Apple Pay is one of the most simple, convenient, and safe methods of making purchases in-store, online, and through apps.
However, not every store accepts Apple Pay as a payment method. And since CVS is one of America’s largest retail pharmacies, you may be wondering if CVS takes Apple Pay. Here is what I discovered!
Does CVS Take Apple Pay?
CVS does accept Apple Pay as a contactless payment method at over 8,200 locations. Additionally, the CVS online pharmacy and the CVS app do not allow customers to choose Apple Pay as a payment method. CVS only accepts major credit cards, PayPal, and cash.
To learn more about how to use Apple Pay at CVS, and using Apple Pay online, and much more, keep on reading!
How Can You Use Apple Pay At CVS?
To use Apple Pay at any store, you first need to download and set up Apple Pay on your Apple device, following these steps. Next, you need to add a valid credit or debit card to your Apple Pay account.
To make your payment at checkout at a pharmacy, simply bring your phone close to the NFC reader at the counter whenever you are ready for checkout and choose Apple Pay as your payment method.
Next, use your TouchID or FaceID to confirm authorization, this will confirm and complete your transaction automatically.
Can You Get Cash Back At CVS With Apple Pay?
CVS only allows its customers to receive cash backs on all debit card transactions to up to 35$ per transaction over all other payment methods.
However, one exception for Apple Pay or Credit card users is to use the “Discover CashBack Debit Card”.
Discover offers the same 1% cashback reward for all transactions made with Apple Pay using the Discover Cashback Debit card that it normally offers with other methods. You can add your Discover card to Apple Pay following these instructions.
Can You Use Apple Pay For Online Purchases At CVS?
Unfortunately, no. For online nonprescription purchases, CVS only allows Mastercards, Visa Cards, American Express, and Discover as eligible payment methods.
Can You Use Apple Pay To Make Purchases With The CVS App?
The CVS app does not include Apple Pay as a payment method at checkout. The only available payment options on the CVS app are PayPal, Visa Checkout, gift cards, and other major credit cards.
However, note that CVS does allow its customers to buy eGift cards through Apple Pay, which can be used over the CVS app.
What Other Forms Of Payment Does CVS Pharmacy Accept?
CVS accepts all major credit cards at both in-store and online pharmacies. Including, American Express MasterCard, Visa, and Discovery.
Additionally, As a response to the pandemic CVS pharmacies now also allow customers to make contactless transactions using Paypal and Venmo QR codes at over 8,200 locations nationwide.
Why Didn’t CVS Take Apple Pay Before 2018?
CVS accepted Apple Pay as a payment method nearly 4 years after it first debuted. Before that CVS had intentionally disabled the NFC readers at stores in order to block the usage of Apple Pay.
Why? Because a few years later, CVS introduced “CVS Pay” as their own payment method which used a barcode-based system that allowed customers to use their smartphones and the CVS pharmacy app to make transactions at checkouts.
Following an announcement made by Apple CEO Tim Cook earlier in 2018, CVS also joined in the long list of retailers that accept Apple Pay as a payment method after long refraining to do so.
To find out more about other retailers accepting Apple Pay as a payment method, check out my guides on Costco, Walgreens, and if Walmart accepts Apple Pay.
Conclusion
Apple Pay can indeed be used at all 8,200 of CVS’s standalone retail locations at the NFC reader near the checkout. However, the CVS online pharmacy and CVS app do not accept Apple Pay as an eligible method of payment as of yet.
CVS also does not allow customers using Apple Pay to receive cashback at checkout. However, you can sign up for your Apple Pay to a Discovery Cash Back Debit card to receive 1$ cashback with all eligible purchases.
