Marriott Bonvoy Bold® vs Marriott Bonvoy Boundless®
Side-by-side comparison
| Marriott Bonvoy Bold® | Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | No annual fee | $95 |
| Welcome offer | ||
| Dining | 4x | 3x |
| Groceries | 4x | 3x |
| Gas | 2x | 3x |
| Travel | 2x | 1x |
| Streaming | 2x | 1x |
| Everything else | 2x | 2x |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $763 | $671 |
| Points type | Locked to Marriott Bonvoy | Locked to Marriott Bonvoy |
| Network | Visa | Visa |
*Estimated yearly rewards on typical household spending, every point valued at a flat 1 cent. Verified August 2026. See your own numbers in the calculator.
Welcome bonus and value over time
| Over time | Marriott Bonvoy Bold® | Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome bonus | 60,000 points | 125,000 points + 1 Free Night Award (up to 50,000 pts) |
| To earn it | $1,000 in 3 months | $3,000 in 3 months |
| Est. first-year value* | $1,363 | $2,326 |
| Est. ongoing value / yr* | $763 | $576 |
This one splits by time horizon. In year one the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® is ahead by roughly $963, thanks largely to its welcome offer. But the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® earns more every year after, so if you keep it, it overtakes the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® after about 6 years. Chasing the sign-up bonus and open to canceling before the second annual fee? Take the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless®. Planning to keep it for years? The Marriott Bonvoy Bold® pulls ahead.
*First-year value counts the welcome bonus, estimated rewards, and annual credits, minus the annual fee; ongoing value is a typical year after. Every point at a flat 1 cent.
Perks, credits, and redemptions
| Perks | Marriott Bonvoy Bold® | Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® |
|---|---|---|
| Lounge access | None | None |
| Annual credits | None | None |
| Points & redemptions | Locked to a single program | Locked to a single program |
The two are closely matched on perks and redemptions, so the welcome offer and everyday earning above are what should decide it.
Transfer partners and point value
Neither card earns transferable points, so redemptions are cash-back or fixed portal value on both, roughly a cent per point. There is no airline or hotel transfer angle to separate them.
The verdict
On a typical year of household spending, the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® earns about $763 a year in rewards and the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® about $671, valuing every point at a flat 1 cent. The Marriott Bonvoy Bold® has no annual fee, so its rewards are all profit. The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® charges $95, which you clear through its rewards and perks. Counting rewards, fees, and any credits, the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® delivers more total value, about $187 a year more for a typical spender, mostly because it earns more where you spend most, on groceries and dining. Neither leans on transferable points, so the deciding factors are the welcome offer, the card network, and which everyday perks you will actually use. On the sign-up bonus, the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® currently has the larger welcome offer (a limited-time offer above its usual amount, so treat it as a one-time boost). A welcome bonus is a one-time event, so weigh it apart from the ongoing rewards.
Pick the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® if your spending leans toward dining, groceries, travel. Pick the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® if your spending leans toward gas.