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In launching the Apple Card, Apple promised “a new kind of credit card.” Yes, the card is made from titanium and carries the cache of the Apple brand. But the card falls short when it comes to benefits. And practically, there are other cards that offer better value propositions when it comes to cash back rewards.
For dedicated users who really value having a titanium credit card and always use Apple Pay, the card offers 2% back on most purchases and 3% at a handful of partner merchants. For most users, there are better alternatives. See our alternatives below.
Apple Card at a glance
Rewards
3% cash back at Apple and at select merchants
2% cash back when you use Apple Pay
1% cash back on all other purchases.
Rewards are earned as “daily cash back” which can be deposited to your Apple Cash account or a savings account.
Benefits
The Apple Card offers no substantive benefits.
Other important terms
No annual fee
No foreign transaction fee
Welcome bonus
The Apple Card offers no welcome bonus for new cardmembers.
Card rewards
The Apple Card offers its rewards as “daily cash back.” Your cash back rewards are made available every day and get deposited to your Apple Cash account or your savings account automatically.
3% cash back at Apple and at select merchants when you use your card to pay with Apple Pay. Select merchants include Duane Reade, Mobil, Panera Bread, Uber, Walgreens, Ace Hardware, Exxon, Nike, T-Mobile, and Uber Eats
2% cash back when you use your Apple Card to pay with Apple Pay using your iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad, or Mac.
All other purchases: 1% cash back
The Apple Card’s daily cash back is deposited into your Apple Cash account or your savings account, based on your election.
Card Benefits
The Apple Card has no notable benefits beyond its cash back.
How to apply:
You can apply for the Apple Card by logging into your Apple account on Apple’s website.
Better alternatives to the Apple Card
Apple is selling the cache of the Apple brand and the feel of a titanium card, but without much substance. The card doesn’t offer any notable benefits. And if you want to earn 2% cash back “everywhere” or earn 3% cash back with Apple’s limited number of partners, you must use Apple Pay. Android user? You’re out of luck. Merchant doesn’t accept Apple pay? You get 1% cash back.
Here are some better alternatives.
If you want 2% cash back on every purchase, without having to use Apple Pay for everything, look to our best 2% card with no annual fee.
For drugstore purchases, look at the Chase Freedom Flex. You’ll the 3% back on purchases at Duane Reade, Walgreens and any other drugstore, without having to use Apple Pay. And you’ll get 3% back on dining as well. On top of that, if you pay your monthly T-Mobile (or any other carrier) bill with the card, you’ll get cell phone protection, which can cover you if you spider your phone screen or if your phone is stolen. You could also go for the Chase Freedom Unlimited, trading the cell phone protection for 1.5% cash back everywhere, in addition to the other bonus categories.
Apply for the Chase Freedom Flex or the Chase Freedom Unlimited and earn a $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
For Apple purchases, or other purchases that come with a warranty, consider using a card with an extended warranty benefit. The Citi Rewards+ card is the best choice here. On a $1,000 purchase with Apple, you might give up a marginal $20 worth of cash back, but for that $20, you’ll get an additional two years of extended warranty. That’s a good trade-off.
Get the Citi Rewards+® Card welcome bonus
Citi Rewards+® Card: bonus_miles_full
Our take on the welcome bonus: We don’t know of Citi offering a larger welcome bonus on this card. If you’re in the ThankYou Points ecosystem, so there’s no reason to wait if you’re considering this card.
The link above is a link directly to the bank’s website. We don’t make money when you use the above link, but we always show you the best offer.
Card highlights:
Annual fee: $0
Rewards: 5x on hotels and car rentals booked through Citi Travel through June 30, 2024. 2x at supermarkets and gas stations for the first $6,000 per year, then 1x. 1x on other purchases.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, but Apple Pay is only available on iPhones. So you won’t earn more than 1% rewards on the card without an iPhone. You can manage your account online at card.apple.com.
With the Apple Card, you must use Apple Pay to get 2% cash back.
The Apple Card offers no extended warranty or other substantive benefits beyond its cash back rewards.
The Apple Card does not offer a public sign-up bonus for new cardmembers. AppleInsider, a news website dedicated to Apple rumors and product launches, mentions that some people have gotten targeted welcome offers directly form Apple.
Advertiser disclosure: Cards and Points has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Cards and Points and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers. Compensation may affect how and where card products appear on the site. The site does not include all card companies or all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities. Terms apply to all credit card benefits.