Digital transactions are commonplace, making physical cash and cards a distant memory. It is now second nature to use the device you already handle constantly—smartphones—to pay for gas, gear, groceries, and other items. And there's no shortage of mobile payment apps for Android and iOS that let you do that. But which ones are best? Consider my recommendations, starting with Editors' Choice winners Apple Pay and Google Wallet, to make online and in-person payments.
Overview
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![Apple Pay]()
Best for iOS UsersApple Pay
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![Google Wallet]()
Best for Android UsersGoogle Wallet
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![Cash App]()
Best for Buying Stocks and BitcoinCash App
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![PayPal]()
Best for Shopping OnlinePayPal
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![Samsung Wallet]()
Best for Samsung Galaxy UsersSamsung Wallet
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![Venmo]()
Best for Paying FriendsVenmo
You Can Trust Our Reviews
Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks
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Credit: James Martin
![Apple Pay]()
Best for iOS UsersApple Pay
Pros & Cons
Why We Picked It
Apple is a major player in the mobile market, so it's no surprise that the company's payment services are convenient, secure, and flexible. In addition, Apple Pay users get an Apple Cash virtual cash card for sending or receiving money, plus an Apple Card for credit purchases.
Who It's For
Privacy-conscious shoppers: Are you an iPhone user worried about data breaches at major retailers? Apple Pay keeps your personal identity and financial details private. Merchants only receive a unique digital token rather than your actual card info; your data remains useless to hackers even if the store's system is compromised.
Commuters: Apple Pay is a game-changer for people on the move, especially those using public transit. For example, "Express Mode" lets you pay for fares on many global transit systems with just a tap—no need for a physical ticket.
Specs & Configurations
In-Store Payments iOS App Loyalty Programs Pay on Online Stores Person-to-Person Payments Web Interface Learn More Apple Pay Review -
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Credit: James Martin
![Google Wallet]()
Best for Android UsersGoogle Wallet
Pros & Cons
Bottom Line:
Bottom Line:
Google Wallet is a robust app that lets you make in-store and online payments and store various digital tickets in a central location.Specs & Configurations
Android App In-Store Payments Loyalty Programs Pay on Online Stores Web Interface Learn More Google Wallet Review -
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![Cash App]()
Best for Buying Stocks and BitcoinCash App
Pros & Cons
Why We Picked It
Cash App has many useful, money-related features. It lets you quickly pay friends, make online purchases with the Cash App debit card, invest, and file taxes. The service lets you accept Cash App payments if you use Square to sell products.
Who It's For
Portfolio builders: With Cash App, you can buy stocks or Bitcoin on the go to diversify your finances.
People looking for alternatives to traditional banking: Cash App serves as a primary financial hub, offering direct deposits up to two days early, FDIC-insured accounts through its partners, and the ability to deposit physical cash into your account at major retailers.
Specs & Configurations
Android App Free Version In-Store Payments Income/Expense Tracking iOS App Loyalty Programs Person-to-Person Payments Product Category Android Apps Product Category iPhone Apps Product Category Mobile Apps Web Interface Learn More Cash App Review -
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Credit: PayPal/James Martin
![PayPal]()
Best for Shopping OnlinePayPal
Pros & Cons
Why We Picked It
PayPal makes it easy to send money to people or businesses. The company's pushing toward more in-store payments, though it isn't quite at the level of competing apps.
Who It's For
Risk-averse online shoppers: You can rely on PayPal to serve as a secure buffer when shopping on unfamiliar sites. Its accounts benefit from a robust buyer protection program and hide sensitive financial data from merchants' servers.
Global freelancers: Digital nomads use the platform's reach in more than 200 countries to send professional invoices, manage multiple currencies, and utilize "Pay Later" installments to manage business cash flow without high-interest credit.
Specs & Configurations
Android App In-Store Payments International Payments iOS App Loyalty Programs Pay on Online Stores Person-to-Person Payments Product Category iPhone Apps Product Category Mobile Apps Product Category Personal Finance Product Category Software Web Interface Learn More PayPal Review -
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Credit: James Martin
![Samsung Wallet]()
Best for Samsung Galaxy UsersSamsung Wallet
Pros & Cons
Why We Picked It
Samsung Pay offers robust mobile payment services that work well with the company's many devices and products. It is impressive that you can make payments with virtually any point-of-sale system that accepts credit cards. You also accrue Samsung Rewards points when using the service, so you earn while you spend.
