Personal Finance · head to head
Apple Pay vs Vanguard
The short version
- Only Apple Pay has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- 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; Vanguard a 25 USD annual account service fee applies unless the account uses e-delivery, is a Cash Plus Account, is enrolled in an advisory service, or holds 1 million USD or more in qualifying assets
- They diverge on capability: Apple Pay covers Digital wallet, Vanguard covers Low-cost index funds.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Apple Pay and Vanguard actually diverge.
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Personal Finance).
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
- Digital wallet
- Secure payments
- Contactless transactions
- P2P money transfers
- Credit cards
- Debit cards
- WatchOS support
- MacOS support
Only in Vanguard
- Low-cost index funds
- Commission-free trading
- Retirement accounts
- Financial advisors
- Investment accounts
- Web support
- Android support
Both cover
- 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 Vanguard
- Paying in apps and on the web without entering card detailsnot Vanguard
- Sending money between Apple users with Apple Cash and Tap to Cashnot Vanguard
Vanguard
- Holding low cost index mutual funds and ETFs for long term investingnot Apple Pay
- Running IRAs and taxable brokerage accountsnot Apple Pay
- Employer retirement plan participationnot 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
Vanguard
- A 25 USD annual account service fee applies unless the account uses e-delivery, is a Cash Plus Account, is enrolled in an advisory service, or holds 1 million USD or more in qualifying assets
- Broker assisted trades cost 25 USD each, waived only at 1 million USD in qualifying assets or with an advisory service
- Options trades carry a 1 USD per contract fee on top of zero commission
- Transaction fee mutual funds cost 20 USD per online trade below 1 million USD in qualifying assets, falling to 8 USD only at higher tiers
- Outgoing wire transfers cost 10 USD unless the account is a retirement account or holds 1 million USD or more
- Commission levels are tied to a Qualifying Assets balance, so the cheapest rates require 1 million USD or more
Pricing, plan by plan
Apple Pay
Free- FreeFree
- Secure payments
- P2P transfers
- Transit passes
Vanguard
On request- Self-Directed Investor$undefined/month
- Low-cost index funds
- Commission-free trading
- Advisory Services$undefined/month
- All Self-Directed features
- Financial advisors
Which should you pick?
Choose Apple Pay if
- You need digital wallet.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on IOS, WatchOS, MacOS.
- You also want secure payments.
Choose Vanguard if
- You need low-cost index funds.
- You work on Web, IOS, Android.
- You also want commission-free trading.
Questions people ask
- Is Apple Pay or Vanguard better?
- Neither clearly leads. Apple Pay starts at Free and Vanguard at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Apple Pay or Vanguard?
- Apple Pay has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Apple Pay and On request for Vanguard.
- Does Apple Pay or Vanguard run on more platforms?
- Apple Pay runs on IOS, WatchOS, MacOS. Vanguard runs on Web, IOS, Android.
- Can I use Apple Pay for free?
- Yes. Apple Pay has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Vanguard starts at On request.
- 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 Vanguard is typically brought in for.
- What can Apple Pay do that Vanguard cannot?
- Apple Pay covers Digital wallet, Secure payments, Contactless transactions, P2P money transfers. Vanguard covers Low-cost index funds, Commission-free trading, Retirement accounts, Financial advisors. Both handle Bank accounts, IOS support.
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