Apple Account balance can be used to buy apps, games, music, movies, TV shows, books, subscriptions, iCloud+ storage, and in-app purchases across Apple’s ecosystem. If you’ve redeemed an Apple Gift Card or have leftover credit from a refund, that money sits in your Apple Account balance and gets applied automatically when you make eligible purchases. But not everything Apple sells can be paid for this way, and a few restrictions catch people off guard.
Digital Content and Apps
The most straightforward use for your balance is buying digital content through any Apple storefront. This includes apps and games from the App Store, songs and albums from Apple Music’s store, movies and TV shows from the Apple TV app, and books or audiobooks from Apple Books. In-app purchases, like extra lives in a game or a premium feature unlock, also draw from your balance first.
When you make a purchase, Apple automatically applies your account balance before charging whatever payment method you have on file. If your balance covers the full price, your credit card or debit card won’t be touched. If the balance is short, the remaining amount goes to your next payment method.
Subscriptions and Recurring Charges
Your balance works for most subscriptions billed through Apple. That includes Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, Apple News+, Apple One bundles, and iCloud+ storage plans. Third-party subscriptions that bill through the App Store, like a streaming service or a fitness app, also pull from your balance.
There’s an important catch with recurring charges, though. Some subscriptions might not draw from your Apple Account balance, and you can’t start certain recurring plans like AppleCare+ using only your balance. If you’re counting on your balance to cover a specific subscription, check after the first billing cycle to confirm it was actually charged there. Keep a backup payment method on the account so your subscriptions don’t lapse if the balance runs out.
How It Works With Family Sharing
If you belong to a Family Sharing group, your own Apple Account balance is used first whenever you make a purchase. If your balance doesn’t fully cover the cost and Purchase Sharing is turned on, the remaining amount gets charged to the family organizer’s payment method. You can also add your own payment method to cover the difference instead.
Each family member’s balance is individual. A parent can’t transfer their balance to a child’s account, and one member’s balance won’t automatically pay for another member’s purchase. The balance only applies to the account that holds it.
What You Can’t Buy
Apple places a few firm restrictions on account balance spending. You cannot use your balance to buy or send gift cards, whether Apple Gift Cards or App Store cards. You also can’t use it to send gifts to other people through the store.
Hardware purchases from Apple’s online store or retail locations generally require a separate payment method. If you’re hoping to put your balance toward an iPhone, Mac, iPad, or accessories, you’ll typically need a credit card, debit card, or Apple Pay alongside it. The Apple Account balance is designed primarily for digital goods and services billed through your Apple ID, not physical products.
Checking and Adding to Your Balance
To see your current balance, open the App Store on your iPhone or iPad, tap your profile icon in the top right corner, and your balance appears at the top of the screen. On a Mac, open the App Store and click your name in the bottom left corner. If no balance is shown, you have $0.00 on the account.
You add money by redeeming an Apple Gift Card. Open the camera app, point it at the code on the back of the card, and follow the prompt. You can also enter the code manually in the App Store under your account settings. Once redeemed, the funds are available immediately and don’t expire.
There’s no way to cash out your Apple Account balance or transfer it to a bank account. Once money is in your balance, it stays there until you spend it on eligible purchases. If you received a balance from a refund, the same rules apply: it can only be used within Apple’s ecosystem.
Getting the Most From Your Balance
If you have a balance you want to use up, subscriptions are one of the most practical options. Setting your iCloud+ storage plan or an Apple One bundle to draw from the balance lets it deplete gradually each month without you thinking about it. Pre-ordering apps, renting movies, or stocking up on audiobooks are other easy ways to put the funds to work. Just remember that the balance is always applied first, so any eligible purchase you make will automatically chip away at it.