Samsung Wallet or Google Wallet? (A Comparison)

With mobile payments on the rise, Samsung and Google have both introduced digital wallet apps – Samsung Wallet and Google Wallet.

These allow you to store your credit/debit cards, boarding passes, tickets, gift cards and more in one convenient app. But how do you decide which one to use?

We’ll compare the key features of each to help you pick the best option.

Availability and Compatibility

Samsung Wallet comes preloaded on newer Samsung Galaxy smartphones and watches. It’s not available for other Android devices or iPhones.

Google Wallet can be downloaded from the Play Store and used on most modern Android devices, but not iPhones or Galaxy watches.

Digital Wallet	Compatible Devices
Samsung Wallet	Samsung Galaxy smartphones (S21 series and newer), Galaxy watches
Google Wallet	Most Android smartphones, not available on iPhones or Galaxy watches

Setting Up and Adding Cards

Getting started with Samsung Wallet is quick and easy if you have a compatible Galaxy device.

When you open the app for the first time, you can copy over any saved credit/debit cards from Samsung Pay.

To add a new card, you can enter the details manually or take a photo of the physical card.

Google Wallet also makes adding cards fast through its mobile app.

You can use your phone’s camera to capture your card details or type them in directly.

The app leverages Google Pay’s card tokenization technology for secure storage.

Both wallets use NFC for contactless payments. Just hold your phone near a payment terminal to pay from your default card. Samsung lets you select other cards directly on the homescreen while Google Wallet requires tapping into the app.

Loyalty Cards and Passes

Stores loyalty cards, airline boarding passes, concert/movie tickets and more can be added to Samsung Wallet.

Supported merchants and apps automatically add their digital passes.

You can also add passes by scanning QR codes or barcodes. Rewards points and balances are visible right in the app.

Google Wallet also supports digital passes and loyalty cards from hundreds of stores, airlines and venues.

Passes can be added through linked apps like Gmail or manually by searching for brands. Real-time rewards points and account balances are viewable.

Overall, both wallets make it very convenient to store digital versions of cards and passes. Samsung may have broader compatibility with its Samsung Pay integration and partnerships.

ID Cards and Keys

Samsung Wallet enables users in some regions/states to upload official government ID cards, such as driving license.

You can also add digital car keys for supported vehicle models and unlock the car right from your phone.

Google Wallet does not currently support adding digital ID cards or keys.

However, Google is working on powering digital driver’s licenses in Android through partnerships with agencies in some US states.

For now, Samsung Wallet offers more options for official identifications and keys. But Google Wallet may catch up as adoption for digital IDs increases.

Other Features and Perks

Samsung Wallet provides some other handy capabilities lacking in Google Wallet:

• Insurance cards can be uploaded for convenient access.
• Scan credit card bills and activate rewards/offers directly through Samsung Pay.
• View shipment tracking info and food delivery orders.
• Student ID cards for access and payments on campuses.

Google Wallet does have some useful features like:

• Send and receive money through Google Pay.
• Save passes for free trials to calendar for cancelling later.
• Scan documents or take photos of receipts for faster expense reporting.

The wallets also aim to replace physical wallets. Samsung’s solution currently provides more utility beyond just payments and passes.

Security

Samsung Wallet leverages Samsung’s defense-grade Knox security platform with encryption and biometric authentication. Cards are tokenized via Samsung Pay, meaning the actual card numbers are not stored.

Google also uses tokenization to protect card details. Google Wallet transactions utilize multiple layers of security like virtual account numbers and identity credentials.

Both Samsung and Google ensure effective security and privacy protections around your sensitive information. For most users, either wallet would provide adequate security.

Setting Up Samsung Wallet

Getting started with Samsung Wallet is a quick and straightforward process on compatible Galaxy devices:

1. Open the Samsung Wallet app which comes pre-installed.
2. Follow the on-screen instructions to sign-in with your Samsung account.
3. If you have cards saved in Samsung Pay, you can choose to automatically import them into Wallet.
4. To add a new card, tap the “+” icon and enter the details manually or use the camera to scan the card.
5. Once your cards are loaded, you can set a default payment card.
6. Add passes and loyalty cards by tapping “Add” and following prompts.

The wallet will guide you through the onboarding experience. Within a few minutes, you can have your essential cards and passes loaded into Samsung Wallet for easy access.

Setting Up Google Wallet

To start using Google Wallet, simply:

1. Download the Google Wallet app from the Play Store on your Android device.
2. Open the app and accept the Terms of Service.
3. Tap “Get started” and sign-in with your Google Account.
4. Click on “Add card” to enter card details manually or scan your card.
5. Follow prompts to add loyalty cards, boarding passes etc.
6. Set your main payment card and customize other preferences.

