Turned DownApple Card Offer

[coldfusion]

---

@pizzadude wrote:

There's also the Apple Card HYSA, but in any case congrats on holding out for a better offer next time ! 

---

Even the HYSA has lost some of its luster, the offered interest rate was a market leader when it first opened but there were a fair number of reports from depositors having difficulty in withdrawing money and while they still pay a competitive rate there are other viable FDIC-insured options including from some of the larger regional banks (PNC, BMO, Citizens all have offerings with no mininum balance) or US Treasury-based MMF portfolios like TTTXX or FSIXX with the same or higher rates.  Most of the income from these 2 portfolios are also exempt from state and local taxes as well.

Agree on holding out for a better offer.

[nytokyobred79]

---

@citymunky wrote:

---

@nytokyobred79 wrote:

---

@citymunky wrote:? 

---

Well that, and to get 2% CB you need to use Apple Pay, if you use the physical cards you will only get back 1% CB. There a few stores that card offers 3% CB like the Apple Store, Nike.com, T-Moblie, but thats its. No sign-up bonus, but also no fees of any kind. IMO its a Ok card. 

---

Thanks @citymunky I didn't realize that. They really want you to use Apple Pay clearly. Thanks for the extra insight. I think I'll just garden until 2025 and look for better cards. 

---

Yea they want you use their Apple Pay. I forget to add to get the 3% CB for the select retailers you of course have to use...... Apple Pay. 

---

What a pain!!!!

[nytokyobred79]

---

@CorpCrMgr1 wrote:

Back when it was a prestigious CC and I was the one that didn't have it. Now I don't care. Good for you for saving a HP.

---

Oh, I saved that HP. TU is frozen. Tu and EQ have the fewest inquiries. EX is lol. Just for kicks, I checked again today and still have their offer. 

[nytokyobred79]

---

@coldfusion wrote:

---

@pizzadude wrote:

There's also the Apple Card HYSA, but in any case congrats on holding out for a better offer next time ! 

---

Even the HYSA has lost some of its luster, the offered interest rate was a market leader when it first opened but there were a fair number of reports from depositors having difficulty in withdrawing money and while they still pay a competitive rate there are other viable FDIC-insured options including from some of the larger regional banks (PNC, BMO, Citizens all have offerings with no mininum balance) or US Treasury-based MMF portfolios like TTTXX or FSIXX with the same or higher rates.  Most of the income from these 2 portfolios are also exempt from state and local taxes as well.

Agree on holding out for a better offer.

---

I have been in the market for a new HYSA but still haven't decided which financial institution I'll  go with.  Had been contemplating AMEX. Appreciate your insight. 

[GhostPrototype]

Credit Karma is currently offering a $150 SUB for the Apple Card through March 31st, although it's a bit unclear whether its targeted or publically available. Search for the Apple Card in your CK account and see if a welcome bonus is listed.

Terms can be seen here: https://offers.applecard.apple/partners/credit-karma3/terms

Since you already submitted your app, I think you would have to wait for the current offer from Apple to expire before following the link from CK and applying again to get the SUB.

[nytokyobred79]

---

@GhostPrototype wrote:

Credit Karma is currently offering a $150 SUB for the Apple Card through March 31st, although it's a bit unclear whether its targeted or publically available. Search for the Apple Card in your CK account and see if a welcome bonus is listed.

Terms can be seen here: https://offers.applecard.apple/partners/credit-karma3/terms

Since you already submitted your app, I think you would have to wait for the current offer from Apple to expire before following the link from CK and applying again to get the SUB.

---

Thanks for sharing. 
I've decided to keep trying to garden for next 6-12 months as I'm still thinking about the USB Altitude Reserve mainly for the 4.5 %  cash back for payments such as Apple Pay. I'm going to pass on Apple at this stage. Perhaps, if and when the new Apple Card comes out, I'll re-consider depending on the actual benefits. 

[Aim_High]

---

@nytokyobred79 wrote:

 Correct me if I'm wrong but the Apple card isn't as appealing as it used to be bc there are plently other cards with better cash back? And really only good for financing apple products? 

---

Apple gets a lot of sideways looks these days, @nytokyobred79.  I won't tell you it's a "must have" card but I like to point out some of the strengths of Apple card when these discussions come up.  Depending on how it's used, it's a very solid card. 

