Apple Card: Limited-Time $100 Welcome Offer

The welcome bonus has been increased to $100. You only need to spend $100 within 30 days of opening the card, which is very easy.

• Apple Card $100 application link

Apple Card Credit Card Overview

Features

• A credit card designed specifically for iPhone: You can use this card directly in Apple Pay, view transaction information in real time, and even get customer service through Messages on your iPhone.
• Easy-to-understand spending: Purchases can be automatically categorized, and various annual and monthly spending charts can be generated.
• Daily cash back settlement: The cash back earned from daily spending is automatically added to Apple Cash or Apple Card. Transactions post and rewards arrive very quickly. The minimum cash back is $0.01; even if the calculated amount is less than $0.01, you still get $0.01. You can use it directly in Apple Pay, transfer it back to checking, or get an instant transfer to a debit card for a fee.
• No extra fees and low interest: The card has no annual fee, no late payment fee, no cash advance fee, no over-limit fee, and no international fee. It is supposed to use among the lowest interest rates in the industry, and if you miss one payment, the interest charges will not increase sharply.
• New security and privacy system: The card number is stored in the Apple Pay chip, a security code is generated dynamically, and Apple itself does not collect users’ shopping information.
• New titanium credit card: The physical card is made of titanium and has no card number, no CVV, and no expiration date. If needed, one is likely generated dynamically.
• Virtual card number: You can link it to other third-party payment systems such as PayPal, Google Pay, WeChat, etc. It can be used repeatedly over the long term, but once you manually renew the virtual card number, you will need to link it again. Other than purchases at Apple and Apple-related ecosystem apps, the virtual card number currently earns only 1% cash back elsewhere.
• The physical card weighs about 15g, slightly heavier than a typical metal card.
• Using it with cash-back portals: Most shopping sites currently do not separately support Apple Card usage, though a few such as Nike.com do. If you definitely want to stack it with a cash-back portal, you may need to shop using your virtual card number.
• Spending categories are color-coded, with seven colors in total that can coexist proportionally in a rainbow style. Once you pay it off, it returns to white. We will write a separate hands-on review later. It feels pretty nice to use, though the cash back is too ordinary.
• Log in directly online: Previously, you could only log in to your account on an iPhone or iPad to view purchases, make payments, and download statements. Now you can log in online to do those things.
• Path to Apple Card: If you apply for Apple Card but are denied because your credit score is not high enough, you can be automatically enrolled in the Path to Apple Card program. Apple will periodically send tips for improving your credit score, and after some time, once your score has improved, Apple will invite you to apply again.
• Also, according to this article, it may no longer be necessary to apply from an Apple device in the future.

3% Cash Back Merchants

Apple Card has updated its cash-back benefit categories, adding Booking.com and ChargePoint as new 3% cash back merchants. In addition, starting February 1, 2025, Panera Bread will be removed from the 3% Daily Cash category. Details are as follows:

• Booking.com: When checking out with Apple Pay + Apple Card, you can earn 3% cash back. If you enter the Apple Card number directly, it earns 2% cash back. You must book through this dedicated link.

• ChargePoint: When paying through its app + Apple Pay, you can earn 3%. There is also Duane Reade, which is useful for readers in New York and New Jersey; using Apple Pay with the card there can also earn 3%.

• Panera Bread will be removed from the 3% Daily Cash category on February 1, 2025. However, if you still use Apple Pay, you should still get the baseline 2%.

• Apple Card 3% list

Apple Savings Account

Apple Card has now launched a High Yield Savings feature together with Goldman Sachs, with a current annual interest rate as high as 4.15%. This account has no fees, no minimum deposit amount, and no management fee. The cash back earned on this card will be automatically deposited into the Savings account, and you can also transfer money into Savings from a bank account. Compared with savings account rates currently available in the market, an unconditional 4.15% APY is still quite competitive. The cap seems to be $250,000, which is exactly the FDIC insurance limit.

• News link

The account-opening path is as follows:I looked at the terms, and it seems that only Apple Card cardholders and co-owners can open this Savings account; you cannot open it directly.

Savings accounts are provided by Goldman Sachs Bank USA, Salt Lake City Branch. Member FDIC. Savings is available to Apple Card Owners and Co-Owners, subject to eligibility requirements.

Apple Family and Additional Cards

Apple Family

After updating iOS to version 14.6, you can add additional card users. You can add anyone who is at least 13 years old. You can also invite the other person to join Apple Family directly via AirDrop. Note: to apply for an additional user on Apple Card, the other person’s Apple ID must be based in the United States. If the additional user is at least 18 years old, no SSN is needed to add them; they can receive a titanium card, and you can set a spending limit.

Apple Card has also introduced a new Apple Family feature, which is somewhat similar to an authorized user. Each card can be shared with up to five users for spending and repayment, and everyone can build credit history. In addition, two people’s Apple Card accounts can be combined, with the credit limits added together and the lower APR used, which is pretty interesting. The feature will go live in May.

• Official announcement

Co-owner Feature

A co-owner is different from what we traditionally think of as an additional cardholder. Apple Card has a detailed explanation of this (), summarized as follows:

• You need to first add the person to your own Apple Family (detailed steps); each Apple Family can have up to 6 people.
• The co-owner and the original cardholder share this card’s credit limit, and also share responsibility for paying off the bill.
• This card’s debt, balance, and past-due information will appear on the credit reports of all co-owners and cardholders.
• People age 18 or older can request their own physical Apple Card; those under 18 cannot, but the impact on credit reports is the same.
• If you already have an Apple Card, you can also join as a co-owner, and the two people’s credit limits will be combined.

