Seems like many fintechs have taken the fancy of allowing users to pay rent using credit cards, and rightly so. Given the cash crunch due to the current lockdown, paying rent using credit cards can provide much-needed liquidity to users.
When I last wrote on this topic, there were only two credible options- RedGiraffe and NoBroker. However, now within a few months, there are two more options to pay rent using credit cards. Moreover, existing players are also running exciting promos to lure users to their platform. Thus, this is an apt time to compare these platforms and figure out which one is the best to pay rent using credit cards.
Pros and cons of paying rent using credit cards
Pros:
- Earn reward points on the credit card.
- Get 30-45 days of a credit-free period.
- Achieve credit card spend milestones easily
- Regular payment of credit card bills helps in improving one’s credit score.
Cons:
- Landlords may not agree to this arrangement – as bank entry comes as ‘RedGiraffe’, ‘Nobroker’, ’Housing.com’ etc.
- Landlords may have to share their PAN details
- In the case of autopay, one needs to vigilant to stop it when moving houses
Pay rent using credit cards – Best Options
1. Housing.com
- Rent agreement: Not required
- Landlord PAN: Not required.
- Setup time: Instant. Just enter the house address and property owner’s account details.
- Processing fees: Zero. This is a promotional offer. I expect they would eventually charge ~1% as processing fees. [Edit: As of 2nd May 2020, the promotional offer is withdrawn and as expected 1% service charge is applicable on paying rent using credit cards]
- Supported credit cards: Visa and Mastercard. Amex and Diners didn’t work for me
- Processing time: Instantly. For me, the payment got processed within few hours. For someone I know, payment was processed within minutes.
Housing.com is the latest entrant in processing rent on credit cards. As a promotional offer, they are offering a Zero processing fee on rent payment. Thus at the moment, Housing.com is the best option to pay rent using credit cards.
Nonetheless, apart from zero processing fees, their process is super smooth. It’s a simple 4 step process, where you enter your details, landlord’s account details, brief property details and finally the rent amount. That’s it and you are done!
The payment processing is super-fast. For me the payment got processed within a few hours, however, for someone I know, it got processed within minutes.
However, the only drawback at the moment, I feel is it allows only Visa and Mastercard. Sort of a dampener for people who swear by Amex and Dinersclub.
2. RedGiraffe.com
- Rent agreement: Generally required, but not enforced for rent payment below a certain amount.
- Landlord PAN: Required.
- Setup time: Long. Once the setup is done on RedGiraffe, one has to also activate BillPay/Standing Instructions in the credit card account.
- Processing fees: 0.46% including GST for all amount. For amount under 10k, flat fee of INR45.
- Supported credit cards: Credit card issued by HDFC Bank, Kotak, HSBC, Yes Bank, IndusInd Bank, ICICI, Standard Chartered.
- Processing time: Long. Takes 2-3 days for the payment to be credited in landlord’s account.
RedGiraffe is probably the oldest player, and thus the most popular, in the field of paying rent using credit cards. While the setup process is a bit tedious and cumbersome, but since it’s a one-time activity, it’s worth the efforts. Further, not to forget that processing fees of 0.46% is one of the lowest and has remained unchanged for nearly 2 years (since I have been using this service).
Besides, currently, they are running an amazing offer of up to INR 5,000 cashback for HSBC credit card users. More details here.
I am sure, once Housing.com’s promotional offer is over, very unlikely that they will not be able to match RedGiraffe’s pricing. For a detailed review of RedGiraffe click here.
3. NoBroker.in
- Rent agreement: Not required
- Landlord PAN: Not required for payment below 50K
- Setup time: Instant. Just enter the house address and property owner’s account details.
- Processing fees: 1% for payment up to 75,000. 1.5% above that.
- Supported credit cards: Visa/Master/Amex/Payzapp/Paytm
- Processing time: Typically instantly. Few cases within a day.
In terms of user experience, setup and processing time, Housing.com and NoBroker.in are at par. At the moment, the downside for NoBroker is the processing fees of 1% on rent payment below 75,000 and 15% above that.
