Best Credit Cards for Rent Payment: Hidden Perks You're Missing (2025 Guide)

Credit cards for rent payment aren't as rewarding in 2025 as they used to be, but they still offer great benefits. Many banks have cut back on rent transaction rewards because people misused them. Yet some excellent options remain available. Take the Standard Chartered Ultimate Credit Card - its rewards rate on rent payments dropped from 3.3% to 2%. But paying rent with credit cards still makes sense.

Credit cards give you up to 45 days without interest and let you earn cashback on rent payments. The Good Card stands out by offering 3-5% cashback through high-return FDs with just 1% surcharge on rent. Platform fees vary widely - from zero at Magicbricks to 2.95% at Buildium. RedGirraffe's low 0.39% fee makes it a smart choice to pay rent through credit cards. This piece reveals some hidden perks of 2025's best rent payment credit cards that you should know about.

Why Paying Rent with a Credit Card Still Makes Sense in 2025

Credit cards still give great financial perks for rent payments in 2025, even as banks change their reward programs. Premium cards might give fewer rewards now, but smart cardholders can still find valuable benefits.

Cash flow flexibility and interest-free period

Credit card rent payments come with a 30-45 day interest-free period. This helps people manage their money better, especially those whose payday doesn't match their rent due date. To cite an instance, your rent might be due on the 1st while your salary arrives on the 5th. Your credit card covers this gap without any extra cost.

The grace period also helps during surprise expenses or temporary money shortages. Young professionals in cities who spend up to 30% of their income on rent find this really helpful. The Good Card makes things better by charging just 1% on rent payments, which beats most other options in the market.

Meeting annual spend limits for premium benefits

Large monthly rent payments help you reach spending goals faster to get:

• Annual fee waivers on premium cards

• Credit limit boosts

• Card feature upgrades

• Welcome bonuses and introductory offers

Premium cards like HDFC Infinia, Diners Club Black, and Standard Chartered Ultimate have given about 3.3% returns on most spending. Users still get around 2.8% back on big rent payments after fees.

The Good Card has changed the game by offering 3-5% cashback on everything through high-return Fixed Deposits. Users need to spend ₹10,000 on non-rent items and half their rent amount on other purchases to get these perks. Their surveys show this new approach helps with overspending guilt that affects 90% of Gen Z and Millennials.

Boosting credit score with consistent payments

Your credit profile gets stronger when you pay rent through credit cards regularly. Experian reports that 62% of users saw their credit scores rise, with scores going up by 13 points on average.

This credit-building advantage matters because:

1. Rent payments show good money habits

2. They prove you can handle big regular payments

3. They create payment history that helps your credit score

   
   

RentenPe now creates special Rent Credit Scores that treat rent payments just like other financial commitments. This helps show how responsible people are with their rent payments.

Using your card for rent can really help build credit if you make your payments on time and watch your credit usage. Young professionals starting their financial journey will find this especially useful.

Finally, paying rent with the right credit card in 2025 makes good financial sense if you plan it well.

8 Best Credit Cards for Rent Payment in 2025

Credit cards still provide substantial value for rent payments, even with recent changes in reward structures. My analysis of dozens of cards reveals the ones that make financial sense for rent payment in 2025, based on convenience fees, rewards, and milestone benefits.

1. The Good Card – FD-Backed Cashback & Guilt-Free Spending

The Good Card has transformed how Gen Z and Millennials handle spending and saving. This card gives 3-5% cashback on all spends through high-return Fixed Deposits, which addresses the spending guilt that affects 90% of young adults. Users pay just 1% surcharge on rent payments when they spend at least 50% of their rent on non-rent purchases - making it affordable compared to other options. Card benefits include an FD contest with up to 2X top-up on FD amount through a lottery system, plus individual-specific wealth management for top clients.

2. Club Vistara SBI Card PRIME

This travel card rewards users with 4 CV Points per ₹200 spent on rent payments. The card costs ₹2,999 yearly and comes with premium economy ticket vouchers as milestone benefits. SBI stopped reward points on rent payments from April 15, 2024, but rent transactions still count for milestone benefits. Vistara frequent flyers can unlock premium economy tickets by reaching annual spending thresholds of ₹1.5 lakhs, ₹3 lakhs, ₹4.5 lakhs, and ₹8 lakhs.

3. Club Vistara IDFC First Credit Card

This card stands out by offering 1 CV Point per ₹200 on rent payments - rare since most banks don't reward rent payments. The ₹4,999 annual fee brings up to 5 Premium Economy ticket vouchers through spending milestones starting at ₹1.5 lakhs annually. Regular Vistara travelers can get great value through milestone benefits and airport lounge access, even with the 1% rental surcharge.

