Is the Apple Card available in the UK? Alternatives in 2023

Are you a UK resident looking for a payment card beyond those offered by Britain’s big banks, such as the Apple Card? As you’ve arrived at this article, it’s likely you’ve heard about the credit card created by Apple and issued by Goldman Sachs. With neat features such as the ability to be used with Apple Pay on various devices from iPhones to iPas and Apple Watches, it’s easy to see why many consumers are keen to get their hands on an Apple Card. But, is the Apple Card even available for UK residents? 

Unfortunately, there’s bad news on this front. Currently, the Apple Card is unavailable in the UK. But, fear not! There are plenty of alternative cards that UK residents can use and we have conducted thorough research on the range of options available. In fact, here’s a brief summary of three top alternatives to the Apple Card that you could use instead.

In this article, we briefly discuss the Apple Card, its availability in the UK, and whether US residents can use their Apple Cards in the UK. We also outline good alternative cards available for UK residents to give you a solid idea of some products you can use in 2023! 

Is the Apple Card available in the UK?

At present, the Apple Card is currently unavailable in the UK. In order to be eligible for an Apple Card, you must be a US citizen or a lawful resident in the US with a valid, physical address in the country. This address can’t be a P.O. Box. 

Unfortunately, if you’re a UK resident keen to get your hands on a shiny new Apple Card, you’re out of luck for now. 

Will the Apple Card ever be available in the UK?

Currently, there are no concrete plans for the Apple Card to be released in the UK. The Apple Card was launched in the US in 2019 and attracted 6.7m users by early 2022. However, despite the product’s success since its US launch, it has not been expanded internationally. 

There is some speculation that the company will eventually roll out the Apple Card in other countries, including the UK. Indeed, CEO Tim Cook has previously expressed his interest in the idea. But, for now, it seems we will have to wait for a definitive announcement from Apple regarding its international plans for the Apple Card. 

Fortunately, there are a number of alternatives you can use, many of which match the Apple Card in terms of their versatility and ease of use. Please keep reading to discover more about your options!

Apple Card alternatives in the UK

Here’s a brief summary of three top alternatives to the Apple Card that you could use instead.

Card	Revolut	Wise	Monese	Apple
Physical card cost	Free (but a £4.99 delivery fee applies)	£7	£4.95 with a Simple account  Free with Classic or Premium accounts	None
Cashback	Up to 30% but only with selected retailers 1% on spending with Revolut Metal	None	None	1% to 3%
Monthly fee	Standard: Free Plus: £2.99 per month Premium: £6.99 per month Metal: £12.99 per month Ultra: £45.00 per month	None	Simple: Free Classic: £5.95 Premium: £14.95	None
Transaction fee	Free for transactions with other Revolut users and local payments in your base currency and within the EEA. Fees apply for international transfers	Starts from 0.43% and varies by currency	Monese to Monese transfers and local currency transfers are free for all accounts Fees apply for international transfers. Simple: 2.5% (+1% on weekends) Classic: 0.5% Premium: Free	None
ATM withdrawal fees	5 free ATM withdrawals or £200 per rolling month (whichever comes first). After this, a 2% withdrawal fee applies, subject to a £1 minimum.	2 free monthly withdrawals totalling less than £200 For ATM withdrawals over £200 a 1.75% + £0.50 fee applies	Monthly free limits:  Simple: £100 Classic: £500 Premium: £1,500  2% fee once limits have been exceeded.	Cannot make ATM withdrawals
FX conversion fees	Standard and Plus: Exchange limit of £1,000 per month. Fair usage fee of 1% for Standard and 0.5% for Plus plans applies to any additional exchange.  Premium, Metal and Ultra: No exchange limit. No fair usage fee.	Starts from 0.43% and varies by currency	Free for EUR, GBP,  Romanian lei and Swedish krona up to £2,000 monthly allowance. 2% fee for amounts in excess of allowance and all other currencies	None
Lending rate	N/A	N/A	£2.50 monthly fee for Credit Builder service, but this is not a traditional lending service	19.24% to 29.49%
Card type	Debit	Debit	Debit	Credit

Revolut

Revolut is a UK-headquartered global challenger bank and financial technology company that was founded in 2015. It supports over 150 currencies and in addition to the debit card it offers to UK residents the company offers other services, such as the ability to trade stocks, cryptocurrencies and commodities.

