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Google just made online payments a whole lot easier. In February, the company announced it’s combining all of its different payment methods into one unified brand, called Google Pay. The Android Pay app is now being rebranded to Google Pay, and the Google Wallet app is now called Google Pay Send. Eventually, the Google Pay app will also have peer-to-peer transactions, allowing users to send and receive money.
Here is everything you need to know about Google Pay, including the places and banks that support it.
Support in the U.S.
All four major banks in the U.S. support Google Pay — that’s Chase Bank, Wells Fargo, Citibank, and Bank of America. Many smaller banks and credit unions now support Google Pay as well; if you’re unsure, check out the Google Pay support page to check if your bank is listed.
In addition to using your phone to make purchases, many major U.S. banks like Chase and Bank of America are installing cardless ATMs. For people with accounts at these banks its easy to use your NFC enabled Android phone to make withdrawals. Some banks are even going a step further and completely integrating Google Pay into their own apps.
In short, most banks that already support Apple Pay will back Google’s service since both use similar NFC technology for payments.
Other U.S. institutions, integrations
The latest new feature to come to Google Pay is support for the Las Vegas Monorail. According to Google, the new feature will allow users to buy tickets online through the Monorail site, then save them to Google Pay. Then, to get on the train simply wave the phone near the fare gate. Easy. You’ll also be able to see your recent trips, and get directions to the nearest Monorail station. Google says the feature will be rolling out to more public transportation services soon, but for now it’s limited to the Las Vegas Monorail.
MasterCard, Visa, American Express, and Discover support Google Pay. Sites that support Visa Checkout and Masterpass can handle Google Pay as well, thanks to a strategic partnership. You can use your fingerprint to confirm payments, and Visa Checkout and Masterpass customers can link their accounts to Google Pay as well.
Mobile banking app integration
Google Pay has also integrated with several banking apps around the world to make using the system almost seamless. Now, many customers will be able to add cards to Google Pay from their mobile banking apps at the tap of a button. Currently the number of banks that have in-app integration is limited and includes Bank of America, Discover, Bank of New Zealand, mBank, and USAA.
In-App and mobile web purchases
Although you’ll probably use Google Pay primarily in shops, it’s also useful for in-app purchases. When you’re about to purchase something in an app that supports the service, you’ll see a prompt appear for Google Pay. At the moment, Google has listed more than a dozen apps that support in-app purchases with Google Pay including Lyft, OpenTable, Hotel Tonight, Instacart, and Etsy. Most recently, more companies have signed on with Google Pay, at its launch, such as Airbnb, Postmates, Fandango, and Dice.
If you make purchases via the Chrome Browser app on your phone, you’re in luck. Google is adding support for Google Pay for certain sites, making the checkout process less of a hassle. It currently works with a handful of sites such as Groupon and 1-800-Flowers. The integration with Visa Checkout and Masterpass is sure to boost the number of sites that support Google Pay as well.
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