Thoughts on Apple Card - Maybe?

[longtimelurker]

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@ThomasJNewton wrote:

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@longtimelurker wrote:
Well, a "real" 2% card would be one of the many that give 2% everywhere, including when mobile pay isn't available.    I still use one as an backup to my Altitude Reserve

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Sorry, more looking for examples, rather than just a definition. :-) The original poster is looking for card options, so examples would be much more helpful.

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Well, common example is the Citi Double Cash.   I have Fidelity and SoFI.  A popular choice is Penfed's 2% card  but there are lots.

[Bill77]

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@ThomasJNewton wrote:

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@longtimelurker wrote:
Well, a "real" 2% card would be one of the many that give 2% everywhere, including when mobile pay isn't available.    I still use one as an backup to my Altitude Reserve

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Sorry, more looking for examples, rather than just a definition. :-) The original poster is looking for card options, so examples would be much more helpful.

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Paypal Mastercard, Wells Fargo, and FNBO are 2% card options.

[ThomasJNewton]

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@longtimelurker wrote:
Well, common example is the Citi Double Cash.   I have Fidelity and SoFI.  A popular choice is Penfed's 2% card  but there are lots.

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Thanks. I guess the question is: is the original poster better served by a card that gives 2% on all purchases but never more than that, vs. a card that gives 2% on Apple Pay transactions with 3% on Apple products, services and/or App Store purchases, as well offering 0% financing for 24 months for Apple Hardware purchases.

[longtimelurker]

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@ThomasJNewton wrote:

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@longtimelurker wrote:
Well, common example is the Citi Double Cash.   I have Fidelity and SoFI.  A popular choice is Penfed's 2% card  but there are lots.

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Thanks. I guess the question is: is the original poster better served by a card that gives 2% on all purchases but never more than that, vs. a card that gives 2% on Apple Pay transactions with 3% on Apple products, services and/or App Store purchases, as well offering 0% financing for 24 months for Apple Hardware purchases.

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Well, then the Paypal MC, which I forgot that I had in my list!  2% everywhere, plus 3% on any Paypal transaction (which is really widespread).

Doesn't have the 0% on Apple, but other useful features.

I beginning to think that the answer for you must be Apple!

[BronzeTrader]

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@ThomasJNewton wrote:

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@BronzeTrader wrote:

I get the US Bank Altitute Reserve.  All mobile wallet is solid 3x or 4.5% if used for travel.  How much does Apple card earns?

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According to their website, it is now 3 points for travel unless used for pre-paid hotels and car rentals booked through their web portal.

U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite Cardmembers will earn 1 Point for every $1 in eligible Net Purchases. In addition, you will earn 4 Points (5 Points total) for every $1 in eligible Net Purchases spent on prepaid car and hotel reservations purchased in the online Altitude Rewards Center using your U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Card. Prepaid car and hotel reservations in the Rewards Center are not classified as a travel category merchant transaction and are not eligible to receive the additional points for that category. Please allow 1-2 statement billing cycles for your bonus Points to appear on your credit card statement. Refer to the Rewards Center for full details. You will earn 2 Points (3 Points total) for every $1 in eligible Net Purchases during each billing cycle for transactions made directly with merchants who classify their business as a travel category transaction (such as purchases made directly with airlines, hotels, car rentals, taxicabs, limousines, passenger trains and cruise line companies), and for transactions using a mobile wallet. “Mobile wallet” is defined as the method of paying for a transaction by use of a mobile device (in-store, in-app or online) and includes Apple Pay®, Samsung Pay, and Google Pay™. If the transaction is an eligible mobile wallet transaction and an eligible travel category transaction, additional Points will only be awarded for one of the transaction types (Points will be applied as mobile wallet, not travel ).

One other nice thing about the Apple Card cash back is that it requires no effort to collect it. Every day it is automatically deposited into my Apple Cash account, with no redemption minimum. U.S. Bank requires a minimum of $50 to redeem, BofA only let one redeem at the end of the month. As someone else mentioned, the 24 months of interest free payments on Apple Purchases can also be worth a lot for those who take advantage of it.

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I do not think you fully understand how the US Bank Altitute card works.

For all mobile wallet purchases, you earn 3 points for each $ spend.  So it is 3x.  When you redeem for travel at USBank travel portal, each point is fixed 1.5 cpps.  So you earn 4.5% on each $ spend on mobile wallet.  This is about the highest for fixed point value.  Only the Chase CSR has or had the 1.5 cpps fixed value.  I do not carry that card any longer and do not care about that.  

