Best debit cards for Apple Pay

Cashless payments have long stopped being a cool novelty. They are not only safer for the environment but also more convenient, faster, and easier to make daily. In today’s Genome article, we’re talking about the best debit cards for Apple Pay – an E-wallet for safe transactions and NFC contactless payments. 

What is Apple Pay

This application was first introduced to the general public back in 2014 and, since that time, has taken over smart devices all over the world. Google Pay (Android) and Apple Pay (IOS) are the two most widely used tools for NFC contactless payments. To put it simply, these are the digital wallets that securely store your card information. With such an E-wallet, you don’t have to worry about constantly keeping an eye on your cards or cash. What’s more, your cards cannot get stolen. Even if you lose your smartphone, your financial information will be protected by passwords, fingerprint lock or face recognition, 2FA, etc. You can even contact your bank anytime and ask them to disconnect your card from Apple Pay. 

If you still have doubts about how safe are the safe transactions with Apple wallet, we’re explaining this technology below. 

NFC contactless payments with Apple Pay

The key to security here is the process called tokenization. All card information is tokenized – instead of an actual card number, a randomly generated token is created. This token guarantees safe transactions – no one can access or steal card details during online purchases. 

Near Field Communication (NFC) technology adds an additional layer of protection so that one can make safe transactions with Apple Pay. It’s a wireless technology that allows sharing data at a distance of 4 cm maximum or less. If we’re talking about in-store transactions, the card reader and a smartphone need particular parts to make NFC contactless payments work. All large smartphone manufacturers such as IOS, Samsung, and Xiaomi take care of this because supporting online transactions is one of the first requirements for the smart device nowadays. 

So, what actually happens during an NFC contactless payment? No matter whether you’re located in the EU or the USA and what currency you’re using (GBP, USD, EUR, etc.), all safe transactions with the Apple Pay mobile application look the same. 

The cashier needs to enter the purchase amount so that it shows on the card reader’s screen. Then, you need to enable Apple Pay – usually by unblocking your smartphone and choosing the necessary card. During these few seconds, a card reader passes the signal to a special chip inserted in your smart device (iPhone, tablet, Apple watch). The next step would be to hoover your gadget close to the card reader so that they establish a connection. Once you hear a beep sound, it means that the two devices exchanged the information, and the safe transaction was processed. 

Within this exchange, the tokenized card details are transmitted. Thus, even if someone gets a hold of this information, they won’t be able to use it. Moreover, for each transaction, a unique code is generated that cannot be used for any other payment. If something goes wrong, the payment will be declined, and the cashier would need to start the whole process from the start.     

Best debit cards for Apple Pay

Debit cards are the most common type of bank card in both Europe and the USA. They are linked to one’s current account and usually don’t support overdrafts. If you’re looking for a financial services provider that gives a line of credit, you should look into credit card offers.

As we’ve mentioned before, all debit cards behave the same when it comes to NFC contactless payments. But we’ve also prepared a short overview of the best debit cards for Apple Pay to get you familiar with what’s on there on the market: 

Genome

Personal, business, and merchant online accounts. Don’t know what to choose? And you don’t need to – because Genome has it all. Both physical and virtual Visa debit cards are available on personal and business multi-currency accounts for your convenience. Functional, user-friendly mobile application, instant internal transfers, and additional security with Genome token for business users – and more cool features coming soon. 

Monzo

The range of financial services from Monzo, including debit cards, varies with their pricing plans. They offer Mastercard debit cards, and on paid plans, users can order a holographic or metal card. Among the benefits that come with monthly fees are virtual cards and free ATM withdrawals abroad.

Revolut

With this fintech, one can have either Visa or Mastercard debit card on all the accounts (personal, business, and freelancer). Go for a virtual Revolut card or create your own design for a physical one. Apart from multicurrency accounts, Revolut users can also trade currencies in their mobile banking applications and track spendings.

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Different Mastercard debit cards come with different pricing plans. On the free Standard plan, one can only have a virtual card, and with a 10 euro fee, one can order a physical card. Metal cards are only available with the most expensive monthly fee. The number of free ATM withdrawals also varies depending on the plan.

Bunq

Apart from supporting Visa and Mastercard, Bunq also has Maestro debit cards. One can have multiple cards for the same account to separate finances and spendings. Bunq also offers a free savings account with no initial deposit required. 

These were the best debit cards for Apple Pay. You can also consider ordering a credit card or even a prepaid one if they work better for you. NFC contactless payments work wonders no matter what card is used for safe transactions. 

FAQ

What debit cards work with Apple Pay?

This digital wallet is made to support all kinds of cards, not only bank ones. Apart from debit, credit, and prepaid cards, the Apple wallet is suitable for transport tickets and discount cards. All debit cards function the same within this E-wallet after the card issuer gets approved by Apple Pay. Then they become a participating bank, and one can freely make NFC contactless payments with the help of an application. 

Do all debit cards work with Apple Pay?

Yes, under the condition that the bank or financial services provider that issued the card belongs to the Apple network. It means that a card should be approved by Apple Pay after their checks. To check the list of the participating banks for this digital wallet, click here. 

Can I add a prepaid Visa card to Apple Pay?

Yes, large card networks such as Visa, Mastercard, American Express, etc., are all supported by Apple wallet. If your provider is a participating bank, you should be able to add a prepaid Visa card to the digital wallet for NFC contactless payments. In case you have any questions regarding this, contact your bank to clarify if there are any problems from their side.