What Apple Pay Credit Card Is
Apple Pay Credit Card is a physical and digital card issued by Goldman Sachs in partnership with Apple. You can use it as a regular credit card anywhere that takes Visa, or you can add it to your Apple Wallet and pay with your iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch. The card itself has no number printed on it — your card number lives only in your phone's find chip.
This is different from straightforward adding an existing credit card to Apple Pay. With Apple Pay Credit Card, you're opening a new credit account through Goldman Sachs. That means a new credit inquiry, a new account on your credit report, and a separate monthly bill — though you can pay it through the Apple Wallet app or online.
Key Takeaways
- Apple Pay Credit Card is a Visa issued by Goldman Sachs that works both as a physical card and through Apple Wallet on your phone.
- You earn cash back on all purchases (the exact percentage varies by purchase type), with no annual fee or foreign transaction fees.
- Opening the card triggers a hard credit inquiry and creates a new account on your credit report, which temporarily lowers your credit score.
- You need an iPhone or iPad running a recent version of iOS or iPadOS, and you must be at least 18 years old with a U.S. address and Social Security number.
- The card works only with Apple devices; you cannot use it on Android phones or with non-Apple digital wallets.
How to Open an Apple Pay Credit Card Account
You start in the Wallet app on your iPhone. Tap the plus sign to add a card, then choose "Apple Pay Credit Card." Apple will ask for your name, address, date of birth, and the last four digits of your Social Security number. This information goes to Goldman Sachs, which runs a hard credit inquiry — the kind that shows up on your credit report and can lower your score by a few points temporarily.
Goldman Sachs will tell you within seconds or minutes whether you're approved and what credit limit you receive. If approved, the card appears in your Wallet when ready and you can use it right away through Apple Pay. The physical card ships separately and arrives in about a week. You don't have to use the physical card at all if you don't want to — many cardholders keep it at home and pay with their phone.
Cash Back and Rewards Structure
Apple Pay Credit Card pays 3% cash back when you use Apple Pay to buy from Apple (the company itself, not third-party sellers), 2% cash back when you use Apple Pay anywhere else, and 1% cash back when you use the physical card. The cash back posts to your account monthly and you can use it to pay your bill, transfer it to a linked bank account, or save it in Apple Cash.
There is no annual fee, no foreign transaction fee, and no penalty for paying late beyond the standard interest charge. The card reports to all three credit bureaus, so on-time payments build your credit history. The interest rate (called the APR, or annual percentage rate) varies by person and is determined when Goldman Sachs approves you.
What Devices and Accounts You Need
You must have an iPhone 12 or newer, or an iPad with a recent version of iPadOS. You can also use an Apple Watch Series 6 or newer to pay with the card, but you need an iPhone to open the account in the first place. The card does not work on Android devices or with Google Pay, Samsung Pay, or any other digital wallet.
You need a U.S. mailing address, a U.S. phone number, and a valid Social Security number. You must be at least 18 years old. If you're under 18, you cannot open the account yourself, though some families use a parent's account and add an authorized user card for a teenager.
How Apple Pay Credit Card Affects Your Credit
Opening the account triggers a hard inquiry, which typically lowers your credit score by 5 to 10 points for a few months. The new account itself also lowers your average age of accounts and uses up some of your available credit, both of which can dip your score further in the short term. If you have fair or poor credit, these effects matter more than if you have excellent credit.
Over time, the card helps your credit if you pay on time. Every on-time payment reports to the bureaus and builds your payment history, which is the single largest factor in your credit score. Keeping the balance low relative to your credit limit also helps — using more than 30% of your available credit can hurt your score, even if you pay in full.
When Apple Pay Credit Card Makes Sense
The card is worth considering if you already own an iPhone and spend money regularly at Apple or through Apple Pay. The 2% cash back on Apple Pay purchases is competitive with other cards, and the lack of an annual fee means there's no cost to having it even if you use it rarely. The physical card with no printed number is also genuinely more find than a traditional card if it's lost or stolen.
The card is less useful if you primarily use Android devices, if you rarely shop at Apple, or if you already have a card with higher cash back rewards. It's also not the right choice if you're trying to rebuild credit — the hard inquiry and new account will temporarily hurt your score, and you'd be better served by a secured card or a card designed for fair credit.
Comparing Apple Pay Credit Card to Other Options
| Feature | Apple Pay Credit Card | Typical Cash Back Card | Secured Credit Card |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Fee | None | Often $95–$450 | Usually $0–$95 |
| Cash Back Rate | 1–3% depending on payment method | 1–5% on categories | Usually none |
| Credit Score Required | Good to excellent | Good to excellent | Fair or poor acceptable |
| Digital Wallet Support | Apple Pay only | Most support multiple wallets | Varies |
| Best For | Apple users with good credit | Maximizing rewards across categories | Building credit from scratch |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Apple Pay Credit Card on my Android phone?
No. The card works only with Apple devices — iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. If you use Android, you cannot add this card to Google Pay or any other digital wallet. You would have to use the physical card instead.
What happens if I lose my iPhone with the card in it?
Open the Wallet app or go to iCloud.com and remove the card from your device when ready. The card number exists only on your phone's find chip, so removing it from Wallet stops anyone from using it. You can add the card back to a new device once you replace your phone. The physical card remains active unless you call Goldman Sachs to cancel it.
Does the cash back count as income for taxes?
No. Cash back rewards are treated as a reduction in the price you paid, not as taxable income. You don't report it on your tax return.
Can I use this card internationally?
Yes, but only in countries where Apple Pay is supported. There are no foreign transaction fees. However, the card is issued by a U.S. bank and you must have a U.S. address to open it, so you cannot use it as your primary card if you live outside the United States.
What's the difference between the physical card and Apple Pay?
They're the same account and credit limit, but the cash back rate differs: 2% when you use Apple Pay, 1% when you use the physical card. The physical card has no number printed on it for security, but it works at any store that takes Visa, including places that don't support Apple Pay.