Summary
Using traditional credit card payment platforms for rent can cost nearly $800 annually in fees, with a relatively high cost per mile (CPM) of 1.36¢.
The choice between high fees for miles or no miles is a false dilemma; more efficient options exist outside of traditional "payment router" platforms.
For the lowest cost-per-mile, an eGIRO-based rewards plan is more efficient, achieving a 1.33¢ CPM at a fraction of the cost.
To earn the maximum number of miles, "dual-stacking" allows you to earn both credit card miles and a second rewards currency on the same rent payment.
Rently provides both a low-cost eGIRO path and a dual-stacking option to help you earn miles more efficiently.
Let's start with a number that should make you wince.
If you pay $3,500/month in rent through a typical credit card payment service at a standard 1.9% fee, you're handing over $66.50 every single month — or $798 a year — just for the privilege of paying your own rent. That's a return flight to Bangkok. A weekend in Bali. Gone. Not in miles. Not in rewards. Just gone.
And the frustrating part? As one Reddit user put it: "It's crazy that we have to pay to pay a bill." That sentiment hits close to home for anyone who's done the math and felt the sting.
Here's the thing though — the idea that you must choose between paying high fees or giving up miles entirely is a false dilemma. It's not a choice between two bad options. It's a trap built into the architecture of old-school payment platforms. Once you understand how these platforms actually work, you'll see why the trap exists — and exactly how to step around it.
Why Payment Routers Always Cost You
Traditional payment platforms—whether from a bank (like SC EasyBill or Citi PayAll) or a third-party service (like CardUp or ipaymy)—all operate on the same basic model: they take your credit card payment, charge you a percentage fee, and then pay your landlord via bank transfer. They're payment routers. They sit in the middle, take their cut, and move on.
This model has one fatal flaw for consumers: the fee is baked in regardless of how much value you actually get back. The platform has no incentive to make the math work in your favour — it just needs to justify the fee enough that you don't cancel.
Let's use a common bank payment plan as a concrete benchmark. At 1.9% on $3,500/month:
Monthly fee: $66.50
Miles earned (using a card like Standard Chartered Visa Infinite at 1.4 mpd): ~4,900 miles
Implied Cost Per Mile (CPM): $66.50 ÷ 4,900 = 1.36 cents/mile
That's not catastrophic, but it's also not efficient — especially when you consider that you're locked to a specific card issuer, and the fee is non-negotiable. There's no way to optimise it.
What if you could earn miles with a lower CPM, using any bank account, without being tied to a specific credit card? That's exactly what the eGIRO path unlocks.
Path 1: The Lowest Cost-Per-Mile Route via eGIRO
This is where Rently changes the equation entirely.
Unlike payment routers, Rently operates as a tenancy support platform — it settles rent directly with your landlord via bank transfer, takes on payment risk, and layers its own rewards infrastructure on top. Your landlord doesn't need to sign up, approve anything, or even know you're using a service. They just see the rent arrive on time, as usual.
And because Rently isn't dependent on credit card rails for its base product, it can offer something competitors structurally cannot: a true 0% fee payment via eGIRO.
But if you want to earn miles on top of that, Rently's Earn Rewards on Rent — eGIRO Tier 1 is the most efficient path available in Singapore right now. Here's how the numbers break down on a $3,500/month rent:
Traditional CC Payment Plan (1.9%)
Monthly Fee: $66.50
Annual Fee: $798
Miles Earned (monthly): ~4,900 (card-dependent)
Cost Per Mile: ~1.36¢
Rently eGIRO Tier 1 (0.4%)
Monthly Fee: $14.00
Annual Fee: $168
Miles Earned (monthly): 1,050 Max Miles
Cost Per Mile: 1.33¢
That already beats the traditional plan's implied CPM — and you're paying $52.50 less per month to get there. Over a year, that's $630 saved versus the standard 1.9% route.
As noted in MileLion's detailed analysis of Rently, this eGIRO Tier 1 path is one of the most cost-efficient ways to acquire miles in Singapore — full stop.
What Are Max Miles, Exactly?
Max Miles are Rently's rewards currency, powered by HeyMax. They're not locked to a single airline or hotel programme. Max Miles are:
Transferable to 30+ loyalty programmes, including KrisFlyer, AirAsia BIG Points, and Avios
Non-expiring — they sit in your account until you're ready to use them
Flexible — standard KrisFlyer transfer runs at approximately 0.9:1, with 1:1 transfers available on promotional days
This makes the eGIRO Tier 1 path especially powerful for renters who aren't chasing a single airline but want optionality across programmes.
Path 2: The Maximum Miles Route (Dual-Stacking)
If you're a dedicated miles hacker and want to keep earning on your best credit card while also picking up Max Miles, Rently is the only platform in Singapore that makes this possible — and it's not a small distinction.