Who It's For
People who want to go completely digital: Galaxy users can replace their physical wallets by consolidating credit cards, digital car keys, and state IDs into a single hub accessible with a swipe, even when the screen is off.
Paying businesses that use old tech: Samsung's MST technology lets Samsung Pay work with older, magnetic stripe readers that are incompatible with NFC-only apps.
Specs & Configurations
Android App In-Store Payments International Payments Loyalty Programs Pay on Online Stores Learn More Samsung Pay Review -
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Credit: James Martin
![Venmo]()
Best for Paying FriendsVenmo
Pros & Cons
Why We Picked It
Despite being owned by parent company PayPal, Venmo stands on its own thanks to its popularity as a peer-to-peer mobile payment app. With it, you can split payments, move funds to your bank account, or request money with ease. It also has lite social networking functionality.
Who It’s For
Peers and roommates: Use Venmo to automate bill splitting, leverage recurring payment requests for rent and utilities, and maintain a searchable history for transparent household bookkeeping.
Social coordinators: Event planners and social butterflies benefit from Venmo Groups, a tool that lets up to 30 people collect funds seamlessly. Venmo also has a public feed that turns splitting a dinner check into a social interaction, complete with emojis.
Specs & Configurations
Android App Free Version International Payments iOS App Loyalty Programs Pay on Online Stores Person-to-Person Payments Product Category Mobile Apps Product Category Personal Finance Product Category Software Web Interface Learn More Venmo Review -
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Best For | Best for iOS Users | Best for Android Users | Best for Buying Stocks and Bitcoin | Best for Shopping Online | Best for Samsung Galaxy Users | Best for Paying Friends | Best for iOS Users | Best for Android Users | Best for Buying Stocks and Bitcoin |
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Buying Guide: The Best Mobile Payment Apps for 2026
(Credit: Google/PCMag)How to Send Money With Mobile Payment Apps
Probably the most buzzworthy mobile payment option is peer-to-peer payments. There are many ways to pay your friends directly, including Apple Pay, Cash App, PayPal, Samsung Pay, and Venmo. However, only a few are true cross-platform services. For example, Cash App and PayPal let Android users pay Apple users and vice versa. On the other hand, Apple Pay is exclusive to the Apple ecosystem and can't be used to pay someone directly using Android.
When you receive money, most apps store the dough in a holding place, a sort of limited bank account. They charge a fee to withdraw money from your app account to your bank account. But they may come with a fee.
Do Mobile Payment Apps Charge Fees?
Most person-to-person payments are free with these apps, unless you use a credit card rather than a bank account or debit card. A fee of about 3% is charged by the credit card provider when you use that as your payment method. Some cards provide cash-back points (and you may even receive bonus points for mobile payments), so you'll want to do the math to see which payment method benefits you most.
Some services charge an additional fee when transferring the funds you receive to your bank account. Cash App charges 0.5% to 1.75% for instant deposits (minimum fee of $0.25), and Venmo charges 1.5% (minimum fee of $0.25) per expedited deposit. Google Wallet doesn't charge to deposit money into your bank account. International transfers pay even higher fees. For more details, see the International Support section below.
Are There Spending Limits?
The services vary in how much they let you pay, but they generally increase your maximum allowed payment when you meet certain criteria. With Venmo, for example, you start with a $300-per-week cap, but that limit can climb to $60,000 per week after you verify your identity. Apple Pay lets you send up to $10,000 per message and a total of $10,000 within seven days when using Apple Cash for peer-to-peer payments.
(Credit: Samsung/PCMag)How to Make In-Store Mobile Payments
A few apps, such as Apple Pay, Google Wallet, and Samsung Pay, let you pay at stores via near-field communication (NFC). Samsung Pay is distinguished by supporting magnetic stripe cards, though that tech has been largely replaced by more secure NFC point-of-sale devices.
You can use PayPal to pay at a few stores, though it doesn't support direct NFC wireless payments. Cash App is a bit of a hybrid in this category: You can use the app to pay for items in brick-and-mortar stores and request a debit card that taps your Cash App balance.
