Apple Watch Users Embracing Apple Pay for Everyday Purchases

Apple Pay on iPhone is a convenient and secure way to make payments without taking a debit or credit card out of your wallet, but you still need to take the smartphone out of your pocket to make a purchase. For that reason, Apple Pay has proven more transformative on Apple Watch, since the device is worn on the wrist and readily available for contactless payments.

The latest data from research firm Wristly supports that notion, with 80% of the over 1,000 respondents surveyed in the U.S. and U.K. claiming they have used Apple Pay on an Apple Watch at least once. The remaining 20% of respondents indicated they "do not perceive a benefit" to Apple Pay, have security concerns or believe their payment needs are already being met.

Wristly Apple Pay First Use
Just over half (51%) of respondents described using Apple Pay on the Apple Watch as "magical," an adjective often used by late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, while 42% indicated that the service is "convenient." An additional 3% of respondents said Apple Pay is "good," but with some areas of concern, and the remaining 4% of users found Apple Pay "not that useful."

Given the choice, 79% of respondents preferred to use Apple Pay on the Apple Watch and 9% preferred to use the mobile payments service on an iPhone. The survey panel most commonly used Apple Pay for everyday shopping (81%), in addition to recurring services such as Starbucks (60%), bigger purchases (35%), in-app purchases (29%) and other purchases (11%)…

Wristly Apple Pay Preference
Wristly's sixteenth weekly Apple Watch Insider's Report [PDF] details other statistics and usage cases for Apple Pay on Apple Watch, including brand impact, purchase frequency, average number of debit and credit cards set up, agree statements and more.

Wristly previously shared Apple Watch customer satisfaction data, cited by Apple CEO Tim Cook during the company's most recent quarterly earnings call, and health and fitness data that showed healthy lifestyle changes among early adopters.

Apple Watch users interested in joining Wristly's panel can sign up on the firm's website.

Related Roundups: Apple Watch 10, Apple Pay
Tag: Wristly
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral)

Popular Stories

AirPods Pro 3 Mock Feature

AirPods Pro 3 Just Months Away – Here's What We Know

Friday April 18, 2025 5:16 am PDT by
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
CarPlay Hero

Apple Releases Wireless CarPlay Fix

Wednesday April 16, 2025 11:28 am PDT by
If you have been experiencing issues with wireless CarPlay in your vehicle lately, it was likely due to a software bug that has now been fixed. Apple released iOS 18.4.1 today, and the update's release notes say it "addresses a rare issue that prevents wireless CarPlay connection in certain vehicles." If wireless CarPlay was acting up for you, updating your iPhone to iOS 18.4.1 should...
iphone 16 pro models 1

17 Reasons to Wait for the iPhone 17

Thursday April 17, 2025 4:12 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models simultaneously, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup. If you skipped the iPhone...
Beyond iPhone 13 Better Triad

Apple's 20th Anniversary iPhone May Finally Go All Screen

Tuesday April 15, 2025 6:31 am PDT by
Apple is preparing a "bold" new iPhone Pro model for the iPhone's 20th anniversary in 2027, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. As part of what's being described as a "major shake-up," Apple is said to be developing a design that makes more extensive use of glass – and this could point directly to the display itself. Here's the case for Apple releasing a truly all-screen iPhone with no...
maxresdefault

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 12 New Features

Sunday April 13, 2025 7:52 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and ...
iOS 19 Roundup Feature

iOS 19 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday April 15, 2025 7:37 am PDT by
The first iOS 19 beta is less than two months away, and there are already a handful of new features that are expected with the update. Apple should release the first iOS 19 beta to developers immediately following the WWDC 2025 keynote, which is scheduled for Monday, June 9. Following beta testing, the update should be released to the general public in September. Below, we recap the key...
top stories 2025 04 19

Top Stories: iPhone 17 Pro Rumors, CarPlay Bug Fix, and More

Saturday April 19, 2025 6:00 am PDT by
This week saw rumor updates on the iPhone 17 Pro and next-generation Vision Pro, while a minor iOS 18.4.1 update delivered not just security fixes but also a fix for some CarPlay issues. We also looked ahead at what else is in Apple's pipeline for the rest of 2025 and even the 20th-anniversary iPhone coming in 2027, so read on below for all the details on these stories and more! iPhone 17 ...
Apple TV Plus Feature 2 Magenta and Blue

Apple TV+ Available at Significantly Lower Price Until Next Week

Friday April 18, 2025 11:42 am PDT by
Apple TV+ is currently available at a much lower price than usual, but time is running out if you want to take advantage of the offer. In the U.S., new and qualified returning customers can subscribe to Apple TV+ for just $2.99 per month, for three months. Afterwards, regular pricing of $9.99 per month applies. The offer is available in the Apple TV app, and at tv.apple.com, through April...

Top Rated Comments

bbeagle Avatar
126 months ago
Society is getting lazier and lazier. Too much effort with a wallet eh? Sheesh.
So anything convenient is lazy?

I guess Remote controls are just for lazy people?
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
patjem Avatar
126 months ago
It's not exactly payment but I stayed in Brussels last weekend at a SPG hotel that allowed me to open the hotel door with Apple Watch. A great experience http://verkeersbureaus.info/contributors/2015/08/18/67020-met-apple-watch-je-hotelkamer-openen/
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
friedmud Avatar
126 months ago
You gotta draw the line somewhere. Seen the movie Wall-E yet? Once everything becomes convenient as you say, we will be doing next to nothing. Just sayin'
Wall-E is satire... Not a foretelling!

Since I got the watch I've used Apple Pay (and Starbucks and movie tickets and plane tickets) on it everywhere I can.

I've also lost 20 pounds, using the activity rings to motivate me.

Is it possible that convenience gives us more time to do the things we want (like exercise, spending time with family, playing with the dog, going on an evening walk) rather than the things we have to do (like paying for stuff)?

Nah - convenience must be all about just making us fat and lazy /s
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Roller Avatar
126 months ago
Apple Pay on the watch is very convenient. Unfortunately, not enough retailers accept Apple Pay yet.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Rogifan Avatar
126 months ago
I concur with this. Easy to use and it's never not worked for me. Now we just need Pay in more locations.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
RichTF Avatar
126 months ago
I have been behind a few people trying to use Apple Pay on their watch and it certainly isn't convenient for me to watch them make several attempts before pulling out their wallets and paying in cash.
And yet I've never had it fail once. Interesting. :rolleyes:
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)