Apple products are consistently hot holiday items, and many will use this time of the year to purchase the newest Apple gadgets, like an iPhone 17. While Apple typically doesn't discount its devices on its own website, in previous years, the company held Black Friday events where customers could score a free gift card with select Apple products. Shoppers can also flock to third-party retailers like Amazon, Walmart and Best Buy for record-low prices on older version products of AirPods, iPads, MacBooks and the Apple Watch.
No matter where you are headed to make your techy holiday wishes come true, using the right credit card can save you big this shopping season.
What we'll cover
- For cash back and flexible financing: Apple Card
- For a high cash-back rate: U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card
- For travel rewards and a high welcome bonus: American Express Platinum Card®
- For buying Apple products from Amazon: Prime Visa (see rates and fees)
- For buying Apple products from Target: Target Circle™Card
- For buying Apple products from Walmart: OnePay CashRewards Card
- Shopping benefits to consider for Apple Black Friday sales
- BNPL with Apple
Offers in this section are from affiliate partners and selected based on a combination of engagement, product relevance, compensation, and consistent availability.
On Chase's site
Earn $200 cash back
See rates and fees. Terms apply.
Apple Black Friday sales: Here's how to pay
Apple purchases can be made using a credit card, debit card, Apple gift card or through Apple's special 0% APR financing program. Credit cards have a big advantage, however, as cardholders can get rewarded for their purchases and can be eligible for benefits like return and purchase protection.
Here is a handful of the best cards to use when shopping Apple's Black Friday sales:
For cash back and flexible financing
Apple Card
Rewards
3% cash back on goods or services purchased directly from Apple (including Apple retail stores, the Apple online store, the App Store, iTunes, Apple Music and other Apple-owned properties) on Uber and UberEats, at Walgreens and Duane Reade stores, on the Walgreens app and on Walgreens.com, in T-Mobile stores, at Nike, at Exxon and Mobil stations and at Panera Bread, 2% cash back on Apple Pay purchases and 1% cash back on all other purchases
Welcome bonus
None
Annual fee
$0
Intro APR
None
Regular APR
19.24% to 29.49% variable
Balance transfer fee
None
Foreign transaction fee
None
Credit needed
N/A
Terms apply.
Pros
- No annual fee
- 3% cash back on goods or services purchased directly from Apple, on Uber and UberEats, at Walgreens and Duane Reade stores, on the Walgreens app and on Walgreens.com and in T-Mobile stores and at Nike
- No fee charged on purchases made outside the U.S.
Cons
- Apple Pay isn’t accepted everywhere
- Purchases with the physical card only earn 1% cash back
- No special financing offers or welcome bonus
The Apple Card is a go-to for Apple loyalists because of its cash-back program and flexible financing option.
You will earn 3% cash back (Apple calls it "Daily Cash") on goods or services purchased directly from Apple, including Apple retail stores, the Apple online store, the App Store, iTunes, Apple Music and other Apple-owned properties. This means you can quickly cut 3% from the full cost of new AirPods for your significant other or an iPad for your parents, if you purchase the products directly from Apple. The card also rewards you by offering 2% cash back on Apple Pay purchases made online or in-store at participating merchants.
Most Apple products are big-ticket purchases, but the good news is cardholders can spread out the costs over two years with Apple Card Monthly Installments (ACMI). Choosing this payment option at checkout lets cardholders pay with equal payments over 24 months with no interest, and they'll receive 3% cash back on the purchase price of their new Apple product up front. You can read more about the Apple Card in Select's full review.
For a high cash-back rate
- Rewarding and versatile quarterly bonus categories
- Generous intro-APR offer
- Quarterly limits on the card's top bonus spending categories
- No statement credit offers or other ongoing benefits outside of the cash rewards
The U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card offers a higher cash-back rate than the Apple Card. Cardholders can earn 5% cash back in two categories of their choosing, on up to $2,000 in combined eligible purchases a quarter. Categories consist of "electronic stores," which includes Apple in-store and online purchases, as well as "TV, internet and streaming services," including most purchases made through the App Store, Apple Music and iTunes.
For travel rewards and a high welcome bonus
The American Express Platinum Card® is a premium card loaded with annual statement credits, entertainment benefits, extensive airport lounge access, elite status perks and more. (Enrollment required for select benefits mentioned)
- Access to 1,550+ airport lounges, including Priority Pass™ lounges (enrollment required) and Amex Centurion lounges
- Statement credit offers worth up to twice what the annual fee costs
- Elite status perks for hotels and rental cars (Enrollment required for select benefits mentioned)
- High annual fee
- Many statement credit offers are complicated and are earned in increments or limited to specific purchases
- Not as rewarding for purchases as other lower-fee travel cards
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $12,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you're approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you're approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Get more for your travels with 5X Membership Rewards® points on all flights and prepaid hotel bookings through American Express Travel®, including Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection bookings. You earn 5X points on flights purchased directly from airlines or through American Express Travel® on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year.
