Google is known for naming its products inexplicably, and Google Wallet and Google Pay may be the best examples of this. These two apps have traveled down a winding road to reach their current position. Which one ought to use then?

Over the years, Google Wallet and Google Pay have seen some pretty significant changes. Their goals have drastically shifted, confusing a lot of individuals in the process. Let's examine each one to see what it has to offer.

{tocify} $title={Table of Contents}

What's the difference between Google Pay and Google Wallet?

A Difficult History

You might be shocked to find that the first Google Wallet was released back in 2011. The service's main purpose was money transfers, but it also offered an actual Google Wallet credit card.

With the Google Wallet card, customers could use the money in their account to make purchases both offline and online. Before tap-to-pay mobile payments were generally accepted, this happened. It was a pretty creative idea to use the wallet card.

When tap-to-pay finally attracted enough attention, Google introduced Android Pay in 2015. The company kept Google Wallet and Android Pay distinct up until 2018 when they were merged into "Google Pay," a single service. In 2016, the Wallet card was dropped.

Then, in 2020, Google Pay had a significant upgrade that added several new features. For a while, all of Google's mobile payment options were grouped together under one roof. The service was divided in two in the summer of 2022, and Google Wallet branding made a comeback.

At the beginning of September 2022, such is the situation. Google Wallet and Google Pay are occasionally two distinct products. Later, more on that.

What Is Google Wallet?

The most concise way to describe Google Wallet is to call it a digital wallet. You may add credit cards, debit cards, gift cards, membership cards, pass for public transit, tickets to sporting events, and vaccination cards.

Basically, Google Wallet is used to tap-to-pay for purchases both online and in-person. It has a fairly straightforward layout that displays all of your cards, tickets, and passes. Since non-Apple applications cannot be used for tap-to-pay on the iPhone, Google Wallet is only accessible to Android users.

Any card reader with an Apple Wallet, Google Pay, or contactless tap-to-pay symbol may normally be used with Google Wallet. Look for the Google Pay or Google Wallet buttons at the checkout for online purchases. The Wallet branding won't completely take the place of Google Pay right now.

What Is Google Pay?

In 2020, Google Pay had a significant revamp, and the current version is essentially the same. Google Pay still offers the tap-to-pay feature, but it has other features as well.

Peer-to-peer payments, retail discounts, cashback incentives, and a full-fledged banking experience with personal finance insights are all included in the Google Pay app. Pay may be compared to a mashup of Venmo, PayPal, RetailMeNot, and Mint-like services.

Google Pay is accessible on both Android and iPhone, in contrast to Google Wallet. On the iPhone, the other functionalities function but not the tap-to-pay option. It's a feature-rich program that strives to do a lot. In fact, some individuals might find it to be too much, which is why Google Wallet exists.

Google Wallet Or Google Pay: Which App Should You Use?

You might not even need to select an app, depending on where you reside. In the US and Singapore, Google Pay and Google Wallet may both be used simultaneously. India doesn't have Google Wallet at all, but it has completely supplanted Google Pay in every other nation (as of September 2022).

While Google Wallet is limited in what it can accomplish, Google Pay is not limited in what it can do. If your nation offers both, you have the option of using either the complete Pay experience or only mobile payments (Wallet). Having both is not necessary.

If you want tools for managing your finances, discounts, incentives, or peer-to-peer payments, use Google Pay. If mobile payments are the only thing you're interested in, Google Wallet offers a significantly more simplified experience. For iPhone users, there is just Google Pay as an alternative, making the decision clearer.

In conclusion, Google Wallet, Google Pay, and other services are for mobile payments. Although it's not as difficult as you may imagine, Google isn't exactly helping its cause.