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Can You Get Cash Back With Apple Pay? 2024 Update

Last updated 05/24/2023 by

Benjamin Locke

Edited by

Fact checked by

Summary:
You are able to get cash back with Apple Pay as long as you and the vendor meet the requirements. As long as the vendor accepts Apple Pay and offers cash back, you will be eligible for cash back on your purchase provided you have your Apple Pay linked properly to a payment method.
Apple Pay is becoming increasingly prevalent in the mobile payment space and does indeed offer cash back. This comes with caveats, however. Firstly, if you are seeking cash back in the store, the vendor must have a cashback program that they use with their customers. Secondly, the vendor must accept Apple Pay as a valid method of payment. And, thirdly, your Apple Pay must be linked to a valid payment method, such as a debit or credit card. As long as you meet these requirements, you should be able to get cash back with your Apple Pay purchase with no problem.

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Apple Pay

Apple Pay is one of the most commonly used payment platforms in the United States and around the world. As of this writing, over 75% percent of stores in the United States currently support Apple Pay, and over 80% of stores in the U.K. accept Apple Pay.
Apple Pay uses NFC (Near Field Communication) technology, which allows users to pay for things without having to touch anything, otherwise known as contactless payment. Unlike traditional payment systems, Apple Pay does not share your bank details directly with the vendor. Instead, Apple Pay creates a unique digital token using encryption, and that is then used to purchase items. This makes Apple Pay great for ease of transaction as well as security.

Getting cash back with an Apple Pay account

As Apple would love to replace everything you hold in your wallet with Apple Pay, they must keep the incentives that are available with normal payment methods such as a debit card. Here is what you need to know if you want to use Apple Pay and still get cash back in the store.

Vendor must accept Apple Pay

As mentioned before, Apple is already pretty prevalent with vendors in the United States. This doesn’t mean that all vendors will accept Apple Pay. How do you know if the business accepts Apple Pay? Check to make sure the vendor does indeed accept Apple Pay before you venture into the store. An easy way to do this is to check online or call the store before you go. However, if you don’t have time for this, make sure you ask at the store or inspect the checkout aisle to see if they have the Apple symbol near the cash register.

Vendor must offer cash back

The vendor must also offer cash back at the store as an option. This is important because not all vendors offer cash back. Most large retail chains (Walmart, Target) and grocery stores (Safeway, King Soopers) will offer some form of cash back. If the vendor offers cash back and accepts Apple Pay, then you are good to go as long as you have Apple Pay operating correctly.

Getting cash back more generally

As just noted, not all vendors offer cash back. As also already noted, not every vendor that offers cash back will take Apple Pay. Here is a quick overview of some cashback options you may consider.

Why do stores offer cash back?

Offering cashback is a great way to encourage loyalty among customers. Something innate in the human brain gives people an extra dopamine hit when they get cash from someone. For that matter, the same thing happens when people do anything they find enjoyable or rewarding.
Such, at least, is how popular psychology portrays matters. It might oversimplify and overgeneralize, and it might make research psychologists grimace, but this popular portrayal matches most people’s experiences pretty well. I mean, not only do you get to purchase your favorite item, but you are able to receive cash as well! That’s double the rewards to the dopamine-susceptible areas of the prefrontal cortex and nucleus accumbens.
Stores offer cashback rewards for a few reasons. Firstly, it can encourage loyalty from the customers without additional fees involved. Secondly, it takes cash out of the system of the vendor, and cash in that system can be costly. It can cost an additional fee to manage and deposit all of the cash in a business banking account. These are the two primary reasons why different vendors, such as grocery stores and convenience stores like 7-Eleven, offer cash back.

Cash back or cashback?

Traditional rules and practices notwithstanding, both spellings are now common in most contexts. Fastidious types who prefer fixed spellings may want to read our prior article’s aside on “Cashback spellings and meanings.”
BusinessCash back summaryLearn more
7-ElevenAvailable at select stores by debit card only. Limit $10.Does 7-11 Do Cash Back…?
Apple PayCash back availability depends on associated payment method and vendor policy.Can You Get Cash Back With Apple Pay?…Update
CVSAvailable by debit card only. Limit $35.Does CVS Do Cash Back…?
Dollar GeneralAvailable by debit card with fee and $40 limit, or by Discover credit card with $120 limit.Does Dollar General Do Cash Back…?
Family DollarAvailable by debit card with fee. Limit $50.Does Family Dollar Do Cash Back…?
TargetCash back summary TBDDoes Target Do Cash Back…? (Limits + Minimums)
WalgreensCash back summary TBDDoes Walgreens Do Cash Back…? (Limits, Fees + Min Spend)
WalmartCash back available. Limit $20 to $120 depending on payment method.How Much Cash Back Can You Get at Walmart?…Update
WawaStores provide ATMs for cash back. No cash back available with purchase transactions.Does Wawa Do Cash Back…?

