Apple Card – Full Review [2023]

Great Card If

• You use Apple products
• You live in an area with a lot of Apple Pay acceptance
• You want interest-free financing on new Apple products

Don’t Get If

• You don’t use Apple products or Apple Pay
• You want a card that earns travel rewards
• You want a cash-back card that offers bonus categories for the items you spend the most on like gas or groceries

The Ideal Cardholder

Without question, the Apple Card is definitely best suited for those who are big fans of Apple and Apple products, and those who use Apple Pay to complete most of their purchases.

When you take into account that the rewards you earn can be applied towards new Apple purchases and that holding the card allows to you finance the newest Apple products at 0% interest, then it might just be a no-brainer for Apple fanatics who upgrade to the latest devices each year.

Interest-Free Payments for Apple Products

If you’re someone who loves to upgrade your Apple devices when new models come out, then holding the Apple Card comes with a feature that you might be thrilled about — interest-free financing on new products! That’s right, Apple cardholders can upgrade their iPhone, purchase a new Macbook, replace their Apple Watch, or grab a pair of AirPods and pay zero interest over their loan period.

Zero Fees

Those who are used to getting nickel and dimed thanks to fees on other credit cards they’ve had in the past will love the zero-fee feature of the Apple Card. But what exactly is meant by zero fees?

Here is a list of all of the items that Apple charges no fees for that other credit issuers might:

• Annual fees
• Late fees
• Foreign transaction fees
• Over-the-limit fees
• Returned payment fees
• Setup fees
• Account maintenance fees
• Reward redemption fees

That’s right, the Apple Card doesn’t charge a single fee for any of these items, so rest assured that you’ll never have a hidden charge appear on your monthly bill.

How To Use Apple Cash for Max Value

When it comes time to redeem your Apple Cash you have 3 primary options — though each offers the same value, the added flexibility is a great feature.

Purchases Using Apple Pay

Once you’ve built up a balance of Apple Cash, you can use it as a payment method when using Apple Pay, in lieu of charging to your Apple Card. This feature is extremely convenient as you’re not required to jump through any hoops to make the redemption. All you have to do is use Apple Pay as you normally would, but select Apple Cash as your payment method instead of your Apple Card.

Person to Person Transfers

Owe your friend half the fare of an Uber ride or need to repay them for the lunch they covered for you last week? You can use your Apple Cash balance to send the funds to them, much like you would with an app like Venmo or Cash App. Keep in mind that the person receiving the payment must also have an Apple device in order for the funds to transfer.

Statement Credits

Lastly, Apple allows you to apply your Apple Cash balance to your Apple Card bill when it is due each month. This is a great way to minimize your cash outflow, as you can use the Apple Card on all of your purchases each month, then apply those rewards to lower the amount you’ll need to pay.

Prefer to deposit your Apple Cash straight into your bank account? The Apple Card gives you that option as well!

Bottom Line: No matter what you choose, each redemption offers the same value, so select whichever makes the most sense or is the most convenient for your needs!

How To Earn More Apple Cash

Apple Purchases With Apple Pay

The most obvious way to earn Apple Cash with your Apple Card is when you use it to purchase anything from Apple and use Apple Pay. This will earn you 3% back on every $1 spent on purchases from Apple Stores, apple.com, the App Store, the iTunes Store, and on Apple services like AppleCare.

So, if you’re someone who purchases a lot of Apple products throughout the year, this is a great way to rack up cash-back on those purchases.

Partner Purchases With Apple Pay

Of course, the vast majority of your purchases throughout the year probably won’t be on Apple products or services. But fortunately, the Apple Card also offers 3% back on select partner purchases when you use Apple Pay.

Currently, these merchants include Uber/Uber Eats, Nike, Panera, T-Mobile, Walgreens, and Exxon and Mobil gas stations. While some of these are certainly more useful than others, some cardholders might receive great value receiving 3% back with some of these merchants.

All Other Purchases With Apple Pay

Any purchases falling outside of the above category at merchants that accept Apple Pay will earn you 2% back towards your Apple Cash balance. The key here is that the store or merchant must accept Apple Pay as a method of payment. So if you live in a location that has widespread Apple Pay acceptance, then the Apple Card will earn you 2% back on virtually every purchase you make. If not, then this might not be the best card option for you.

Purchases With Your Physical Card

For any other purchase where you do not have the ability to use Apple Pay, and you must use your physical Apple Card, you’ll earn just 1% back. In cases such as these, you might want to opt for another card in your wallet with a strong reward rate, unless you prefer to focus all of your earnings on Apple Cash.

Alternative Cards to the Apple Card

Chase Freedom Unlimited® Card

If you’re looking for a well-rounded credit card option that offers great rewards for everyday spending, then the Freedom Unlimited cardd could be a fantastic option. With it, you’ll earn 5% on travel purchased through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal, 3% back on dining and drugstore purchases, plus 1.5% back on all other purchases, all with no annual fee.

The Chase Freedom Unlimited offers cardholders multiple options when it comes time to redeem their points, and doesn’t require you to pay through an app, adding extra flexibility.

Citi® Double Cash Card

Those who want 1 cash-back credit card that they can use for all of their daily purchases will love the Double Cash card. The Double Cash card earns you an uncapped 2% cash-back on every purchase you make, and you have multiple options when it comes to how to redeem your cash-back. Better yet, the card doesn’t charge an annual fee, so there is nothing to eat into all of the cash-back you earn each year.

The information regarding the Apple Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
The information regarding the Chase Freedom Unlimited® was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.