Is Google Pay and Apple Pay the same?

02 Feb 2023

Apple Pay and Google Pay are both widely accepted mobile payment systems. Both Google Pay and Apple Pay essentially offer the same services. Google has more features, even though Apple may be simpler to use.

Apple has explicitly stated that it will never track your transactions, in contrast to Google, which acts as an intermediary and keeps your card information on its servers.

Mobile payment systems include Apple Pay and Google Pay.

In 2014, Apple Pay was unveiled. 2018 saw the launch of Google Pay, which took the place of Google Wallet, which debuted in 2011.

Despite having slightly different implementations, both systems make use of near-field communication (NFC) technology to enable contactless payments. The iPhone models with Face ID and Touch ID (aside from the 5s), the iPad models with Touch ID or Face ID, the Apple Watch Series 1 and later, and the Mac models with Touch ID all support Apple Pay thanks to Apple's complete control over its hardware.

Google, on the other hand, chooses to use a PIN-based authentication method that is more conventional. This makes it compatible with older hardware.

Both Google Pay and Apple Pay allow users to make online purchases directly from an app or website. The checkout process is automatically handled with pre-filled defaults, and the PIN or Touch ID is only needed to confirm the transaction.

From a business perspective, the security offered by mobile payment systems is the biggest innovation, and here Apple and Google both use some pretty cool tricks.

Market share comparisons between Apple Pay and Google Pay amply demonstrate that Apple Pay was the first to enter the market. In the U.S., mobile wallet transactions in 2020 were made up by an astounding 92% of Apple Pay, compared to just 3% for Google Pay.

More than 227 million people use Apple Pay, while about 100 million people use Google Pay.