However, their USP is the range of payment options supported. They support Visa, Mastercard and Amex credit cards. If that was not enough, they also support payment via Payzapp and Paytm wallet. Thus in a way, they support all the credit cards. One can load Payzapp wallet and make payment via NoBroker, an easy-peasy way to circumvent credit cards issuers, who don’t give points on utility bills but give for wallet loads :D. For eg: Citibank and Amex.
My experience with NoBroker has been quite good to date. The only reason I stopped using this service was when they started charging 1% processing fees and my Citibank credit card stopped giving reward points on utility bill payments.
4. Cred
- Rent agreement: Not required
- Landlord PAN: Not required.
- Setup time: Instant.
- Processing fees: 1.5% including GST.
- Supported credit cards: Visa/Master/Amex/Diners
- Processing time: Instantly
Cred app is a mobile app that offers rewards on paying credit card bill through the app. I have written a detailed review here. However, a lot of water has flown under the bridge since then and for me, the offers and the rewards on the app have lost their sheen.
Nonetheless, Cred also recently started offering rent payment via credit cards. While the user experience is smooth as ever, the processing time is super-fast and it accepts all the credit cards (Visa/Mastercard/Amex/Dinersclub). The biggest dampener for me is the 1.5% processing fee.
Among all the pay rent using credit cards platforms discussed above; Cred has the highest charges, however, it doesn’t offer anything extra in return. Another way to look at this is, of all the benefits listed for paying rent using credit cards; Cred doesn’t outshine other platforms discussed here on any parameter.
A brief snapshot of pay rent using credit cards platforms
Conclusion
The only reason I pay rent using credit cards is that it helps me earn extra reward points and get 30-45 days of a free-credit period. Thus for me, the cheapest but reliable service is of prime importance. Hence, I will probably stick to RedGiraffe for time being but will keep an eye on Housing.com, thanks to its zero processing fees offer, currently.
[Edit: As of 2nd May, Housing.com has started levying 1% processing fees on credit card payment. Thus NoBroker.in and Housing.com would now be at par in terms of user experience and charges.]
Have you paid rent using credit cards? Do share your experiences and views in the comments below; would love to hear them.
Disclaimer
In the interest of full disclosure, Credit Cardz may earn a referral bonus for anyone that’s approved through some of the links in this post. However, opinions and views expressed here are of the author's alone and not those of the bank, credit card issuer, or anyone else and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
Hi great article detailing everything. I and most of us in our office [we are around around 650 tenants & parents in Goa] pay our rent and kids school fees through Redgirraffe platform for last 4 years. I pay via PAYZAPP using my HDFC Bank credit card through Redgirraffe. It’s incredible that the charges have remained same at 0.39% plus GST all the while. I am personally very happy with the service. I think you should add 1 major aspect as well. And that’s of security. If I am not wrong, every other platform requires customers credit card details. With RG, we don’t have to worry on that front. My credit card details are not required by the platform. This aspect helps have a bit of data comfort. Also, I understand that redgirraffe is owned by HDFC Bank and a few more private banks. Its on the website https://redgirraffe.com/
Hi Patrick,
4 years Wow!!! and I thought I am one of the early users of Redgiraffe :D.
As you mentioned, the thing that works for RG is the low fees. Coz frankly, “most” landlords are as such understanding and wont heckle for a day or two delay in rent payment.
Also, the point on credit card sharing details is also appropriate. RG doesnt need your credit card details. However, most other platforms also dont need your card details. We enter our card details on the payment gateway, eg housing.com is using Razorpay as payment gateway. This is the same where we enter our card details on any online shopping website, be it as reliable as Amazon or Flipkart or maybe other less reliable ones. But, I get your point here that card details are also not transmitted on a network in case of RG, sort of additional comfort in using it.
The only caution that I follow is I never save my credit card details with any online platform except Amazon. Be it Paytm, Freecharge, Razorpay etc. Whoever offers me to save card details, I always uncheck the tick box. Or delete saved card details after the transaction.
