Samsung Wallet/Pay (Watch)

Samsung Wallet, which also goes by Samsung Pay on the older devices, is basically your go-to digital wallet if you are living in the Samsung ecosystem. It was first rolled out back in 2015 under the Samsung Pay name, and you can grab the app for free from the Google Play Store and the Galaxy Store. The app has easily hit over 100 million installs on the Google Play Store alone, which tells you how popular it is. Downloading and installing the app is totally free, and you do not need to register to use the basic features if you already have a Samsung account. However, to actually link your credit cards, membership cards, or transit passes, you will have to add them in the app. There are no in-app purchases that I have seen, but there are some in-app ads that pop up for Samsung's own services or partner deals.

To use the app, you just open Samsung Wallet on your phone or watch, and it will ask you to authenticate via fingerprint, PIN, or iris scan. I use this app mostly on my Galaxy Watch, which is super handy because I can just tap my watch on any NFC terminal to pay without pulling out my phone. A tip I have learned is to set your default card in the app settings so it pops up automatically when you double-click the home button on your watch. It makes checkout super quick. Also, if you travel a lot, you can store digital boarding passes and hotel keys right in the app, which saves you from fumbling with a bunch of apps at the airport.

Compared to something like Google Wallet, I chose Samsung Wallet because it works way better with my Samsung Watch. My watch does not have Google Play Services built in, so Google Wallet is basically a no-go on it. Plus, Samsung Wallet supports MST alongside NFC on my older phone, which Google Wallet does not. It just feels more integrated into the Samsung experience, and I do not have to worry about compatibility issues.

• 💳 Chip and Token Security: When I pay with Samsung Wallet, it never sends my real card number to the terminal. Instead, it uses a token that changes each time I tap. This is way more secure than using a physical card, and it gives me peace of mind when I am at a sketchy gas station. Google Wallet does the same thing, but Samsung Wallet also adds Knox security, which locks down my phone at the hardware level if it gets rooted.
• 🌐 MST and NFC Dual Support: This is the big one for me. My Galaxy S20 supports MST, which means I can pay at older terminals that do not have NFC, like some small shops and vending machines. Google Wallet is purely NFC, so it is useless at those places. Samsung Wallet is still the only app that can work at both types of terminals, and it makes a real difference when I travel to less tech-savvy places.
• 📦 All-in-One Digital Key Storage: Samsung Wallet is not just for payments. I can store my student ID, driver's license, and even my car key in there. Google Wallet has added some of these features recently, but Samsung Wallet still has a wider support for third-party passes like hotel keys and digital membership cards from brands I actually use.

• 🎯 Seamless Watch Integration: The app is designed to work perfectly with Galaxy Watches, so I can pay, check my loyalty cards, and even board a flight directly from my wrist. Google Wallet on other smartwatches often needs a phone nearby, but Samsung Wallet works independently on my Watch 6.
• 🚗 Quick Access for Transit: I use the transit card function a lot, and Samsung Wallet lets me set a default transit card that pops up when I tap my watch at a bus terminal. It is faster than Google Wallet, which sometimes makes me go through a few extra taps.
• 🔄 No Internet Required for Payments: Unlike some other apps that need a data connection to generate a token, Samsung Wallet works offline for payments. This saved me when I was in a subway station with no signal, and my friend with Google Wallet was stuck because his app would not load the card list.

• 👎 Limited Device Ecosystem: The app only works on Samsung devices, so it is useless if you switch to a Pixel or a OnePlus phone. Google Wallet works across all Android devices, and that flexibility makes it a better choice for people who do not want to be locked into a single brand.
• 🕒 Slow Feature Rollout: Samsung often adds new features, like digital IDs or smart keys, much later than competitors. For example, Google Wallet supported digital driver's licenses in some states for over a year before Samsung Wallet added support, and even then, the state coverage was smaller.
• 📛 Bloated with Ads: I get that the app is free, but the in-app ads for Samsung's own services can be annoying during setup. I just want to add my credit card, but the app keeps pushing me to try Samsung Pay Cash or other partner deals. Google Wallet keeps things cleaner and does not have these ads cluttering up the interface.