Marriott offers five personal credit cards to new applicants, each with its own annual fee ranging from $0 to $650.
In short, whether you’re a die-hard Marriott fan or an occasional traveler looking for free reward nights, there’s a card for everyone.
Chase currently has two of its most affordable co-branded options open to new applicants: Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card (See Rates and Fees) and Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card (See Rates and Fees).
Let’s break down the details of each card to help you decide which one is better suited for your strategy.
Marriott Bonvoy Bold vs Marriott Bonvoy Infinite Comparison
| feature | Marriott Bonvoy Bold | Marriott Bonvoy Unlimited |
|---|---|---|
| welcome bonus | Earn 60,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in purchases within the first three months of account opening. | Earn 125,000 bonus points and a free night (worth up to 50,000 points) when you spend $3,000 in purchases within the first three months of account opening. Some hotels charge a resort fee. |
| annual fee | $0 | $95 |
| Yield |
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| Marriott Bonvoy Benefits |
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| Other benefits |
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Related: Does it make sense to have multiple Marriott Bonvoy credit cards?
Marriott Bonvoy Bold and Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Welcome Bonus
this Boundless Currently, you can earn 125,000 bonus points and a free night (worth up to 50,000 points) when you spend $3,000 in purchases within the first three months of account opening. Some hotels charge a resort fee. This offer ends on November 5th.
this Bold Currently, you can earn 60,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in purchases within the first three months of account opening. This offer ends on November 5th.
TPG’s October 2025 valuation pegs Marriott Bonvoy points at 0.7 cents per point, which effectively makes total bonuses worth $420 for Bold and up to $1,225 for Boundless.
Since Chase issues both cards at the same time, it’s important to note that the 5/24 rule applies here. This means that if you opened five or more credit cards (from any card issuer) in the past two years, you may not qualify for any of them.
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In addition, Marriott-specific eligibility requirements apply to products issued by Chase and American Express. Please be sure to verify your eligibility before applying.
winner: Boundless. Its welcome bonus is much more valuable than Bold’s.
Related: The best time to apply for these Chase cards based on offer history
Marriott Bonvoy Bold and Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Offers
The free night voucher is the most significant difference between these two cards.
Each year on your account anniversary, Boundless Cardholders can receive a free night voucher worth up to 35,000 points, and if the hotel is priced above that, you can add up to 15,000 additional points.
If you take advantage of this strategically, you can easily make up for the $95 annual fee with a free night at the hotel.
at the same time, Bold Cardholders will not receive free night vouchers, but there will be no annual fee.
Apart from that, these cards offer similar benefits. With either card, you’ll automatically receive Silver Elite status and Chase’s powerful travel and purchase protections. Additionally, you don’t have to pay any foreign transaction fees when traveling abroad with these cards.
winner: Boundless. Most travelers can earn more than $95 worth of free night certificates.
RELATED: 7 Great Uses for Marriott Free Night Vouchers
Earn points with Marriott Bonvoy Bold and Marriott Bonvoy Boundless
The earning rates on both cards are similar, but it’s nice that the Boundless earns at least 2 points per $1 spent on every purchase, while the Bold earns 1 point per $1 spent on non-reward category purchases.
That being said, neither card offers truly great earn rates outside of Marriott purchases, and you can definitely find better options for everyday spending.
The Boundless card earns more points on Marriott stays and offers extra points on groceries and gas purchases (albeit with spending caps), while the Bold card offers bonus points on rides, which can be useful if you frequently use services like Uber or Lyft.
winner: Boundless. It earns more points than the Bold on most purchases.
Related: Best hotel credit cards
Redeem points with Marriott Bonvoy Bold and Marriott Bonvoy Boundless
both Bold and Boundless Earn Marriott Bonvoy points so they offer the same redemption options.
The most obvious and valuable way to use Bonvoy points is to redeem them for Marriott stays. To make the most of your points, you can book five award nights for the price of four with the fifth night free offer.
Additionally, you can use your points to purchase gift cards and merchandise through the Marriott Shopping Portal, but we recommend avoiding this avenue to get the most value from your points.
TPG credit card writer Chris Nelson recently scored a great deal on a stay at the AC Hotel Cape Town Waterfront, where he redeemed 136,000 points for a seven-night stay. He took advantage of the award’s fifth-night-free offer and received a free night.
winner: tie. Both cards earn Marriott Bonvoy points and offer the same redemption options.
Related: How to Redeem Points with Marriott Bonvoy Program
Transfer points with Marriott Bonvoy Bold and Marriott Bonvoy Boundless
With either card, you also have the option to transfer your Bonvoy points to one of nearly 40 partner airline programs, including Delta SkyMiles and United MileagePlus.
Most airlines have a 3:1 transfer ratio, so for every 3 Marriott points you transfer, you’ll earn 1 airline mile. Additionally, when you transfer points to United MileagePlus, you’ll earn 10,000 bonus miles for every 60,000 points transferred.
However, this redemption usually doesn’t provide good value for your points, so we recommend using it only when you need to top up your airline account balance.
winner: tie. Both cards have the same transfer partners.
Related: When does it make sense to transfer Marriott points to an airline?
Should I buy Marriott Bonvoy Bold or Marriott Bonvoy Boundless?
If you know you can use your annual free night voucher, Boundless is the best choice. You can also unlock higher earning rates with this card. However, if you’re looking for something more entry-level and want to avoid annual fees, Bold is a better choice.
How to upgrade from Marriott Bonvoy Bold to Marriott Bonvoy Boundless
If you don’t qualify for the new Bonvoy bonus or are past 5/24, changing products may be your best option. Both Bonvoy Bold and Bonvoy Boundless are subject to Chase’s 5/24 rule and, more specifically, Marriott Bonvoy eligibility restrictions.
To request an upgrade (or downgrade), call the number on the back of your card. Keep in mind that doing so will mean you temporarily lose the welcome bonus on your new card.
Related: The Ultimate Guide to Upgrading Your Credit Card
bottom line
No matter which card you choose, these two Marriott cards are a great way to introduce you to the Bonvoy program and all of its redemption possibilities. You can’t go wrong with either, as there are thousands of properties to choose from around the world.
To learn more, check out our full reviews of the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card and Marriott Bonvoy Bold Card.
Apply here: Marriott Bonvoy Unlimited Card
Apply here: Marriott Bonvoy Bold Card
