Apple Pay - Finally

[Midpack]

I know we’re behind the curve (even for our generation?), but I finally signed up for and used Apple Pay yesterday. It couldn’t be easier. It appears to offer better security and convenience over swipe or chip and I would’ve signed up a couple years ago, but DW was dead set against it. She finally said “whatever” yesterday, sometimes that’s as good as it gets.

I also suggested we take our weekly ATM cash allowance out monthly or bi-weekly instead of weekly. That’s still a hard NO with her, some habits die hard. Guess I asked for too much, too soon. Baby steps...

 

[Alan]

All the stores, coffee shops etc here that have frequent user cards now have their cards available as apps. It’s great. Instead of a key ring or wallet full of cards I have them all in a folder labeled shopping on my phone. Everywhere also takes Apple Pay so I scan the card, then pay while I still have the phone in my hand.

 

[yakers]

AFAIK Apple Pay is more secure than a regular credit card and its easier to use, whats not to like?

 

[mostlydone]

Apple pay is also really great if you are travelling internationally (though maybe not much of that until the pandemic passes). I was in Chile and Peru over the summer and was surprised how many places took it and it was always a much easier experience than using a regular credit card (no questions about currency or request to enter a non-existent pin etc).

 

[GalaxyBoy]

Apple Pay is still difficult here in a small city. Even where stores have compatible machines they aren't always even aware of it, and cashiers typically aren't trained in its use. I'm a bit tired of educating them. Sometimes, especially at doctors' offices, the reader is jealously kept under the counter where only the receptionist is allowed to touch it. One time I was even told that a store manager had directed that Apple Pay was not to be used.

But when I can, I use it with my watch. So quick, so easy.

 

[braumeister]

Apple Pay is still difficult here in a small city.

Which is odd, because it's ubiquitous even in very small cities in other countries. I even used it in the Falkland Islands last year, and you don't get much more isolated than that.

 

[Kwirk]

And, there's no exchange of pathogens on cash and cards. One small step.

 

[RunningBum]

Do you get a cash back bonus like you would using your credit card? Same apply for Google Pay? I have a droid (Moto) phone.

 

[mh]

Which is odd, because it's ubiquitous even in very small cities in other countries. I even used it in the Falkland Islands last year, and you don't get much more isolated than that.

The US is always woefully behind on this type of point of sale technology. I still can’t use Apple Pay at my local Ralph’s grocery store. Ridiculous.

 

[mh]

Do you get a cash back bonus like you would using your credit card? Same apply for Google Pay? I have a droid (Moto) phone.

In the UK and Iceland , yes and yes. I would guess the rest of Europe also.

 

[RunningBum]

In the UK and Iceland , yes and yes. I would guess the rest of Europe also.

I'm mostly asking about using it in the US.

 

[mh]

I'm mostly asking about using it in the US.

I’m not completely up on google pay, but with Apple Pay. You can link it to whatever credit card you want. And all cash back / rewArd features of that card will still apply . It’s easy to pick which card you are are linked to at time of payment. A swipe and a click. I would be surprised if google pay isn’t the same

 

[TheWizard]

Generically, these are called CONTACTLESS credit card payments.
My Cap One Visa card has contactless built-in but my MasterCard does not, so I link my MasterCard to Google Pay on my smartphone and use it that way.

Tapping to pay was quite common in Spain and Great Britain last year.
On the London Underground, I used my smartphone to tap-in and tap-out for each ride.
And looks like Chicago has similar functionality on the CTA. You can even "load" a three-day unlimited ride pass on your contactless device instead of getting a Ventra card...

 

[Midpack]

Now if sit down restaurants would use Apple Pay and other contactless payment options. I think restaurants are our biggest CC fraud/identity exposure now - the only place the CC disappears for who knows how long...

 

[Kwirk]

For me the rebates are generally the same whether I use the actual card or Apple Pay. The one exception is that I get a better rebate using Apple Pay with the Apple card (2% for groceries) than I would with a physical Apple card (1% for groceries).