Because this involves credit reports, I would suggest not adding people casually. Adding family members is something you can consider.

Application

[Update 2021.10] Also, Apple seems to have waived the driver’s license upload requirement for older Apple Pay users when opening a card. YMMV. Many readers report that they no longer need to provide a driver’s license and can still apply for the card.

[Update 2020.11] According to a data point from WeChat group 2 reader rickylau77, applying through the web now does not require uploading an ID. YMMV. After applying, you will see a review prompt. You can call in, and the representative will ask you three questions related to your credit history. If you pass, you can be approved. If the representative does not know what to do, you can HUCA (Hang Up and Call Again) and try another representative.

I previously applied using an expired driver’s license, but I do not know whether they have become stricter now (rickylau77 tried multiple times with an expired ID and was not approved). If your ID has expired, or you do not have an ID, consider applying through the web!

This card is now officially available for all U.S. users to apply! Open your Apple Wallet, tap “+”, and you will immediately see Apple Card!

• Apply within the Wallet app on iOS 12.4 or above by tapping the “+” sign. You can apply on either iPhone or iPad. You need to upload your driver’s license or state ID. Expired documents can also successfully open the card. I recommend that the billing address on the application first match the address on your ID, such as your driver’s license, and then after approval you can change it to the address you need, such as the address where you want to receive the card.
• You do not have to use your own Apple ID to apply. It is also possible to give your Apple ID to your spouse or partner to apply for Apple Card.
• Apple sent out emails broadly letting people know that before formally applying, you can first check the credit limit and APR Apple offers you, and then decide whether to apply. If you are approved and accept, it will result in a hard pull; otherwise there is no hard pull. This is still a fairly user-friendly option. Note: Apple Card has allowed you to see your credit limit in advance since launch; now this is an official statement.
  • Apply in as little as a minute and see your credit limit and interest rate offer — all without impact to your credit score. Accepting an Apple Card after your application is approved will result in a hard inquiry, which may impact your credit score.
• This card’s credit history is now finally reported to all three credit bureaus. Previously it was only reported to TU and EX; now it is also reported to Equifax.
• Reconsideration: If your application is denied (which seems to be a very small probability), you can call Apple Card support at 877-255-5923. Customer service can directly transfer you to Goldman Sachs to have your application reviewed again.
• Multiple Apple Cards: At the moment, one Apple ID can only be linked to one Apple Card. If you want to open more than one, you need to use another Apple ID. As for whether it will work, data points are welcome!

My Comments and Experience

ymlulu’s comments:

First, from the perspective of someone who plays the credit card game, this card is basically useless. In terms of the most important cash-back structure, the 3% back on the App Store and Apple Music can basically be replaced by iTunes gift cards that are often sold at a discount (10%–15% off on eBay is common). The 2% back on Apple Pay is not as good as the US Bank Altitude’s 3x on mobile payments, not to mention that the Citi Double Cash already comes with 2% cash back. The remaining 1% cash back on purchases is basically standard for all cash-back credit cards. Another benefit, having all kinds of fees waived, is something very few people ever pay anyway. Even if you accidentally pay late someday, a call and a chat with customer service will usually get it reversed. There is also a small catch with no cash advance fee: they did not say interest is waived. This kind of APR is probably over 10%. Cash back settles daily, but even if you spend 10,000 in a day, that is only $100 cash back; a difference of 10 days or half a month does not matter much. Spending categories and charts are also basically not very useful. In short, this card basically has little to play with; its only real use may be that it is suitable for lazy people.

However, from a technology perspective, this card does represent a certain future direction. First, its seamless integration with the iPhone, plus Apple Pay’s built-in chip, make this card more like a virtual card, as if it has become part of the iPhone. There is no card number, no CVV, and no expiration date. It feels more like a challenge to the traditional credit card industry. In fact, compared with Alipay (Huabei) and WeChat Pay in China, this card also has some similarities. Apple also wants to work hard to break free from the constraints of traditional banks and carve out its own place in the financial sector. However, China’s mobile payments ultimately faced pressure from the banking industry backed by state-owned and centrally owned enterprises, and were subject to policy constraints. In the U.S., a country with relatively freer policies, new financial products are instead constrained by even more powerful traditional banking groups. Goldman Sachs is willing to work with Apple on a new experiment, and paired with Apple’s own hardware base, this should have stronger viability than previous electronic credit cards, meaning one physical electronic card that stores information for many credit cards. In the era of big data, will Apple’s promise not to disclose users’ purchase information significantly restrict this credit card’s profitability?

Author KUKU’s card-opening data point:

Considering that many readers are very interested in this card, although it is not very useful, I still tested opening one and successfully opened it using a driver’s license that had been expired for more than a year. My situation is somewhat unusual:

• I was in China, using a U.S. Apple ID, with the region set to China.
• Apple Cash was directly activated with a U.S.-region ID. I had never uploaded a driver’s license, but I had verified my basic information.
• My TX Driver License had already been expired for more than a year, and I uploaded it. The review took a long time... first it indicated “no,” and later it suddenly “accepted” it... (Trying a few more times is definitely the right move; usually if you persist a bit it will go through.)
•  I used China Mobile’s 4G cellular network the whole time and successfully opened the card!
• Additional suggestion: When applying with an expired driver’s license, I recommend keeping the application’s billing address the same as the driver’s license. After approval, change it to your current address.

This card currently has a very large number of new accounts, and there are also many people who want to open one but cannot. In the short term, it is probably difficult for there to be a sign-up bonus (Apple and Goldman Sachs, please prove me wrong). I guess that in the future, they may push various cash-back offers or more 3% merchants within Wallet!

Application Link

• Apple Card