- With over 1,550 airport lounges - more than any other credit card company on the market* - enjoy the benefits of the Global Lounge Collection, over $850 of annual value, with access to Centurion Lounges, 10 Delta Sky Club visits (subject to visit limitations) when flying on an eligible Delta flight, Priority Pass™ membership (enrollment required), and other select partner lounges. *As of 01/2026
- $200 Uber Cash + $120 Uber One Credit: With the Platinum Card® you can receive $15 in Uber Cash each month plus a bonus $20 in December when you add your Platinum Card® to your Uber account to use on rides and orders in the U.S when you select an Amex Card for your transaction. Plus, when you use the Platinum Card® to pay for an auto-renewing Uber One membership, you can get up to $120 in statement credits each calendar year. Terms apply.
- $300 Digital Entertainment Credit: Experience the latest shows, news and recipes. Get up to $25 in statement credits each month when you use your Platinum Card® for eligible purchases on Disney+, a Disney+ bundle, ESPN streaming services, Hulu, The New York Times, Paramount+, Peacock, The Wall Street Journal, YouTube Premium, and YouTube TV when you purchase directly from one or more of the providers. Enrollment required.
- $600 Hotel Credit: Get up to $300 in statement credits semi-annually on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection* bookings through American Express Travel® using the Platinum Card®. *The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
- $400 Resy Credit + Platinum Nights™ by Resy: Get up to $100 in statement credits each quarter when you use the Platinum Card® to pay for eligible purchases with Resy, including dining purchases at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants. Enrollment required. As a Platinum Card® Member you have special access to reservations on select nights at participating sought after Resy restaurants in select cities through Platinum Nights™ by Resy. Simply add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile to book your reservation.
- $219 CLEAR+ Credit: CLEAR+ helps get you to your gate faster by using your face to verify you are you at 55+ airports nationwide. You can cover the cost of a CLEAR+ Membership* with up to $219 in statement credits per calendar year after you pay for CLEAR+ with your Platinum Card®. *Excluding any applicable taxes and fees. Subject to auto-renewal.
- $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees, such as checked bags and in-flight refreshments, are charged by the airline to the Platinum Card® Account. American Express relies on airlines to submit the correct information on airline transactions to identify incidental fee purchases. If you do not see a credit for a qualifying incidental purchase on your eligible Card after 8 weeks, simply call the number on the back of your Card. Qualifying airlines are subject to change. See terms & conditions for more details.
- Start your vacation sooner and keep it going longer. When you book Fine Hotels + Resorts® through American Express Travel®, enjoy noon check-in, when available, and guaranteed 4PM late check-out.
- $300 lululemon Credit: Enjoy up to $75 in statement credits each quarter when you use the Platinum Card® for eligible purchases at U.S. lululemon retail stores (excluding outlets) and lululemon.com. That's up to $300 in statement credits each calendar year. Enrollment required.
- $155 Walmart+ Credit: Get up to a $12.95* statement credit back each month after you pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with your Platinum Card®. *Up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes on one membership fee.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- $895 annual fee.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees
Balance transfer fee
N/A
Foreign transaction fee
None
If you want to use your holiday shopping as a way to help offset the cost of a future vacation, using the American Express Platinum Card® for all your spending can help.
New cardholders may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $12,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first six months of Card Membership. Purchasing a few of Apple's costly items can take care of a good portion of that spending requirement, making it not too hard to reach within six months.
You can then cash in their Membership Rewards Points® for a much-needed getaway. For the best redemption value, use your points for travel. You can book flights through Amex Travel® or to upgrade your flight. In both cases, Amex cardholders can redeem points at 1 cent per point. Points can also be transferred to Amex's 21 airline and hotel partners — you can receive significantly more value this way.
This luxury travel card also comes with thousands of dollar in annual benefits, such as credits for travel, shopping and dining.
For buying Apple products from Amazon
The Prime Visa is only available to Amazon Prime members ($139 for an annual membership and $14.99 for a monthly membership) but is very rewarding for Amazon purchases.
- High rate of return at Amazon.com, Whole Foods Market and on Chase Travel purchases
- Offers an automatic gift card welcome bonus after card approval
- Option to earn rewards or take advantage of 0% promo APRs
- Includes a wealth of travel insurance protections
- Requires an Amazon Prime membership for approval
- If you choose the promo APR, you won't earn rewards on those purchases
- Rewards can't be pooled with other Chase credit cards
Rewards
- Earn unlimited 5% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market and on Chase Travel purchases with an eligible Prime membership
- Unlimited 2% back at gas stations, restaurants, and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare)
- 10% back or more on a rotating selection of items and categories on Amazon.com with an eligible Prime membership
- Unlimited 1% back on all other purchases
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 4% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
Third-party retailers can be a good option for finding Black Friday or Cyber Monday deals on Apple products.