Most payment routers only earn you card miles, but that's it. Rently's CC tier unlocks dual reward stacking: your credit card earns its standard miles on the transaction, and Rently adds 0.3 Max Miles per dollar on top. Two reward currencies. One rent payment.
Here's what the stack looks like on a $3,500/month rent using a premium miles card at 1.4 mpd:
CC miles earned: 4,900 miles/month (from your card)
Max Miles earned: 1,050 Max Miles/month (from Rently)
Fee: 2.8% = $98/month
The 2.8% fee is higher, but you're buying two sets of rewards simultaneously. For someone chasing elite status, completing an award chart, or wanting both KrisFlyer miles and a secondary programme, this dual-stack approach turns rent into a compounding rewards engine — something no payment router can replicate.
The key insight: you're not replacing your credit card strategy. You're layering on top of it.
Your Decision Matrix: Two Paths, Zero Junk Fees
You don't need a spreadsheet to figure out which option is right for you. It comes down to one question: what's your primary goal?
If your goal is to minimise costs while still earning rewards:
→ Use Rently's eGIRO Tier 1
Fee: 0.4% ($14/month on $3,500 rent)
Miles earned: 0.3 Max Miles per dollar (1,050/month)
CPM: 1.33¢ — beats the typical implied rate for credit card payments
Works with any major Singapore bank account — no specific card required
The best alternative for tenants who want efficiency over volume
If your goal is to earn the maximum number of miles from rent:
→ Use Rently's CC Tier and stack your best miles card
Fee: 2.8% — higher, but you're earning two reward streams simultaneously
You keep all your existing CC miles (1.4 mpd on a premium card = 4,900 miles/month)
Rently adds 0.3 Max Miles per dollar on top — an extra 1,050 Max Miles/month
No other platform in Singapore offers this dual-stack structure
Either way, you are not paying 1.9% for nothing.
That's the point. The traditional payment-router model charges you a fixed fee whether the math works out in your favour or not. Rently gives you a choice — and both choices beat the default.
Stop Paying for the Privilege of Paying Rent
The $798/year figure isn't just a data point. It represents the cost of accepting a broken default — a fee structure that was never designed with the tenant's interests in mind.
The traditional payment-router model, and services like it, exist because most renters never stop to ask whether the trade-off makes sense. Once you run the numbers, it rarely does — especially when there's a cleaner, more flexible alternative sitting right there.
With Rently's eGIRO Tier 1, you're earning miles at 1.33¢/mile — already more efficient than the implied CPM of most bank payment plans — while paying a fraction of the fee. With the CC dual-stack path, you're turning rent into a two-programme rewards engine that no competitor can match.
The fee-versus-reward dilemma only exists on platforms that were built to route payments, not to solve for tenant value. Rently was built differently.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best way to pay rent and earn miles in Singapore?
The most efficient way to pay rent and earn miles depends on your goal. For the lowest cost-per-mile, using an eGIRO-based rewards plan like Rently's eGIRO Tier 1 is ideal, offering a competitive CPM. If your goal is to earn the maximum number of miles possible, a "dual-stacking" approach using Rently's CC Tier allows you to earn your credit card's miles plus a second rewards currency (Max Miles) on the same payment.
Why are traditional rent payment platforms so expensive?
Traditional rent payment platforms, also known as "payment routers," charge a percentage-based fee (e.g., 1.9%) on your rent to process your credit card payment and transfer the funds to your landlord. This model results in high annual costs (nearly $800 on a $3,500/month rent) and a relatively high cost-per-mile, as the fee is fixed regardless of the rewards you actually earn.
How does Rently work if my landlord isn't signed up?
Your landlord does not need to sign up for or even know you are using Rently. Rently acts as a tenancy support platform, accepting your payment via eGIRO or credit card and then paying your landlord directly through a standard bank transfer. From your landlord's perspective, they simply receive the full rent amount on time as usual.
What are Max Miles and how do they work?
Max Miles are a flexible rewards currency from Rently's partner, HeyMax. They are non-expiring and can be transferred to over 30 different airline and hotel loyalty programmes, including popular options like Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer and Avios. This gives you greater flexibility than being locked into a single airline's rewards programme.
Can I still use my favourite miles credit card to pay rent?
Yes, you can continue using your preferred miles credit card with Rently's CC Tier plan. This option is designed for "dual-stacking," where you earn your card's regular miles on the rent payment while also earning an additional 0.3 Max Miles per dollar from Rently, maximizing your total rewards on a single transaction.
Is Rently a cheaper way to earn miles on rent?
Yes, Rently can be a significantly more cost-effective alternative. Rently's eGIRO Tier 1 plan has a fee of just 0.4% and an effective cost-per-mile of 1.33¢, which is lower than the typical 1.36¢ CPM from using a credit card payment service at a 1.9% fee. This means you pay a fraction of the annual fees ($168 vs. $798 on a $3,500 rent) for a better rewards rate.
Ready to stop overpaying? See how much you could earn — and save — with Rently's rent rewards calculator.