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 11, Apple Pay
Tag: Wristly
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Buy Now)

Popular Stories

Apple Shopping Event 2025

Apple Announces 2025 Black Friday Event, Here's What You Can Get

Thursday November 20, 2025 6:28 am PST by
Apple's annual four-day Black Friday through Cyber Monday shopping event is returning on Friday, November 28 through Monday, December 1 in many countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Thailand, and others. During the shopping event, customers can get an Apple gift card with...
iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Adds These New Features to Your iPhone

Thursday November 20, 2025 10:50 am PST by
iOS 26.2 is currently in beta testing. The upcoming update includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, including a new Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics for Apple Music, and more. In a recent press release, Apple confirmed that iOS 26.2 will be released to all users in December, but it did not provide a specific release date. Keep reading...
hikawa phone grip stand apple%402x

Apple Launches Second Limited-Edition iPhone Accessory in a Month

Friday November 21, 2025 3:53 am PST by
Apple has begun selling the Hikawa Phone Grip and Stand, a new limited-edition iPhone accessory designed with accessibility in mind. Designed by LA-based Bailey Hikawa to celebrate the 40th anniversary of accessibility at Apple, the grip uses magnets to securely snap onto any iPhone with MagSafe. Apple says it can be removed with ease, and doubles as a stand with two different viewing...
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Wednesday November 19, 2025 4:00 am PST 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 at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...
ipad black friday 2025

The Best Early Black Friday iPad Deals

Thursday November 20, 2025 10:20 am PST by
Black Friday is just over a week away, and iPad deals have finally started to flood in at retailers like Amazon and Best Buy. Below we're tracking discounts on every current generation iPad, including lowest-ever prices on M3 iPad Air and M5 iPad Pro, plus steep markdowns on iPad and iPad mini. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a ...
ipad mini 7 feature red and blue

iPad Mini 8: Four Major New Features to Expect

Wednesday November 19, 2025 7:50 am PST by
Apple's eighth-generation iPad mini is highly likely to arrive next year, offering a significant refresh of the device with at least four major new features. OLED Display The next-generation version of the iPad mini could feature an OLED display, as part of Apple's plan to expand the display technology across many more of its devices. Apple's first OLED device was the Apple Watch in 2015, ...
watchos 26 workout app

Apple Watch Users Claim Workout App Is Now Worse in Every Way

Thursday November 20, 2025 7:01 am PST by
Apple Watch owners have been voicing their frustration online over changes to the Workout app that Apple introduced in watchOS 26, with many finding the redesigned interface makes starting exercises difficult and exasperating. When Apple launched watchOS 26 in September, the Workout app went from large, easily tapped workout tiles to a scrolling, corner-button interface. Instead of tapping a ...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro

Two More U.S. States Commit to Offering iPhone Driver's Licenses in Apple Wallet App

Thursday November 20, 2025 8:21 am PST by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Apple Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, and then use it to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Earlier this week, Illinois became the 13th state in the U.S. to offer the feature. Subsequently, we shared a list of additional states that are committed...
android iphone airdrop quickshare

iPhone Users Can Now AirDrop Files to Android Devices

Thursday November 20, 2025 9:47 am PST by
Google today announced a new cross-platform feature that allows for file sharing between iPhone and Android users. With AirDrop on the iPhone and QuickShare on Pixel 10 devices, there is a new file transfer function available. The file sharing option works on Apple devices that include iPhone, iPad, and Mac, along with the Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL, and Pixel 10 Fold....

Top Rated Comments

bbeagle Avatar
134 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
134 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
134 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
134 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
134 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
134 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)