What Are the Best Credit Cards for Apple Purchases?

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We know that buying a new iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, or MacBook isn’t cheap. However, the best credit cards for Apple purchases can help protect your products and earn bonus points or miles in the process. Each card can help you differently, so you will need to decide if you want to earn cash or travel rewards.

Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Most rewards credit cards only award 1 point/mile per $1 on Apple purchases. The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card earns unlimited 2x miles per $1 on all Apple purchases and non-Apple purchases. And, earn 5x miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.

You can redeem your Venture miles for travel statement credits, booking upcoming travel, and transferring to Capital One airline and hotel loyalty programs.

Additional card benefits include an (up to) $100 fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck to avoid long airport security lines. The built-in Wikibuy shopping tool will compare the online prices for Apple products if you don’t need to buy directly from Apple. It’s also possible your devices can be extended up to 1 year after the original warranty expires.

For a limited time, new Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card cardholders can earn 75,000 miles once they spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening, plus they’ll receive a one-time $250 Capital One Travel credit their first cardholder year. Earning the entire bonus is equal to $1,000 in travel!

The annual fee is $95.

If you’re interested in a premium Capital One option, check out the Capital One Venture X Credit Card.

Ink Business Preferred Credit Card

The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card is one of the best business credit cards for Apple purchases. First, you earn 3x Ultimate Rewards points on the first $150,000 in combined annual spending for these purchases:

• Travel
• Shipping purchases
• Internet, cable, and phone services
• Social media and search engine advertising

All non-bonus spending earns 1x point per $1 spent. This includes any purchases made directly from Apple like iTunes or Apple Music. The Ink Business Preferred is also one of the best Chase credit cards.

If you buy the new iPhone through your cell phone service provider, you can get up to 3x Ultimate Rewards points on your purchases. A fringe benefit is getting free cell phone protection (up to $600 per claim) too.

Additional Perks

In addition to earning up to 3x points on Apple purchases, your points can be worth at least 25% more than other credit cards. Your points are worth 1.25 cents each when booking any award travel. Each point can be worth potentially more when you transfer them to a 1:1 airline or hotel partner like United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and World of Hyatt.

For non-travel rewards, your points are worth 1 cent each.

A third way to maximize your Apple purchases with the Ink Business Preferred is through the bonus offer.

New Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card cardholders can earn 120k bonus points after spending $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $1,200 cash back or $1,500 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Travel℠.

Upgrading to a new Apple device can make it easy to reach this minimum spend. The annual fee is $95.

American Express Business Gold Card

The American Express® Business Gold Card lets you earn up to 4x Membership Rewards on Apple purchases. You earn 4x points on the 2 select categories where your business spent the most each month (the 4x points apply to the first $150,000 in combined purchases annually; all other purchases earn 1x per $1 spent). Only the top two categories in each billing cycle will count towards the $150,000 cap. Categories include:

• U.S. purchases at electronic goods retailers and software & cloud system providers
• Monthly wireless telephone service charges that are made directly from a wireless telephone service provider in the U.S.
• Transit purchases including trains, taxicabs, rideshares, ferries, tolls, parking, buses, and subways
• Purchases at U.S. media providers for advertising in select media (online, TV, and radio)
• U.S. purchases at gas stations
• U.S. purchases at restaurants, including takeout and delivery

Additionally, American Express Travel purchases through amextravel.com will now earn 3x points per $1.

All annual spending above $150,000 for the bonus categories and all non-bonus spending earns an unlimited 1x point per $1.

This is also one of the best Amex Business cards.

Direct purchase technology providers include Apple, Dell, IBM, Intuit, New Egg, and TigerDirect. Other third-party sellers like Best Buy, Amazon, and eBay don’t qualify for bonus points on Apple purchases.

Welcome Bonus Offer

New American Express® Business Gold Card cardholders can earn 100,000 Membership Rewards® points after spending $15,000 on eligible purchases with the Business Gold Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership. The card comes in three metal designs: Gold, Rose Gold, and Limited Edition White Gold. White Gold design is only available while supplies last. New cardholders can make their selection when they apply. Terms apply.

