Editorial Note: We earn a commission from partner links on Forbes Advisor. Commissions do not affect our editors' opinions or evaluations. Show The Apple Card* offers a crisp rewards plan, particularly for those who can use Apple Pay for most of their purchases. Issued in partnership with Goldman Sachs on the Mastercard network, the no-annual-fee card earns elevated rewards on Apple spending and other select vendors and all purchases made on the card via Apple Pay. Our ratings take into account the card’s rewards, fees, rates along with the card’s category. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team. Pros
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Highlights
Credit Score ranges are based on FICO® credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed. IntroductionApple’s first foray into the credit card market created a product seeded with some appealing features. For starters, if you have an iPhone you can apply for the card in just a few minutes via the Wallet app, and if approved can use the card immediately anywhere that accepts mobile wallet payments. You’ll earn a sweet 3% back on everything bought from Apple and from participating partners, 2% back every time something is bought using Apple Pay and 1% on all other purchases. The card charges no annual fees, foreign exchange fees or late fees, lets you access your cash-back earnings the day after you make a purchase and is paired with an app designed to help you slice and dice the pros and cons of paying off a credit card over time. Although it’s got some nice attributes, it does have a few bruised parts to be aware of. If you’re making a payment somewhere that doesn’t accept Apple Pay and you want to use your Apple card account, you’ll have to use the physical titanium card to make your payment. And unlike most credit cards, you won’t actually receive the physical card automatically once you’re approved—you have to request it. Plus all payments made using the physical card will only qualify for 1% cash back. But perhaps most importantly, the card’s earnings structure for all but the thinnest slice of mobile-first consumers just isn’t competitive in a landscape filled with rewards cards. Most people will find they can get better results with a card that offers bigger overall rewards without having to remain loyal to Apple Pay as their main payment method. Compare The Apple Credit Card With Other CardsCredit Score ranges are based on FICO® credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed. On Chase Bank USA, NA's Website Credit Score ranges are based on FICO® credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed. Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening! At a Glance
RewardsEarning RewardsThe Apple Card* earns rewards at the following rates:
Redeeming RewardsTo access all of the options for your cash rewards, which the Apple Card* calls “Daily Cash”, you’ll have to set up an Apple Cash account. All earnings from the Apple Card* will be added each day to your Apple Cash account. This balance can then be used at any time to:
If you choose not to set up Apple Cash, then your daily rewards will accumulate and can only be applied towards your card balance. Rewards PotentialTo determine the rewards potential of the Apple Card* we have to look at the bonus categories and calculate what an American household might spend in those areas. Forbes Advisor uses data from various government agencies in order to determine both baseline income and spending averages across various categories. The 70th percentile of wage-earning households bring in $107,908 annually and we base spending on that number. In addition, we have to make some assumptions about consumer behavior when we look at the Apple Card. The card earns 2% on purchases made via Apple Pay, which is available at outlets in almost every spending category. For our calculations, we are assuming this hypothetical household puts $32,072 per year on a credit card, and half of those expenditures are paid for via Apple Pay—meaning $16,036. Based on news articles, and adjusted for inflation, Forbes Advisor estimates that our example household spends $1,169 annually on Apple products and in the App Store, which adds up to $35.07 in cash back. The $16,036 spent through Apple Pay would translate to $320.72 in cash back, and the remaining $14,867 that could reasonably be charged to a credit card would earn $148.67 back. This means that the card would earn a total of $504.46 in cash back per year. Other Card Benefits
Fine PrintInterest Rates
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How The Card Stacks UpThe Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is consistently one of Forbes Advisor’s top recommendations for flat-rate no-annual-fee credit cards. Cardholders earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases, and there’s a valuable welcome bonus: $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months. Your earnings can be redeemed to cover past purchases, as a credit to a qualifying Wells Fargo account, for gift cards or as cash from an ATM (requires a Wells Fargo ATM or debit card). Like most credit cards, you can opt to load it into your phone’s digital wallet and it doesn’t have to just be on the Apple ecosystem. The Chase Freedom Flex℠ card has a generous rewards structure with no loyalty to Apple required. For an annual fee of $0, the card earns 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in categories that rotate quarterly (requires activation), 5% on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3% on dining and drugstores and 1% on all other purchases. Chase has been known to include retailers like Amazon, Target and Walmart as quarterly bonus categories and if you’ve been eyeing a new Apple device, you’d fare better with the Flex. Plus, the Freedom Flex comes with a terrific welcome bonus: $200 bonus after spending $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. For many consumers, the Freedom Flex is likely a more rewarding option overall than the Apple Card*. Even if you don’t mind using Apple Pay, the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express (Terms apply. See rates & fees) may be a more rewarding fit if you spend a good chunk of your budget on U.S. supermarkets, gas stations and transit. It carries a $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95 annual fee. In return, the card offers 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%), 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations and on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more) and 1% cash back on other eligible purchases. Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit. There’s also a welcome offer: $250 statement credit after making $3,000 in purchases within the first 6 months. Is The Card For You?Although the Apple Card* offers some unique features that can help motivate cardholders to stay on top of their debt, the rewards program can easily be bested by other cards. There’s a bushel of other no-annual-fee rewards cards that offer welcome bonuses, intro APR offers and other perks. Choose one of those options over this bad apple. To view rates and fees of the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express, please visit this page. Is there an Apple cash physical card?Apple Cash is more secure than a traditional debit card. For starters, it uses Face ID or Touch ID to authenticate your transactions — to make sure you're, well, you. Your account number is never visible, so you don't have to worry about theft. And there's no physical card to lose when you're out and about.
How do I get an actual Apple cash card?How to get a titanium Apple Card. On your iPhone, open the Wallet app and tap Apple Card.. Tap the More button , then tap Card Details .. Scroll down and tap Get a Titanium Apple Card.. Follow the instructions on your screen.. |