Google Pay and everything you need to know

Google Pay is Google's payment method, and one of the best payment options today, as well as one of the most popular.

If you want to find out how to set up this payment method on your devices and what benefits it offers, this article is for you. 

Here we will explain step by step how to install it on different devices. And we will also tell you which banks you can set up.

What exactly is Google Pay and what is it for?

Google Pay is Google's mobile payment application, and it’s an exceptional app for making payments from anywhere and through any device.

The app not only has different payment options, but it also has a large repertoire of banks affiliated with its platform. Therefore, it’s very likely that you can use Google Pay as a payment method for all kinds of online transactions and purchases.

A brief history of Google Pay

Google Pay emerged in 2017 as Google's new payment method, the merger of Google Wallet and Android Pay. Since then, it has become one of the favorite alternatives to Apple Pay, Apple's payment method, and one of the best propositions on the market.

However, Google Pay not only encompassed Google's mobile payment system but also had its digital card, among many other services.

Today, what was Google Pay has become Google Wallet. And so, before we continue, we need to clarify:

Differences between Google Pay and Google Wallet

Currently, Google Pay is Google's payments app, but it does not function as a digital wallet. 

Now, Google Pay works as one of the Google Wallet apps, which has become a more advanced suite with a wider range of options to manage your payments and transactions. 

Google Pay is an app completely focused on mobile payments and only makes payments through the NFC chip of your cell phone. With this app, you don't need to use credit or debit cards: you can do everything from your mobile.

On the other hand, Google Wallet is much more complete and also allows you to integrate other types of cards, such as virtual cards, ID cards, and even gift cards, among others. 

Google Wallet also allows you to manage your payments and track your transactions.

Although Google Pay is a service of Google Wallet, both services are centralized in your Google account. In other words, you can migrate and synchronize your accounts and payment methods across multiple devices through your account.

Advantages of Google Pay

These are 4 reasons that make Google's payment method one of the best alternatives in the market:

1. Intuitive and easy-to-use interface

According to user reviews, Google Pay is not only easy to use, but it’s much easier to use than most payment methods available on the market.

In fact, many have called it the best alternative to Apple Pay. And it's perfect for all types of users.

2. Security features

Google Pay has several security protocols that are reliable, effective, and very easy to set up.

For example, you can set up fingerprint access on your device as the only way to log in. You can also set up two-factor authentication to restrict access to your accounts and receive notifications whenever someone tries to log in.

3. Versatility of payments

You can pay for all kinds of online transactions from Google Pay. You can also use it to pay in any store or business through the NFC system. And of course, for your business expenses.

Thanks to its large number of affiliated banks, as well as a large number of Google users, you can use this service to pay for almost anything.

4. Integration with Google services

Being part of Google's offer, you can synchronize Google's payment methods with your email. And thus, export data, synchronize devices, and back up your transactions.

In addition, it is the best option to pay for Google's premium services, as well as its business plans. 

How to set up Google Pay

Now that you know the advantages, we will tell you step by step how to set up your Google payments on your different devices.

The process is quite simple and you can do it all in less than 5 minutes. All you have to do is follow the instructions below:

On mobile

1. Create your Google account.

2. Download the Google Wallet app from either Google Play or the App Store.

3. Click "Install".

4. Once you have installed Google Wallet, if it's your first time using it, you will need to accept the terms and conditions and privacy policy before getting started.

5. To set up a card, you must press the payment method button and follow the steps that the app prompts you to follow.

6. To make payments, remember to activate the NFC settings on your mobile.

7. You are done.

Note: The Google Wallet app does not support work or business email. You have to register with your personal email.

On your computer

You can set up your Google Wallet through your browser by simply accessing the Google Pay website. Let's see the step-by-step:

1. Create your Google account or log in if you already have one.

2. Go to the Google Pay website.

3. Click on add a payment method.

4. Register your details and your credit or debit card details.

5. Voilà.

You can follow this step-by-step to keep adding new payment methods to your Google account.

