Introduction
Apple Pay is a mobile payment service that allows users to make purchases in stores, apps, and on supported websites using Apple devices like the iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad, and Mac. As one of the largest online retailers, many customers wonder if Amazon accepts Apple Pay.
Does Amazon Accept Apple Pay?
At this time, Amazon does not accept Apple Pay as a payment method for online or in-store purchases.
Amazon has their own mobile payment system called Amazon Pay, which allows customers to make purchases using the payment methods saved to their Amazon account. Amazon Pay can be used by iOS users through the Amazon shopping app, but it does not integrate directly with Apple Pay.
While Apple Pay is widely accepted by many major retailers, Amazon has not yet adopted it as a payment option on their platform. The retail giant has focused on growing their own payment system, which serves a similar purpose as Apple Pay for customers shopping on Amazon.
Why Doesn’t Amazon Accept Apple Pay?
There are a few possible reasons why Amazon does not currently accept Apple Pay:
- Amazon has their own payment system – As mentioned, Amazon already has their own digital wallet called Amazon Pay. They want customers to use this system when shopping on their site and apps.
- Dispute with Apple over fees – Reports indicate that a dispute between Apple and Amazon over transaction fees is one factor holding up Apple Pay integration. Apple charges a percentage fee on each Apple Pay transaction, which Amazon may be reluctant to accept.
- Amazon is pushing their app – By not accepting Apple Pay, Amazon can encourage more customers to download their shopping app and use Amazon Pay when making purchases. This gives them more control over the payment process.
- Lack of NFC capabilities – Much of Amazon’s physical retail infrastructure may lack NFC capabilities required to accept Apple Pay in stores. Upgrading these systems would come with significant costs.
- Security concerns – Apple Pay transactions require merchants to integrate with Apple’s infrastructure. Amazon may have concerns about security, privacy, or loss of transaction data when using a third-party payment network.
- Development costs – Building out support for Apple Pay requires time and resources from Amazon’s developers. The company may have chosen to focus their efforts on other projects.
Does Whole Foods Accept Apple Pay?
Amazon acquired the grocery chain Whole Foods in 2017, but Whole Foods operates under its own payment systems. Yes, Whole Foods does accept Apple Pay in their retail stores.
When checking out at Whole Foods, Apple Pay users can hold their iPhone or Apple Watch near the payment terminal to pay with their stored card. However, the Apple Pay payment won’t be linked to the customer’s Amazon account or Amazon Prime membership.
Purchases made with Apple Pay at Whole Foods also do not accumulate any rewards points through the Amazon Shopper Panel program. The programs are not currently integrated.
When Will Amazon Accept Apple Pay?
It’s unclear when or if Amazon will eventually begin accepting Apple Pay. There have been rumors and discussions about Amazon integrating Apple Pay support for several years now without any concrete movement.
Some industry analysts suspect that Amazon is pushing for better terms from Apple before fully adopting Apple Pay on their platform. Amazon may also be holding off while they expand their own payment systems like Amazon Pay.
For now, iOS users can continue using Amazon’s mobile app and mobile website to shop and make purchases through Amazon Pay. Integrating Apple Pay does not seem to be a priority for Amazon at this time. Customers should not expect Amazon to adopt Apple Pay support in the immediate future.
How to Check Out on Amazon Using iPhone
While you can’t use Apple Pay directly, there are a couple of ways iPhone users can checkout on Amazon:
- Use the Amazon app – Download the Amazon shopping app from the App Store. When you go to checkout, you can securely save and select your credit card within the app to complete your purchase.
- Use Amazon Pay – On the mobile site, select Amazon Pay at checkout. You can sign in with your Amazon account credentials and checkout with the payment methods you have stored in your account.
- Type card details manually – You can checkout as a guest and type in your card number, expiry date, CVV, and billing address to complete your order. This is the least secure option.
- Use a browser like Chrome – Open Amazon in your mobile browser, like Chrome, and checkout by entering your card details manually or choosing other payment options.
No matter which method you use, your payment details will be encrypted and secured by Amazon’s systems. But using the app or Amazon Pay provide the most seamless experience for iPhone users when checking out.
