Earning Bonus Cash Back on Apple Pay is Easier Than You May Think

Using Apple Pay on your iPhone for your routine purchases not only makes life easier, but can also earn you up to 3% cash back when paired with an Apple Card. This is three times as much as just whipping out your titanium Apple Card to pay, since using the card without Apple Pay only rewards you with everything else cash back.

Of course, you can use Apple Pay with non-Apple credit cards, but your cashback opportunities will depend on the card. Using Apple Pay does not come with extra perks like it does for the Apple Card.

How to earn cash back on Apple Pay

Apple Pay is the digital wallet platform that is pre-installed on iPhones and other Apple devices for users to make secure purchases in stores, on apps, and online. Any debit or credit card can be added to your Apple Pay, but there is an extra bonus if you add an Apple Card to it.

The Apple Card is unique because it charges no fees, and the cashback, called Daily Cash, you earn on your spending can immediately be sent to your bank account. With many cashback credit cards, there are stricter limitations on how you can redeem your earnings.

With the Apple Card, you will earn the following cashback:

• 3% cashback on Apple purchases and purchases with select partners when using Apple Pay
• 2% cashback on other Apple Pay purchases
• 1% cashback on everything else

If you use your Apple Card without Apple Pay, you will only earn everything else cashback, unless you purchase something from Apple. This can be frustrating because Apple Pay is not available everywhere, meaning you will miss out on the bonus cashback. For this reason, some would prefer to use a card that rewards them with elevated cashback on all purchases, such as the Wells Fargo Active Cash^® Card, without the hassle of messing with a digital wallet.

Can non-Apple Cards earn cash back on Apple Pay?

While you can connect other credit cards to your Apple Pay account to make in-store and online shopping easier, you aren’t guaranteed bonus cash back. How much you earn will depend on your credit card’s reward program and if they offer bonus cash back on digital wallet usage.

For example, American Express cards have been reported to occasionally offer promotional offers for using digital wallets, such as $10 bonus cash back for using your card with Apple Pay three times.

However, linking your non-Apple card to Apple Pay will not automatically give you bonus cash back. If your current card rewards you 2% cash back on spending, you will earn 2% cash back with or without Apple Pay.

How to get the most cash back on Apple Pay

The best way to earn the most cash back on Apple Pay is to shop at Apple's selected merchants that earn 3% in Daily Cash. Here are two other ways to make your efforts go further:

Stack special offers

You can find Daily Cash promotions by checking the Wallet app on your iPhone, where Apple Card offers and promotions are regularly updated. Typically these offers only last a few weeks, but can enable you to earn extra cash back or a discount at purchase.

For example, say you’d like to take advantage of a special promotion through 1-800-Flowers, which offers $15 off select items when you check out with Apple Pay. If you add your Apple Card to your Apple Pay account and use that to pay, you could get the $15 off, plus earn 2% cash back on your Apple Card since you used Apple Pay.

Send your Daily Cash to a high-yield savings account

The cashback you earn is called Daily Cash, and once you earn it, you can spend it through Apple Cash, use it as a statement credit, send it to friends, or transfer it to a high-yield savings account. Since your account comes with a high-yield savings account managed by Goldman Sachs, you can easily transfer your Daily Cash to start earning interest.

Consider this an easy way to save money since your Daily Cash isn’t coming out of your budget. Plus, the high-yield savings account currently earns over 4.00% APY, which is nine times higher than the national average.

FAQs

Lucrative, Flat-Rate Cash Rewards

Wells Fargo Active Cash^® Card

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Wells Fargo Active Cash^® Card

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Rates and fees

Current Offer

$200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months

Annual Fee

$0

Rewards Rate

Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases

Benefits and Drawbacks

Benefits

• Low spend threshold for its welcome offer — $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months
• Cell phone protection benefit (subject to a $25 deductible)
• Can redeem rewards at an ATM for literal cash

Drawbacks

• Foreign transaction fee of 3%
• No bonus categories

Card Details

• Select “Apply Now” to take advantage of this specific offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
• Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months.
• Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.
• 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers. 19.49%, 24.49%, or 29.49% Variable APR thereafter; balance transfers made within 120 days qualify for the intro rate and fee of 3% then a BT fee of up to 5%, min: $5.
• $0 annual fee.
• No categories to track or remember and cash rewards don’t expire as long as your account remains open.
• Find tickets to top sports and entertainment events, book travel, make dinner reservations and more with your complimentary 24/7 Visa Signature® Concierge.
• Up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible.