Google Pay vs. Apple Pay - a comparison

Google Pay vs. Apple Pay: You can use your smartphone to pay with both providers. In our comparison, we show you differences, similarities and explain the advantages and disadvantages of the two future-oriented payment methods.

Google Pay vs. Apple Pay: This provider has the edge

The duel of the giants: Apple vs. Google, iOS vs. Android, Google Pay vs. Apple Pay. But who is it easier to pay with?

• Availability: Apple Pay is already available in numerous countries worldwide, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Italy, France and Japan. The service cannot yet be used in Germany. In contrast, Google Pay is already available in this country. Many other countries also support Google's payment service.
• Credit card: Both services require a cooperating bank's credit card. In Germany, Google Pay initially includes Commerzbank, comdirect, N26 and Wirecard.
• Abroad: You can also use Google Pay in many other countries. This does not apply to Apple Pay yet. Although you can activate Apple Pay in this country, German credit cards unfortunately do not have the necessary compatibility for use abroad. The only remedy here is a foreign credit card, which is definitely recommended for a longer stay.
• iOS: If you have the right credit card, you also need an appropriate smartphone. Apple Pay is relatively restrictive, it only works on iPhones with iOS 8.1 and later and the Apple Watch.
• Android: The Google Pay service, on the other hand, only requires Android 5.0 Lollipop and an NFC chip. This means that considerably more Android phones and tablets can use Google Pay.
• Data connection: The communication between mobile phone and payment terminal is NFC with both services.
• Costs: Both providers do not charge you for paying by smartphone. Only the normal fees for using the credit card apply.

Where can you use Apple Pay and Google Pay?

While Google Pay has been available in Germany since June 26, 2018, Apple users still have to be patient. The following applies to Google Pay: Right from the start, the number of cooperating businesses is quite large.

• Apple Pay is supported by over a million stores in the United States. These include the large fast food chains such as McDonalds and Subway, but retail chains such as Lidl and Zara also offer Apple Pay. It is also interesting to be able to pay with Apple Pay for all of London's public transport.
• Similar to Apple Pay, Google Pay supports a large number of stores. In Germany, at the start these are for example Media Markt, Saturn, McDonalds, Aldi, Lidl and Kaufland.
• Apple Pay and Google Pay also work in various apps and with online retailers. This makes shopping on the Internet even easier.
• When it comes to security, both opponents cannot be ripped off. No sensitive data is exchanged with the respective servers. Rather, both Google Pay and Apple Pay create a virtual card that you use to pay. The actual billing is then provided by Google or Apple.
• But how do you authenticate yourself? Apple offers a very simple way here, you can pay quickly and easily with your fingerprint using Touch ID. Google Pay also offers this function, but only from Android 6 and of course only with devices that have a fingerprint scanner.

Conclusion: Google Pay vs. Apple Pay

The same technology, the same shops, a similar type of authentication: In principle, both systems are quite similar and do not have any killer features.

• The future of payment has finally arrived on the smartphone. At least in Germany, Google Pay is currently clearly ahead.
• Unfortunately, when Apple Pay will also start in Germany is currently still unclear.

Tip: Read how to pay at Aldi with your smartphone here.