For those who keep at a lodge even semi-frequently, a cobranded lodge card could be a nice possibility. These lodge playing cards have annual charges that vary from zero to a number of hundred {dollars}. Though playing cards with annual charges are likely to have higher incomes charges, no-annual-fee choices nonetheless present worth.
Two massive lodge chains, Marriott and Hilton, every provide a compelling no-annual-fee card price contemplating: the Marriott Bonvoy Daring® Credit score Card (see charges and charges) and the Hilton Honors American Specific Card (see charges and charges).
Each playing cards get you entry-level elite standing and have comparable bonus classes that can assist you earn factors with each buy.
Let’s examine the Marriott Bonvoy Daring to the Hilton Honors Amex and decide which one is greatest suited on your wants.
Marriott Bonvoy Daring vs. Hilton Honors Amex comparability
| Card | Marriott Bonvoy Daring | Hilton Honors Amex |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome provide | Earn 30,000 bonus factors after spending $1,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. | Earn 100,000 bonus factors after spending $2,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership. |
| Annual price | $0 | $0 |
| Incomes charges |
|
|
| Per-point worth (based mostly on TPG’s November 2025 valuations) | 0.7 | 0.5 |
| Advantages |
|
|
*Eligibility and profit ranges differ by card. Phrases, circumstances and limitations apply. Go to americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for particulars. Insurance policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Firm.
**Eligibility and Profit degree varies by Card. Phrases, Situations and Limitations Apply. Please go to americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for extra particulars. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Firm. Automobile Rental Loss or Harm Protection is obtainable by means of American Specific Journey Associated Providers Firm, Inc.
Marriott Bonvoy Daring vs. Hilton Honors Amex welcome provide
New Marriott Bonvoy Daring cardholders can earn 30,000 bonus factors after spending $1,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
The Daring’s welcome bonus is price $210, per TPG’s November 2025 valuations.
Then again, new Hilton Honors Amex cardmembers can earn 100,000 bonus factors after spending $2,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership.
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Based on TPG’s November 2025 valuations, the Hilton Honors Amex’s welcome bonus is price $500.
Winner: Tie. It depends upon your desire for Marriott or Hilton properties, though Hilton’s bonus is price barely extra.
Associated: This month’s greatest welcome affords
Marriott Bonvoy Daring vs. Hilton Honors Amex advantages
Each playing cards present entry-level elite standing, which is useful when getting began with a loyalty program. The Marriott Bonvoy Daring gives computerized Silver Elite standing, which incorporates primary perks like a ten% bonus on factors earned for Marriott stays, precedence late checkout (when accessible) and complimentary Wi-Fi.
The Hilton Honors Amex’s complimentary Silver standing additionally contains comparable entry-level perks, together with a 20% level bonus and elite rollover nights. These are helpful when attempting to maximise Hilton’s fifth evening free on award stays.
Fortunately, each playing cards additionally provide a pathway to larger elite standing. The Bonvoy Daring provides you 5 elite evening credit yearly that can assist you earn a better standing. The elite evening credit earned from this card could be stacked with elite evening credit earned from the Marriott Bonvoy Enterprise® American Specific® Card to convey you nearer to larger elite standing with Marriott.
The Hilton Amex grants cardmembers computerized Gold standing by means of the top of the subsequent calendar yr after they spend $20,000 on the cardboard in a calendar yr.
For anybody who plans to make use of both card often, this could be a nice choice to unlock an elite tier that is way more rewarding. Nonetheless, you may be sacrificing worth by not making these purchases with a card that is good for on a regular basis spending.
Equally, each playing cards don’t have any international transaction charges, so you should utilize both card when touring outdoors the U.S. with out incurring charges. Each playing cards additionally include an honest record of journey and buy protections, with the Marriott Bonvoy Daring taking the lead.
The Daring comes with baggage delay insurance coverage, misplaced baggage reimbursement and journey delay reimbursement protection, together with buy safety. These are spectacular advantages in comparison with the Hilton Honors Amex, which solely gives buy safety*, prolonged warranties* and automotive rental insurance coverage.**
That is very true when contemplating that no-annual-fee playing cards sometimes do not include in depth journey protections.
*Eligibility and profit ranges differ by card. Phrases, circumstances and limitations apply. Go to americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for particulars. Insurance policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Firm.
**Eligibility and Profit degree varies by Card. Phrases, Situations and Limitations Apply. Please go to americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for extra particulars. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Firm. Automobile Rental Loss or Harm Protection is obtainable by means of American Specific Journey Associated Providers Firm, Inc.
Winner: Marriott Bonvoy Daring. It has extra journey protections and a better path to larger elite standing and not using a minimal spending requirement.
Incomes factors with the Marriott Bonvoy Daring vs. Hilton Honors Amex
With the Marriott Bonvoy Daring and being an Elite member, you may earn extra factors on Marriott stays. This will increase the incomes potential for Marriott purchases to 14 factors per greenback spent when utilizing the Bonvoy Daring.