That’s all you need to do to setup Google Wallet and start using it for mobile payments and accessing your passes. It will automatically fetch cards and passes associated with your Google Account too.

Adding Cards in Samsung Wallet

Samsung Wallet makes it effortlessly easy to add your existing card details. Here are the different options:

• Import from Samsung Pay – If you already use Samsung Pay, your cards can be imported into Wallet with one tap during setup.
• Enter Details Manually – You can type in the card number, expiration date, CVV and billing details.
• Scan Card – Use your phone’s camera to scan your physical card and automatically extract the details.
• Take Photo of Card – Snap a picture of the front and back of your card to add it.

The app will prompt for any missing information like your name, zip code etc. Your card issuer may require additional verification for security.

Adding Cards in Google Wallet

Google Wallet gives you these convenient ways to add new credit or debit cards:

• Enter Manually – Type in card number, expiration, CVV and billing address.
• Use Camera to Scan – Point your phone’s camera at the card to automatically detect details.
• Take Photos of Card – Snap pictures of the front and back of card to add it.
• Select from Google Account – Choose from cards already saved to your Google Account.

The app will fetch relevant details from your Google profile wherever possible. Your card issuer may require CVV or request additional authentication before adding the card.

Using Samsung Wallet for Payments

Making contactless payments with Samsung Wallet is fast and hassle-free. Follow these steps:

1. Make sure NFC is enabled on your phone.
2. Open Samsung Wallet and select your default payment card.
3. Hold the back of your phone near the payment terminal until you hear a tone.
4. The payment will process using your default card. No PIN required!

You can view transaction history and receipts right in the Samsung Wallet app. Switch between payment cards from the main wallet screen as needed.

Using Google Wallet for Payments

Google Wallet also enables quick tap-to-pay functionality:

1. Confirm NFC is turned on your phone.
2. Open the wallet app and verify the correct default card.
3. Hold your phone over the payment terminal until it beeps.
4. Google Wallet will automatically charge the default card.

For security, you may need to unlock your phone and open the Google Wallet app before payments can go through.

Managing Passes in Samsung Wallet

Here are tips for managing loyalty cards, tickets and other digital passes in Samsung Wallet:

• Supported cards and passes from apps/retailers will appear automatically.
• To add more, tap “Add”, scan barcode or QR codes if available.
• View pass details, balances, points by tapping on them.
• Reorder passes via drag-and-drop to prioritize important ones.
• Remove outdated passes using trash can icon as needed.

With boarding passes, Samsung Wallet facilitates hands-free passage by scanning your phone at checkpoints for you.

Managing Passes in Google Wallet

You can easily manage loyalty cards, tickets, passes stored in Google Wallet:

• Passes linked to your Google Account will surface automatically.
• Search for brands to find more passes to add.
• Tap into each pass to see info, points, balances.
• Swipe passes left to unsave or delete if no longer needed.
• Passes are stored securely until removed.

Google Wallet automatically fetches updated reward points, travel times, event info and more for your passes.

Using Samsung Pay

Samsung Pay is still available for older Galaxy devices or to access additional capabilities. Key features include:

• Make payments using Magnetic Secure Transmission (MST) on older terminals.
• Access exclusive offers, rewards and perks not in Samsung Wallet.
• Use Samsung Pay on non-Samsung phones and tablets.
• Send and receive money through integrated peer-to-peer payments.

Cards and passes can be synced across Samsung Pay and Samsung Wallet with your Samsung account. Use the appropriate service for your device.

Using Google Pay

Google Pay provides some overlapping but still useful functionality alongside Google Wallet:

• Peer-to-peer money transfers.
• Mobile recharge and bill pay options.
• Ability to split payments with friends.
• Donation and fundraising tools for good causes.
• Pay for parking, public transit right within the app.

Google Pay supports NFC payments on Wear OS smartwatches. Use Google Wallet for contactless payment via Android phones.

Cards and passes sync between Google Pay and Google Wallet with your Google account login.

Conclusions

Samsung Wallet offers deeper integration, more device compatibility and additional features for Samsung ecosystem users. But Google Wallet works across more Android phones with some unique capabilities as well.

If you have a recent Galaxy flagship, getting Samsung Wallet makes sense to unlock the full experience. For other Android phones, Google Wallet provides a solid mobile wallet option.

Ultimately, it depends whether you prefer optimization for Samsung’s products or broader cross-device support. Evaluate your specific needs and device ecosystem to decide the best digital wallet.