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Apple Wallet

Ranked 3 of 17 mobile payment apps by recommenders

People recommend it for storing tickets, boarding passes, cards and IDs with live updates and quick scanning. Critics most often cite Apple ads appearing in Wallet.

People recommend it for storing tickets, boarding passes, cards and IDs with live updates and quick scanning. Critics most often cite Apple ads appearing in Wallet.

121 people gave an opinion

recommend it
58
criticize it
63
approval share
48%
Each figure is one person. RecommendsCriticizes

Recommended in 10 of 13 months

  1. November 2025: recommended
  2. December 2025: recommended
  3. January 2026: recommended
  4. February 2026: recommended
  5. March 2026: recommended
  6. April 2026: recommended
  7. May 2026: recommended
  8. June 2026: not recommended
  9. July 2026: not recommended
  10. August 2026: recommended
  11. September 2026: recommended
  12. October 2026: recommended
  13. November 2026: not recommended (month in progress)

Why it doesn’t carry the badge

  • 58 people recommend itNeeds 10 or more, met.
  • 0.9 recommenders for every criticNeeds 2 to 1 or better, not met.
  • Recommended in 10 of 13 monthsNeeds 4 or more, met.

The same three rules apply to every product, and the badge can’t be bought. How the badge works

What people say about it

The reasons people give, with the number of comments that give each one. Open a reason to read what they said.

Why people recommend it

Each mark is one comment

  • Tickets and boarding passes update automatically

    “it automatically updates metadata (e.g., flight times, gates), and it's nicer than just a picture”

    Comment from 5 May 2026 in “iOS 27 is adding a 'Create a Pass' button to Apple Wallet”

    “having gate, seat, time updating automatically is such a huge improvement for travel”

    Comment from 5 May 2026 in “iOS 27 is adding a 'Create a Pass' button to Apple Wallet”

    “Having boarding passes in Wallet which also update real time is so nice.”

    Comment from 5 May 2026 in “iOS 27 is adding a 'Create a Pass' button to Apple Wallet”
  • Stores cards, IDs and library cards

    “why carry a physical wallet anymore when your phone (and Apple Watch) can store all of your cards?”

    Comment from 5 May 2026 in “iOS 27 is adding a 'Create a Pass' button to Apple Wallet”

    “I have my library card in Apple Wallet so I don't need to bother with the actual card.”

    Comment from 22 Dec 2025 in “Show HN: WalletWallet – create Apple passes from anything”

    “This is wonderful, I've been waiting for this to add a library card to Apple Wallet.”

    Comment from 5 May 2026 in “iOS 27 is adding a 'Create a Pass' button to Apple Wallet”
  • Easy to create passes from files

    “it beats digging through email to find some pdf and zooming in on some QR code when you have to present it”

    Comment from 5 May 2026 in “iOS 27 is adding a 'Create a Pass' button to Apple Wallet”

    “Creating a new pass on my phone for the library took less time than logging into their app did.”

    Comment from 3 Oct 2026 in “Apple Pass Designer”

    “My biggest use case is not actually creating passes for services which don’t provide them”

    Comment from 5 May 2026 in “iOS 27 is adding a 'Create a Pass' button to Apple Wallet”
  • Quick barcode scanning at checkout

    “apple wallet is convenient, u just double tap and the Wallet loads on screen with full brightness to make it easy to scan”

    Comment from 21 Dec 2025 in “Show HN: WalletWallet – create Apple passes from anything”

    “it's a perfectly clear QR code rather than a picture so it'll be easier to scan”

    Comment from 5 May 2026 in “iOS 27 is adding a 'Create a Pass' button to Apple Wallet”

    “the screen will brighten automatically for maximum contrast”

    Comment from 5 May 2026 in “iOS 27 is adding a 'Create a Pass' button to Apple Wallet”

What people warn about

Each mark is one comment

  • Apple ads inside Wallet

    “iOS has gotten reasonably good about tracking packages in wallet outside of any other app, but then again, wallet has sent advertisements about other Apple things.”

    Comment from 26 Oct 2026 in “Somebody please stop the spam texts”

    “Apple needs guidelines to prevent Apple's own apps (Wallet, TV, Fitness, Books, Music..) from pushing intrusive ads”

    Comment from 3 Jan 2026 in “Duolingo Used iPhone's Dynamic Island to Display Ads, Violating Apple Design GUI”

    “the infamous ad for some movie on Apple TV injected into Apple Wallet earlier this year”

    Comment from 18 Dec 2025 in “Are Apple gift cards safe to redeem?”
  • Confusing card selection and defaults

    “It's an annoying few extra seconds at each merchant to find and select the right card from the sub-menu”

    Comment from 3 Oct 2026 in “Apple Pass Designer”

    “there's no visual indicators that I can. I accidentally changed my default card on the first attempt.”