In the meantime, the Hilton Honors Amex earns 7 factors per greenback spent on eligible purchases made instantly with Hilton portfolio properties. This contains paying for the room and on-site spending at U.S. eating places and spas.
Just like the Bonvoy Daring, the Hilton Honors Amex earns extra than simply the bottom factors with Hilton purchases. Because of their complimentary Hilton Honors Silver standing, cardmembers additionally earn a further 12 factors per greenback spent, for a complete of 19 factors per greenback spent (a 9.5% return on spending, in response to November 2025 valuations).
The Hilton Honors beats the Marriott Bonvoy Daring on non-hotel spending as you earn 5 factors per greenback spent at U.S. eating places (together with takeout and supply), U.S. supermarkets and U.S. gasoline stations and three factors per greenback spent in all places else.
Regardless of Hilton Honors factors being valued barely lower than Bonvoy factors, the cardboard affords extra alternatives to earn factors. Nonetheless, we do not suggest utilizing a lodge bank card for nonbonus spending except you are attempting to earn elite standing or a welcome bonus.
Winner: Hilton Honors Amex. It comes with higher incomes charges in in style spending classes.
Associated: One of the best no-annual-fee lodge bank cards
Redeeming factors with the Marriott Bonvoy Daring vs. Hilton Honors Amex
As a Marriott Bonvoy Daring cardholder, you may, after all, redeem factors for Marriott stays. Or, you may switch them to a protracted record of airline companions. Nonetheless, utilizing your factors free of charge nights at Marriott inns sometimes affords one of the best worth.
Marriott has a dynamic pricing mannequin for its redemptions, which suggests charges fluctuate based mostly on varied components, together with money charges. To stretch your factors additional, you may maximize the Marriott Money + Factors fee, which lets you break up the fee between factors and money. For those who’re brief on factors, this may help you cowl your complete keep.
Better of all, Marriott additionally gives a free evening profit on award bookings. When redeeming factors for a keep of 5 consecutive nights, you will be eligible for the “Keep for five, Pay for 4” profit, which provides members the lowest-cost award evening free of charge.
TPG bank cards author Chris Nelson not too long ago bought nice worth redeeming 136,000 Bonvoy factors for a seven-night keep on the AC Lodge Cape City Waterfront and used the fifth-night-free perk to get one evening free, which might have value over $2,000 for the whole keep.
Hilton Honors redemptions are fairly much like Marriott Bonvoy’s, since award nights are additionally dynamically priced.
The Hilton Honors program additionally affords a fifth free evening on award stays to elite members, so it is best to analysis completely different dates on your most popular property to maximise the worth of your hard-earned factors. In contrast to Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors has a nifty instrument, Factors Explorer, that can assist you discover award costs based mostly on location or kinds of holidays you are concerned about.
TPG bank cards author Augusta Stone not too long ago redeemed 130,000 Hilton Honors factors for a two-night keep at Cover by Hilton London Metropolis. This can be a nice redemption because the property is inside strolling distance of the Tower Bridge.
As a rule of thumb, make certain to calculate what number of factors you will want for a keep to assist decide if redeeming factors is price it versus paying money. I’ve amassed practically 800,000 Bonvoy factors and am considering redeeming them for a keep within the tremendous dear Maldives or transferring my factors to an airline to redeem for premium-cabin airfare.
Associated: The bank cards that assist gasoline my luxurious journey
Winner: Marriott Bonvoy Daring. Marriott has extra properties in complete, so it ought to be simpler to seek out redemptions on your factors.
Ought to I get the Marriott Bonvoy Daring or Hilton Honors Amex?
The Marriott Bonvoy Daring and Hilton Honors Amex are entry-level cobranded lodge playing cards that provide respectable worth for being no-annual-fee bank cards. For those who’re not after top-tier elite standing and are in search of simply the fundamentals or are simply beginning out with a lodge bank card, you may’t go incorrect with both possibility. The selection comes all the way down to which model you like and whether or not both card’s restricted perks might be of use to you.
Associated: How to decide on a lodge bank card
Backside line
The Marriott Bonvoy Daring Credit score Card and Hilton Honors American Specific Card can jump-start you on a path to larger elite standing. And it is good that each playing cards provide some journey protections.
Frequent vacationers could discover it worthwhile to think about including a cobranded card with a better annual price to their pockets for entry to extra advantages.
As a frequent traveler, I should not have a cobranded lodge card. Nonetheless, I do have the American Specific Platinum Card®, which gives me with Gold elite standing with each Marriott and Hilton and makes the cardboard price it (enrollment required). This may very well be a card price contemplating if you need elite standing with each manufacturers and premium journey perks. Nonetheless, these playing cards are a strong selection to start out your loyalty journey with both program.
To be taught extra, learn our full evaluations of the Marriott Bonvoy Daring and the Hilton Honors Amex.
Apply right here: Marriott Bonvoy Daring
Apply right here: Hilton Honors Amex
For charges and charges of the Hilton Honors Amex, please click on right here.
