According to YouGov data, over half of UK shoppers now use a contactless debit card to make purchases, while one in twelve (8%) will use their smartphone. What’s more, by June 2018, nearly 470 million monthly contactless transactions were made2.
There’s no question that contactless is a popular day-to-day payment method, and thanks to our smartphones and the wide range of available apps, paying for low cost purchases has never been easier.
Below, online smartphone retailer, Mobiles.co.uk runs through five of the most trusted mobile payment apps.
Google Pay
Android, free of charge
Google Pay is a digital wallet and online payment platform. The app allows users to pay online, in stores and more. You can also book trips, eat out, and see shows – all without needing cash at hand. Users can simply add their card information and by doing so this will help them keep track of their payment methods, billing, shipping and transactions.
Apple Pay
iOS, free of charge
Apple Pay is a mobile and digital wallet service created by Apple which allows users to make payments in person via the app, and on the internet replacing the use of credit and debit cards. Users just need to open up ‘wallet’ on their device and add the relevant card details. Once they have been verified by their bank, they will be able to simply hold their phone within a few centimetres of a card reader when purchasing an item and the payment should easily go through.
Venmo
Android & iOS, free of charge
Venmo is an app which can be downloaded on both Android and iOS handsets. Users can link their debit or credit card details and use the app to make purchases and send or receive money from other Venmo users. You can also send money via a phone number or email.
What’s more, users can employ Facebook to sign up to the app, allowing them to access their Facebook or phone contacts should they wish to send or receive money that way, too.
PayPal
Android & iOS, free of charge
Still a firm favourite – gone are the days where we use PayPal for Ebay payments only.
Today, the PayPal app can be downloaded on both Android and iOS handsets, allowing users to link their debit or credit card and automatically make purchases online without needing to enter their financial details. As well as this, users can also send, receive and collect money from other participants, all in one place.
Samsung Pay
Selected Samsung Galaxy handsets, free of charge
Consumers can use Samsung Pay anywhere where contactless payments are accepted using compatible phones and other Samsung devices. Once users have the app on their device they need to simply create a Samsung account, set up security with a fingerprint or iris scan and PIN and then follow the instructions to add the relevant debit or credit cards. Similar to Apple Pay, users need to simply place the back of their phone on the card reader when purchasing an item and the payment will go through.
Speaking about the future of mobile payments, Adrian Cannon, Managing Director of Cards and Payments Consultancy, Witstock Ltd, says: “The mobile phone is about to take its rightful place at the heart of payment services. As a focal point for integrating all the payment services and sources of wealth that an individual has, at the point of sale, in real time it will come to act as the “bank manager in your pocket”.