Quoting from my post in another recent thread (links and data points updated):

Here's my "Top Ten List" of reasons to like the Apple Card and why it's not junk.

1. Firm, soft-pull, preapprovals that show starting limit and APR before taking a HP. 
2. No Fees.  Period.  No AF.  No FTF.  No late fees.  Competitive APRs in-line with other rewards cards for anyone not PIF.  (Mine was approved at 12.99% in 2019, within about 1.25% of my PenFed FCU Power Cash Rewards, from the same time-frame. APR dropped as low as I believe 10.74% and is now at 16.24% APR, well below many other no-AF rewards card.)
   
3. Card management User Interface is exceptional.  Since the card is designed to work with Apple Pay which is integral to iPhone,  managing the card via Apple Wallet and iPhone is extremely easy and intuitive.  No card is needed unless you prefer to carry it.  Alerts to phone on new charges or payment activity.  Precise locations of charges depicted (even with map depiction.)  Breakdown of charges by spending categories and by time-frames per week-month-year are automatically displayed.  Paying account via iPhone is very simple.  Statements post by calendar month which is very simple to track. 
4. Contacting Goldman Sachs Customer service via text/phone is easily accessible via iPhone Wallet with no additional apps required.
5. Soft Pull CLI requests available as often as every six months.  (In early days, CLIs were even allowed every 90 days.)
6. With good usage, Apple card has proven to grow very quickly and can reach high limits, even over $50K.  One of our members started with a $250 CL and grew it 48xCLI to $12K.  My limit is $42K currently and I've seen it grow to $80K with another member's approvals.
7. Physical premium titanium card is durable, elegant, and impressive to carry more-so than many competing cash back cards. 
8. Physical card has no numbers which can be compromised, making it more secure from fraud.  (Numbers are stored internally protected behind iPhone login and easily available to cardholder when needed.)
9. CVC/CVV codes are also stored internal to iPhone for security and be set to periodically change for added security. 
10. Apple card offers 3% rewards at the Apple store and/or special financing on Apple products. You also earn 3% at selected merchants when using Apple Pay including among others Walgreen's/Duane Reade, Exxon/Mobil, Uber/Uber Eats, and Panera Bread.  Apple card offers a solid 2% cash back rewards whenever Apple Pay is used.  Between the 3% and 2% categories, and if only used for that, a consumer could average over 2% in rewards with this card.  I've been surprised at how many places I can use Apple Pay.  The titanium card earns 1% rewards.

I went on to differentiate how unique the Apple card is compared to some other cards once you get beyond just looking at the rewards earnings rates.  There are quite a few features that are either very rare if not entirely unique to this card.  I wouldn't call any of these features commonly-available on most other cards and certainly not as a group.

• Physical card has no numbers. Card number is stored securely in the mobile app when needed.
• CCV/CVV codes are not visible and can be set to automatically and randomly change for security.
  
• A non-premium, no-AF metal card that weighs 15 grams or more (as much as an American Express Gold or Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant.)   At this time, I only know of one - the Wells Fargo BILT, which clocks in at 16 grams.  (The Synchrony Verizon Visa was in this class until recently when it was converted to plastic.)
• A credit card made of actual titanium.  (The Barclay's "Titanium" Luxury card isn't even made of actual titanium.  It's made of brushed stainless steel and carbon fiber.) 
• A credit card that you can manage on a mobile phone with software built into the device itself and that works seemlessly without any set-up, mobile app downloads, or bugs. 
• IMO, the Apple Card User Interface is far more feature-packed and superior to the UI found on almost any other card.  Not to mention that it's intuitive.

[nytokyobred79]

@Aim_High Thank you for taking the time to share your list of reasons you would consider the card. No 10, in particular, would probably be the biggest driver for me as I'm a heavy Apple Pay user, as well as a regular Uber/Uber Eats user( for Uber I could see myself using my Delta Reserve with the credits as well as this card for cash back) . For now, I'm going to stay committed to, at least, 6 month of gardening so that I can age my newest acct from January in the hopes of taking a stab at USB again. 

But I really appreciate the insights, as always 🙏

[triplej0718]

I love the Apple card and I use it mainly for Apple Pay which is a 2 percent cash back that is available within 48 hours. 

[keekers]

If I didn't have the Apple Card already I wouldn't bother with it with the other cards available on the market. My $.02