Sara Rathner is a NerdWallet travel and credit cards expert. She has appeared on the “Today” show and CNBC’s “Nightly Business Report,” and has been quoted in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Yahoo Finance, Time, Reuters, NBC News, Business Insider and MarketWatch. Before joining NerdWallet, Sara worked at The Motley Fool for nearly 10 years. She also worked as a freelance personal finance writer and paraplanner and has a bachelor's degree in journalism from Northwestern University.
Assigning Editor Kenley Young
Assigning Editor | Credit cards, credit scores
Kenley Young directs daily credit cards coverage for NerdWallet. Previously, he was a homepage editor and digital content producer for Fox Sports, and before that a front page editor for Yahoo. He has decades of experience in digital and print media, including stints as a copy desk chief, a wire editor and a metro editor for the McClatchy newspaper chain.
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The Apple Card is designed to work digitally. To start, you apply through the Apple Wallet app, though you can also apply for the Apple Card online after logging in with your Apple ID. If you get the card, you use the same app to make payments, track spending and manage your cash-back rewards.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates coverage options, customer experience, customizability, cost and more.
Learn MoreThe physical card — attractively designed and made of titanium — is somewhat of an afterthought. You won’t receive it automatically; you’ll have to specifically request one when you apply for the Apple Card instead. The physical card will earn a lower cash-back rate compared with using the digital card through Apple Pay, the company's payment system.
The Apple Card ’s current rewards categories include:
Apple Pay purchases made directly with Apple (including Apple stores, within the App Store and for Apple services).
Ace Hardware purchases via Apple Pay. This includes purchases in the Ace Hardware app, on AceHardware.com and at participating stores nationwide.
Exxon gas station purchases via Apple Pay. This includes fuel, car washes and convenience store purchases.
Nike purchases via Apple Pay (in U.S. stores, on Nike.com and on Nike apps). • Panera purchases via Apple Pay.
In-store T-Mobile purchases via Apple Pay. Uber and Uber Eats purchases via Apple Pay. Walgreens and Duane Reade purchases via Apple Pay.All other purchases made via Apple Pay.
All purchases made with the physical Apple Card.
To be eligible for the Apple Card , you must meet the following criteria:
Age and geographic requirements: You must be a U.S. citizen or resident, with a physical U.S. address (not a P.O. box) who is at least 18 years old. A military address is also allowed. You may need to prove your identity with a photo ID.
Technical requirements: Your iPhone and other Apple devices must be compatible with Apple Pay . Upgrade to the latest iOS if you haven’t yet, sign in to your device with your Apple ID and use two-factor authentication.
Is there a credit score requirement for the Apple Card ? Neither Apple nor the card's issuer, Goldman Sachs, has specified a credit score range for the card. Apple has said it wants the card to be widely available, suggesting that applicants don't need excellent credit (generally defined as a credit score of 720 or better). Credit cards in its class generally require at least good credit (690 or better).
If you meet the above requirements, you can proceed with the next step: the preapproval . You’re essentially applying for the Apple Card , but there’s no hard credit inquiry at this point. This means you’ll be able to see the interest rate and credit limit you’d qualify for without affecting your credit scores.
To start this process:
Open the Apple Wallet app and tap the plus sign icon at the top right of the screen. Select “Apply for Apple Card ” and on the next screen, hit “Continue” at the bottom.Over the next few screens, you’ll review your personal information, such as your birthday, home address, total annual income and the last four digits of your Social Security number. Fill in or update any missing information.
Once you review and agree to the terms and conditions, you’ll find out whether you’ve been approved. If you are, you’ll be offered a credit limit and annual percentage rate on the final screen, which you can either accept or decline.
Your application may be declined based on your financial information or credit history. If this happens, you’ll receive an email explaining the cause. You may be invited to join the Path to Apple Card program , which offers personalized step-by-step guidance that can help improve your eligibility in the future.
If your application is approved, you have 30 days to accept the offer. If you do so, a hard inquiry will be performed on your credit and your credit scores may be affected. Once you accept, you get instant access to the card in Apple Wallet. You can request a physical card and, if you want to share your account by adding a co-owner or authorized user, you can set up Apple Card Family .
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Sara is a NerdWallet travel and credit cards expert. She has appeared on the “Today” show, Nasdaq and CNBC’s “Nightly Business Report.” See full bio.
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