Marriott Bonvoy Bold^® Credit Card Review: Hotel Rewards Without the Annual Fee

Looking for a $0-annual-fee way to earn rewards while staying at Marriott properties? The Marriott Bonvoy Bold^® Credit Card could be a good travel companion for casual Marriott guests who want solid perks without the added cost. With automatic Silver Elite status, $0 foreign transaction fees, and elevated rewards on Marriott stays, it’s a straightforward option for budget-conscious travelers.

That said, if you’re a frequent Marriott guest or prefer premium benefits like free night certificates and enhanced travel protections, upgrading to a Marriott card with an annual fee might give you more bang for your buck. Or you might opt for a general travel card with flexible rewards. Let’s dive in to see if this card fits your travel needs.

Annual fee: $0

Sign-up bonus: Earn 30,000 points

• Earn 30,000 Bonus Points after spending $1,000 on eligible purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.

Rewards: Earn 1X - 14X points

• Earn up to 14X total points for every $1 spent at thousands of hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®
• Earn 2X points for every $1 spent at grocery stores, rideshare, select food delivery, select streaming, and internet, and cable and phone services
• Earn 1X point for every $1 you spend on all other purchases

APR: 19.99% - 28.49% Variable

Foreign transaction fee: $0

Recommended credit: Good / Excellent

→ See all of the top Marriott credit cards.

• $0 annual fee

  The Marriott Bonvoy Bold^® Credit Card is the only Marriott-branded credit card with a $0 annual fee, making it the best choice for Marriott enthusiasts who don’t stay at Marriott properties frequently enough to justify paying an annual fee for additional benefits.

• Very high earning rate at Marriott properties

  The Marriott Bonvoy Bold^® Credit Card allows you to earn up to 14X total points for every $1 spent at thousands of hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy® and 2X points for every $1 spent at grocery stores, rideshare, select food delivery, select streaming, and internet, and cable and phone services. Plus, earn 1X point for every $1 you spend on all other purchases.

  This is an incredibly high rewards rate on hotel stays that can save you a substantial amount if you travel frequently. In comparison, many general travel credit cards offer far lower rewards on hotel stays. However, if you frequently stay at hotels, you might find even better value with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless^® Credit Card, which has a $95 annual fee but lets you earn up to 17X total points at participating Marriott hotels. Earn 3X points on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases each year on grocery stores, gas stations, and dining. Earn 2X points on all other purchases.

  There are several ways to redeem Marriott points, including flights, cruises, rental cars, entertainment and more. However, redeeming points for free stays is your best option — you won’t find as much value in redeeming them for those other options.

  → Learn more about the Marriott Bonvoy Rewards® Program.

• Automatic Marriott Bonvoy Silver elite status

  With the Marriott Bonvoy Bold^® Credit Card, you’ll automatically get Marriott Bonvoy Silver status and five elite night credits to help you qualify for higher elite status. Silver status includes modest perks such as:

  • Priority late checkout
  • 10% more points on stays
  • Free Wi-Fi
  • Exclusive member rates

  If you’re looking for higher complimentary status options, check out a Marriott credit card with a higher annual fee like the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card (see rates & fees), with Gold elite status or the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card (see rates & fees) with Platinum elite status.

  How do I get a Marriott hotel room upgrade?

  There are five Marriott status levels, with Silver Elite being the second level. You need to reach the third elite Marriott Bonvoy tier, Gold Elite, in order to start getting free room upgrades. You can also purchase room upgrades using your rewards points.

  → Learn more about how to get a hotel room upgrade.

• Solid travel and purchase protections

  For a $0 annual fee card, the Marriott Bonvoy Bold^® Credit Card offers solid travel protections. These benefits aren’t as strong as those of a more premium travel card, such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card, but they’re sufficient for many situations.

  • Baggage delay insurance: Up to $100 a day for up to five days when baggage is delayed over six hours.
  • Lost luggage reimbursement: Up to $3,000 per covered traveler.
  • Trip delay reimbursement: Up to $500 per covered traveler when travel is delayed more than 12 hours or requires an overnight stay.
  • Purchase protection: Eligible new purchases made using your card are covered for 120 days against damage or theft. Coverage is up to $500 per item.

