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Square Cash vs Apple Pay

S

Square Cash

Software

Send money easily with Square Cash

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Apple Pay logo

Apple Pay

Software

The easier way to pay and send money

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Square Cash cash App Green status (higher savings rate, free in-network ATM withdrawals, overdraft coverage) requires spending $500 or depositing $300 in Qualifying purchases/deposits per month, per the App Store listing; 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: Square Cash covers Money transfers, Apple Pay covers Digital wallet.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Square Cash and Apple Pay actually diverge.

Attributes where Square Cash and Apple Pay differ
AttributeSquare CashApple Pay
PlatformsIOS, AndroidIOS, WatchOS, MacOS

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown), founded (2014).

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 Square Cash

  • Money transfers
  • Instant deposits
  • Transaction history
  • Customer support
  • Android support

Only in Apple Pay

  • Digital wallet
  • Secure payments
  • Contactless transactions
  • P2P money transfers
  • Credit cards
  • Debit cards
  • WatchOS support
  • MacOS support

Both cover

  • Bank accounts
  • IOS support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Square Cash

  • Budget Managementnot Apple Pay
  • Expense Trackingnot Apple Pay
  • Investment Trackingnot Apple Pay

Apple Pay

  • Contactless in store payment from iPhone and Apple Watchnot Square Cash
  • Paying in apps and on the web without entering card detailsnot Square Cash
  • Sending money between Apple users with Apple Cash and Tap to Cashnot Square Cash

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Square Cash

  • Cash App Green status (higher savings rate, free in-network ATM withdrawals, overdraft coverage) requires spending $500 or depositing $300 in Qualifying purchases/deposits per month, per the App Store listing

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

Square Cash

Free
  • FreeFree
    • P2P transfers
    • Instant deposits
    • Mobile app

Apple Pay

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Secure payments
    • P2P transfers
    • Transit passes

Which should you pick?

Choose Square Cash if

  • You need money transfers.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on IOS, Android.
  • You also want instant deposits.
Square Cash review

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.
Apple Pay review

Questions people ask

Is Square Cash or Apple Pay better?
Neither clearly leads. Square Cash 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, Square Cash or Apple Pay?
Square Cash starts at Free and Apple Pay at Free.
Does Square Cash or Apple Pay run on more platforms?
Square Cash runs on IOS, Android. Apple Pay runs on IOS, WatchOS, MacOS.
Can I use Square Cash for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Square Cash best used for?
Square Cash is most often used for budget management, expense tracking, investment tracking. Of those, budget management and expense tracking are not what Apple Pay is typically brought in for.
What can Square Cash do that Apple Pay cannot?
Square Cash covers Money transfers, Instant deposits, Transaction history, Customer support. Apple Pay covers Digital wallet, Secure payments, Contactless transactions, P2P money transfers. Both handle Bank accounts, IOS support.
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