Apple kicked off a very generous signup incentive for new Apple Card customers, offering enough Bonus Daily Cash rewards to effectively cover the cost of a pair of AirPods Pro 3.
But it’s important to read the fine print. This promo isn’t a trick, but getting a free pair of earbuds takes a lot more effort than simply signing up for a credit card.
Don’t miss this major Apple Card promotion
The Apple Card is Apple’s credit card in partnership with Goldman Sachs (soon to be Chase) and the Mastercard network. It integrates tightly with the iPhone’s Wallet app, and offers cashback rewards known as Daily Cash.
Promotions urging consumers to sign up for credit cards are nothing new, but Apple raised a few eyebrows with an offer for free AirPods Pro 3 that began on Monday. These are Apple’s latest and best wireless earbuds.
Just be sure to understand the details before you get too excited. This isn’t a situation in which you sign up for a credit card, pocket the bonus then cancel the card.
New Apple Card users can earn back the cost of AirPods Pro 3
First off, the deal is intended to attract new Apple Card subscribers. Current customers cannot take advantage of it.
Second, taking part in the promo must involve purchasing a new pair of AirPods Pro 3 directly from Apple by June 15. These can’t be another earbuds model, they can’t come from Amazon or another retailer, and they can’t be refurbs.
But anyone who meets those criteria and opens a new Apple Card account by June 15 can earn up to $250 in Bonus Daily Cash. Just be aware that money doesn’t come upfront — Apple will distribute it over time and only to people who use the credit card.
Beginning July 1, cardholders can earn $25 in Bonus Daily Cash each month through April 30, 2027, provided they make at least 10 purchases with the card during each qualifying month.
Don’t make the required number of purchases, and you don’t get that month’s $25. And the AirPods Pro 3 doesn’t count as one of the purchases.
The iPhone maker markets the Apple Card offer as a way to “earn back the cost” of AirPods Pro 3, which currently retail for $249 before taxes and fees.
Head to the Apple Card website for more details.
A time of transition
The deal is significantly more aggressive than typical Apple Card promotions, which historically focused on smaller referral bonuses or temporary Daily Cash boosts.
There’s speculation that the promotion is part of an effort to grow the Apple Card user base as the program transitions away from Goldman Sachs and toward JPMorgan Chase over the next several years.
Apply for Apple Card and score AirPods Pro 3
Applying for the Apple Card is handled directly through the Wallet app on an iPhone.
Open Wallet, tap the plus button, select Apple Card and follow the onscreen steps to enter personal information including name, address, income and Social Security number.
Apple says applicants typically receive a credit decision within minutes. If approved, the digital card becomes immediately available for Apple Pay purchases, while customers can also request Apple’s optional titanium physical card for use at merchants that do not accept contactless payments.
Applicants must be at least 18 years old, live in the United States and use a compatible iPhone running the latest version of iOS.
Ed Hardy has been writing full-time about tech for 25 years, and using it for much longer than that. His intro to Apple was a Macintosh SE/30 (which he still has), but now he uses a 13-inch iPad Pro as his primary computer.
That’s because he’s a “tablet first” type of guy. Rather than use a Macbook, he connects a keyboard case to the iPad. And instead of a desktop Mac, he connects his tablet to a 27-inch display and full-size keyboard. (So don’t try to tell him that everyone has to use a Mac to be productive.)
Before coming to Cult of Mac, Ed wrote for NotebookReview, TabletPCReview and Brighthand, as well as other sites.
