As of today, digital payment solutions have successfully outstripped traditional cash payments. Given the scenario, you all must have heard about the digital payment services ‘Apple Cash’ and ‘Apple pay’.
Although these two are interconnected but are still different in terms of their applications. Both Apple Cash and Apple pay are contained in your Apple Wallet. These services are gaining popularity among Apple users.
You can start using these helpful and convenient services once you get familiar with what they are and how they can be used. So, let’s first discuss them one by one:
| Parameters | Apple Cash | Apple Pay |
| Function | Works like a debit card. | Act as a linchpin for digital payments. |
| Funding | • Eligible U.S. debit cards. • Eligible U.S. prepaid cards. • Money received in messages. • Cash Back from Apple Card. | • Eligible U.S. credit cards. • Eligible U.S. debit cards. • Eligible U.S. prepaid cards. • Apple Cash Card. |
| Transaction | • Send Money • Receive Money • Make payments. | • Send Money • Make payments |
| Dependence | For payments, it needs Apple Pay. | It can make payments without Apple Cash also. |
| Where can it be used? | On up-to-date Apple devices in the United States | On up-to-date Apple devices in the United States, |
| Money transfer to the bank account | Money can be transferred within 1-3 business days. OR Within 30 minutes for instant transfer. | Money cannot be transferred to a bank account from Apple Pay. |
What Is Apple Cash?
Apple cash is a safe and easy method to send, receive, and spend money with a simple message. It can be accessed using iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. It works in the same way as a debit card does.
You can anytime check the balance in your Apple Cash by simply opening the Wallet app. Apple cash balance can be easily charged using any prepaid or debit card with a minimum amount of $10.
Benefits Of Apple Cash
Apple cash allows you to:
1. Send And Receive Money
With Apple Cash, you can give money to your friends and family simply by a message, and similarly, you can get money from them.
2. Make Contactless Purchases
With Apple Cash, you can make safe purchases both offline and online with the use of Apple Pay. It eliminates the need to take out any physical debit card, making the payments fully contactless.
3. Get Daily Cash (or Cashback) From Apple Credit Card
If you make any online or offline purchases using your Apple Credit Card, then the cashback you will receive will be dropped into your Apple Cash Account.
4. Transfer The Received Money To A Bank Account
You can transfer a minimum amount of $1 if your balance is more than $1, otherwise, you can transfer the whole Apple cash balance to your bank account.
5. Set Up Apple Cash For Kids
Your kids and other family members below 18 years of age can also receive, spend or send money using Apple Cash Card.
You just need to set up Apple Cash for them. This will give you the complete power to monitor their transactions.
Also Read: How to Verify Cash App Card for Apple Pay?
What Is Apple Pay?
Apple Pay is the basic payment platform required to make payments or purchases using iPhone, Mac, iPad, or Apple watch.
It is a safer and easier replacement for physical credit or debit cards. After loading your card details in Apple Pay, you no more need to carry them everywhere for online or in-store buying.
Benefits Of Using Apple Pay
With Apple Pay, you can have the following benefits.
1. No Need To Install Any Additional App
The Apple Pay app is already present on all iPhones, iPads, Macs, and Apple Watches. You don’t need to complete any intricate process to enable it.
2. Easy Setup
Apple Pay setup is very easy. Put your card details in the Wallet app on your iPhone, Mac, or Apple Watch, and it’s done. In addition, you don’t need to compromise on your card’s benefits or rewards.
3. No Chances Of Fraud
Before making any payment, Apple Pay asks for identity verification. Fingerprint scan, Face scan, or password entry are the ways by which you can authenticate yourself for payment. While paying in-store via Apple Pay, you need to confirm the payment by holding your iPhone close to the NFC payment terminal.
4. The Faster And Easier Way
Apple pay makes your payments faster and much easier as you don’t even need to take out your wallet for it.
5. Personal Data Remains Protected
Apple Pay works with a unique transaction code or device-specific no. for carrying out payments. Therefore, your card information remains undisclosed during the entire payment process.
6. Privacy Is Maintained
While paying through Apple Pay, no payment details are stored to send you back.
7. Use Apple Cash
Instead of setting up any other debit or credit card. You can also use your Apple Cash Card to send or receive money simply in messages using Apple Pay. You can also buy goods or services in this contactless way.
Also Read: Can you Get Cashback with Apple Pay?
Similarities Between Apple Cash And Apple Pay
There are a few similarities between Apple Cash and Apple Pay. These are as follows:
- Both Apple Pay and Apple Cash are incorporated in the Wallet app of all the Apple devices, including iPhones, iPads, Macs, and Apple Watches.
- Both are used for making payments with Apple devices.
- Both Apple Pay and Apple Cash can be charged using debit cards.
These two Apple payment services can be used simultaneously also for:
- For sending or receiving money in messages using Apple Pay, you can support the transaction with an Apple Cash balance.
- Similarly, for in-store or online shopping, payment can be made using Apple Cash balance via Apple Pay.
Apple Cash Vs. Apple Pay: Differences
Apple Cash and Apple Pay both are in-built Apple Wallet services that are used to make your payments contactless. They are similar in many ways, but it would be wrong to consider them as substitutes for each other.
There are some major differences between the two that make them work differently. Let us see the differences in detail.
1. Funding
Apple Cash can be charged or loaded with the help of any debit or prepaid card, which is eligible in the U.S. The money you receive in messages also becomes a part of Apple Cash Balance.
Along with this, the cashback you get by using your Apple Card gets added to your Apple Cash Balance.
Apple Pay can be charged or loaded not only with any Eligible U.S. debit or prepaid card but also with any Eligible U.S. credit card.
Moreover, you can use your Apple Cash balance also to support the Apple Pay payments.
2. Payment Option
Apple Cash cannot be used for payment purposes without Apple Pay. All the payments through this service can be carried only through Apple Pay.
Apple Pay is not at all dependent on Apple Cash for carrying out the different payments. It can make payments without Apple Cash also. So, it may or may not be used with Apple Cash.
3. Transfer Money To Bank Account
Apple Cash Balance can be easily transferred to your bank account. If your total Apple Cash balance is more than $1, then $1 is the minimum amount for transferring; otherwise, you can transfer the whole Apple Cash Balance to your bank account.
Apple Pay cannot transfer any money to your bank account. It can only be used for paying money.
4. Cash Back
Apple Cash balance directly receives all the cashback that you receive while using your Apple Card for carrying out purchases through Apple Pay.
Apple Pay receives the cashback on payments using Apple Card, but all of it gets deposited in the Apple Cash Card only.
5. Cost For Using
Apple Cash is free of cost if you have to give, get, or request money at Standard times of delivery.
But if you want to shift money from your Apple Cash to your debit card or bank account instantly, then you have to pay a 1.5% fee for transferring a maximum of $15 and a minimum of $0.25.
Apple Pay can be used free of cost for making various payments.
So far, we have told you about the working and various benefits of using the payment services Apple Cash and Apple Pay.
It has also covered what they both share in common and how they both are different. Now, let us come to the differences between the two with the help of a table.
Also Read: How To Update Debit Card or Credit Card On Apple Pay?
Conclusion
In times when diseases like Covid-19 are prevailing, it would be better to go for contactless payments.
Apple Cash and Apple Pay are both convenient digital payment services that can be used on Apple devices, which have the latest operating systems.
From the above write-up, it might be clear now that despite sharing many similarities, they both have a separate purpose to solve.
In order to use these efficient virtual payment services properly, it would be better to have a piece of proper knowledge about them.
