Google Wallet lets youadd your card to your phoneto make contactless payments at participating retailers. It’s convenient and secure, but not every retailer in the US offers Google Wallet as a valid payment method. We list the major retailers that accept Google Wallet for payments. We also show you how to check if a store accepts contactless payments. Google Wallet is available for all Android phones that run Android 9 or later, including all thetop budget phones.
What is Google Wallet?
The Google Wallet app launched in 2011, while Samsung Pay and Apple Pay debuted in 2015. In 2018, Google merged Wallet with Android Pay into a new app called Google Pay, then renamed Google Pay to Google Wallet in 2022. However, using Google Wallet to pay in stores is still called Google Pay. Stores accepting it may show the Google Pay acceptance mark.
The Google Pay logo you’ll see in participating stores
Google Wallet works similarly to Apple Pay and Samsung Pay. Tap your phone on an NFC terminal to make a transaction. Behind the scenes, Google Wallet creates a device-specific virtual card known as a device token. Your real card number is not stored on your device or shared with merchants. This is also how Apple Pay works, keeping your information private between you and your bank.
Samsung Pay works similarly to Google Walletand has a leg up on Apple and Google. Samsung phones released before 2021 can use NFC andMagnetic Secure Transmission(MST). NFC allows you to tap your phone or card to make a payment. MST is the slightly older method of swiping the magnetic strip on your bank card along a receiver in the terminal. Samsung Pay allows your phone to spoof this and trick the terminal into thinking a card was swiped, making Samsung Pay available almost everywhere.
Newer Samsung hardware doesn’t support this feature. Instead, you’ll use NFT, like with Google and Apple’s payment platforms.
How and if you can add your state identification to Google Wallet
A digital ID is convenient to have if you’re able to use one
Major US retailers that accept Google Wallet
Any place that accepts Apple Pay also accepts Google Wallet. The Apple Pay sticker displayed on shop doors is a generic term for mobile payments, much like calling all tissues Kleenex (a registered trademark of Kimberly-Clark). This is because both systems rely on NFC. If you can tap your card, you can use a mobile payment app.
An easy way to check if a retailer accepts Google Wallet is through Google Maps. Find the business and scroll down to the bottom of theAboutsection. If you seeNFC mobile paymentsunder thePaymentsheading, you may use Google Wallet there. However, small retailers or pop-up shops may accept it even if Google Maps doesn’t show it.
Not all retailers in the US accept mobile payments, especially small retailers. Transaction fees on a bank-supplied NFC terminal can take a slice of a small business' revenue. Here are the major retailers that accept Google Wallet.
Sporting goods
Books and games
Grocery stores
Most major grocery chains accept Google Wallet and other tap-to-pay systems like Apple Pay. Here are the grocery stores we found that accept Google Wallet.
Restaurants
While most US restaurants and fast food chains accept Google Wallet, a few franchises may not. Ask a staff member if you’re unsure. The following accept Google Wallet:
Gas stations
Gas stations are one of those categories of retailers that may not accept mobile payments. Switching pumps to include NFC payments is expensive, so most gas stations require you to visit the cashier to use Google Wallet. The following companies accept Google Wallet at many of their pumps (not all):
Movie theaters
The big cinema chains accept Google Wallet.
Home improvement stores
Most home improvement chains in the United States do not accept Google Pay. A few accept it, including the following:
These are the major US retailers that do not accept Google Wallet
Most major retailers accept Google Wallet. The ones that don’t are usually hardware stores or smaller businesses. The following major retailers do not accept any form of mobile payment, including Google Wallet:
Kroger and Walmart offer payment apps similar to Apple Pay. DownloadKroger Payor theWalmartapp from the App Store to use your phone to make payments at these stores.
Fast and easy mobile payments
Google Wallet NFC payments are a fast and secure way to make transactions in person. However, Samsung Pay is available for Samsung phones, so if you have a Galaxy device, consider the pros and cons of usingSamsung Wallet instead of Google Wallet.