Correct payment method linked to Apple Pay

You will need a credit or debit card to link directly to Apple Pay. Another option is to link a bank account to an Apple Pay card on your phone, called an Apple Card. You can then use your Apple Card linked to your bank account to pay with Apple Pay, since you can use the Apple Card just like you would a regular debit card or credit card, linking it to Apple Pay. As long as Apple Pay is linked to a proper payment method for cash back, then there should be no issue receiving cash back with your purchase, as long as the vendor offers cash back and accepts Apple Pay purchases as an approved payment method.

Cash back in card rewards

For the purpose of this article, we are discussing cashback given to you by vendors when you go to make a purchase in a store. However, credit cards and even some debit cards will offer rewards programs such as “cash back .” Many credit cards will offer cash back that rewards the buyer in either extra cash back on their credit card or points. This has to do exclusively with the credit card and has nothing to do with if the vendor both accepts Apple Pay and offers cash back.

SuperMoney may receive compensation from some or all of the companies featured, and the order of results are influenced by advertising bids, with exception for mortgage and home lending related products. Learn more

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Apple Pay cashback with cashback credit card: double dopamine?

The terms for getting cashback rewards when you use your credit card vary widely from one cashback credit card to another. But suppose you could find one where cashback transactions using Apple Pay would qualify for cashback credit card rewards.
In this scenario, you can do a “double cash back.” You can get the cash back from the vendor, as well as get the cash back points and rewards on the credit card that is linked to your Apple Pay. If cash back is something that you crave, then a double cashback will double the dopamine for your prefrontal cortex (and that other part of your brain involved in rewards, of course).
A word from the experts in our Physiological Psychology department: Technically, of course, a doubled subjective experience of reward may or may not coincide with double the amount of dopamine. Communication between neurons and the resulting subjective experiences of individuals are far more complex than that. However the experience works out biochemically, though, you’ll be stoked.

Getting cash from an ATM with Apple Wallet

Apple Pay also allows you to get cash from an ATM. Although you are not getting cash back with a purchase, you are still getting cash. Many major banks are now offering contactless options using Apple Pay’s NFC technology. However, this is done through the Apple Wallet and not Apple Pay. Chase, Bank of America, and Citibank are some of the banks that have incorporated Apple Wallet options into their ATMs.

FAQ

How do you get cash off Apple Pay?

If you want cash back through a vendor at a store, as long as the vendor accepts Apple Pay transactions and offers cash back, and as long as your Apple Pay is linked to the requisite cards, you can get cash back. Should you want to get cash without a store transaction, you can get it using an ATM. If you are defining cash back as rewards linked to your credit card, that credit card must be linked.

Can I get cash from an ATM with Apple Pay?

To get cash from an ATM with Apple Pay requires using the Apple Wallet app and finding an ATM that supports contactless transactions.

Can you get cash back at CVS with Apple Pay?

No, CVS does not allow you to get cash back with Apple Pay.

Can I withdraw cash without my card?

Yes, in the case of Apple Pay, as long as you have the Apple Wallet app properly installed, you should be able to withdraw money without a card. You will also need an ATM that supports transactions without a physical card.

Does a Walmart ATM do Apple Pay?

Walmart does not accept Apple Pay, but an ATM on Wall Mart’s premises might accept Apple Pay’s Apple Wallet to withdraw money.

Can I use my phone to withdraw money from an ATM?

Yes, as long as the ATM accepts contactless withdrawals, you should be able to use Apple Pay (Apple Wallet), a similar payment app like Google Pay, or a phone-based virtual card.

Key takeaways

  • You can receive cashback with Apple Pay in stores, as long as the requirements are met.
  • To get cash back with Apple Pay:
    1. The vendor must accept Apple Pay.
    2. Said vendor must also offer cash back.
    3. You must have your credit card linked or debit card linked properly to a valid payment method.
  • Depending on the terms of your card’s cashback program, you may also be able to get cash-back rewards related to your credit card using Apple Pay.
  • You can also withdraw money from an ATM using Apple Wallet.

SuperMoney may receive compensation from some or all of the companies featured, and the order of results are influenced by advertising bids, with exception for mortgage and home lending related products. Learn more

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