Apple Card Computer more than Apple Card credit limit

[Mity]

I'm trying to place a custom order for a new Mac Studio but the price is above the limit on my new Apple credit card. I just signed up for the card on Tuesday and my account is "too new" to request a credit line increase. So, there's no way to complete the transaction online using the Apple credit card. I called Apple Support and a rep told me that nothing can be done except to buy a cheaper computer. I asked to be transferred to Goldman and the GS rep told me that I can complete the transaction by splitting payments only at a physical Apple Store.

Has anyone encountered this and if so, can you confirm what I should do? Will the store allow me to do this? If I end up with a negative balance on my card (I buy something, make a payment, and then return the item), would this allow me to use the negative balance towards the purchase?

 

[Apple_Robert]

Either use a different card to make the purchase, or get a cheaper Mac. It doesn't bode well that you just got the card and already bugging the card lender for more than your limit. That kind of thing gets put on your file.

 

[Mity]

Either use a different card to make the purchase, or get a cheaper Mac. It doesn't bode well that you just got the card and already bugging the card lender for more than your limit. That kind of thing gets put on your file.

What doesn't bode well is that Goldman Sachs has not considered Apple's recent price increases. 128GB of RAM and 4TB is not uncommon today for those of us that want to run AI locally. I've not had any issues with my Amex cards and not even being able to even temporarily increase the limit is a failure on Goldman's part.

Has anyone else completed the transaction in-store, as the rep told me?

 

[Bigwaff]

Have you explored the Apple Upgrade lease option? No upfront payment necessary.

 

[dmr727]

and not even being able to even temporarily increase the limit is a failure on Goldman's part.

Sounds to me that Goldman is doing the exact opposite of failing.

 

[Mity]

Sounds to me that Goldman is doing the exact opposite of failing.

How is preventing an immediate sale not failing?

 

[Mity]

Have you explored the Apple Upgrade lease option? No upfront payment necessary.

I've not considered it. I would've liked the 3% back from the Apple Card purchase. I will likely go to the Apple Store over the weekend to see if what the Goldman rep told me is accurate. It is contrary to what the Apple rep told me and knowing beforehand would be nice so I don't waste time.

 

[dmr727]

How is preventing an immediate sale not failing?

They're not the one selling the Mac. Goldman set your limit for a reason.

If this is about the 3%, buy a gift card with cash for the difference and spread the transaction across the Apple card and the gift card.

 

[Mity]

They're not the one selling the Mac. Goldman set your limit for a reason.

If this is about the 3%, buy a gift card with cash for the difference and spread the transaction across the Apple card and the gift card.

It's about utilizing the 0% for 1 year. That's a nice deal and I'm sure that was pushed by Apple, not Goldman. I can understand setting a $5K limit for someone with a substandard FICO but not for someone prime. "Your account is too new" is their way of rationing credit so they don't have to finance for 1 year, which is not what I expected. Otherwise, I wouldn't applied for an Apple Card. I would just keep using my Amex.

 

[Tyler.Schmaltz]

For whatever reason my credit limit on my Apple Card is way less than my other credit cards. My 3 other credit cards have a $15k limit each but my Apple Card started at $1500 and when I wanted to buy a Mac laptop November 2024 limit wasn't high enough so I reached out and they increased it by $300 only still wasn't enough. Last 6 years my credit score has hovered around 825. So for whatever reason the Apple Card in my case just has a super low credit limit.

 

[4sallypat]

I've not considered it. I would've liked the 3% back from the Apple Card purchase. I will likely go to the Apple Store over the weekend to see if what the Goldman rep told me is accurate. It is contrary to what the Apple rep told me and knowing beforehand would be nice so I don't waste time.

You have some options:

1. Mix media purchase by ordering over the phone or in store. Ask them to split the purchase over 2 cards - Apple Card + any CC.

2. 0% Balance transfer card - I have USB Shield 24 months and Wells Fargo Reflect 21 months that I haven't used yet....

3. Klarna lease thru Apple Upgrade. I just did that and got approved. $50/month for 3 years. 0% money factor which means you are using Apple's money and they eat the depreciation.
Only issue is that during the lease it's owned by Klarna.
You can buy it out or move onto another Mac after the 2 or 3 year lease.

See my post for more info:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/m5-studio-base-pre-ordered-using-apple-upgrade-lease.2487922/

 

[Mity]

For whatever reason my credit limit on my Apple Card is way less than my other credit cards. My 3 other credit cards have a $15k limit each but my Apple Card started at $1500 and when I wanted to buy a Mac laptop November 2024 limit wasn't high enough so I reached out and they increased it by $300 only still wasn't enough. Last 6 years my credit score has hovered around 825. So for whatever reason the Apple Card in my case just has a super low credit limit.

Same! To have these low limits with prime/super prime scores is absurd, especially with the recent increase in prices. I read the same thing on Reddit posts. People have significantly lower credit limits on the Apple card despite high credit scores. I really do think that this is driven by the 0% for 1 year benefit. Goldman is limiting credit so they don't finance.

 

[MacCheetah3]

I asked to be transferred to Goldman and the GS rep told me that I can complete the transaction by splitting payments only at a physical Apple Store.

