How to put money in your apple pay

Leanne Hays is a Feature Writer at iPhone Life, and has written hundreds of in-depth how-to and troubleshooting articles. She's a former Associate Editor for iPhone Life magazine, and has written for the Iowa Source, as well as web content for education marketing. Leanne has an associate's degree in education, with a focus on curriculum development, as well as a bachelor's degree in science. She has over nine years of experience with SEO, social media management, and web development and writing. Despite years of web work, Leanne is by no means an early adapter; she's only owned a smartphone for five years, which makes her highly sympathetic to the learning curve of new iPhone owners. She enjoys making reader's lives easier and putting her education experience to work by walking them through the most practical ways to use Apple devices, step-by-step.

In off-work hours, Leanne is a mother of two, homesteader, audiobook fanatic, musician, and learning enthusiast.  

Don’t have a debit card but still want to use Apple Pay because of how convenient it is? No problem. We’ll show you other ways of adding money to Apple Pay that don’t include debit cards.

You can add money or fund your Apple Pay, not only with a debit card, but with a credit card, prepaid card, e-money card, and Apple Cash. 

How to Add Money to Apple Pay Without Debit Card

If for some reason you don’t have a debit card to fund your Apple Pay Wallet, you’ll be happy to know that you can use other methods of funding (adding money) to it. Apple Pay can be funded by:

• Debit card
• Credit card
• Prepaid card
• E-money card
• Apple Cash

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As you can see, there’s still no way of adding funds to Apple Pay or Apple Cash directly from a bank account.

Keep on reading to find learn more about the methods of funding your Apple Pay wallet as well as what the difference between Apple Pay and Apple Cash is.

How to Add a Card for Apple Pay on your iPhone

The easiest way of adding a new card, or one that was previously added, to Apple Pay is by using your iPhone.

To add a new card on your iPhone:

1. Open the Wallet app
2. Tap ”Add button”
3. Tap Debit or Credit Card
4. Tap “Continue”
5. Scan the card with your phone’s camera or add the info manually
6. Verify the card via email or text message
7. Tap “Continue”
8. You now have the option to also add the card to your paired Apple Watch

To add a previously added card on your iPhone:

1. Open the Wallet app
2. Tap the “Add button”
3. Tap “Previous Cards”
4. Choose the card or cards you want to add 
5. Tap “Continue”
6. Follow the steps to add your card

Once you’ve added a card to Apple Pay, you can start using it straight away.

READ ALSO: How to Verify Cash App Card for Apple Pay (Without Issues)

What if You Can’t Add a Card to Apple Pay Wallet 

Sometimes, there seems to be an error when you’re trying to add a card to Apple Pay. What can we do if that happens?

1. Check that you can use Apple Pay by:
   1. Contacting your card issuer to find out whether they support Apple Pay
   2. Updating to the latest version of iOS 
   3. Making sure you’re in a supported country or region
   4. Checking if your device is compatible with Apple Pay
2. Check for service outages or connection problems
3. When you see the notice “Could Not Add Card” or “Invalid Card,” try contacting your bank or card issuer

It’s important to know that Apple isn’t the one that approves or declines cards for use with Apple Pay. In the case your card was declined, you’ll have to sort it out with your bank or card issuer.

Apple Pay vs. Apple Cash 

If you’re confused about Apple Pay (Wallet) and Apple Cash, you’re not the only one. People tend to use the two terms interchangeably. However, there are some important differences.

The easiest way of explaining it is that Apple Pay replaces your physical cards (debit, credit, loyalty, transit…) and serves as a de facto wallet. On the other side, Apple Cash lets you send and receive money and is also a part of the Apple Pay Wallet app. 

You can use Apple Cash to spend money in stores, online, and in apps with Apple Pay. You can also use it to fund your Apple Pay, especially if you don’t have a debit card. 

However, to fund Apple Cash, you’ll need a debit card, or get payments via Messages or Daily Cash (cash back) from using your Apple credit card.

