What you need and where you can use Apple Pay

By Serenity Caldwell
last updated

Apple Pay is currently U.S. only, and while most major banks support it, not all do. Likewise, while the list of retailers that support Apple Pay in-store and online is growing, not everyone takes it yet. Finally, Apple Pay currently only works online with the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPad Air 2, and iPad mini 3, and in-store with iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.

Apple Pay supporting banks

At launch, Apple Pay is U.S.-only, but supports credit and debit cards from most of the major issuers, including American Express, Bank of America, Capital One, Chase, Citi, and Wells Fargo, with support for Barclaycard, the Navy Federal Credit Union, PNC, USAA, and USBank coming later in the year.

Notably absent is Discover Card. The credit card issuer has lagged behind MasterCard, Visa, and American Express in consumer adoption over the last few years, but it's not completely out of the mobile loop—Google Wallet supports Discover, after all. As such, it's likely we'll see it come to Apple Pay sometime down the line.

Apple maintains an updated list of banks that support it:

Apple Pay supporting retailers

Apple has partnered with 34 national chains — and counting — in the United States, allowing them to offer Apple Pay in over 220,000 stores at launch. These include - Aeropostale, American Eagle Outfitters, Apple, Babies R Us, BJs, Bloomingdales, Champs Sports, Chevron, Disney Store, Duane Reade, ExtraMile, Foot Locker, Footaction, House of Hoops, Kids Foot Locker, Lady Foot Locker, Macy's, McDonalds, Meijer, Nike, Office Depot, Panera, Petco, Radio Shack, Run, Six:02, Sports Authority, Subway, Texaco, Toys R Us, Unleashed, Walgreens, Wegmans, Whole Foods,

Additionally, Anthropologie, Free People, Sephora, Staples, Urban Outfitters, and Walt Disney World will begin accepting Apple Pay later in 2014.

Apple maintains updated lists for in-store and online retailers as well:

Apple Pay supported devices

To use Apple Pay online, you'll need:

  • iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPad Air 2, iPad mini 3

To use Apple Pay in-store, you'll need:

  • iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus
Serenity Caldwell
Serenity Caldwell

Serenity was formerly the Managing Editor at iMore, and now works for Apple. She's been talking, writing about, and tinkering with Apple products since she was old enough to double-click. In her spare time, she sketches, sings, and in her secret superhero life, plays roller derby. Follow her on Twitter @settern.