bilt Palladium Card vs 1X on the other card.
Published annual fees: Bilt Palladium Card $495/yr, Citi Strata Credit Card $0/yr — a $495 difference before welcome offers and credits.
| Gas Stations | 2X | 3X |
| Grocery Stores | 2X | 3X |
| Live Entertainment | 2X | 3X |
| Pet | 2X | 3X |
| Streaming | 2X | 3X |
| Top Spend Category | 2X | 3X |
| Transit | 2X | 3X |
| Dining | 2X | 2X |
| Travel | 2X | 1X |
| Mortgage | 1.25X | 1X |
| Rent | 1.25X | 1X |
| Everything Else | 2X | 1X |
Network
Key Benefits
Pros
Cons
Beauty
Citi Strata Credit Card earns 3X vs 2X
Fitness
Citi Strata Credit Card earns 3X vs 2X
Live Entertainment
Citi Strata Credit Card earns 3X vs 2X
Pet
Citi Strata Credit Card earns 3X vs 2X
Streaming
Citi Strata Credit Card earns 3X vs 2X
Everyday purchases
Bilt Palladium Card earns 2X on all other spending vs 1X
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.
Modeled value is close across spend levels — especially once statement credits are counted.
| Scenario | Bilt Palladium Card | Citi Strata Credit Card | Ongoing winner | Year-one winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light spender: $1,000/month | Rewards: $528 Credits (our usable estimate): $300 − Annual fee ($495) Ongoing: $333 Year one: $1,433 | Rewards: $317 Credits (our usable estimate): $50 − Annual fee ($0) Ongoing: $367 Year one: $687 | Close — depends on how much of the credits you use | Bilt Palladium Card |
| Heavy spender: $4,000/month | Rewards: $2,112 Credits (our usable estimate): $300 − Annual fee ($495) Ongoing: $1,917 Year one: $3,017 | Rewards: $1,267 Credits (our usable estimate): $50 − Annual fee ($0) Ongoing: $1,317 Year one: $1,637 | Bilt Palladium Card | Bilt Palladium Card |
The Bilt Palladium Card costs $495/yr — that's $495 more than the Citi Strata Credit Card (no annual fee). To justify that gap, you need to extract at least $495 in annual value from the card's higher earn rates and benefits.
The Bilt Palladium Card includes lounge access. Those perks are not included in the earn-rate scenario table above — compare their dollar value to the $495 fee gap for your own usage.
Bottom line: Use the year-one vs ongoing table for modeled earn value at your spend level. The $495 fee gap means the Bilt Palladium Card needs roughly $495 more in annual rewards (or credits you will use) to break even on travel and rent and everyday spend.
Choosing one card means missing out on these benefits from the other.
Choosing Citi Strata Credit Card means losing:
Get the Bilt Palladium Card if you:
Get the Citi Strata Credit Card if you:
Editorial disclosure: CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Card data comes from issuers' published terms; data as of September 27, 2026. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content.
