Samsung Pay vs Google Pay
In the last decade, smartphones have become integral to various aspects of our lives, thanks to their touchscreens and internet connectivity. Near Field Communication (NFC) enables smartphones to function as contactless bank cards, among other innovative features. NFC payments offer security and convenience to users. Moreover, smartphones can host apps that allow us to manage our finances. This transforms our mobile devices into convenient alternatives to traditional bank cards. Instead of carrying multiple credit cards in your wallet, you can access all your funds through a payment service app on your phone, providing a more convenient way of handling your money without compromising anything.
This article will be beneficial for Samsung phone owners and those interested in the mobile app market in general. Samsung Pay and Google Pay are among the most popular payment services for Samsung smartphone owners. This article showcases the main features of these apps, explains how to use them, and provides a comparison to help you choose the service that best fits your needs.
- Why Samsung Pay vs. Google Pay?
- Google Pay
- Samsung Pay
- Google Pay vs. Samsung Pay
- Conclusion
- FAQs
Why Samsung Pay vs. Google Pay?
We compare Samsung Pay and Google Pay because both services are available to Samsung smartphone users. These apps enjoy wide popularity, with tens of millions of people utilizing them. They are well-regarded for their compatibility with most merchant card readers and partnerships with major banks. Consequently, you should be able to link any desired bank card to Samsung Pay or Google Pay and use these services at your preferred locations.
Furthermore, these apps offer similar features, but they are not identical. Samsung Pay provides unique opportunities that Google Pay lacks, and vice versa. It's essential to compare the capabilities of these services to determine which payment service best meets your requirements before installing either of them.
Google Pay
Google Pay is a rebranding of the Android Pay app, and its functionality varies across jurisdictions. The service operates in over 50 countries and is available on iPhones, Android phones, and smartwatches. Users can make contactless payments, send money to others, split bills, and autofill Google Chrome forms. To perform these actions, you need to link your transit passes, loyalty cards, membership cards, bank cards, and gift cards to the app.
You can input the card details manually or take a photograph of the cards using the app's interface. With Google Pay, you can pay for goods and services by scanning QR codes or using standard payment terminals at physical stores.
Google Pay is considered a secure app, employing a multi-layered protection system that includes fraud alerts, data storage on private Google servers, and the use of a virtual account number to keep your actual account number unknown to others. All data flow is encrypted, and access to the wallet can be protected with fingerprint or facial recognition, adding an extra layer of security against potential hackers.
Using various features of Google Pay earns you reward points, which can be obtained through purchases, contactless payments, money transfers, Groupon deals, and promo codes.
However, there are some limitations to consider. For instance, contactless payments using Google Pay are not available on iPhones, as the tap-to-pay feature is exclusive to Apple apps. Moreover, while Google Pay supports NFC, it does not support older MST technology. Consequently, Google Pay cannot be used in stores that support MST but not NFC. Another drawback is that P2P payments via Google Pay may incur additional fees.
Samsung Pay
Samsung Pay is exclusively available for Samsung phones and operates in numerous countries, including the majority of states in the USA. The app supports contactless payments, digital identification, digital keys, and loyalty programs, although the latter is limited to Samsung Galaxy devices. One of the notable advantages of Samsung Pay was its support for MST card readers alongside NFC, which significantly expanded the pool of merchants accepting payments via Samsung Pay.
However, starting with the S21 series Samsung discontinued MST support, removing one of Samsung Pay's main advantages over Google Pay.
In terms of security, Samsung Pay offers features similar to Google Pay, including authentication layers and the ability to lock the wallet using fingerprints or facial recognition. What sets Samsung Pay apart in terms of security is its utilization of an advanced data encryption solution called Knox, which is employed on many Samsung devices.
Like Google Pay, Samsung Pay provides various rewards, including discounts and special offers from a wide array of companies. Samsung Rewards allows you to earn points for purchases made through the service, which can then be spent in the Shop Samsung app and on the Samsung website. Google Pay has yet to introduce a similar rewards program.
The main drawbacks of Samsung Pay are its exclusivity to Samsung phone users and its limited availability in most countries.
Google Pay vs. Samsung Pay
These services share many similarities, with most of Google Pay's features overlapping with those of Samsung Pay. Your preference may come down to the user interface, which is subjective. However, we will focus on critical differences that might sway you towards one app over the other.
Google Pay surpasses Samsung Pay in terms of availability and popularity. It can be used on a wider range of devices (though with limitations on iPhones). However, this factor is less significant for Samsung Galaxy phone owners, as they can choose between both services. Nonetheless, Google Pay offers benefits to Samsung users too, as it is available in many more countries and has greater merchant support. Google Pay's user base is larger and growing faster compared to Samsung Pay.
Functionality-wise, Google Pay is nearly identical to Samsung Pay. The deals and discounts offered by Google Pay are better organized, more precise, and create a more favorable impression compared to Samsung Pay.
One selling point of Samsung Pay is its more convenient and intuitive rewards system. If this aspect is important to you, Samsung Pay might be a better choice. Additionally, owners of older Samsung Galaxy models can still use Samsung Pay at venues that support MST technology but not NFC, whereas Google Pay users do not have this option. However, it's worth noting that starting with the S21 series, Samsung Galaxy phones no longer support MST. Both Google Pay and Samsung Pay are safe to use. If you prioritize advanced security measures, Samsung Pay may be a slightly better choice due to its robust encryption through the Knox solution.
Conclusion
In general, Google has done an excellent job making its app widely available, while Samsung Pay offers a few additional features on top of what Google provides. However, these advantages do not categorically make Samsung Pay superior. The final decision largely depends on your individual preferences.
FAQs
Do Samsung Pay and Google Pay have access to my bank accounts?
No, Samsung Pay and Google Pay do not have direct access to your bank accounts. They only link your accounts to the payment platform.
Are Samsung Pay and Google Pay safe to use?
Yes, both services are considered secure. In fact, using Samsung Pay or Google Pay can be safer than using a physical bank card, especially if you activate the available protection features.