Over the past few years, Apple has forayed into a number of finance-related services. The company first introduced the Apple Pay service in 2014, before launching its own credit card, called Apple Card, in cooperation with Goldman Sachs in 2019. The company now even allows you to use your iPhone as an NFC terminal.
Keeping up with several Apple financial services is hard, and the consumers, naturally, get confused between them. To make things simple and easy for you, we will discuss in detail about the Apple Card, Apple Cash Card, and the Apple Account Card and see what are the key differences between them.
Apple Card
Source: Apple
Currently, there there are two types of cards available in the Wallet app: Apple Cash Card and Apple Card. Apple Card, as stated above, is the company's traditional credit card. It is a physical card that Apple launched in 2019 and is available only in the United States. Interested people can directly apply and manage this card through the Wallet app on their iPhone.
This card is different than the Apple Cash Card and Apple Account Card as it can be used as a normal credit card — for purchasing goods, paying bills, and pretty much everywhere Apple Pay or Mastercard are accepted. Like other credit cards, Apple offers a number of rewards for using Apple Card. You can enjoy up to 3% Daily Cashback on purchases from the Apple Store (both online and offline), and for every purchase, you make using your Apple Card with Apple Pay, you get 2% Daily Cashback.
Apple Cash
Source: Apple
Apple Cash Card, on the other hand, is the company's virtual "prepaid VISA debit card" that allows you to quickly send and receive money. It is a peer-to-peer payment service built on the Apple Pay platform, very similar to the Cash app and Venmo, and allows you to send money to other Apple users pretty seamlessly. Instead of using a dedicated app for transferring money, Apple Cash can directly be sent to other Apple users using the iMessage app or Wallet app on all Apple devices, including iPhone, Mac, Apple Watch, and iPad. You cannot send Apple Cash to non-Apple users, for example, people with Android smartphones.
After you set up Apple Cash Card in the Wallet app, you can send and receive money from your contacts, and the total amount will show up in the Apple Cash Card in the Wallet app. You can top-up the card using other debit or credit cards, and then users can use this virtual card to pay everywhere Apple Pay is accepted. You can also transfer the Apple Cash amount directly to your bank account using the Wallet app.
Source: Apple
To use Apple Cash, users must be 18 years or older, though Family members can also set up Apple Cash for children below 18 years of age using the company's Family Sharing account. To set up Apple Cash Card, go to the Settings app on your iPhone, select Wallet & Apple Pay, and then turn on Apple Cash. After turning on Apple Cash, head over to the Wallet app, select Apple Cash Card, tap on Set Up, and then follow the steps shown on the screen.
Where can Apple Cash be used?
Apple Cash can be used in physical stores, online shopping websites, and in all the apps that accept Apple Pay. If you don't use Apple Pay, you can transfer the amount collected in Apple Cash directly to your bank account using the Wallet app.
Apple Account Card
Source: MacRumors
Moving on to the Apple Account Card, it is nothing but a new name for iTunes Pass. The new card service was introduced with iOS 15.5 earlier this month and is now starting to show up in the iPhone users' Wallet app. Since iTunes split into three separate apps — Music, TV, and Podcast — the company has been slowly phasing out the old terms it used to associate with iTunes, and now it's time for iTunes Pass.
Apple Account Card is essentially a wallet for your Apple ID balance. All the funds that you add to your Apple ID are visible on the Apple Account Card in the Wallet app. This solves a number of issues. Earlier, users had to scan a QR code to pay for a purchase in an Apple Store. But now, with Apple Account Card, users can simply pay with their iPhone using the Apple Pay platform. iPhone users now also have a dedicated place where they can check their Apple ID balance easily.
Source: MacRumors
Setting up an Apple Account Card is pretty easy. Open the Wallet app on your iPhone and then tap the "+" icon on the top right-hand corner. Next, under the "Available Cards" section, tap on "Add Apple Account". Follow the steps and Apple Account Card will be available in your Wallet app in a matter of seconds. Remember it's important to have some Apple Account balance, otherwise, you will not be able to add the card to the Wallet app.
Where can Apple Account Card be used?
While Apple Cash can be used to pay everywhere Apple Pay is accepted, Apple Account Card can only be used for purchasing products and services inside the Apple ecosystem. For example, the Apple Account Card can be used in Apple's own stores (both offline and online) and its services such as App Store, iTunes, and Apple TV.
Apple Account Card vs Apple Cash Card vs Apple Card
Category | Apple Account Card | Apple Cash Card | Apple Card |
|---|---|---|---|
Availability | Available to all users (need some balance in Apple ID before setting up) | Available to all users | Need credit score to qualify for it |
Usability | Can be used everywhere as a normal Credit Card | Can only be used for purchasing products and services inside the Apple ecosystem | Can be used in all places where Apple Pay is accepted |
Rewards | No rewards | Apple Card rewards get credited to Apple Cash | 3% cashback on Apple products, 2% cashback when paid using Apple Pay |
Apple Wallet is one of the best apps on the iPhone. It lets you store your credit and debit cards, driver's license, government ID, vaccination certificates, transit cards, tickets, keys, and whatnot. With the addition of the Apple Account Card, Apple has now made it easier for users to check their Apple ID balance easily. It has also made it easier for users to pay with their Apple Account balance using NFC instead of QR code. Have you used Apple Account Card to pay for services or products on Apple's store? Let us know in the comments section below!
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