• Beauty
  • Fashion
  • Life
  • Women
  • Beauty Awards
  • Video
  • Beauty
    • Beauty
    • Makeup
    • Skin
    • Hair
    • Body & Fragrances
    • Aesthetics & Services
    • Best Of Beauty
    • Reviews
  • Fashion
    • Fashion
    • Shopping
    • Trends & Tips
    • Style Files
    • Watches & Jewellery
  • Life
    • Life
    • Food
    • Entertainment
    • Wellness
    • Travel
    • Tech
    • Sex & Love
  • Women
    • Women
    • Women Now
    • Career
    • Money
  • CELEBRATING WOMEN
  • Woman of the year
  • Video
  • Events & Promos
  • Weddings
    • Weddings
    • Gowns & Suits
    • Ideas & Advice
    • Real Weddings
    • Love Nest
    • Luxe
  • Covid-19 Survival Guide
  • Power Your Happy
  • Mental Health
  • Beauty Club
  • Showcase
    • SingHealth 2020: Defining Tomorrow’s Medicine
    • Dior Capture Totale
  • Beauty Awards
Subscribe!
  • Also available at:
Privacy Menu
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Advertising with Us
  • Conditions of Access
  • PDPA
  • Privacy Statement
SPH Magazine

Copyright © 2021 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. Co. Regn. No. 198402868E. All rights reserved

  • Beauty
  • Fashion
  • Life
  • Women
  • Beauty Awards
  • Video

Money

The differences between Google Pay, Apple Pay and Alipay in Singapore

M / Money

The differences between Google Pay, Apple Pay and Alipay in Singapore

And what are their pros and cons?

by Joanne Poh  /   November 6, 2020
Google Pay vs Apple Pay vs Alipay – What’s the Difference for a Singaporean?

Credit: 123rf

The Covid-19 pandemic has encouraged us to minimise physical contact with others, and one of the ways to do so is to adopt cashless payment methods.

Visa and Mastercard’s contactless payment methods, payWave and paypass respectively, have long been adapted by Singaporeans. Nowadays, from PayLah or PayNow are also more widely adopted by merchants. But apart from those options, you can also use Google Pay, Alipay and Apple Pay. Here are the differences between the three, and why you should be using them.

READ NEXT

REVIEW: Using Apple Pay, Android Pay, Samsung Pay and Singtel Dash on your smartphone to pay for your shopping

6 things to know if you want to use Apple Pay

3 things Singapore needs to do to go fully cashless!

https://www.herworld.com/gallery/women/money/differences-google-apple-pay-alipay-singapore/
The differences between Google Pay, Apple Pay and Alipay in Singapore
Google Pay
image

Google Pay, which replaces the previous Android Pay and Google Wallet, just got some new features — and Singapore is the second country in the world, after India, to get this new version.

So far, the app’s main use is to make contactless payment at merchants that accept Google Pay. All you need to do is link your credit or debit card to the app, tap and pay.

Now, you can use Google Pay to send money to anyone in Singapore as long as their phone number is registered with PayNow, even if they’re Apple iPhone users.

OCBC customers were the first to be able to send money to those registered with PayNow via Google Pay. Now, the same is allowed for DBS PayLah! and Standard Chartered bank account holders.

In practical terms, it makes it easier to pay and receive money from friends. There’s also a new Groups function where you can split bills within the app — so no excuses for the delay in returning money!

Another new feature is that you can now check movie timings and buy tickets online from Golden Village and Shaw cinemas.

And apparently, ordering food has also been a thing on Google Pay since April 2020 and you can get food delivery or takeout from more than 800 eateries.

What we like is also the Rewards function where you get virtual scratch cards that give you cashback when you make eligible transactions.

How to use: Simply download the app, sign in with your Google account and then add the credit and debit cards you wish to use or link your OCBC, Standard Chartered or DBS PayLah! accounts. You can then use Google Pay to make online payments Paypal-style, or use contactless technology to tap your phone at brick and mortar merchants.

Pros: Easy, convenient and fast to use. Can be used on all mobile operating systems.

Cons: None

Supported banks: American Express, DBS, OCBC, POSB, Standard Chartered, UOB

Apple Pay
image

Apple Pay was one of the earliest mobile wallets to hit our shores, and their target customers have of course been users of Apple devices. They’ve amassed a respectable stable of merchant partners, but it remains to be seen if they’ll survive the competition presented by Google Pay.

How to use: Download the app, create an account and the add your credit card. To make payments, beep your Apple device at payment terminals where Apple Pay is supported. You can also use Apple Pay to make online payments.

Pros: Easy, convenient and fast to use. Can be synced with other Apple devices like Apple Watch and iPad.

Cons: Only works on Apple devices.

Supported banks: American Express, DBS, HSBC, OCBC, POSB, Standard Chartered, UOB

Alipay
image

Alipay previously launched a Singapore mobile wallet, but that was only available for Lazada purchases and has since become obsolete.

Still, business owners should be aware that offering Alipay as a payment option can still be a good idea, as Chinese nationals in Singapore, whether living or holidaying here, can still pay using their Chinese Alipay mobile wallets.

Although with all the news about Ant Financial, which owns Alipay, applying for a digital banking license here, we can probably look forward to new developments.

Pros: Contactless payment method that a huge number of Chinese nationals use, hence useful for businesses serving Chinese customers.

Cons: Not available to Singapore customers.

Verdict
image

It looks like Google Pay is going to sound the death knell for Apple Pay. The latter’s fatal flaw is the fact that it is available only on Apple devices. But now that Google Pay has integrated PayNow, and offers an even wider range of merchants than Apple Pay ever managed to partner, it makes no sense not to make the switch to the former.

This article was first published in MoneySmart.

Read Next

Never fret over missing your credit card payments with these 5 hacks

The DHL scam and 10 other scams in Singapore you need to beware of

5 tips for safe online shopping on your phone

  • TAGS:
  • cashless payments
  • mobile payment
  • mobile wallet app
SHARE THIS ON

T / Trending

Women

Your financial outlook for 2021, based on your Chinese zodiac sig...

Women

10 things to know about Budget 2021

Women

5 common financial challenges and how to overcome them

Women

5 ways the Singapore Budget 2021 will impact you

Women

9 tips to save more money in this Covid era

Women

Newly married? How to manage finances like a pro

Women

8 job support measures from Singapore Budget 2021

Watch Now
4 Women Talk About How They Started Investing And Growing Their Savings
Highlights
  • Money The foolproof guide to making your first investment
  • Aesthetics & Services Your CNY guide to looking better than good
  • Watches & Jewellery 15 jewellery designs that are modern-day love notes
  • Watches & Jewellery Pull out all the stops with these stylish Valentine’s Day...
  • Skin Unlock the secret to radiant skin with this new premium s...
Editor’s Picks
  • Money 4 women talk about how they started investing and growing...
Newsletter Subscribe
Sign up for one of our free newsletters to receive the latest news, commentary and fashion features straight from Her World.
Will be used in accordance with our Privacy Statement
Footer Menu
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • PDPA
  • Conditions of Access
  • Privacy Statement
?>
SPH Magazine

Copyright © 2021 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. Co. Regn. No. 198402868E. All rights reserved