First things first: Apple and its credit card issuing partner Goldman Sachs publish very little information on card approval odds or credit scores needed to qualify for the Apple Card credit card. Most of this article is based on information from past successful (and unsuccessful) applicants. It is an educated guess — but still a guess!
That said, the Apple Card is relatively easy to be approved for compared to other credit cards on the market. But that doesn’t mean everyone will be approved.
Apple Card Approval Odds / Credit Score Needed
Your chances of approval for the Apple Card will obviously be higher if your credit score is higher. Based on approved scores we’ve seen:
- A credit score of 700 or over gives you a very high chance of approval, probably 75%-80% of applicants with a score above 700 will be approved. If you have at least a year of credit history, your chances should be even better.
- If you’re between a 650 and 700 credit score, your odds of approval are still better than 50-50 — we’d say you have about a 60-65% chance of approval. Again, your chances will be better if you have at least a year of clean credit history. (No late payments beyond 30 days in particular.)
- If your score is 600 to 650, your approval odds definitely go down, but it is not hopeless. Based on information on this Apple Card page, 600 seems likely to be the lowest credit score that might be approved for the Apple Card. However, your odds of approval at a 600 credit score are probably still 25% at best, and then your chances go up a little bit with every point above that. (If declined, you *might* get invited into the Path To Apple Card program, which could lead to eventual approval.)
Note that your credit score is not the only factor in determining your odds of being approved for the Apple Card credit card. Factors such as income, the number of recent new card accounts opened, credit card utilization ratio (the balances on your current credit cards in relation to your overall credit limits), and other measures could be looked at more closely in deciding on your application.
Note also that Apple usually pulls your FICO credit score from the credit bureau Transunion. So, if you are checking your score before applying, that would be the most important score to see.
Lower Credit Scores Get Lower Credit Lines
While Apple and Goldman Sachs have made approval odds higher on the Apple Card than many other credit cards on the market, be aware that the lower your credit score, the more likely it is that the credit limit on your card will be low as well. (Most new Apple Card approvals we’ve seen have limits of $1000 or more, but it’s possible you could start out with less.) If you’re approved but with a very low limit, you might find it difficult to use the card on a regular basis without maxing it out, and a smaller credit line would also limit your ability to take advantage of the card’s rewards.
Good luck on your approval for the Apple Card!