My daughter likes it and uses it a lot. I am not an Apple person, so I have no direct experience. Basically it works like this: - you store a card (payment info) with Apple. All sorts of security, or so they say. - you buy something. The Apple Pay reader listens to the NFC (Near Field Communication) electronic signals from your phone. (NFC is – simplified – a very short distance version of Bluetooth). - The phone’s signal does NOT include your credit card number, but it is an encoded numeric code that identifies you and your CVV number and the dollar amount. - You met a message on your phone “OK to pay $88.54?” If you tap your phone then the transaction completes. This is not an immediate debit like a debit card would be. Rather, Apple handles it like a credit transaction and settles up with the bank a day or two later. Apple takes a percentage of every transaction. (of course).