4. Standard Chartered Ultimate Credit Card

This premium card costs ₹5,000 yearly and gives 5 reward points for every ₹150 spent (1 point = ₹1). The card's 3.3% reward rate on all spends makes it worthwhile despite the 1% processing fee on rental transactions. Additional perks include 2% foreign currency markup, free golf access, and detailed insurance benefits with a ₹1 crore air accident cover.

5. Marriott Bonvoy HDFC Bank Credit Card

The card's annual fee is ₹3,000 and doesn't give reward points on rent payments. All the same, rent payments count toward milestone benefits, including Free Night Awards at participating Marriott properties at annual spends of ₹6 lakhs, ₹9 lakhs, and ₹15 lakhs. Regular Marriott guests can get value that's nowhere near the card's annual fee and rental charges.

6. AU Zenith Credit Card

AU Zenith rewards rent payments at about 1% (5 points per ₹100, with 1 point = ₹0.2). High spenders don't pay the ₹7,999 annual fee with spends of ₹5 lakhs annually. The rewards earned balance out the 1% processing fee on rent transactions, making rent payments cost-neutral.

7. Axis Vistara Infinite/Signature Credit Card

These cards charge ₹10,000 (Infinite) and ₹3,000 (Signature) annually, plus 1% on rental transactions. Rent payments stopped counting for milestone spending in June 2023. The cards still offer business/premium economy tickets as welcome gifts and milestone rewards, along with lounge access and insurance benefits.

8. Standard Chartered Smart Credit Card

This affordable card charges ₹499 yearly and offers 2% cashback on online spends (up to ₹1,000 monthly) and 1% on other spends (up to ₹500 monthly). New cardholders get a 90-day interest-free period, perfect for managing short-term rent payment cash flow, though fuel transactions don't qualify for cashback.

Hidden Perks You Might Be Missing

Credit cards offer a rich source of hidden perks for rent payments beyond the obvious advantages. These benefits are a big deal as it means that the convenience fees become worthwhile even in 2025.

Milestone benefits that still apply to rent payments

Credit cards have excluded rent payments from direct rewards, but many still count these transactions toward milestone benefits. The Club Vistara SBI Card PRIME excels in this category. SBI Card continues to include rent payments to qualify for milestone benefits, which lets cardholders receive complimentary premium economy tickets by reaching spending thresholds. The new Club Vistara IDFC First Credit Card adopts a similar approach and offers up to 4 complimentary premium economy tickets as milestone rewards that include rent payments.

Cards that offer rewards despite no cashback

Some cards maintain their reward structures for rent payments while cashback options decrease. The Standard Chartered Smart Credit Card is among the few that offers 2% cashback on rent transactions. Processing these payments through Paytm or CRED yields better returns than RedGirraffe, which no longer qualifies for cashback benefits.

The Good Card's innovative FD-backed approach delivers exceptional value. It offers 3-5% cashback on all spends through high-return Fixed Deposits and addresses the spending guilt that affects 90% of Gen Z and Millennials. The card creates a unique saving mechanism through regular spending with just 1% surcharge on rent payments when you spend at least 50% of your rent on non-rent purchases.

How rent payments help unlock travel vouchers and upgrades

Rent payments are a great way to get premium travel perks. Cards like Club Vistara SBI Card PRIME offer up to 4 complimentary premium economy tickets plus a ₹10,000 Yatra Hotels Gift Voucher after reaching spending thresholds. HDFC's PayZapp provides attractive Yatra e-vouchers with rewards that vary by card:

• Infinia Card: ₹75 through reward points

• Diners Black Credit Card: ₹45 through reward points

• Regalia and Diners Privilege Credit Card: ₹30 through reward points

Using rent to qualify for welcome bonuses

Large monthly rent payments help meet minimum spending requirements faster for credit card welcome bonuses. These transactions speed up qualification for introductory offers that might be hard to reach otherwise. Cardholders can plan new card applications around rent cycles to maximize these one-time benefits, which often range from ₹5,000 to ₹10,000 in value.

Best Platforms to Pay Rent with Credit Cards

Your choice of credit card rent payment platform can make a huge difference in the value you get. After looking at many options, I found the most economical platforms that give you the best benefits.

RedGirraffe – lowest convenience fee

RedGirraffe stands out as a game-changer with its low convenience fee of just 0.39% plus GST. You'll pay only ₹39+GST for every ₹10,000, which makes it nowhere near as expensive as other options. The platform keeps rates low through its deep banking partnerships. You'll get automated rent receipts for tax benefits and RedGirraffe CASH Points that you can use at over 300 premium brands like Amazon, Flipkart, and Starbucks.

