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8 Popular Mobile Payment Apps
Pay on the go, without fiddling with cash or checks
By Priya Viswanathan Priya Viswanathan Writer University of Mumbai Former Lifewire writer Priya Viswanathan has more tan 10+ years experience writing about technology. She is an expert on tablets and mobile devices and apps. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on September 2, 2021 Reviewed by Ryan Perian Reviewed by Ryan Perian Western Governors University Ryan Perian is a certified IT specialist who holds numerous IT certifications and has 12+ years' experience working in the IT industry support and management positions. lifewire's editorial guidelines Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Apps Best Apps Payment Services While cash, credit, and debit cards still dominate the payment landscape, the latest trend among retailers is the mobile payment app. A mobile payment app lets you send money from your phone to other people or to a payment terminal to buy something in a store. We gathered eight of the most popular mobile payment apps to help you decide which are best for you.
01 of 08 Apple Pay
Apple Inc. What We Like Compatible with a range of major banks and credit cards. No fees for use. Friendly user interface. What We Don't Like Can be used only with recent iPhone and iPad models. Peer-to-peer transfers only available for iOS devices. Apple's iOS platform integrates with Apple Pay, a service that stores credit cards, debit cards, coupons, and online passes. Add a card to Apple Pay and tap-to-pay at millions of retail locations internationally. Also included with Apple Pay is Apple Pay Cash, which is a way to store money on your phone on a virtual card. You can spend it through Apple Pay in stores or use it in the Messages app to pay or receive money through a text message. The Apple Pay service is secured with a PIN or with Apple's TouchID or FaceID biometric systems. Visit Apple Pay 02 of 08 Google Pay
What We Like Peer-to-peer payments. Compatible with PayPal. Supported on many websites, physical stores, and other apps. Works with Android and iOS devices. What We Don't Like User base is smaller than its competitors. Receipt of sent money varies from seconds to days. The Google Pay app can be used in stores, through apps, and online. It's also tightly integrated with the Android ecosystem, so it's easy to use with apps on your Android. Google Pay is a digital wallet that lets you store your debit cards, credit cards, loyalty cards, coupons, gift cards, and tickets in one place. Use the Google Pay app anywhere you see the icon and order food, pay for gas, check out in stores, and more. Download For: iOS Android 03 of 08 Samsung Pay
Lluis Gene / Getty Images What We Like Works at any location that accepts credit cards. Has the largest user base of similar apps. Scans and saves any card with a barcode. Earn points on all purchases. What We Don't Like Uses older magnetic stripe technology. Busy user interface. Installed automatically on some Samsung phones. Samsung Pay supports the enrollment of credit, debit, gift cards, and membership cards to facilitate in-person, in-app, or online payments. The app also features special promotions. Any payment terminal that accepts credit cards should accept Samsung Pay because the app uses magnetic secure transmission (MST) technology, which mimics the magnetic strip on a credit card. If you connect your PayPal account to Samsung Pay, you can also make purchases via PayPal. Visit Samsung Pay 04 of 08 PayPal
What We Like Familiar mobile payment option trusted by consumers. Accepted by most online shopping sites. Easy to use. What We Don't Like Fees for some transactions. Limited customer support. To pay with PayPal, link your PayPal account with your phone, set up a PIN, and then checkout at a related payment terminal. PayPal is also ideal for sending money to other users worldwide because it's one of the most popular payment services. So chances are, many people you know already use it. There are minimal fees associated with some payments. Still, PayPal can be used free of charge to send or receive money in most cases. Another neat feature about PayPal is that you can create "money pools" to set up a way for people to pitch in to send you money. The Pool page is public for anyone to see and contribute to. Download For: iOS Android 05 of 08 Cash App
What We Like Easy-to-use interface. Proprietary $Cashtags protect user privacy. Allows stock and Bitcoin trading. Easy to send and receive money. What We Don't Like Some transactions have fees. Only available in the U.S. Low spending limits. Cash App is a money-sending app from the company Square. Cash App is user-friendly, reliable, and secure. When money is sent to you through Cash App, it can be stored in your account and transferred to your bank whenever you want, for free. Cash App is also tied to a real debit card that you can get from the company for free. With it, you can spend money directly from your Cash account like any debit card. Similar to PayPal's Money Pool, Cash App uses Cash.me pages that make it easy for people to pay you without needing your personal information. These are real web pages that anyone can visit to pay you; they're linked to your $Cashtag. Download For: iOS Android 06 of 08 Venmo
What We Like Designed for use with people you trust. Easy to set up and use. Solicits comments from friends and family. What We Don't Like Recipients must install the app. Transaction descriptions are open to the public. Venmo is a pay-by-text service, which enables people to pay one another using its SMS-based approach. This system sets a maximum payment limit of $299 per week until your identity is verified; then, the weekly limit rises to $2,999. Single transactions are limited to $2,000, and there's a limit of 30 transactions per day. Payees get a text message about the amount they received, and they must register to retrieve the funds. Download For: iOS Android 07 of 08 Starbucks
What We Like Earns Starbucks points for each $1 spent. Free birthday award. Free in-store refills on coffee and tea. What We Don't Like Useful only at Starbucks locations. Points can't be redeemed on alcoholic beverages. One of the most popular mobile payment apps is not considered a banking app. Although the Starbucks app previously boasted more users than Apple Pay, it's for buying Starbucks treats and collecting rewards for more goodies. You can use the Starbucks app to order from the coffee chain, but you can also connect a debit or credit card to your account and pay at the register. Download For: iOS Android 08 of 08 Zelle
What We Like Free, instant funds transfer. Specializes in person-to-person micropayments. Simple interface: Send, Request, Split. Robust bill-splitting feature. What We Don't Like Sender and recipient banks must partner with Zelle. No international payments. Cannot use in retail stores or online. Unlike other services that offer a dedicated mobile app, Zelle works best when paired directly with banks to support person-to-person micropayments. If your bank participates, you can use your bank's app to transfer money to friends and family using Zelle's infrastructure. What makes Zelle unique is that money can be transferred from one bank to another in (usually) minutes. To set up Zelle if your bank isn't supported yet, enter your debit card number into the app and choose to send or receive money from your bank. Download For: iOS Android Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Add a Credit Card to Cash App How to Pay With Google How to Add a Credit Card to PayPal The 8 Best Money-Sending Apps of 2022 How to Add a Credit Card to Apple Wallet How to Use Fitbit Pay Samsung Pay vs. Google Pay (Formerly Android Pay) How to Use Google Pay on iPhone How to Use Samsung Pay The Tech You Actually Need in a Cashless Society How Does Google Pay Stack Up Against Samsung Pay and Apple Pay? How to Use Cash App on Your Smartphone Venmo vs. PayPal How to Receive Money From Zelle How to Add Money to a Venmo Balance 6 Best Sites to Sell or Trade Used Electronics of 2022 Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies