Physical Credit/Debit Cards vs Apple Pay

MrX

Hi

Despite having Apple Pay setup with all my credit and debit cards, I've always carried at least 2 cards in my phone wallet and always used the physical cards for payments.

However, recently when abroad, I went to pay for something with my credit card and it wouldn't accept it - presumably as at €150 it was over the contactless limit. At this point I would usually insert my card and enter a pin, however the card machine was contactless only. So I tried my Apple pay and it worked without issue.

That got me thinking.

Do I really need to carry my physical cards with me nowadays? Or can I always rely on ApplePay being accepted wherever a credit/debit card is accepted?

Thanks for some 'real world' advice.

Isthisforreal99

I would say no you can't always rely on Apple Pay/Google pay working although the chances of it not if the terminal is working is slim. But what happens if the terminal is out of action and cash is the only option? With a physical card you can withdraw cash (or take cash with you as a backup)

flaneurs_lobster

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82041887#Comment_82041887

….although keeping a card which is an alternative to phone payment in the same case as the phone is an obvious problem if you lose both together.

My partner does this (along with a £20 note "just in case") - drives me nuts!

oldernonethewiser

I like to have more than one method of payment.

I can use my phone, cards (not carried with phone) or cash.

COIAHLGW

I still use my physical cards although they are loaded to my phone just in case. Saves Apple making their 0.15% on the transaction, heehee!

TadleyBaggie

When I've had to register a card at a hotel, they have pretty much all required the actual physical card to be presented.

oldernonethewiser

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82042062#Comment_82042062

I stayed at an hotel in London, paid for by work, who asked for my CC details. I told them there was no need as I wouldn't be spending any money or making any charges. Receptionist wasn't happy and about ten minutes after I was in my room a gentleman turned up and removed the phone. No cheeky phone calls for me!

My mobile worked fine.

Descrabled

My observation on use by payment using the phone on buses are that about 25% fail initially. After reloading phone payment mostly succeed but do cause the bus to be delayed. Perhaps 1% never succeed and payment has to be by physical card or even cash. Most pensioners have little problem using their bus pass so obviously the card readers on buses are best suited to actual cards.

Restaurant payment similarly occasionally have problems with phone payment. Paying with an actual credit card has never failed for me and only rarely am I asked to enter my pin.

Supermarket payments in the manned checkout often cause problems and delays and frustration from the long queues (particularly in Sainsbury's).

Of course, the failures using phone payment are most probably user errors in loading the correct app and then contacting the reader correctly.

Paying for EV charging by credit card is so much easier than any app based payment system. Many times I've had to help a worried driver having problems with charging by advising just to hold a credit card against the reader, works every time.

Always carry at least one physical credit card.

eschaton

I’ve always carried cards as a backup to Apple Pay but only recently had to use the physical card, twice. A Lloyds credit card which isn’t a surprise going by other posts.

First time was not authorised but it was a bill for over £1200 for car repairs so not a total surprise. I didn’t bother retrying and just used the card and PIN and it went through fine.

2nd time was 2/3 weeks ago in Tesco. I could be wrong but I’m sure it said payment failed. I then used the card but strangely although the till receipt shows the payment as fully processed, the value hasn’t been charged to my account or the Clubcard points awarded. I know they have plenty of time to take payment but hopefully they don’t.

BridgetTheCat

I’ve been using Apple Wallet almost exclusively for a couple of years, and I’ve mostly stopped carrying my physical cards now. I’ve never had any problems with terminals etc. I carry a couple of 20s hidden in my phone case in case I’m somewhere that’s cash only, but that’s now exceedingly rare.

I think Apple wallet is more secure because

1. Physical cards can be lost, stolen or skimmed and used (contactless) by the malefactor without any further checks
2. The way I’ve set up Apple wallet, even if someone gets my phone they’d also need my face to open the wallet and my PIN to actually make a payment with any of my cards.

MyRealNameToo

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6673333/physical-credit-debit-cards-vs-apple-pay

I dont routinely carry physical cards these days; the only exception is when travelling.

The only time I have become unstuck was when contractless was down in our local shop, chip and pin was working fine. Its happened twice in the 6 years the shop has been there, the first time was just told it won't work and so left without shopping, the second time however I gave it a punt and tried ApplePay and it went through… dont know if had been fixed behind the scenes and they just hadn't taken the signs down or if the fault only impacted limited contactless

In Mexico I confused the hell out of a waitress as saw the contactless sign so tapped with my mobile as normal. She looked liked Id done some form of witchcraft as she was unaware that contactless existed at all let alone via a phone.

Had two other issues with AmEx but that was the merchant saying they couldn't take AmEx by contactless at all but was fine to accept other card networks, so missed out on a few MR points.