Software · head to head
Credit Karma vs Apple Pay
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Credit Karma state tax filing costs 15 USD even though federal filing is 0 USD; Apple Pay apple Pay works only in countries and regions that support contactless payments and is not available in all markets
- They diverge on capability: Credit Karma covers Free credit score, Apple Pay covers Digital wallet.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Credit Karma and Apple Pay actually diverge.
| Attribute | Credit Karma | Apple Pay |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | freemium | free |
| Platforms | Web, IOS, Android | IOS, WatchOS, MacOS |
| Founded | 2007 | 2014 |
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 Credit Karma
- Free credit score
- Credit report monitoring
- Credit card recommendations
- Tax filing
- Credit bureaus
- Financial institutions
- Web support
- Android support
Only in Apple Pay
- Digital wallet
- Secure payments
- Contactless transactions
- P2P money transfers
- Credit cards
- Debit cards
- Bank accounts
- WatchOS support
Both cover
- IOS support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Credit Karma
- Monitoring a credit score and the factors affecting it for freenot Apple Pay
- Comparing credit card and loan offers with Approval Oddsnot Apple Pay
- Filing federal tax returns at no chargenot Apple Pay
Apple Pay
- Contactless in store payment from iPhone and Apple Watchnot Credit Karma
- Paying in apps and on the web without entering card detailsnot Credit Karma
- Sending money between Apple users with Apple Cash and Tap to Cashnot Credit Karma
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Credit Karma
- State tax filing costs 15 USD even though federal filing is 0 USD
- Credit Spark builds score history against TransUnion, and the site states that not all lenders use TransUnion credit reports or scores
- Card and loan listings are advertising placements, disclosed on the site as compensation from third party advertisers
- Send and score update frequency limits are not published on the site
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
Pricing, plan by plan
Credit Karma
Free- FreeFree
- Credit score monitoring
- Credit reports
- Personalized recommendations
Apple Pay
Free- FreeFree
- Secure payments
- P2P transfers
- Transit passes
Which should you pick?
Choose Credit Karma if
- You need free credit score.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, IOS, Android.
- You also want credit report monitoring.
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.
Questions people ask
- Is Credit Karma or Apple Pay better?
- Neither clearly leads. Credit Karma starts at Free and Apple Pay at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Credit Karma or Apple Pay?
- Credit Karma starts at Free and Apple Pay at Free.
- Does Credit Karma or Apple Pay run on more platforms?
- Credit Karma runs on Web, IOS, Android. Apple Pay runs on IOS, WatchOS, MacOS.
- Can I use Credit Karma for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Credit Karma best used for?
- Credit Karma is most often used for monitoring a credit score and the factors affecting it for free, comparing credit card and loan offers with approval odds, filing federal tax returns at no charge. Of those, monitoring a credit score and the factors affecting it for free and comparing credit card and loan offers with approval odds are not what Apple Pay is typically brought in for.
- What can Credit Karma do that Apple Pay cannot?
- Credit Karma covers Free credit score, Credit report monitoring, Credit card recommendations, Tax filing. Apple Pay covers Digital wallet, Secure payments, Contactless transactions, P2P money transfers. Both handle IOS support.