Software · head to head
Wallet vs Apple Pay
The short version
- They diverge on capability: Wallet covers Expense tracking, Apple Pay covers Digital wallet.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Wallet and Apple Pay 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 Wallet
- Expense tracking
- Budget management
- Receipt scanning
- Financial analytics
- Web 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.
Wallet
- Budget Managementnot Apple Pay
- Expense Trackingnot Apple Pay
- Investment Trackingnot Apple Pay
Apple Pay
- Contactless in store payment from iPhone and Apple Watchnot Wallet
- Paying in apps and on the web without entering card detailsnot Wallet
- Sending money between Apple users with Apple Cash and Tap to Cashnot Wallet
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Wallet
Nothing recorded yet. See the Wallet review.
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
Wallet
Free- FreeFree
- Expense tracking
- Basic budgets
- Premium$4.99/month
- Advanced analytics
- Custom categories
- Receipt scanning
Apple Pay
Free- FreeFree
- Secure payments
- P2P transfers
- Transit passes
Which should you pick?
Choose Wallet if
- You need expense tracking.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, IOS, Android.
- You also want budget management.
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 Wallet or Apple Pay better?
- Neither clearly leads. Wallet 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, Wallet or Apple Pay?
- Wallet starts at Free and Apple Pay at Free.
- Does Wallet or Apple Pay run on more platforms?
- Wallet runs on Web, IOS, Android. Apple Pay runs on IOS, WatchOS, MacOS.
- Can I use Wallet for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Wallet best used for?
- Wallet 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 Wallet do that Apple Pay cannot?
- Wallet covers Expense tracking, Budget management, Receipt scanning, Financial analytics. Apple Pay covers Digital wallet, Secure payments, Contactless transactions, P2P money transfers. Both handle Bank accounts, IOS support.