Note: on the Google Pay website, you can set up web payments and in-app payments, but you cannot set up mobile payments.

Banks and cards compatible with Google Pay

These are some of the most important - but not all - banks and cards compatible with Google Pay.

• Visa.

• MasterCard.

• American Express.

• AMEX.

• Bank of America.

• Citi.

• Wells Fargo.

• TD Bank.

• PNC.

• OpenBank.

• Sodexo.

• BBVA.

• Discover.

• US Bank.

• Capitol One.

• Bank of Scotland.

• HSBC.

• Halifax.

• M&S Bank.

• Lloyds Bank.

If you don't see your bank in this list, you can take a look at the supported banks directly on the Google Pay platform. 

Please note that the range of available banks varies according to each country and the restrictions and legislations within that country.

Other alternatives to Google Pay

Although Google Pay is one of the best options, it’s not the only alternative available. There is a huge choice of payment tools and digital wallets. If you prefer to try other tools, here are our suggestions:

1. Apple Pay

Apple Pay is Google Pay's biggest rival and one of the best payment platforms out there. Also, as part of the tech giant, this app is the standard option for Apple devices.

Like Google Pay, it allows you to make mobile payments. But it also has excellent security standards, such as facial recognition and fingerprint reading, among other protocols.

On the other hand, this platform does not store your card numbers on your devices. Not to mention that it assigns an ID number to each purchase. Therefore, it’s an excellent option to register your purchases and protect your financial data.

Note: Apple Pay is ONLY available for this company's devices, including the iPhone and Apple Watch. It’s not available on other devices.

2. Stripe

Stripe is one of the most dynamic and versatile payment gateways, both for personal and business use. In fact, it’s one of the platforms preferred by providers for online transactions, indispensable for web applications and e-commerce. 

It also has multiple payment methods and supports a good repertoire of digital wallets and third-party integrations.

In addition, thanks to its SDK option, it can store your card data without it reaching other servers. In other words, your financial data does not reach the web, it’s only stored in Stripe's database.

However, this app does not offer the same mobile payment option as Google Pay. 

4. Payoneer

Payoneer is an international payment platform and is considered one of the best in the world. 

Payoneer allows you to link your banks and cards. It gives you a physical card totally free and has low commissions. In addition, it allows you to acquire cards for different types of currencies, including US dollars, euros, and pounds, among others. 

However, Payoneer is only good for your cards. Unlike Google Pay, it does not allow you to store tickets, coupons or cards. And despite being one of the best payment options, it does not have the option of mobile payments.

5. Samsung Pay

Do you have Samsung devices? Then Samsung Pay may be the best alternative.

As part of Samsung, this app is integrated in most of its latest devices. It works as a digital wallet where you can store credit and debit cards, but also virtual cards and even loyalty cards. 

In addition, it also has the option of mobile payments and is compatible with a large number of banks. However, it is no longer available on non-Samsung devices.

6. FitBit Pay

This is perhaps the least known option on our list; however, it’s quite a powerful and versatile alternative for your contactless payments.

FitBit is completely focused on contactless payments, so it can give you instant access to all your credit and debit cards, and even your transit cards.

In addition, you can use it from your smartwatch and fitness tracker. Not to mention that you can set it up from both Android and Apple devices, and it also has a good range of banking options in the United States and the United Kingdom, among other countries. 

These are just some of our recommendations, but we invite you to try the most attractive ones and choose the one that best suits your needs.

Keep in mind that Google Pay is an exceptional option for all types of individual payments. In addition, Google Wallet is one of the few apps that also allows you to store coupons, tickets, gift cards and even ID cards.

However, it’s not the best option if we are talking about business accounts. And if you don't manage your accounts on Google, you might be interested in other more versatile platforms.

Did you want to know more about Google Pay or Google's payment methods? Let us know in the comments if we missed anything or if you have questions about Google's payment platform.