Does Walmart Accept Google Pay in 2024?

Mobile payments have exploded in popularity in recent years. According to Business Insider, the global mobile payments market is expected to reach $12.06 trillion by 2024. With over 150 million users globally, Google Pay has emerged as one of the top digital wallets. However, one question remains – can Google Pay be used at major retailers like Walmart?

Unfortunately, Walmart does not accept Google Pay in-store or online as of 2023. Instead, Walmart launched their own proprietary mobile wallet, Walmart Pay, back in 2016. By not accepting third-party digital wallets like Google Pay, Walmart maintains control over customer data and shopping habits to deliver tailored promotions.

The Rise of Contactless Payments

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of contactless payments across the US. According to Mastercard, over 80% of US consumers now utilize some form of contactless payment. For retailers, enabling touch-free checkout has become a necessity to provide a safe and convenient shopping experience.

Google Pay has been one of the biggest beneficiaries of this contactless payment boom. Back in 2019, Google Pay only had 40 million monthly active users globally according to TechCrunch. After the pandemic, Google Pay now exceeds 150 million monthly active users as of 2021.

For consumers, Google Pay offers a seamless checkout experience. Once cards are added to the app, users can simply tap their phone on any contactless terminal to pay in seconds. Customers can also store loyalty cards, receive cash back rewards, and track spending trends in the Google Pay app.

Why Walmart Doesn‘t Accept Google Pay

With over 150 million monthly users worldwide, Google Pay is accepted at most major retailers except for Walmart. But why hasn‘t Walmart adopted Google Pay when it could clearly provide a better customer experience?

There are a few reasons why Walmart may be avoiding third-party digital wallets:

• Data Control – By controlling the payment process via Walmart Pay, Walmart captures valuable shopper data and behavior insights they would lose out on if customers paid via Google Pay.

• Promotions Platform – Walmart rewards consumers with savings by using Walmart Pay. Targeted promotions keep shoppers coming back and spending more at Walmart.

• Differentiation – Walmart Pay is available to all smartphones unlike Google Pay which requires NFC-compatible devices. The broader device support allows more customers to use Walmart Pay.

While these benefits make sense from Walmart‘s business perspective, some consumers are disappointed they can‘t pay via their preferred mobile wallet. Walmart may slowly lose customers to retailers that accept universal platforms like Google Pay.

How Walmart Pay Compares to Google Pay

While Google Pay relies on NFC contactless technology, Walmart Pay uses barcode scanning for mobile payments. This allows Walmart Pay to work on nearly any smartphone model. Here‘s a quick comparison of some key features:

When it comes to user experience, Google Pay is widely regarded as more seamless for customers. However, the QR code method allows Walmart Pay to support older smartphones with ease.

Payment Methods Accepted at Walmart

Although Walmart does not take Google Pay in-store or online, they accept almost every other payment method. Here are all the ways you can pay at Walmart:

• Credit Cards – Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover
• Debit Cards – All banks
• Walmart Gift Cards – Physical and eGift cards
• PayPal – Online and in select stores
• Affirm – Installment financing
• Cash – Accepted for in-store purchases
• Walmart Pay – Walmart‘s mobile payment app
• Chase Pay – Chase bank mobile wallet
• Amex Express Checkout – American Express online checkout

My Take: Go With Walmart Pay for the Best Experience

Based on my own experience shopping at Walmart, I personally recommend using Walmart Pay on Android devices. While Google Pay is certainly faster at checkout, Walmart Pay unlocks exclusive rewards, discounts, and seamless integration with Walmart‘s ecosystem.

By staying within Walmart‘s apps, you get access to digital receipts, discounts applied automatically, and personalized offers delivered right to your device. For savvy Walmart shoppers, those perks outweigh the slightly slower checkout speed in my opinion.

But for casual Walmart shoppers, Google Pay does provide a smoother payment experience on NFC-enabled Android phones. Ultimately, it comes down to your priorities as a consumer – convenience or rewards.

The Final Verdict

Google Pay is not enabled as a payment option at any Walmart locations currently. The retailer has opted for their own closed-loop system called Walmart Pay on iOS and Android.

While Google Pay would allow faster tap-and-go payments, Walmart can customize the shopping experience more tightly through their own app. By installing Walmart Pay, Android users can still enjoy contactless payments with QR code scanning at checkout.

For the optimal shopping experience, I recommend Walmart customers utilize Walmart Pay for the savings opportunities and loyalty integration. But hopefully Walmart considers adopting universal mobile wallets like Google Pay in the future to satisfy customer payment preferences.