Apple Pay Alternative Checkout Options on Amazon
Until Amazon begins accepting Apple Pay, shoppers have several other mobile payment options available:
- Amazon Pay – As outlined above, Amazon’s own digital wallet allows you to checkout with your Amazon login and stored payment methods.
- Amazon Credit Card – If you have an Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature card, you can select it at checkout to earn rewards.
- PayPal – Amazon accepts PayPal, allowing you to use your PayPal balance or linked cards to pay.
- Amazon Gift Cards – You can redeem gift card balances and e-gift certificates during checkout on Amazon orders.
- Amazon Layaway – The layaway program lets you pay for items over time interest-free. Great for large purchases.
- Amazon Allowance – Set up a recurring Amazon Allowance as a payment method to let your child shop using pre-approved limits.
- Amazon Business & Purchase Orders – Businesses can checkout with their purchase order numbers or corporate credit cards.
So even though Apple Pay is not supported, Amazon does offer plenty of convenient mobile checkout options shoppers can use instead.
Does Amazon Accept Google Pay or Samsung Pay?
Currently, Amazon also does not directly accept Google Pay or Samsung Pay. Both of these are additional mobile wallets that store payment information for easy checkout.
Google Pay and Samsung Pay work very similarly to Apple Pay. They allow you to tap and pay at supported retailers using NFC technology. But Amazon has not yet integrated either of these mobile wallets into their checkout process.
Google Pay and Samsung Pay face the same lack of acceptance as Apple Pay when shopping on Amazon. So Android and Samsung device users also cannot use their mobile wallets natively when checking out on Amazon.
Amazon similarly encourages Android users to download the Amazon app and use Amazon Pay for the easiest mobile checkout experience. Or shoppers can enter their card details manually like any other guest checkout.
Can You Use Apple Pay with Amazon Prime?
Amazon Prime members cannot link their Prime membership to Apple Pay transactions on Amazon. However, Prime members can still use Apple Pay at supported retailers, restaurants, and other services.
When you join Prime, your membership is linked to your Amazon account only. There is currently no option to add your Prime membership to the Apple Pay wallet for use on Amazon.
You can use your Prime benefits like free shipping and streaming media on Amazon while checking out with other payment methods. But Apple Pay itself won’t unlock any special Prime perks while shopping on Amazon.
Using Apple Pay on Other Websites
While Apple Pay isn’t supported directly on Amazon, it can still be used on many other shopping sites. Any retailer that accepts Apple Pay for online transactions will show it as a payment option during checkout.
Some popular websites that accept Apple Pay include:
- Target
- Best Buy
- Walmart
- eBay
- Groupon
- StubHub
- Overstock
- B&H Photo
- Wayfair
- Etsy
- Sephora
- Ulta
- Home Depot
To use Apple Pay on these sites, look for the Apple Pay logo during checkout. Click or tap on it and you will be prompted to authenticate with Touch ID or Face ID. Then your payment information will be securely transferred.
So Apple Pay can still provide a fast and convenient checkout experience on many ecommerce sites, just not directly through Amazon at this time.
Using Apple Pay In-Store at Retailers
Apple Pay is accepted at most major physical retailers in the United States. If you are shopping in-person, look for the Apple Pay or contactless payment logo at checkout.
You can then hold your iPhone or Apple Watch near the payment terminal to complete your purchase right from your device. Many stores also accept Apple Pay with apps like Target.
Some popular in-person retailers that accept Apple Pay include:
- Whole Foods
- Walgreens
- CVS
- Best Buy
- Target
- Walmart
- Lowe’s
- The Home Depot
- 7-Eleven
- Trader Joe’s
- Costco
- Albertsons
- Safeway
- Publix
- Winn-Dixie
- Staples
- Nike
- Nordstrom
- Bloomingdales
Check for contactless payment support wherever you shop in-person. More and more physical stores now accept Apple Pay and other mobile wallets for faster checkout.
Paying with Apple Cash on Amazon
Your Apple Cash card balance can be used to shop on Amazon with some extra steps. Here is how it works:
- Transfer funds from Apple Cash to your bank account. This takes 1-3 business days.
- From your bank account, transfer funds to your Amazon gift card balance.
- Use your Amazon gift card balance to pay for your order.
