Apple Card temporarily offering $50 sign-up bonus for Exxon Mobil purchases

Many rewards credit cards offer the opportunity to earn a sign-up bonus. Even some no-annual-fee credit cards offer them, allowing consumers to maximize cash back or points without paying every year for simply having the card.

The Apple Card only started offering a sign-up bonus in June, when Apple cardholders could earn $50 in Daily Cash after spending $50 at Walgreens. This was followed by offers in September, October and November, most recently including a $75 sign-up bonus after spending $75 at Nike in-store and online via Apple Pay.

And now through Jan. 31, new Apple Card holders can score a slightly lower sign-up bonus. You’ll get $50 in Daily Cash after you spend $50 or more on purchases with Exxon or Mobil.

See related: Apple Card: One year later

How to get the Apple Card sign-up bonus

New Apple Card holders who open an account between Jan. 8 and Jan. 31, 2021 can earn $50 in Apple’s Daily Cash when they spend $50 using Apple Card with Apple Pay (where available) at Exxon and Mobil stations at the pump or at attached convenience stores in the U.S., within 30 days of the account opening. To pay at the pump with Apple Pay, you can use either the Exxon Mobil Rewards+ mobile app or contactless payment.

This month’s sign-up bonus from Apple is lower than its previous offer from Nike, but on par with the older offers from Walgreens and Panera Bread, both of which got you just $50 in Daily Cash back after a matching spend.

You can apply for the Apple Card from the Wallet app on your iPhone.

Should you apply for the Apple Card now?

If you have been considering applying for the Apple Card, it might be a good idea to do so this month, especially if you commute or drive often enough to spend $50 at gas stations in a month. While the card doesn’t always come with a sign-up bonus, new cardholders currently have a great chance to earn one.

Besides that, the Apple Card offers 3% cash back on Apple purchases, as well as 3% cash back when you use Apple Pay for Walgreens, Nike and Uber and Uber Eats purchases and at T-Mobile stores. Other Apple Pay purchases will earn you 2% in cash back. When you use the physical card, the cash back rate goes down to 1%.

However, the Apple Card might not make sense for everyone. The earning rate is good on Apple purchases, but if you’re looking for a primary cash back card to add to your wallet, there might be better options.

For example, with the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express you can earn 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%) and 2% cash back at U.S. gas stations and select U.S. department stores. All other purchases will get you 1% in cash back.

Another alternative is the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card, which earns you unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase and doesn’t have an annual fee. Plus, you only need to spend $500 in the first three months with the card to earn its $200 sign-up bonus.

There are quite a few other cards to look into. Shop around before you decide to take advantage of Apple’s offer. The sign-up bonus alone shouldn’t tempt you into signing up for a card that doesn’t align with your spending.

See related: Apple card credit score requirements and reasons for denial

Final thoughts

If you’re an Apple enthusiast and have been looking into the Apple Card for some time, now might be a good time to apply. The new limited-time sign-up offer gives you an opportunity to earn an easy sign-up bonus – something the card doesn’t normally have.

Source: creditcards.com