How to Make International Mobile Payments
Only a few highlighted apps and services support payments to people abroad. The separate category of international remittance apps includes Xoom, a PayPal service that lets you send payments to people in 131 countries without the recipient needing the app or even a smartphone. The recipient can simply pick up the cash in their local currency at a nearby bank with a code and an ID.
As mentioned above, you incur greater fees for this cross-border convenience. When you send money to Guatemala, for example, Xoom charges $2.99 if you use a bank account and $3.99 if you use a credit card, plus any exchange-rate fee that may apply. This varies significantly by country: For payments to Finland, you pay nothing when using a bank account, but 3% of the transaction amount with a credit card.
PayPal also lets you send money directly to other PayPal recipients in more than 200 countries worldwide without the need for banks or cash pick-up. For in-store payments, Samsung Pay works in 17 countries beyond the US; Google Wallet in the UK; and Apple Pay in 26 countries. However, person-to-person payments only work with American accounts.
How to Make Mobile Payments on the Web and With a Watch
Many of the services let you pay via a web browser, not just through an app. PayPal is famous for this, but Google Wallet and Venmo have web interfaces, too.
Samsung Pay can only make web payments if you link a Visa Checkout account, but it works on the company's phones and (very well) on its smartwatches. Apple Pay works on the Apple Watch, as you might expect. A few Google Wear OS watches support Google Wallet.
Recommended by Our Editors
Are Mobile Payment Apps Secure?
The apps and services that support in-store payments all use anonymized tokens, or encrypted versions of your credit card number. The actual number isn't transferred, so it's actually safer than handing over your plastic. Because they transmit credit card information, all services must comply with the PCI Data Security Standard (PCI DSS)—the same standard used with analog payment cards. That includes implementing newer transport security protocols beyond SSL and early TLS.
Further, most banks have a zero-liability policy for credit card fraud, meaning if you've been cheated, you don't have to pay anything (with certain reasonable limitations). By law, the maximum you could be responsible for is $50. Most services also use fraud-detection technology to protect you.
But person-to-person payments not involving credit cards are a whole different story: There's no protection for Venmo money transfers. Once you pay someone through the app, consider it the equivalent of handing over cash. That's one reason you should never use p2p services to pay businesses or buy things on the internet with them: You could end up losing your money and not receiving the product you thought you purchased.
(Credit: Apple)Another thing to watch out for with these services is receiving payments or requests for money from people you don't know. Well-known scams involve someone sending you money through the app and asking you for repayment. A common scam is that the payment source comes from a stolen credit card. If you accept that money, you could find yourself in deep legal doo-doo.
What Else Can You Do With Mobile Payment Apps?
The services included here often do more than just let you pay. Some provide various extra perks, such as those listed below.
Splitting payments. Say your pals went to a fancy restaurant for a birthday celebration. How do you all pay your fair share? Many payment apps and services let you split a payment—simply enter the full amount and all the contacts that need to chip in. Of course, they need to be signed up with your payment service.
Order ahead. Online meal-ordering services and local eateries widely accept mobile payment apps like Apple Pay, Cash App, and Venmo. These apps often reward you with cash back rewards for food orders, so you can get a little scratch back whenever you're feeling peckish.
Loyalty cards. Many of the apps and services here let you enter loyalty program information to accrue reward points. PayPal and Samsung Pay are strong in this area.
Gift cards. Several apps make it easy to combine all your cash and store gift cards. Usually, you just have to snap a picture of the card and maybe enter a code to make the money available from the payment app.
Bitcoin and Investing. Only Cash App among the apps included here lets you purchase and sell bitcoin. Cash App also makes it easy to buy fractional stocks: For example, if you want some Berkshire Hathaway (BRK-A), but don't have over $300,000 in funds for a single share, pick up $100 worth in your Cash App.
Credit cards and ATM cards. The highest-profile example is the Apple Card, which offers 2% rewards (3% for Apple products) and other nifty features. PayPal and Venmo have credit and debit cards, and Cash App's debit card occasionally has deep discounts. Samsung offers a card and a no-fee, interest-bearing money management account from SoFi.