As much of a believer as I am around Apple making the best phones and computers in the country, I completely recognize that not everything the company does is ideal. This might be especially accurate around its credit card, which, while cool physically, might not be the most attractive card around.
This is precisely what one Redditor says in a post on r/personalfinance, indicating they are disappointed with the Apple Card. After three months of use, they rate the card only four out of ten stars, which is a pretty big black eye from this user as far as Apple’s more interesting announcements.
To be fair, I’ve eyed the Apple Card for some time just because it looks so easy to manage, but I have held back because, outside of buying Apple products, it’s hard to justify over other cash-back cards.
The Apple Card
When you look at the Apple Card from this Redditor’s point of view, 2% cash back on Apple Pay is pretty limiting overall. When you consider that most cards offer a flat 1.5% – 2% cashback on all purchases, Apple “forcing” you to use Apple Pay, which still isn’t accepted everywhere, is a pretty big disappointment in the eyes of this Redditor.
In addition, this Redditor expresses disappointment that they have to consistently manage the 3% cashback on select stores. You can do better with a 5% revolving category card that is far easier to track. In addition, the original poster is annoyed that other cards provide their cashback benefits as soon as a transaction posts, something Apple does not do.
Thankfully, two of the Redditor’s bigger complaints have been fixed since this post went live, as you can now integrate the card with budget applications like YNAB, Monarch, and Copilot. This wasn’t possible at the card’s launch, so the Redditor was understandably frustrated. This also carried over to only being able to pay through the phone app or via snail mail, another thing that has been rectified since the Redditor posted with an online web portal.
No Sign-Up Bonus
One thing the Redditor doesn’t touch on that the comments jump on is the lack of a sign-up bonus. As most cash-back and travel cards offer attractive bonuses in the first 90 days of spending, Apple’s lack of this is notable. It stands to reason that Apple isn’t worried about bonuses as much as they are about the “exclusivity” of being an Apple Card member, but I think users would rather have cash.
There is only so much Apple can say about the card being titanium before the comparable list of perks versus competitors starts to weigh on users. With limited room in my wallet, I have to focus on the cards that offer the most substantial benefits for my daily spending, which isn’t generally focused on daily Apple Store visits.
Better Benefits
As I hinted above, I agree with the original poster that other cards offer better rewards, hands down. Yes, the Apple Card has a unique feature of estimating your interest based on the payment amount you choose, but this is more of a gimmick than something most people will care about.
This Redditor and the post comments echo the idea that cashback bonuses are everywhere. One Redditor highlights the Fidelity card and its 2% cashback bonus on everything as the only card they need. While there is some praise for the Apple Card’s privacy features, it’s again not enough to push aside the idea that 2% cashback on everything is better than 3% cashback on some things.
The caveat is that if you live in an area where Apple Pay is frequently available, it’s nice to use it without reaching for your wallet. Better yet, it would be great if you didn’t have to carry a wallet these days, something that undoubtedly would work in Apple’s favor. Still, until Apple releases a credit card with a flat-rate cashback approach, consider other options first.
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