Do you have the Apple credit card and is it worth it?

Credit Cards
1

Apple alert! Apple alert!

Clark may not be the biggest fan of splurging on Apple products, but there’s no denying that they’re incredibly popular in the United States.

And it feels like I see a bunch of commercials for the Apple credit card as a great way to pay for things using Apple Pay.

I reviewed the Apple Card, which is offered by Goldman Sachs, for Clark.com.

In that review I gave my 5 things to know about the card for people who are considering signing up for it.

3% back on Apple purchases and at some select retailers is interesting, but is that really enough for most people?

My general takeaway is that the 2% back on purchases using Apple Pay is nice, but it’s not any better than you can get with another 2% cash back credit card on the market. And those cards give you 2% back no matter how you pay.

The 1% back that this card gives you for a traditional swipe is actually pretty lousy.

One other noteworthy piece of the Apple/Goldman Sachs ecosystem is that Apple offers a high-yield savings account that pays a competitive 4.40%. But you aren’t required to have the Apple Card to apply for that. It’s a separate product.

What does the Clark Community think?!!

Is the Apple Card worth having to earn rewards on Apple purchases and payments made via Apple Pay? Or would you rather load another credit card into your Apple Pay wallet instead?

I’d love to hear from someone who has it in their wallet already:

  • How often do you use it?
  • Do you snag 2% and 3% back on most purchases with it?
  • Do you ever swipe the physical card for 1% back?
  • How’s the bill payment process with Goldman Sachs?

Looking forward to reading the feedback on this one!
Nick

2

In my personal experience the Apple Card is excellent if you prioritize key aspects above others. First and foremost, security controls offered by the card are the most impressive I have ever experienced, down to the card level itself. The card has no number, no three digit security number, or anything else printed on the card itself, outside of the user’s name. All of this information is available on the cardholder’s phone through the wallet app, which requires additional security to access. Second, the optional account, which compounds interest daily at a rate higher than 4% is something I have not seen anywhere else. My points are converted to dollars daily, put into savings, and are earning interest immediately. Granted, I could PROBABLY figure some alternative setup to this, but Apple makes it very easy. Third, the options provided by most other cards become a wash when I consider points one and two, and my card before this was a chase sapphire reserve (a nice card, but not worth the yearly fee, personally).

That said, not everyone has the same priorities. Personally, I work in the cybersecurity field, so I am admittedly more interested in a card that provides greater security controls. Also, I don’t travel as much for work as I used to, and all the access I obtained from traveling has hit “lifetime” status so I don’t lose it by changing credit cards (more of a disappointing realization of time lost than anything else). So, it’s a good card if you have specific goals, but understandably not for everyone.

Pardon the long post.