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Millions of Americans prefer Apple Pay as their payment method of choice. Apple Pay is a much more secure option than carrying a phyisical credit card around.
But what about when you’re shopping at Walmart? Does Walmart accept Apple Pay at their stores?
Here’s what we found out.
Does Walmart accept Apple Pay?
No, Walmart does not accept Apple Pay, and at this time they do not have plans to use it in the future.
Instead of Apple Pay, Walmart uses Walmart Pay which is almost the exact same thing.
The downside is that to use it, it’s another app you’ll have to download and set up.
The good part is that if you love the convenience of how Apple Pay works, Walmart Pay is just as convenient, making it a good option for those who love to leave their wallets at home and make payments with their smartphones.
How to use Walmart Pay
Walmart Pay lives in the main Walmart app, which you can download here for Apple and here for Google Play.
Simply download the app if you don’t already have it installed, create an account, and then set up your credit or debit card onto the app.
Then, in store, you can tell the cashier that you would like to pay with Walmart Pay.
If you’re using self-checkout, you can find the “use Walmart Pay” option on the screen. It’ll show up as a QR code that you can use your phone to scan.
Then open up the app and scan the code.
Walmart Pay isn’t as nice as Apple Pay. It’s not as seamless and smooth of an experience. However, since Walmart does not accept Apple Pay, I guess we should be happy there’s at least a similar alternative.
The cool thing about Walmart Pay living inside the main Walmart app is that you can have everything Walmart-related within one single app. All your receipts and payments will live in the app, and you can even use your digital receipt as proof of purchase when you leave the store.
Isn’t that cool?
Will Walmart accept Apple Pay in the future?
The short answer is likely not. There are several advantages for Walmart to not use Apple Pay. First, it’s beneficial for them to have all their customer payments within their own platform and app.
Walmart basically built another financial asset that they own by not offering Apple Pay to their customers. Introducing Apple Pay to their stores will essentially be killing Walmart Pay. Because Apple Pay is much smoother of an experience, and because even non-Walmart shoppers have Apple Pay readily available, it’s probably going to overshadow usage of Walmart Pay.
Even for me, if I had the option to pay with Apple Pay or Walmart Pay, I would choose Apple Pay every time.
What other payment methods does Walmart take?
Walmart accepts the following payment methods:
- Cash
- Check
- Debit cards
- Credit cards
- Walmart gift cards
- e-gift cards
- PayPal
- Affirm
- Chase Pay
- Amex Express Checkout
- EBT cards
Each of these payment methods has its own pros and cons. It also depends on your budget, preferences, and needs when buying something at Walmart. For instance, cash is pretty easy to use; however, not many people carry cash these days. So, this payment method may not be convenient in your case.
In addition, certain credit cards offer rewards, cash back, and discounts. However, credit cards also incur interest, fees, and penalties if you don’t pay every month and on time.
You can also pay for your purchase with a check, if you use this old-fashioned form of payment.
So, choose the payment method that’s best for you and your circumstances when making a purchase at Walmart.
To choose the best payment method, consider these factors before making a payment for your items at Walmart:
- The total amount of your purchase
- Does Walmart accept your payment method?
- Does your preferred payment method incur fees, interest, or charges?
- Will you earn rewards, discounts, or cash back with your payment method?
- How easy is it to use the payment method?
Does Walmart accept pay-later services?
Yes, you can use Affirm at Walmart in the store or online. Affirm is a buy now, pay later service that offers flexible terms that fit your budget. Affirm can be used at Walmart and other retailers.
If you use this service, you never have to worry about late fees, hidden charges, or paying interest-on-interest. It’s an easy way to pay for items you need or want.
Wrapping up
Does Walmart accept Apple Pay? No, they do not and they don’t have plans to accept it in the future. Walmart uses their own alternative version of Apple Pay, and they’ve cleverly named it Walmart Pay.
Walmart Pay is pretty much the same thing as Apple Pay, but maybe 10-20% clunkier. Apple is known for their smooth user experience for anything they build – something Walmart is not particularly known for.
Either way, Walmart Pay works just fine and is a nice alternative for people who prefer the convenience of paying with a smartphone.
