Software · head to head
Apple Pay vs Skrill
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Apple Pay apple Pay works only in countries and regions that support contactless payments and is not available in all markets; Skrill a currency conversion fee of 4.49 percent applies to most conversions
- They diverge on capability: Apple Pay covers Secure payments, Skrill covers Money transfers.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Apple Pay and Skrill actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Apple Pay
- Secure payments
- Contactless transactions
- P2P money transfers
- Debit cards
- WatchOS support
- MacOS support
Only in Skrill
- Money transfers
- Currency conversion
- Prepaid card
- Web support
- Android support
Both cover
- Digital wallet
- Credit cards
- Bank accounts
- IOS support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Apple Pay
- Contactless in store payment from iPhone and Apple Watchnot Skrill
- Paying in apps and on the web without entering card detailsnot Skrill
- Sending money between Apple users with Apple Cash and Tap to Cashnot Skrill
Skrill
- Sending money internationally from a prepaid digital walletnot Apple Pay
- Funding and withdrawing from online merchants and gaming sitesnot Apple Pay
- Buying and selling cryptocurrency inside a wallet accountnot Apple Pay
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Apple Pay
- Apple Pay works only in countries and regions that support contactless payments and is not available in all markets
- Apple Cash is available only in the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico
- Apple Cash Family accounts and Tap to Cash transactions are each capped at 2000 USD within a rolling seven day period
- Mac support requires a Touch ID equipped model
- A card works only if the issuing bank supports Apple Pay, and banks may charge their own overseas usage fees
Skrill
- A currency conversion fee of 4.49 percent applies to most conversions
- An inactivity fee of EUR 5.00 is deducted monthly after six months with no login or transaction
- Card deposits carry a 2.50 percent fee
- SWIFT bank withdrawals cost 2.80 percent with a minimum fee of EUR 3.5
- Skrill to Skrill transfers cost 2.99 percent with a EUR 0.50 minimum on standard accounts, reduced to 1.45 percent only for True Skriller accounts
- Crypto trading fees are tiered by VIP status, from 1.50 percent standard down to 1.30 percent at Gold and Diamond VIP
Pricing, plan by plan
Apple Pay
Free- FreeFree
- Secure payments
- P2P transfers
- Transit passes
Skrill
Free- Free AccountFree
- Money transfers
- Digital wallet
- Premier Account$undefined/month
- Higher limits
- Special rates
Which should you pick?
Choose Apple Pay if
- You need secure payments.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on IOS, WatchOS, MacOS.
- You also want contactless transactions.
Choose Skrill if
- You need money transfers.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, IOS, Android.
- You also want currency conversion.
Questions people ask
- Is Apple Pay or Skrill better?
- Neither clearly leads. Apple Pay starts at Free and Skrill at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Apple Pay or Skrill?
- Apple Pay starts at Free and Skrill at Free.
- Does Apple Pay or Skrill run on more platforms?
- Apple Pay runs on IOS, WatchOS, MacOS. Skrill runs on Web, IOS, Android.
- Can I use Apple Pay for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Apple Pay best used for?
- Apple Pay is most often used for contactless in store payment from iphone and apple watch, paying in apps and on the web without entering card details, sending money between apple users with apple cash and tap to cash. Of those, contactless in store payment from iphone and apple watch and paying in apps and on the web without entering card details are not what Skrill is typically brought in for.
- What can Apple Pay do that Skrill cannot?
- Apple Pay covers Secure payments, Contactless transactions, P2P money transfers, Debit cards. Skrill covers Money transfers, Currency conversion, Prepaid card, Web support. Both handle Digital wallet, Credit cards, Bank accounts, IOS support.