The Revolut card can be paired with Google or Apple Pay, so it may be a good alternative to the Apple Card. Revolut offers a range of account types, with a rising fee structure. Each of these accounts offers different features to suit each cardholder’s needs. The Revolut card can be used to withdraw money at ATMs abroad and to make international transfers. However, Revolut does not offer a credit card in the UK, so it is not directly equivalent to the Apple Card in this sense. 

Revolut has an average rating of 4.3 out of 5 on Trustpilot. 

Wise

Wise is a UK-based foreign exchange financial technology company that was founded in 2011. It operates in 160 countries and supports over 40 currencies. Wise holds your money with established financial institutions and employs dedicated fraud and security teams to keep your money safe. 

The Wise debit card could be an appealing alternative to the Apple Card, since it can be paired with Google or Apple Pay. In addition, the Wise card can be used to withdraw money at ATMs abroad and send money abroad. However, Wise does not offer a credit card or lending services, so it is not directly equivalent to the Apple Card in that regard. 

Wise has an average rating of 4.3 out of 5 on Trustpilot. 

Monese

Monese is a British-Estonian company that offers current accounts as an alternative to the major banks. It was founded in 2015. Monese offers a multi-currency card that you can use to withdraw from ATMs worldwide. The Monese card could be an attractive alternative to the Apple Card because it can be linked with Apple Pay in addition to Google Pay and PayPal. 

Unlike the other two alternatives discussed in this article, Monese does offer the ability to build your credit score via its Credit Builder service. Essentially, you choose a fixed amount that you’d like to pay monthly for a 12-month period. Monese will then create an interest-free credit builder loan in a locked account. Your monthly repayments go towards paying off the interest-free loan and Monese will report them to leading credit agencies, building your credit score in the process. Once the period is up, the amount saved will be unlocked and ready to spend. 

Although this is not a traditional credit service, Monese has the closest offering to the Apple Card in terms of building a credit score. So, if that is an important feature for you, the Monese card could be a particularly attractive alternative. 

Monese has an average rating of 4.2 out of 5 on Trustpilot. 

Final thoughts

To summarise, although the Apple Card is not yet available in the UK, there are a number of alternatives available for UK residents. 

If you want a wide range of account options with attractive features available and you’re prepared to pay higher fees, Revolut could be a good option. Or perhaps you’d prefer a simple alternative card with a basic fee structure – if so, you might want to consider Wise. Maybe you’d like to get a Monese card to build your credit score via its Credit Builder service. Only you can answer these questions and decide which card might be the right one for you. 

Unfortunately none of these alternatives offer UK residents the option to obtain a credit card, so they aren’t directly equivalent to the Apple Card. However, opening a card with Monese does give you the option to build your credit score, which is worth considering if that is something that appeals to you.

Granted, the Apple Card is more competitive in terms of the fees that apply for a variety of financial services. Nonetheless, the three alternatives could be useful options to consider while we wait to see whether the Apple Card will be launched in the UK – especially if you are happy to have a debit card instead. 

FAQS

Why can’t I use the Apple Card in the UK?

Frustratingly, Apple is yet to offer the Apple Card in the UK or any other country outside the US. Although there is some speculation that the company could be preparing for a UK roll out of the Apple Card, we are yet to see any concrete confirmation that this will happen. 

What countries is the Apple Card available in?

Currently, the Apple Card is only available to US citizens or lawful US residents with proof of address in the country. American cardholders can use their Apple Cards overseas wherever Mastercard is accepted. 

What is the Apple Card?

The Apple Card is a credit card made from titanium, created by Apple and issued by Goldman Sachs, that can be linked with Apple Pay. Cardholders benefit from 3% cashback when making purchases from Apple, 2% cashback when using Apple Pay, and 1% everywhere else. There are no fees for the Apple Card, except for interest charges on any outstanding balance. 

Can US residents use their Apple Card in the UK?

Yes, US residents are able to use their Apple Card in the UK and other countries. The Apple Card can be used anywhere Mastercard is accepted. 

Transactions, returns and credits made in a currency other than US dollars, such as pound sterling, will be converted into US dollars. Apple does not charge any foreign exchange rate fees for these transactions.