(I don't actually have a physical Apple credit card.)

 

[cathy63]

Do you get a cash back bonus like you would using your credit card? Same apply for Google Pay? I have a droid (Moto) phone.

Yes, behind the scenes you are using your normal credit card so you get all the regular bonuses. Apple and Google are acting as middle-men to provide a secure token or temp card # to the merchant, but then they pass the actual transaction to your real credit card provider and it shows up on your cc bill exactly as if you had pulled out your card and inserted it into the reader.

 

[Kwirk]

Now if sit down restaurants would use Apple Pay and other contactless payment options. I think restaurants are our biggest CC fraud/identity exposure now - the only place the CC disappears for who knows how long...

Handing over your card has become a real risk, especially when out of the country. Signatures are no longer required even for large purchases. The bank may not take your word that you didn't authorize the purchase. (A taxi driver told me that my card was declined and actually posted a very large amount. Citibank refuses to accept my word and won't/can't produce a signature.)

 

[audreyh1]

I know we’re behind the curve (even for our generation?), but I finally signed up for and used Apple Pay yesterday. It couldn’t be easier. It appears to offer better security and convenience over swipe or chip and I would’ve signed up a couple years ago, but DW was dead set against it. She finally said “whatever” yesterday, sometimes that’s as good as it gets.

I also suggested we take our weekly ATM cash allowance out monthly or bi-weekly instead of weekly. That’s still a hard NO with her, some habits die hard. Guess I asked for too much, too soon. Baby steps...

You could set up and fund your own at home ATM. Put a big chunk in a cash box/fire safe and pull out weekly funds. I like having extra cash stored at home for emergencies anyway and replenish as needed.

Yes, ApplePay is awesome. I really like using my watch to pay. Love not having to sign a receipt. And yeas, far more secure than credit card transactions as all transactions armed tokenized.

 

[audreyh1]

All the stores, coffee shops etc here that have frequent user cards now have their cards available as apps. It’s great. Instead of a key ring or wallet full of cards I have them all in a folder labeled shopping on my phone. Everywhere also takes Apple Pay so I scan the card, then pay while I still have the phone in my hand.

Walgreens card showed up in my phone wallet, so that contactless too.

 

[audreyh1]

Apple pay is also really great if you are travelling internationally (though maybe not much of that until the pandemic passes). I was in Chile and Peru over the summer and was surprised how many places took it and it was always a much easier experience than using a regular credit card (no questions about currency or request to enter a non-existent pin etc).

Yes, we used it a great deal during our last European trip. Way easier than chip and PIN.

 

[audreyh1]

And, there's no exchange of pathogens on cash and cards. One small step.

Yes, that was a big annoyance during my recent trip through an airport. Only half the places I dealt with accepted ApplePay/contactless and some didn’t even have a customer terminal for putting in the card yourself!

 

[audreyh1]

Do you get a cash back bonus like you would using your credit card? Same apply for Google Pay? I have a droid (Moto) phone.

ApplePay uses whichever credit card you choose at checkout, so there is no difference in terms of the credit card bonuses.

 

[audreyh1]

Now if sit down restaurants would use Apple Pay and other contactless payment options. I think restaurants are our biggest CC fraud/identity exposure now - the only place the CC disappears for who knows how long...

Absolutely. Really bugs me! So bad.

 

[FIYes]

I haven’t used Apple Pay or Google Pay but use Samsung Pay all the time. I feel that it is more secure and I like that it is touch less now that Coronavirus news has me thinking about that. I get immediate notification of the transaction so no need for a paper receipt.

 

[audreyh1]

For me the rebates are generally the same whether I use the actual card or Apple Pay. The one exception is that I get a better rebate using Apple Pay with the Apple card (2% for groceries) than I would with a physical Apple card (1% for groceries).

(I don't actually have a physical Apple credit card.)

Just to be clear, you aren’t limited to using the Apple Card for Apple Pay. Most credit card issuers support Apple Pay. Almost all of my credit cards are enabled for ApplePay.