    Comment from 5 May 2026 in “iOS 27 is adding a 'Create a Pass' button to Apple Wallet”

    “My bank provides USD, EUR and other currencies on different cards with exact same cover. Maddening.”

    Comment from 5 May 2026 in “iOS 27 is adding a 'Create a Pass' button to Apple Wallet”
  • Limited state ID support

    “I'm still waiting for the day where 100% of state drivers licenses are supported in wallet”

    Comment from 12 Nov 2025 in “Digital ID, a new way to create and present an ID in Apple Wallet”

    “if you want a reasonable level of flexibility that you would expect elsewhere, you are SOL”

    Comment from 5 May 2026 in “iOS 27 is adding a 'Create a Pass' button to Apple Wallet”
  • Concern over trusting Apple with IDs

    “cause the screenshot works fine without all these moving parts, and I even do that when traveling solo cause I don't trust the wallet”

    Comment from 2 Oct 2026 in “Apple Pass Designer”

    “putting our entire digital identification infrastructure in the hands of Google and Apple”

    Comment from 7 Jul 2026 in “Europe's company websites are mostly served by US vendors”

Other mobile payment apps people recommend

The four most recommended other mobile payment apps, with the same counts for each, so you can compare like for like. The tick on each bar marks the 2 to 1 line the badge needs.

Apple Wallet compared with 4 alternatives
ProductRecommendCriticizeApprovalMonthsOwnedBadge
Wero849647%11——
Apple Pay734860%12——
Apple WalletThis page586348%10——
Google Pay263344%11——
Google Wallet223439%8——
See all 17 mobile payment apps, ranked

What people said

40 of the 131 comments that mention it, newest first. Each links to the original comment.

“iOS has gotten reasonably good about tracking packages in wallet outside of any other app, but then again, wallet has sent advertisements about other Apple things.”

MixedComment from 26 Oct 2026 in “Somebody please stop the spam texts”

“The new ability to add one's own passes to Apple Wallet is nice though.”

RecommendsComment from 13 Oct 2026 in “Apple HomeView”

“It's an annoying few extra seconds at each merchant to find and select the right card from the sub-menu”

CriticizesComment from 3 Oct 2026 in “Apple Pass Designer”

“Creating a new pass on my phone for the library took less time than logging into their app did.”

RecommendsComment from 3 Oct 2026 in “Apple Pass Designer”

“cause the screenshot works fine without all these moving parts, and I even do that when traveling solo cause I don't trust the wallet”

CriticizesComment from 2 Oct 2026 in “Apple Pass Designer”

“Wallet is now better at picking up and adding tracking for purchases being shipped.”

RecommendsComment from 16 Sep 2026 in “Ask HN: Lesser known features of macOS/iPadOS/iOS/etc. 27”

“putting our entire digital identification infrastructure in the hands of Google and Apple”

CriticizesComment from 7 Jul 2026 in “Europe's company websites are mostly served by US vendors”

“My bank provides USD, EUR and other currencies on different cards with exact same cover. Maddening.”

CriticizesComment from 5 May 2026 in “iOS 27 is adding a 'Create a Pass' button to Apple Wallet”

“opens the Wallet app in a functionally limited but visually identical mode is terrible UI design”

CriticizesComment from 5 May 2026 in “iOS 27 is adding a 'Create a Pass' button to Apple Wallet”

“Apple wallet proactively shows your event pass when it's time.”

RecommendsComment from 5 May 2026 in “iOS 27 is adding a 'Create a Pass' button to Apple Wallet”

“This is wonderful, I've been waiting for this to add a library card to Apple Wallet.”

RecommendsComment from 5 May 2026 in “iOS 27 is adding a 'Create a Pass' button to Apple Wallet”

“there's no visual indicators that I can. I accidentally changed my default card on the first attempt.”

CriticizesComment from 5 May 2026 in “iOS 27 is adding a 'Create a Pass' button to Apple Wallet”

“why carry a physical wallet anymore when your phone (and Apple Watch) can store all of your cards?”

RecommendsComment from 5 May 2026 in “iOS 27 is adding a 'Create a Pass' button to Apple Wallet”

“The biggest UX issue Apple has for that persona isn't the wallet, it's the lack of physical home button.”