As far as ownership of RedGiraffe goes, they claim that they are UK based fintech. Again, my understanding is that no private bank in India owns any stake in RG, however, they may have some tie-ups with them.
One more thing payzapp has been operational on Redgirraffe for a long time and allows all VISA/MASTERCARD & Rupay cards to transact using Redgirraffe rentpay interface. I missed to mention this point. sorry.
Payzapp is now operational on Nobroker.in too. So the thing is in case someone is using a credit card which RG doesn;’t support, for eg Citibank. He/she can use Nobroker.in via Payzapp. This enables one to earn reward points on rent payment, as in case of Citi, they classify Nobroker as utility and thus no reward points. But if you do via Payzapp, then voila, you get reward points. 😀
I don’t think paying using Payzapp on NoBroker would give any reward points.
Hey Ravi,
The trick is to load the wallet first and then pay using Payzapp on NoBroker. This would work for cards that dont give points for utility spends but give for wallet load, eg. Citibank.
I have Diners Black. Will I get reward points on RG or NoBroker using Payzapp?
Is there any exact way to earn reward points on Payzapp? Which way I can earn reward points for Diners Black- Payzapp wallet reload or directly paying through payzapp on merchant website?
Hey Niraj,
RedGiraffe:
For Diners, you will get reward points on using RG via standing instructions.
NoBroker
– You wont get any reward points using Diners Black with Payzapp as in Diners no points are given on wallet load.
– On paying through Payzapp gateway, my sense is one should get reward points. Havent checked it personally so not sure.
Am new to credit cards world. I have been an secret reader of your card reviews and blogs and has definitely influenced the choice of the currently held 5 credit cards. I was searching your articles and blog but couldn’t get an answer and hence, decided to seek your advice directly. Thanks in anticipation.
Is it possible to pay your credit card dues using a debit card? Neither through UPI nor through NetBanking but straightforward debit card only?
I can maximise my returns from the credit card rewards program if I can make the bill payments through VISA Debit card of DCB bank.
CRED allow to make bill payments using the debit card for amount greater than 1lac only.
PayTm allows only Rupay debit cards while PhonePe doesnt allow debit card for the credit card bill payments.
Billdesk also doesnt allow debit cards.
Guess with the introduction of UPI, option of debit card payment has been taken off for credit card. Please let me know your thoughts.
Thanks again for your details analysis of cards. It has been a blessing for novices like me.
Had this option been possible DCB Elite bank savings account holders can use their debit card and earn 1.6% cashback too over and the benefits of credit card and settling it thru CRED
Hi Joyce,
Replying here too, for the benefit of other readers. One can try Mobikwik to use debit cards for credit card payments.
There may be couple of few more apps that may allow payment via debit cards, currently I am unaware of them.
I personally, think this is not something which would continue for long. As banks incur payment gateway charges when a debit card is used. Banks would prefer users using UPI, Billdesk etc for bill payments.
Will I get reward points for Amex card for paying rent on Cred?
yes you do.
While paying rent with this app,it will ask only A/c details of landlord instead of rental agreement,then no broker make your payment on hold.Finally asking rental agreement,if you don’t have rental agreement they will deduct 3% commission then balance amount will get refund.After getting agreement copy from us,they told not valid.Our query is why no broker app does not ask about rental agreement and KYC validation before making payment,this question i asked more than 100 times but no answer they keep calm and escape with giving some stupid reason.This is the way everyone get cheated,they sucking the money from the user in name of shit terms and condition,daily more than 1000 peoples are cheated and earn money on Covid-19 time
Hey , I Just wanted to know….. I hold a CITI Reward Card….What do I have to do for paying through NOBroker.in via Payzapp. Do I need to Load the balance in Payzapp or I can pay directly with my Citi Card ? N the reward will go to my credit card or Payzapp aap?
to maximize the reward points load your Payzapp wallet using Citi card and then pay on Nobroker. Reason being, Citi does not give reward points for utility payments, but gives for wallet load. Nobroker is a utility payment for Citi and Payzapp is a wallet.
Cashback will come to your Payzapp wallet after 90 days.