• High sign-up bonus for a $0-annual-fee credit card

  The sign-up bonus you can earn with the Marriott Bonvoy Bold^® Credit Card is high compared to what you typically see with $0-annual-fee credit cards. You can earn 30,000 Bonus Points after spending $1,000 on eligible purchases within the first 3 months from account opening. Because we value Marriott Bonvoy points at around 9 cents per point, the sign-up bonus points value is worth around $540.

  However, you can earn higher bonuses with the other Marriott credit cards. For example, with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless^® Credit Card — which only has a $95 annual fee — you can earn 3 Free Night Awards worth up to 50,000 points each after spending $3,000 on eligible purchases within 3 months of account opening.

• $0 foreign transaction fees

  If you travel to Marriott properties worldwide, the Marriott Bonvoy Bold^® Credit Card has you covered with $0 foreign transaction fees. Since some cards charge around 3% for international use, this benefit can save you a lot.

• Limited Marriott perks compared to other cards

  Since the Marriott Bonvoy Bold^® Credit Card has a $0 annual fee, it’s missing some of the perks that make many of the other Marriott credit cards valuable. It doesn’t offer a free night award or any travel credits. Plus, it only offers Silver Elite status — which isn’t that valuable compared to other loyalty programs like Hilton and Hyatt.

  If you’re a frequent traveler, you’ll get much better value out of cards like the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless^® Credit Card and the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card. These cards offer hundreds of dollars worth of annual perks to balance out their annual fees.

• Low rewards rate outside of Marriott purchases

  The Marriott Bonvoy Bold^® Credit Card delivers great rewards on Marriott Bonvoy purchases, allowing you to accumulate points quickly, along with an enhanced rewards rate in certain categories. However, outside of these categories, you’ll only earn 1X points on purchases. If you’re looking for a card that maximizes earnings beyond hotel stays, a general travel rewards card like the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card might be a better option. It offers a high rate of miles on every purchase that you can redeem for any hotel.

Marriott Bonvoy Bold^® Credit Card vs. Marriott Bonvoy Boundless^® Credit Card

The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless^® Credit Card charges a $95 annual fee but offers more value than the Marriott Bonvoy Bold^® Credit Card. The added value can easily outweigh the cost of the annual fee. That starts with one of the largest sign-up bonuses around and a much higher earning rate on Marriott hotels.

Plus, you’ll get a free night award every anniversary, a path to Gold Elite status and 15 Elite Night credits. If you stay at Marriott properties at least a few times a year, the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless^® Credit Card is a better choice.

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Marriott Bonvoy Bold^® Credit Card vs. Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card

Unlike the Marriott Bonvoy Bold^® Credit Card, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card carries a steep $650 annual fee but is loaded with benefits tailored to Marriott enthusiasts looking for luxury perks. This includes a generous welcome offer worth several nights, depending on how you redeem it.

Its other benefits include an annual free night award each year after your renewal month worth up to 85,000 points (certain hotels have resort fees) and hundreds of dollars worth of dining and travel credits. You’ll also get 25 Elite Night credits each year and Priority Pass™ Select airport lounge access (enrollment required). If you’re a frequent guest of Marriott, its sheer mountain of benefits make this card a no-brainer.

Marriott Bonvoy Bold^® Credit Card vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card

If you’re not sure whether you stay at Marriott properties enough to justify a Marriott credit card, the Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card is an excellent alternative, offering valuable perks across a wide range of travel categories for a $95 annual fee.

You can earn an impressive sign-up bonus and elevated rewards on travel, dining, select streaming services and online grocery purchases. Chase Ultimate Rewards^® points are highly valuable and flexible, offering the ability to transfer them at a 1:1 ratio to any of Chase’s airline or hotel transfer partners, including Marriott Bonvoy.

In addition to earning rewards, this card provides up to a $50 annual credit for hotel bookings made through Chase Travel^SM. Plus, it has top-of-the-line travel and purchase protections, including primary rental car insurance.

If you’re a Marriott Bonvoy loyalist who doesn’t want to pay an annual fee every year, the Marriott Bonvoy Bold^® Credit Card is a good choice. But if you want to earn a larger welcome offer and more points on your hotel stays, another Marriott credit card would be a better pick — as long as you don’t mind paying an annual fee.

If you’re not committed to a specific hotel rewards program and want benefits on a variety of travel purchases, the Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card could also be a great alternative. It offers hotel perks like an annual hotel credit and the ability to transfer points to Marriott Bonvoy.