You can use Apple Pay as a payment method separate from Apple Cash. On the flip side, you can only use Apple Cash as a payment method through Apple Pay.

How to Set up Apple Cash

Setting up Apple Cash is straightforward:

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad
2. Tap “Wallet & Apple Pay”
3. Toggle Apple Cash ON
4. Tap “Apple Cash” under “Payment Cards”
5. Tap “Continue”
6. Follow the prompts on the screen

This will de facto give you another card – Apple Cash Card. You can find it in your Apple Wallet. 

From now on, whenever someone sends you money, it’s automatically kept on your Apple Cash card. 

READ NEXT: Cash App Vs. Apple Pay (NEW Update)

How to Add Money to Apple Cash

After you’ve successfully set up Apple Cash, it’s time to add money to your balance. To do this, you can use the debit or prepaid cards already in use with Apple Pay Wallet. 

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If you don’t have any cards in your Wallet to fund Apple Cash, you’ll need to add one before being able to add money.

So, to add money to Apple Cash from the Apple Wallet app: 

1. Open your Apple Cash Card info:
   • On iPhone: Open the Wallet app, tap the Apple Cash card, then tap the More button (…) 
   • On iPad: Open the Settings app, tap “Wallet & Apple Pay” and tap your Apple Cash card
   • On Apple Watch: Open the Wallet app, tap your Apple Cash card and tap “Card Balance” 
2. Tap “Add Money” 
3. Enter the amount you want to add
4. Tap “Add”
5. Confirm the card and the correct billing address
6. Confirm with Face ID, Touch ID, or passcode.

What is Apple Card

Apple says that they “reinvented” the credit card with Apple Card. However, is that really true? There is some merit to their statement. See for yourself:

• No fees
• Apply in minutes
• No impact on your credit score
• More privacy and security with Face ID, Touch ID, and Apple Pay
• Cash back with every purchase

However, you need to have an iPhone or iPad to use it, otherwise, you’ll only be able to use it for eligible purchases online and in-store at Apple.

READ NEXT: How to Use Apple Pay at Target (Guide & Helpful Tips)

How to Apply for Apple Card on Your iPhone

1. Open the Wallet app 
2. Tap the “Add button”
3. Select “Apple Card”
4. Tap “Continue”
5. Complete your application
6. Review and agree to the Terms & Conditions
7. Accept your proposed credit limit and APR

So, what happens next? When you take the offer, Apple Card will be automatically added to the Wallet app. You can then apply for a physical titanium Apple Card.

How to Apply for a Titanium Apple Card

If you don’t want to use only the Apple Pay app but you’d also like a physical card, you can easily order one.

1. Open the Wallet app 
2. Tap on the “Apple Card”
3. Tap the More button (…)
4. Tap “Get a Titanium Apple Card”
5. Follow the instructions on your screen.

Perhaps the most intriguing part of Apple’s take on credit cards is that it has NO fees. There are no annual or membership fees, no over the limit fees, no foreign transaction fees, and no late fees.

However, you need to know that late or missed payments will result in further interest accumulating toward your balance. They are also working towards having the lowest interest rates in the credit card industry.

Conclusion

You don’t have to have a debit card to fund your Apple Pay wallet. You can also use prepaid cards, credit cards, as well as Apple Cash. 

It’s a shame you can’t use a bank account to fund your wallet directly as you would with your PayPal, however, other means will hopefully be enough for you. 

Additionally, you can easily get a digital bank account for free that will give you a debit card as soon as you open the account. Finding a good digital bank can be tricky if you don’t know what to look for. 

Luckily, we have a handy step-by-step guide to opening a bank account online.

Adrian Volenik is a fintech enthusiast who loves testing and reviewing digital banking apps and financial products in general.

How many digital banking accounts can one man have?

Not enough, if you ask Adrian. As his wallet will soon explode if he doesn’t cut back on the number of cards.

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