Those doing all their holiday shopping online may want to consider getting the Prime Visa (see rates and fees). Cardholders earn 5% cash back on all purchases at Amazon.com, and the card comes with a unique welcome bonus: Get a $150 Amazon Gift Card instantly upon approval exclusively for Prime members.
Though you must be an Amazon Prime member to get this card, Prime delivery is arguably worth it this year with all the anticipated delays ahead of us. Prime membership includes free shipping (sometimes as fast as same-day delivery), access to Prime video and music, as well as to exclusive Amazon Prime deals.
For buying Apple products from Target
Target Circle™ Card
Rewards
5% discount at checkout on most purchases in-store and at Target.com
Welcome bonus
Save $50 on a future qualifying purchase of $50 or more when approved for a Target Circle™ Credit or Debit Card.
Annual fee
$0
Intro APR
None
Regular APR
28.95% variable
Balance transfer fee
N/A
Foreign transaction fee
N/A
See rates and fees, terms apply.
Pros
- No annual fee
- Instant 5% discount at checkout
- Free two-day shipping on most items
- Extra 30 days for returns
Cons
- High variable APR
- Small intro bonus offer
Target often has a cult-like following, especially when it comes to finding good holiday steals. If you are planning on getting to your local Target store early on Black Friday for Apple deals, make sure you have the Target Circle™Card in your wallet.
This store card offers a 5% discount on every purchase made, exclusions apply. You'll also receive free two-day shipping on hundreds of thousands of items at Target.com.
For buying Apple products from Walmart
The OnePay CashRewards Card is a great option to pair with a Walmart+ membership, earning elevated rewards and having no annual fee.
- Up to 5% back at Walmart with a membership
- No annual fee
- No foreign transaction fees
- Only earns 1.5% cash back on purchases outside of Walmart
- Limited redemption options
Opting for a nearby Walmart instead of a Target on Black Friday? The OnePay CashRewards Card is a good payment option. You'll earn 3% cash back at Walmart and, if you have a Walmart+ membership, you'll receive 5% cash back.
Plus, you can earn an additional $35 welcome bonus after you open a new OnePay Cash Rewards Card and spend $75 or more in the first 30 days.
Shopping benefits to consider for Apple Black Friday sales
As you consider which credit card to use to make your Apple gift purchases, keep in mind these strategies to help you save when shopping.
Shopping portals
A shopping portal is offered by affiliates of a company to encourage customers to shop by offering them cash back, points or airline miles. With shopping portals, you typically need to visit a website, download a browser extension or use an app to earn rewards on your purchases. It's usually as easy as clicking through the shopping portal's website or app, which will redirect you to the retailer's respective website where you do your shopping as normal.
Rakuten, for example, is both an app and a browser extension that can help you earn cash back when shopping online or in person. To get started, connect your debit or credit card(s) to the app. Then, when you make a purchase from a brand within Rakuten's network (there are hundreds to choose from), you'll receive a certain percentage in cash back. The cash back gets paid out quarterly and can be a great way to make up for holiday spending.
You can use a service like Cashback Monitor to find a shopping portal that offers the rewards you want most (i.e. cash back, points or miles) and helps you find the best rates.
Credit card shopping benefits
After spending all that time and money holiday shopping, the last thing you want is your packages arriving damaged or, even worse, stolen from the doorstep.
Credit cards are a great payment choice because some offer purchase protection, return protection and extended warranty. A few cards that offer these benefits are the Platinum Card® (which we mention above as the best card to use for travel rewards and a high welcome bonus), the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees) and the Chase Freedom Unlimited® (see rates and fees).
BNPL with Apple
When you choose to shop directly at Apple with the Apple Card, you can pay off your purchases monthly at 0% APR by choosing the Apple Card Monthly Installments (ACMI) option at checkout. This payment option lets cardholders pay with equal payments over 24 months with no interest, and they'll receive 3% cash back on the purchase price of their new Apple product up front.
If you're getting an Apple product deal from a third-party retailer, many these days typically offer a buy now, pay later (BNPL) option for flexible repayment through services like Affirm and Sezzle. With BNPL loans, be sure to read the terms and conditions closely. You'll want to check the interest rate, when the payments are due and whether the service will report your loan to the credit bureaus so you'll know if it could affect your credit score.
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Why trust CNBC Select?
At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every credit card list is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of credit card products. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics. See our methodology for more information on how we choose the best credit cards for Apple purchases.
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Read more
For rates and fees of the American Express Platinum Card®, click here.
Information about the U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card has been collected independently by Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of the card prior to publication.
We may earn commissions from qualifying purchases made through Amazon links.
