How Do You Pay Rent With Credit Cards?

For certain lucky renters, their landlords or property managers offer an online rent payment method with no fees. In this case, paying your monthly rent online with a credit card (and then paying your bill in full each month) is a no-brainer.

Is It Wise To Pay Rent With Credit Cards?

Paying rent with a credit card is convenient, but it usually isn’t free. And it isn’t as quick as direct deposit or hand-delivering payment, either. To determine if paying rent with a credit card is worth it, you’ll need to compare the value of the points or bonus you’d earn to the fees you’d pay. You’ll also need to ensure your transaction will count as a purchase – and not a cash advance.

Does Paying Rent Build Credit?

Paying rent doesn’t ordinarily improve your credit. Credit scores are usually based on credit activity – when you borrow and repay money – and that’s not what happens with rent. Still, it’s possible to have rent payments added to your credit reports using rent payment reporting services. Your property manager may even use such a service already, though it’s not common practice.

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Susan Shain

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Susan is a freelance writer who specializes in turning complex financial topics into engaging and accessible articles. She's been writing about personal finance for six years, and was previously the senior writer at The Penny Hoarder and a staff writer at Student Loan Hero. Her personal finance writing has also appeared in publications like MarketWatch and Lifehacker.