Using more than one payment method​

You can also combine payment methods to pay for your purchase. Choose from the following combinations of credit cards and gift cards:

• Credit card(s) - up to two
• Apple Gift Card(s) - up to eight
• Apple Gift Card(s) - up to eight + one credit card
• Apple Gift Card(s) - up to eight + Apple Account Balance
• Apple Gift Card(s) - up to eight + Apple Account Balance + one credit card
• Apple Gift Card(s) - up to eight + Apple Pay
• Apple Gift Card(s) - up to eight + Apple Account Balance + Apple Pay
• Apple Account Balance + one credit card
• Apple Account Balance + Apple Pay

Payment, Financing, Refunds and VAT - Shopping Help

Find out about financing, payment methods, refunds, promotions, rebates, coupons, VAT and invoicing with the payments help section.

www.apple.com

To have these low limits with prime/super prime scores is absurd, especially with the recent increase in prices.

My credit limit has automatically increased a couple of times already. Like any card/account, as long as you're making purchases and paying the statements, there doesn't seem to be a problem upping the limit. Granted, my limit ($5,500+) is still well below a top spec Mac Studio.
🙂

Have you explored the Apple Upgrade lease option? No upfront payment necessary.

I've not considered it. I would've liked the 3% back from the Apple Card purchase.

Customers can also earn 3 percent Daily Cash back when making their lease payments with Apple Card.

Apple Upgrade launches in the United States

Apple Upgrade — a new hardware leasing program — is now available on the Apple Store online, in the Apple Store app, and at Apple Store locations in the United States.

www.apple.com

 

[Mity]

You have some options:

1. Mix media purchase by ordering over the phone or in store. Ask them to split the purchase over 2 cards - Apple Card + any CC.

2. 0% Balance transfer card - I have USB Shield 24 months and Wells Fargo Reflect 21 months that I haven't used yet....

3. Klarna lease thru Apple Upgrade. I just did that and got approved. $50/month for 3 years. 0% money factor which means you are using Apple's money and they eat the depreciation.
Only issue is that during the lease it's owned by Klarna.
You can buy it out or move onto another Mac after the 2 or 3 year lease.

See my post for more info:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/m5-studio-base-pre-ordered-using-apple-upgrade-lease.2487922/

I called in to do option 1 but it can't be done over the phone either - the rep had the same issue I did online. There is no way to split a payment and use the 0% for 1 year. I was again told that this isn't an option in-store either. And it's not just with a second credit card, it's with any other payment method, including my Apple Account balance. If you want to take advantage of the 0% for 1 year, you have to make the entire purchase with the Apple credit card and make sure that the purchase is within the credit limit. I'm just going to use my Amex.

 

[Mity]

My credit limit has automatically increased a couple of times already. Like any card/account, as long as you're making purchases and paying the statements, there doesn't seem to be a problem upping the limit. Granted, my limit ($5,500+) is still well below a top spec Mac Studio.
🙂

Unfortunately, I just got my Apple Card this Tuesday so it won't be possible for me to get a limit increase.

 

[4sallypat]

I called in to do option 1 but it can't be done over the phone either - the rep had the same issue I did online. There is no way to split a payment and use the 0% for 1 year. I was again told that this isn't an option in-store either. And it's not just with a second credit card, it's with any other payment method, including my Apple Account balance. If you want to take advantage of the 0% for 1 year, you have to make the entire purchase with the Apple credit card and make sure that the purchase is within the credit limit. I'm just going to use my Amex.

Have you looked into using the Upgrade lease from Apple ?
You can make payments to the monthly lease with your Apple Card and get 3% back each month.

 

[BigMcGuire]

Unfortunately, I just got my Apple Card this Tuesday so it won't be possible for me to get a limit increase.

If it helps, My Apple Card - while being my primary card - is actually one of my smallest credit limit cards. I’ve got cards with over 2x the limit. <shrug> While I don’t need it, I feel tempted to ask for an increase.

My wife and I combined our card - but my limit stayed the same (hers was increased to mine).

The 0% interest is a HUGE plus. What is your plan now that you can’t do the Apple Card?

 

[sevoneone]

As others have said: Apple Upgrade - 24mo or 36mo - effectively 0% interest. Pay the payments with your Apple card and you get 3% back on every payment. At the end of the term you turn the computer in or opt to buy it for the difference between the total of the payments you made and the original purchase price. The only thing you can't do with the lease is have the flexibility to pay what you want when you want within 12 months of 0% financing. With the lease you're stuck with the monthly payment unless you want to buyout your remaining payments and the residual value in one go. My take is do the lease, drop as much of the full value of the Mac as you can into a decent savings account with a 3.25% to 4% APR and use it to make the payments and the buy out at the end. With the config you're talking about, you'll end up with $200 to $300 extra dollars in the end, maybe more, but I don't want to do the math.

 

[4sallypat]

If it helps, My Apple Card - while being my primary card - is actually one of my smallest credit limit cards. I’ve got cards with over 2x the limit. <shrug> While I don’t need it, I feel tempted to ask for an increase.

My wife and I combined our card - but my limit stayed the same (hers was increased to mine).

The 0% interest is a HUGE plus. What is your plan now that you can’t do the Apple Card?

Apple Card lately has not been very receptive in approving CLI (credit increase).

They have been very stingy for the past year.

My AC is also a lower limit even after 7 years with them.

I have fintech cards with 3x the limit which makes me think that Apple Card is becoming a sock drawer card or for financing Apple purchases only.