CRED – reward-rich and automated

CRED's fee is about 1% plus GST, but its excellent rewards system makes up for it. Each payment earns you exclusive CRED coins that you can exchange for cashback and partner deals. The platform gives you an interest-free credit period of 18-48 days to 25-55 days based on your card's cycle. The automated payment system keeps your payments on time without you lifting a finger.

PayZapp – integration with RedGirraffe and NoBroker

PayZapp works differently than other platforms by connecting to services like RedGirraffe and NoBroker to make rent payments easier. The app lets you pay through RedGirraffe or use your PayZapp wallet for NoBroker payments, with extra 5% cashback offers. This connected approach lets you work with multiple rent payment systems.

Magicbricks – zero fee and rental insurance

Magicbricks charges NO convenience fee on rent payments and throws in free rental insurance up to ₹1 lakh for accidental death and permanent disability. You also get up to ₹5,000 weekly for two years if you face temporary disability. Lucky users can win 100% cashback on their rent during regular promotions.

NoBroker – reward points and fast processing

NoBroker has a 1% plus GST fee and processes payments within two working days. Visa and Mastercard users can earn up to 30,000 reward points. Right now, you can get mystery boxes with valuable brand coupons from Myntra and St.Botanica.

Tips to Maximize Rewards and Minimize Charges

Credit card rent payments in 2025 can be a powerful financial tool. The right mix of cards and platforms will help you transform this major expense into rewards and benefits.

Choose cards with milestone benefits over cashback

Banks have mostly stopped giving direct cashback on rent transactions. Your best bet is to look for cards that count rent payments toward milestone benefits. The Club Vistara SBI Card PRIME shows how this works well. SBI Card doesn't give rewards on rent anymore, but you can still earn complimentary tickets by reaching spending thresholds. The Good Card rewards you with 3-5% cashback through high-return Fixed Deposits. This is a big deal as it means that 90% of Gen Z and Millennials who worry about saving can benefit. Remember that you'll need to spend ₹10,000 on non-rent expenses to qualify for these perks.

Use platforms with lowest fees

RedGirraffe leads the market with its 0.39% convenience fee plus GST (just ₹39+GST per ₹10,000). Axis Bank cardholders pay a bit more at 0.48%. On top of that, platforms sometimes run special deals - CRED gives you a ₹250 discount when you pay at least ₹10,000 rent with RuPay credit cards.

Avoid cards that exclude rent from rewards

Standard Chartered Smart Credit Card still gives 2% cashback on rent payments. Make sure to check if your card counts rent as eligible purchases before you sign up.

Split rent to meet spending thresholds

Splitting your rent across multiple cards can maximize your benefits. This strategy lets you:

• Use remaining balances on prepaid cards

• Spread large rent payments within card limits

• Get more rewards from different card programs

• Hit minimum spending goals on several cards at once

Automate payments to avoid late fees

Recurring payments will give a stress-free experience and prevent missed deadlines. Automated systems track your payments and send receipts automatically. Many property managers now provide rent receipts in income tax format, making tax filing easier.

The Good Card has an interesting twist - you need to spend at least half of your rent amount on other purchases to get the lower 1% rent payment surcharge. This encourages cardholders to maintain balanced spending habits.

Conclusion

Paying rent with credit cards in 2025 is definitely a smart financial strategy despite recent reward cuts. My research shows that picking the right cards can turn your rent payments into a wealth-building chance. The Good Card really shines in the digital world. Their surveys show that 90% of Gen Z and Millennials feel guilty about spending. The Good Card's innovative system gives 3-5% cashback in high-return FDs. They charge just 1% on rent payments when you spend half your rent amount on other purchases.

Cards that offer milestone benefits are better than simple cashback options. Club Vistara SBI Card PRIME and The Good Card are great examples that give excellent value through extra perks. On top of that, platforms like RedGirraffe keep their convenience fee low at 0.39%, which makes financial sense.

Most people don't realize how rent payments can build credit. Your steady payment history can raise your credit score by 13 points on average, based on Experian's data. In spite of that, you should weigh convenience fees against rewards to make sure you come out ahead.

Rent payment options have changed by a lot. Platforms now come with great extras. Magicbricks gives rental insurance while CRED has a reliable reward system. Setting up automatic payments helps you avoid missing due dates and get all the benefits.

The perfect credit card turns rent from a burden into a smart move. It builds your credit, opens up travel chances, and creates automatic savings through FD-backed rewards. Your rent payment approach could be your most powerful financial tool in 2025.