The annual fee is $375 (See Rates & Fees).

American Express Business Gold cardholders also have access to a Pay Over Time Option that lets cardholders decide whether they want to pay for their eligible purchases in full each month or pay over time with interest (terms apply). 

Apple Card

The information related to The Apple Card has been collected by Johnny Jet and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer or provider of this product or service.

The Apple Card can be your best option if you make routine Apple purchases such as through the App Store, Apple Music, or iCloud storage. You can also earn bonus points when you use Apple Pay. This Apple card also lets you redeem your purchase rewards daily for cash credit:

• 3% back on all Apple purchases
• 2% back on Apple Pay digital wallet payments
• 1% back on all remaining purchases

As not all merchants accept Apple Pay digital wallet payments(yet), many of your non-Apple purchases may only earn 1% back.

There are two other downsides to this card. First, you can’t redeem your daily cash for travel rewards (which some cards make more valuable than cash rewards). Second, this card doesn’t offer special equipment protection or AppleCare.

There is no annual fee or foreign transaction fee. This can also be one of the easiest credit cards to apply for as you only need a 600 credit score or higher to be approved. Most of the best credit cards require a minimum of 740 credit score.

If you’re interested in other easy credit cards, check out our post on the best first credit cards.

Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card

The Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card has one of the highest rewards rates for a cash back credit card. You earn unlimited 1.5% back on all purchases. However, earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. A flat-rate rewards card can be a better option if Apple purchases are a small part of your monthly spending plan.

Your rewards points are redeemable for cash statement credits, erase recent purchases, and gift cards. Because of this, it can be one of the best cash back credit cards, depending on what you are looking for.

The signup bonus for the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card is $200 bonus cash after spending $500 in the first 3 months. A large Apple purchase can easily let you earn this bonus.

There is no annual fee or foreign transaction fee. You will need a 740 credit score or above to have the best approval odds for this card.

Summary

Several of the best credit cards for Apple purchases award bonus points when you make purchases directly from Apple. Others might only award the base rate of 1 point per $1. However, these cards may offer free cell phone protection, more flexible point redemption options, or both.

FAQs

Can I buy an iPhone with a credit card?

Yes. Any major credit card will let you purchase an iPhone directly from Apple, from a third-party retailer (i.e., Best Buy or Amazon), or through your cell phone service provider.

You should try to use a credit card that awards bonus points on the purchase and provides cell phone protection. Some credit cards offer up to $600 in cell phone protection when you pay your full monthly cell phone bill with your card.

Does the American Express Business Gold earn bonus points on Apple purchases?

It’s possible to earn 4 Membership Rewards points per $1 on Apple purchases with the American Express® Business Gold Card. You will need to choose “select technology providers” to be one of your two bonus categories. Then, you can earn bonus points when you make Apple purchases directly from Apple and certain third-party retailers, including TigerDirect.

What credit cards provide cell phone protection?

A few personal and business credit cards offer free cell phone protection. You will need to charge your entire monthly cell phone bill to the card. Most credit cards provide up to $600 per claim and an annual $1,200 coverage limit. You may also have to pay a per-claim deductible of up to $100.

Participating credit cards include:

• Chase Ink Business Preferred
• Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card
• Uber Visa Card
• Citi Prestige Card
• IHG Premier Card
• Most Mastercard World and World Elite credit cards

Do credit card extended warranties cover Apple cell phones and computers?

It’s possible that credit card extended warranty benefits protect consumer electronics like iPhones, iPads, and MacBooks. Your credit card can extend the warranty up to one year after the original Apple warranty expires. The original warranty must also be three years or less.

However, you will need to review your credit card benefits guide to verify your Apple products are eligible.

Your credit card purchase protection benefits may also cover your purchase costs within the qualifying coverage period (usually 120 days from the purchase date). Once again, you will need to verify which events your credit card covers. Damages from normal wear and tear or neglect probably won’t be reimbursed.

For rates and fees of the American Express® Business Gold Card, please click here.

Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

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