Hey there! If you‘re an iPhone user, you‘ve probably gotten used to the lightning-fast convenience of Apple Pay. There‘s nothing quite like breezing through checkout by simply scanning your face or fingerprint.
But what if you want to use Apple Pay to shop on one of your favorite online stores – Amazon?
Well my friend, I‘ve got the inside scoop for you. I did some digging to find out if Amazon accepts Apple Pay in 2024.
The short answer is…unfortunately, No, Amazon still does not directly accept Apple Pay.
Bummer, I know. But don‘t worry, I‘ve got all the details on why Amazon hasn‘t added Apple Pay yet, plus some tips to streamline payments if you‘re missing it.
Let‘s dive into the world of mobile wallet payments together!
Why Isn‘t Apple Pay An Option on Amazon?
I completely understand why you‘d expect Amazon to offer Apple Pay. After all, Apple says that over 90% of US retailers now accept it.
But Amazon is a holdout for a few reasons:
No Direct Partnership With Apple
In order for any company to add Apple Pay as a payment method, they need to join Apple‘s MFi Program and strike a direct business agreement.
For example, Target signed up to accept Apple Pay back in 2015. But Amazon hasn‘t joined the program or teamed up with Apple yet.
Amazon Has Their Own Payment System
You‘re probably familiar with Amazon Pay – that‘s their own digital wallet and payment service.
Amazon wants to promote their in-house option over third-party services like Apple Pay or Google Pay. Why pay Apple transaction fees when they already have a payment solution?
Less Necessary for Online Payments
Apple Pay shines for speedy in-person, tap-to-pay checkout using your mobile device. But Amazon is all about online e-commerce.
Mobile payments are more crucial for retail stores than an online shopping site where payments are already digital, not physical.
But couldn‘t Apple Pay make the mobile app checkout smoother? Fair point. It comes down to Amazon‘s priorities and partnerships.
What Do The Numbers Say?
Mobile wallets like Apple Pay are definitely growing in popularity for in-person shopping.
Here are some statistics that help explain the mobile payment landscape:
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92% of US retailers now accept contactless payments like Apple Pay or Google Pay, up from just 3% in 2014 according to PYMNTS research.
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Apple Pay accounted for 90% of contactless card spending in the US in 2021, according to eMarketer data.
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Over 13 billion Apple Pay transactions were processed in 2021, nearly doubling from 2019 according to Apple.
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The mobile proximity payments market is predicted to grow by 29% annually through 2025, reaching over $2 trillion in transaction value according to Juniper Research.
So Apple Pay has absolutely exploded onto the scene in recent years for physical stores. But online adoption is still lagging.
For example, only 4% of Visa Checkout online transactions used Apple Pay, per PYMNTS in 2021. Since Amazon relies on online payments, they aren‘t feeling much pressure yet to add Apple Pay.
But with user numbers rising so fast, Amazon may eventually decide the convenience benefits outweigh the costs and strike a deal with Apple.
For now though, Apple Pay isn‘t in the cards for Amazon purchases (pun intended!)
Can You Use Your Apple Card on Amazon?
Okay, so Amazon itself doesn‘t accept Apple Pay. But what if you have an actual credit card issued by Apple?
The Apple Card is a Mastercard backed by Goldman Sachs. Since Amazon accepts Mastercard, you can absolutely use your Apple Card to pay on Amazon!
To do this, just:
- Go to Your Account
- Select Payment Options
- Click Add a Credit or Debit Card
- Enter your Apple Card info and confirm
Now your Apple Card will appear as a payment option when you go to check out.
The bummer is you won‘t get those seamless Apple Pay benefits like quick fingerprint/face recognition.
But the PRO is you can earn the Apple Card‘s awesome cashback rewards for your Amazon purchases:
- 3% cash back on purchases made directly with Apple (like at the App Store)
- 2% cash back on any purchase made using Apple Pay
- 1% cash back on purchases made with the physical titanium Apple Card
So if you time it right and use the Apple Card via Apple Pay when not shopping on Amazon, you can maximize that sweet 2% return!
Of course you can also explore rewards credit cards from Amazon itself, like the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Card. But the Apple Card is great flexible option for earning as you spend.
How Does Checking Out on Amazon Work Without Apple Pay?
Okay, we‘ve established that direct Apple Pay integration isn‘t a thing on Amazon (yet!)
But how exactly does checking out on Amazon work? Their payment system is actually really slick once you get it set up.
Here are some available options for fast and easy checkout on Amazon:
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One-Click Ordering – Enter your card once to enable 1-click purchases
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Amazon Pay – Securely pay without re-entering sensitive data
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Default Payment Method – Choose a primary card to speed up checkout
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Amazon Assistant – Browser plugin with quick access to cart & payment
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Amazon Gift Cards – Reload your balance for easy top ups
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Amazon Smile – Get charitable donations with every purchase
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Amazon Go Stores – Walk out without stopping to pay at all!
See, you have plenty of choices to get through checkout in just a click or two!
One-Click Ordering
This is Amazon‘s OG fast payment method. Just enter your card details once, and then you can simply click "Buy now with 1-Click" anytime you‘re ready to purchase.
It‘s kind of like Apple Pay in that your info is stored for easy access later. But you don‘t get the cool facial/fingerprint verification.
Amazon Pay
If you‘re worried about security, Amazon Pay may ease your mind. It lets you check out without re-entering your card number and details.
For example, say you‘re shopping on a public computer and don‘t want to save your info. Amazon Pay still lets you breeze through checkout by entering your password. Pretty handy!
Amazon Assistant
This browser extension gives you quick access to your Amazon cart and payment options anytime you‘re surfing the web.
Just click the little Amazon cart icon to finish that impulse buy without disrupting your web browsing. It‘s an easy accessory for frequent Amazon shoppers.
So while not as groundbreaking as Apple Pay, Amazon still offers innovative ways to reduce checkout friction – especially for us impatient, phone-loving types!
When Will Amazon Finally Add Apple Pay?
We‘ve talked through why Amazon hasn‘t bought into Apple Pay yet, and how you can still checkout quickly today. But when oh when will these two giants team up?
It‘s tough to say for sure. Amazon hasn‘t provided any hints about Apple Pay plans.
But based on Apple Pay‘s explosive growth at physical stores, I‘d expect Amazon to jump on board within the next 1-3 years.
The pandemic accelerated adoption of contactless payments. And Amazon is usually quick to implement consumer-friendly features if they see a clear benefit.
Integrating Apple Pay is inevitable at this point – it‘s just a matter of when Amazon is ready to put aside their rivalry and work out a deal.
My guess? We could see Apple Pay finally roll out on Amazon in time for the 2024 holiday shopping season.
But for now, we‘ll have to keep waiting! Between Amazon Pay, Apple Card, and other fast checkout options though, paying for your Prime deliveries is still pretty painless.
The Bottom Line on Apple Pay and Amazon
Alright my friend – we‘ve reached the end of our epic quest to figure out if Amazon accepts Apple Pay!
Here‘s the lowdown:
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No – Amazon does not directly take Apple Pay currently.
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Because – No partnership with Apple yet, plus Amazon is pushing their own payment system.
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But – You can use your Apple Card on Amazon to earn cashback rewards!
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And – Amazon has one-click ordering, Amazon Pay, and other quick checkout options.
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So – Checking out without Apple Pay is still pretty smooth.
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When – We could see Apple Pay on Amazon within 1-3 years as mobile payment adoption grows.
I hope this insider scoop equips you to pay swiftly like a pro on Amazon, with or without Apple Pay! Let me know if you have any other payment questions.
Happy shopping my friend!
