I still remember the first time I walked into Target with just my iPhone—no wallet, no cards—and wondered, “Will this actually work?” With contactless payments becoming the norm, it’s a pretty common question, especially at big retailers like Target.
After testing this multiple times (self-checkout, app, even curbside), here’s the straight answer: Yes, Target Accepts Apple Pay in 2026. In this quick guide, I’ll break down how Apple Pay works at Target and what you can expect when you try it yourself.
Does Target accept Apple Pay?
Target fully accepts Apple Pay across almost all shopping channels:
- In-store (checkout + self-checkout)
- Online (Target.com)
- Target mobile app
- Drive Up and Pickup orders
How to use Apple Pay at Target
Using Apple Pay for your Target purchases is very seamless. First off, you need to set up Apple Pay on your iPhone.
If you haven’t done it before, open the Wallet app → Tap the Add button at the upper right corner → Select Debit or Credit Card → Click Continue. After that, follow the on-screen prompt on the Wallet app to complete the setup.
Now, let’s dive into the steps on how to use it:
How to use Apple Pay on the app
- Open the Target app on your iPhone and add the item you want to purchase to your cart.
- Click the Cart option at the bottom of the app and confirm the items you have there.
- Next, select Check out.
- On the Checkout page, click Add next to Payment.
- Select Pay with Apple Pay and tap Save.
- Click Pay with Apple Pay at the button on the Checkout page.
- Complete payment by authenticating your purchase with Face ID, Touch ID, or your device passcode.
Therefore, you don’t need to enter your card details every time you make an online payment at Target. Also, the retail chain allows combining Apple Pay with Target Circle offers.
How to use Apple Pay in-store
- Open the Wallet app on your iPhone or Apple Watch, and then select the card you want to use for the payment.
- Next, move your iPhone to Target’s terminal or NFC card reader.
- You will get a prompt to authenticate your payment with your Touch ID, Face ID, or passcode.
- Now, keep your iPhone or Apple Watch near the terminal, and your payment should read Done.
During my visits, self-checkout was actually faster with Apple Pay than using a physical card.
How to use Apple Pay online
- Head to the Target web page on the browser in the device you’ve set up your Apple Pay.
- Find the item you want to buy on Target and click it
- Next, select your options and click Add to cart.
- Click View cart & checkout.
- On your cart page, confirm the items you want to purchase and select Continue to checkout.
- At checkout, select Apple Pay as your payment method.
- Finally, authenticate your purchase with Face ID, Touch ID, or your device passcode.
And don’t worry; all your transactions are secure. Apple Pay uses tokenization and biometric authentication to protect your card details.
What type of payment does Target accept?
Below are the payment types Target accepts:
Target site and app:
- All forms of Target RedCard
- Third-party credit cards, including American Express, Discover/Novus, Visa, Mastercard, and more.
- Third-party debit cards but they must be connected with Visa or MasterCard and processed as credit cards.
- Target GiftCards
- Third-party installment plans such as Affirm and Afterpay
- Third-party gift cards from American Express, Discover, Visa and Mastercard
- PayPal, although it’s not accepted for items sold by Target Plus Partners
- Apple Pay
- EBT card payments
Target store:
- Cash of currency based on the store location
- All forms of Target RedCard
- Target app
- Target Temporary Slips
- Third-party credit cards such as Visa, Mastercard, Discover/Novus, American Express, credit cards from foreign banks and more.
- Debit/ATM and EBT cards
- Contactless pay using Target Mastercard or any other approved third-party credit card designed for contactless payment
- Gift Cards, including Target GiftCards, Merchandise Return Cards, and Prepaid Gift Cards with a Visa, Mastercard, Discover, or American Express logo
- Multiple payment methods sales
- Personal checks
- Rebate checks
- WIC Program (in authorized stores only)
- Mobile Payments such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, or any contactless digital wallet
- Alipay is authorized in stores only
- Campus Cash in authorized stores only
Related: Which stores accept Apple Pay?
Check Out Swiftly at Target with Apple Pay
If you’re planning to shop at Target with just your iPhone or Apple Watch, you’re good to go. It works across all store locations, in the app, and online. After using it regularly, I honestly prefer Apple Pay over cards at Target. It’s just quicker, secure, reliable, and cleaner.
Have you tried using Apple Pay for Target checkout? Let me know your experience below in the comments!
FAQs
Yes, you can use Apple Pay at Target’s self-checkout, just like at the regular store checkout. You simply have to choose the option for contactless payment and follow the steps to pay in-store, as I’ve discussed earlier.
No, Target doesn’t offer cash back with Apple Pay. If you’re expecting cash back after your Target purchases, you won’t be able to get it using Apple Pay.
No, you cannot add Target RedCard to digital wallets like Apple Pay.
Unfortunately, Walmart does not accept Apple Pay.
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