MixedComment from 5 May 2026 in “iOS 27 is adding a 'Create a Pass' button to Apple Wallet”

“if you want a reasonable level of flexibility that you would expect elsewhere, you are SOL”

CriticizesComment from 5 May 2026 in “iOS 27 is adding a 'Create a Pass' button to Apple Wallet”

“it's a perfectly clear QR code rather than a picture so it'll be easier to scan”

RecommendsComment from 5 May 2026 in “iOS 27 is adding a 'Create a Pass' button to Apple Wallet”

“the screen will brighten automatically for maximum contrast”

RecommendsComment from 5 May 2026 in “iOS 27 is adding a 'Create a Pass' button to Apple Wallet”

“My biggest use case is not actually creating passes for services which don’t provide them”

RecommendsComment from 5 May 2026 in “iOS 27 is adding a 'Create a Pass' button to Apple Wallet”

“seems a useful backup for specific vendor/site-specific apps when traveling”

RecommendsComment from 5 May 2026 in “iOS 27 is adding a 'Create a Pass' button to Apple Wallet”

“Being able to have train/bus passes on my phone whenever I go to another country is nice.”

RecommendsComment from 5 May 2026 in “iOS 27 is adding a 'Create a Pass' button to Apple Wallet”

“it automatically updates metadata (e.g., flight times, gates), and it's nicer than just a picture”

RecommendsComment from 5 May 2026 in “iOS 27 is adding a 'Create a Pass' button to Apple Wallet”

“having gate, seat, time updating automatically is such a huge improvement for travel”

RecommendsComment from 5 May 2026 in “iOS 27 is adding a 'Create a Pass' button to Apple Wallet”

“It's kind of nice that I can put my Safeway and Soopercard in there now, but that still means having to scan the barcode”

MixedComment from 5 May 2026 in “iOS 27 is adding a 'Create a Pass' button to Apple Wallet”

“it's frankly safer than a credit card and the NFC(?) works much better”

RecommendsComment from 5 May 2026 in “iOS 27 is adding a 'Create a Pass' button to Apple Wallet”

“the notification that appears on the homescreen when you're in proximity of the venue or time of the event”

RecommendsComment from 5 May 2026 in “iOS 27 is adding a 'Create a Pass' button to Apple Wallet”

“it beats digging through email to find some pdf and zooming in on some QR code when you have to present it”

RecommendsComment from 5 May 2026 in “iOS 27 is adding a 'Create a Pass' button to Apple Wallet”

“Having boarding passes in Wallet which also update real time is so nice.”

RecommendsComment from 5 May 2026 in “iOS 27 is adding a 'Create a Pass' button to Apple Wallet”

“Ticketing is a great use-case for it, I have flight tickets, concerts/events tickets, airport bus tickets”

RecommendsComment from 5 May 2026 in “iOS 27 is adding a 'Create a Pass' button to Apple Wallet”

“Illinois id/drivers license import into Apple Wallet, so I did it, and that works.”

MixedComment from 25 Mar 2026 in “Apple Just Lost Me”

“now it really is my go to place for everything I have a card for”

RecommendsComment from 23 Mar 2026 in “Walmart: ChatGPT checkout converted 3x worse than website”

“I like that Wallet only activates the rfid for a second”

RecommendsComment from 9 Jan 2026 in “The Vietnam government has banned rooted phones from using any banking app”

“Apple needs guidelines to prevent Apple's own apps (Wallet, TV, Fitness, Books, Music..) from pushing intrusive ads”

CriticizesComment from 3 Jan 2026 in “Duolingo Used iPhone's Dynamic Island to Display Ads, Violating Apple Design GUI”

“I have my library card in Apple Wallet so I don't need to bother with the actual card.”

RecommendsComment from 22 Dec 2025 in “Show HN: WalletWallet – create Apple passes from anything”

“apple wallet is convenient, u just double tap and the Wallet loads on screen with full brightness to make it easy to scan”

MixedComment from 21 Dec 2025 in “Show HN: WalletWallet – create Apple passes from anything”

“it's actually easier for me to download the Apple Wallet .pkpass files”

RecommendsComment from 21 Dec 2025 in “Show HN: WalletWallet – create Apple passes from anything”

“it actually sends you flight change notifications too”

RecommendsComment from 19 Dec 2025 in “Texas is suing all of the big TV makers for spying on what you watch”

“the infamous ad for some movie on Apple TV injected into Apple Wallet earlier this year”

CriticizesComment from 18 Dec 2025 in “Are Apple gift cards safe to redeem?”

“Having my ID on my phone gives me convenience and doesn't take anything away.”

RecommendsComment from 13 Nov 2025 in “Digital ID, a new way to create and present an ID in Apple Wallet”

“I'm still waiting for the day where 100% of state drivers licenses are supported in wallet”

CriticizesComment from 12 Nov 2025 in “Digital ID, a new way to create and present an ID in Apple Wallet”

“the nicety of putting your ticket in Apple Wallet is nice enough that i willingly do it for the airlines i fly”

RecommendsComment from 10 Nov 2025 in “Reminder to passengers ahead of move to 100% digital boarding passes”

Counts come from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026. How we count. Report a mistake.