Would you switch banks to get the mobile wallet and contactless payment option that suits you and your mobile phone handset? Well, increasingly Australians are switching banks to get Apple Pay or Android Pay activated on their mobile phone. Samsung Pay has recently been launched in Australia while Google now supports Android Pay which launched in Australia in July 2016.

What is a mobile wallet?

A mobile wallet, like Apple Pay, Android Pay or Samsung Pay, is an app on your phone that carries your credit card or debit card details and links to a payment antenna in your handset to allow you to make PayWave or PayPass purchases in-store using only your phone. Not all banks offer all mobile wallets.You may need to switch banks to get the wallet you want for your phone.

Android Pay vs Apply Pay vs Samsung Pay

What mobile wallet is best?

Android Pay

Android Pay used to be known as Google Pay and is offered on most recent Android handsets. You take a picture of your credit or debit card and the app stores the information. The phone then can be used to pay in-store. Android Pay supports fingerprint ID technology with handsets that offer it, otherwise you need to enter a payment code.

Apple Pay

Apple Pay uses the wallet app to read a photograph of the user's credit or debit card and make payments in-store, in apps, in the App Store and online. Apple Pay uses the fingerprint ID function on iPhone 5 and later models to confirm the purchase.

Samsung Pay

Samsung Pay is available on recent Samsung Galaxy handsets only. Samsung Pay works like Apple Pay and Android Pay but also offers MST for in-store payment terminals that use old magnetic stripe technology.

Samsung Pay does not support in app purchases.

 How can I get Android Pay?

Android Pay is offered by 30 Australian financial institutions, including ANZ Bank, American Express, Macquarie Bank, Bank of Sydney, Beyond Bank, Bendigo and Adelaide Bank and ING Direct. The full list of banks, card issuers and credit unions offering Android Pay in Australia are:

·         ANZ Bank

·         American Express

·         Bank Australia

·         Bank of Melbourne - Coming soon

·         Bank of Sydney

·         Bank SA - Coming soon

·         Bankwest

·         Bendigo Bank

·         Beyond Bank

·         Big Sky Building Society

·         CAPE Credit Union

·         Catalyst Money

·         Central West Credit Union

·         Community First Credit Union

·         Credit Union Australia

·         Credit Union SA

·         Defence Bank

·         EECU

·         Family First Credit Union - Coming soon

·         First Option Credit Union

·         Goldfields Money

·         Goulburn Murray Credit Union Co-Op

·         Holiday Coast Credit Union

·         Horizon Credit Union

·         Illawarra Credit Union

·         ING Direct

·         Intech Credit Union

·         Laboratories Credit Union

·         Macquarie Bank

·         Maritime, Mining & Power Credit Union

·         MyState Bank

·         Northern Beaches Credit Union

·         Northern Inland Credit Union

·         People's Choice Credit Union

·         Police Bank

·         QT Mutual Bank

·         Queenslanders Credit Union

·         RAMS - Coming soon

·         Select ENCOMPASS Credit Union

·         South West Slopes Credit Union

·         St George Bank - Coming soon

·         Sydney Credit Union

·         Teacher's Mutual Bank

·         The Mac Credit Union

·         The Rock Credit Union

·         Warwick Credit Union

·         WAW Credit Union Co-Operative

·         Westpac

·         Woolworths Employees' Credit Union

·         Wyong Shire Credit Union

How can I get Samsung Pay?

Samsung Pay is available on recent Samsung Galaxy handsets. Samsung Pay is available from:

·         ANZ Bank

·         Commonwealth Bank

·         National Australia Bank

·         Westpac

 How can I get Apple Pay?

Apple Pay is available on all Apple devices but to make in-store PayWave or PayPass purchases you need an iPhone 6, 6 Plus or iPhone 7. An Apple Watch can make in-store payments when paired with an iPhone 5 or later.

In Australia, only one big bank offers Apple Pay - ANZ Bank. ANZ offer Apple Pay on all their credit cards and on Visa debit cards linked to an Access Advantage account. The other big banks are in a dispute with Apple. However another 37 banks, credit unions and credit card issuers offer Apple Pay including American Express cards issued by American Express. Other banks and credit unions in Australia now offering

Apple Pay include:

·         Bank Australia

·         Bank of Sydney

·         Beyond Bank Australia

·         Big Sky Building Society Ltd.

·         CAPE Credit Union Ltd.

·         Central West Credit Union Ltd.

·         Community Alliance Credit Union Ltd.

·         Community First Credit Union Ltd.

·         Credit Union SA Ltd.

·         CUA

·         Defence Bank

·         EECU Ltd.

·         First Option Credit Union

·         Goldfields Money Ltd.

·         Goulburn Murray Credit Union

·         Horizon Credit Union

·         Holiday Coast Credit Union Ltd.

·         Intech Credit Union Ltd.

·         Laboratories Credit Union Ltd.

·         Lombard Finance

·         MyState Bank Ltd.

·         Northern Inland Credit Union

·         Once Credit

·         P&N Bank

·         People's Choice Credit Union

·         Police Bank

·         QT Mutual Bank

·         Select Encompass Credit Union Ltd.

·         South West Slopes Credit Union

·         Sydney Credit Union Ltd.

·         Teachers Mutual Bank

·         The Mac

·         Warwick Credit Union Ltd.

·         WAW Credit Union

·         Woolworths Employees' Credit Union

·         Wyong Shire Credit Union

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