That is 4.5% on all mobile wallet purchases.  Some people certainly can be creative on that.

[BronzeTrader]

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@ThomasJNewton wrote:

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@longtimelurker wrote:
It EARNS 3 points per $ on travel/mobile wallet, but when redeemed for travel, either via portal or (much better) real time rewards, each point is worth 1.5, hence the 4.5%    For heavy mobile wallet users, who also travel sometimes (using at least one of plane/hotel/rental car) this is really hard to beat.

So for people who travel a bit, but not much, in that if one travels a lot, having and using the airline's and/or hotel's own card is likely to offer substantially better benefits. Not having used their portal at all, I am curious about some things (that I hope you can explain): Will I always get as good a rate as I would if I booked directly? What happens if I cancel a reservation, do the points get credited back? Are there any fees for booking through them? Am I able to use corporate codes for appropriate discounts? Do I give up any status benefits booking through them vs. booking directly with the airline, car rental company or hotel? Do I get the same benefits using their portal to redeem as I do using their card (they are one of the companies that offer primary rental car insurance, a big benefit)?

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So you do not know how it works.

I believe US Bank point is just like Crystal Nation Bank's card.  When you book a flight ticket with Southwest, bank will redeem your points for cash.  Then use the cash to pay for the air ticket.  That is considered cash purchases.  And the travel booking is like third party travel agent, whatever they are.

If you cancel your booking, fund returns to your account as cash.

[ThomasJNewton]

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@longtimelurker wrote:
Well, then the Paypal MC, which I forgot that I had in my list!  2% everywhere, plus 3% on any Paypal transaction (which is really widespread).

Doesn't have the 0% on Apple, but other useful features.

It definitely offers some benefits that might be great for the original poster, especially if he does not want to use Apple Pay. Home Depot one of the places where I shop that does not accept Apple Pay does accept Pay Pal. I am not sure about Wal*Mart.

I beginning to think that the answer for you must be Apple!

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None of this is about my use, but what works for the original poster. I spend much more at Apple than at Home Depot, and I do not trust PayPal because of lots of problems I have had with them over the years. For me, I prefer the privacy of Apple Pay to the targeted Advertising of Pay Pal, but both cards offer 3% for certain transactions. Which is better for the original poster will really depend on his usage patterns.

[Bill77]

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@ThomasJNewton wrote:

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@longtimelurker wrote:
Well, then the Paypal MC, which I forgot that I had in my list!  2% everywhere, plus 3% on any Paypal transaction (which is really widespread).

Doesn't have the 0% on Apple, but other useful features.

It definitely offers some benefits that might be great for the original poster, especially if he does not want to use Apple Pay. Home Depot one of the places where I shop that does not accept Apple Pay does accept Pay Pal. I am not sure about Wal*Mart.

I beginning to think that the answer for you must be Apple!

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None of this is about my use, but what works for the original poster. I spend much more at Apple than at Home Depot, and I do not trust PayPal because of lots of problems I have had with them over the years. For me, I prefer the privacy of Apple Pay to the targeted Advertising of Pay Pal, but both cards offer 3% for certain transactions. Which is better for the original poster will really depend on his usage patterns.

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If someone wants to really optimize Apple purchases, the US Bank Cash+ you can get 5% on Apple purchases as one of the categories.  Another work around is if you are a Chase Amazon prime card holder, you can buy Apple gift cards on Amazon and get 5% cash back.

[ThomasJNewton]

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@BronzeTrader wrote:

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That is 4.5% on all mobile wallet purchases.  Some people certainly can be creative on that.

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No, that is 3% on all mobile wallet purchases and 4.5% if one redeems it for travel, after having spent the $75 for the annual fee assuming that one has spent the $325 on statement credit worthy purchases (does not seem too hard if all resaurants are covered). For some this will be a great card, but it certainly requires effort to maximise its value.

[ThomasJNewton]

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@Bill77 wrote:
If someone wants to really optimize Apple purchases, the US Bank Cash+ you can get 5% on Apple purchases as one of the categories.  Another work around is if you are a Chase Amazon prime card holder, you can buy Apple gift cards on Amazon and get 5% cash back.

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That is 5% for the first $2,000 in a quarter for either both of the two 5% categories or for each of them individually (it is not really clear).

As for buying Apple Gift Cards, I think that might be a ToS violation.