While not as convenient as direct Apple Pay acceptance, this process lets you move money from Apple Cash to make purchases on Amazon. Just be sure to account for the transfer times.
So in summary – no, Amazon does not directly accept Apple Pay transactions at this time. But alternatives like Amazon Pay and manually entering your cards offer secure mobile checkout options. Check back for updates on if or when Apple Pay may eventually get added as an official payment method.
Key Takeaways:
- Amazon currently does not accept Apple Pay for online or in-store purchases. Customers cannot use their Apple devices to checkout.
- Amazon has their own mobile payment system called Amazon Pay. They want customers to use this when shopping on their platform.
- Reasons for lack of Apple Pay support include fees, promotion of Amazon’s app, infrastructure issues, security concerns, and development costs.
- iPhone users can checkout on Amazon using the Amazon app, mobile site with Amazon Pay, or by manually entering their cards.
- Alternatives like Amazon Pay, Amazon credit card, PayPal, and gift cards can be used for mobile payments.
- Apple Pay also isn’t directly supported on Amazon with Google Pay or Samsung Pay. No mobile wallet acceptance yet.
- Apple Pay can still be used on other major shopping sites and most top retailers in-store.
- Check back for updates on if or when Amazon may add Apple Pay as an accepted payment method.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Can I use Apple Pay on Amazon to checkout faster?
A: No, Amazon currently does not accept Apple Pay as a payment method for online or in-store purchases. You’ll need to use alternative checkout options.
Q: Why won’t Amazon let me pay with Apple Pay?
A: Main reasons are likely Amazon’s proprietary payment system, dispute over Apple’s transaction fees, wanting customers to use their app, and costs of upgrading infrastructure.
Q: What’s the easiest way to pay on Amazon using an iPhone?
A: The Amazon app provides the smoothest experience. Save your cards safely and checkout with one click.
Q: Can I use Apple Pay at Whole Foods since Amazon owns them?
A: Yes, you can use Apple Pay at Whole Foods stores. But those transactions won’t integrate with your Amazon account.
Q: How do I checkout on Amazon if I don’t want to enter my card manually?
A: Options like Amazon Pay, PayPal, Amazon gift cards, and Amazon credit cards provide alternatives to manual card entry.
Q: Will Amazon ever accept Apple Pay in the future?
A: It’s unclear. Amazon may eventually integrate Apple Pay but hasn’t made it a priority. Don’t expect support soon.
Q: What major stores and websites accept Apple Pay?
A: Many top retailers like Target, Best Buy, Walmart, CVS, and more accept Apple Pay online and in-store.
Q: Can I use my Amazon Prime membership with Apple Pay?
A: No, you can’t link Amazon Prime to Apple Pay. But Prime works normally on Amazon with other payment types.
Q: Is Apple Pay accepted on Amazon with Google Pay or Samsung Pay?
A: Unfortunately no. Amazon currently does not accept any third-party mobile wallets like Apple Pay, Google Pay or Samsung Pay.
Q: How can I use my Apple Cash balance on Amazon?
A: Transfer Apple Cash funds to your bank, then from your bank to Amazon gift card balance. Use gift balance to pay.
Q: Will my Amazon Rewards Visa card work with Apple Pay?
A: Your Amazon Prime Rewards Visa can be added to Apple Pay and used anywhere Apple Pay is accepted. But not directly for Amazon purchases.
Q: Is Apple Pay secure to use for online shopping?
A: Yes, Apple Pay is very secure for online transactions thanks to tokenized payment information and biometric authentication.
Q: What should I do if Apple Pay isn’t working on a website?
A: Make sure the site accepts Apple Pay and you’re using a supported browser. If issues persist, contact the retailer for help.
Conclusion
While Apple Pay provides a convenient way to make purchases using your Apple device, Amazon does not currently accept it as a payment method for shopping on their platform. The retail giant has prioritized their own mobile wallet called Amazon Pay.
There are workarounds like using the Amazon app, PayPal, gift cards, or manually entering your cards that allow you to checkout securely. And Apple Pay can still be used at many other popular online and brick-and-mortar retailers.
Hopefully Amazon will integrate Apple Pay support in the future to offer customers more choice. But for now, iOS users will have to rely on alternatives for mobile payments on Amazon. Be sure to check back for any updates.