16 Mobile Payment Apps
Businesses need payment apps, no question. Here are some reasons: In 2017 (survey by Zion Market Research) about 50% of consumers said they’d paid for goods or services using an app. Two years later, that had changed to 90%. Most used an app they download to a smartphone.
But which ones are the best mobile payment apps? Well, that depends. The best payment apps are the ones that work best for you.
What are Mobile Payment Apps?
These are sometimes called Digital Wallets. In short, an app is linked to a bank account where the money is. The linked account can be a credit card, debit card which is connected to a bank account.
What are the reasons consumers flocking to mobile payments? Two reasons are speed of payments and ease of use. There’s no need to physically go to a bank to receive or send money.
In addition, using an app provides an extra layer of security. Credit card or bank account info isn’t stored on a website. Account information that’s linked to the app, such as a credit card number, is encrypted.
And the majority of consumers have a smartphone, either an iPhone or Android. What are the best products?
How does a Payment App Work?
A customer uses a smartphone or computer and downloads a payment app and links the app to the customer’s preferred source, typically a credit card, to send money. But, the source can be a credit card, debit card or bank account. Once the information is set up, the customer uses the app for payment, which can be online or point of sale contactless payments.
A company can accept payments by installing the same app or a different mobile payments app on a biz computer or smartphone. Some apps are specific to each other – consumer to merchant and merchant to consumer. Other business payment apps accept multiple types of consumer payment apps. Some only work between types of devices – Apple Pay only works between Apple devices, such as an Apple phone, for example. The fee scale can range from zero to about 3%. Some have payment limits.
So many payment solutions! Best which one is best for you? Let’s look into the features of each.
16 Best Mobile Payment Apps
Maybe you prefer getting paid the old-fashioned way, by cash or check. But here’s the thing. Your customers want to use mobile payments. And as mobile payments replace cash being able to accept this form of payment is a must.
And you don’t need a crystal ball, post-pandemic, to envision what the future holds. We already know what the future holds. It holds online and in-person contactless payments. Customers and merchants don’t like to handle money. They prefer the digital wallet in place of the physical wallet.
Which are the best payment apps?
1. Apple Pay
Supported Devices: Works with an iPhone (with face or touch ID), Apple watch with a contactless reader. Can use in Apps if Apple Pay is a payment app option.
Consumers like to use Apple Pay because they can receive or redeem rewards in a Wallet. If Apple Pay is not accepted at a company, the consumer can pay with a credit card that is linked to the consumer’s Apple Pay account. Users can opt to make monthly installments on a purchase, with 0% financing.
Apple Pay Pricing
Apple Pay is linked to credit cards. The merchant is charged the same fee which would be imposed on a credit card transaction. The merchant may need to upgrade POS equipment in order to accept Apple Pay.
2. Google Pay
Supported Devices: Works with Android phones which have an NFC (near field communication) chip. Also works with a tablet.
Can be used for online payments, contactless payments and as in-app mobile payment. Merchants can download the app via the Google Play store to set up a Google Pay account. One of the best features is that Google Pay will accept payments from Android or Apple devices.
Google Pay Pricing
Customers link a Google Pay account to a debit or credit card. Merchants are not charged for accepting Google Pay.
3. Venmo
Supported Devices: Via App, online or contactless in person.
Venmo is a subsidiary of PayPal. It’s unique due to its social style platform. Merchants who accept Venmo set up a business profile. The content can include reviews, the best feature because consumers use reviews to make choices.
The profile will enable customers to “like” the company and include comments. Customers like that type of content.
Another best feature is that Venmo is accepted wherever PayPal is accepted. It is linked to debit cards or credit cards, which are further linked to a bank account. Consumers like Venmo because they can use it to transfer money to friends or family.
Merchants like Venmo because of its capability to do an instant transfer, to and from a bank account.
Venmo Pricing
Venmo charges a 2.9% plus .30 fee per transaction.
4. PayPal
Supported Devices: Via App, online or contactless in person.
PayPal is rated as one of the best mobile payment apps. There are lots of options, for consumers and company owners. PayPal is accepted on millions of websites. Consumers can use PayPal to transfer money to friends or family.
For business owners, PayPal ranks as one of the best payment apps for selling goods online. Consumers can split payments and can choose to do so at the time of purchase. PayPal can be used via a payment card, such as a Visa or Mastercard linked to the account.
PayPal Pricing
The App is free to consumers. The cost is 2.9% plus .30 per sale.
5. Samsung Pay
Supported Devices: Works with Galaxy phones and some Galaxy smartwatches. Works with systems that use Google Pay.
Samsung pay is available in 27 countries. Samsung Pay is supported by Visa, Master Card, Discover and American Express. Consumers who hold those credit cards can apply to use a linked debit card called Samsung Money.
A big Pro for some biz owners is that Samsung Pay works on various public transit systems, including public transit in New York City.
Samsung Pay Pricing
The App is free to consumers. Businesses are charged 2.9% plus .30 per sale.
6. Zelle Pay
An owner can only use Zelle Pay if the bank or credit union used by the biz also accepts Zelle Pay. Although many banks and credit unions offer Zelle Pay to consumers, they don’t offer it to small businesses.
A list of banks and credit unions that accept Zelle Pay is listed on the website. The list includes Bank of America, Wells Fargo and others. Zelle is steadily growing.
Zelle Pricing
The fees for usage for Zelle are set by the individual bank or credit union.
7. Quickbooks Go Payment
Supported Devices: iOS, Android, Windows and Mac.
Although there’s a monthly payment fee. businesses like this one because it can be synced to Quick Books. The App can create and track invoices, as well as record bank transfers, process cash and check payments. It can match invoices with payments. The App will also accept payments from major credit cards including Mastercard, American Express and Visa.
In terms of service provided to merchants, Quickbooks Go Payment can simplify things at tax time.
Quickbooks Go Payment Pricing
There’s a $20 a month fee. But its value as a mobile payment app is not limited to the time of sale. On the pros cons list, the big Pro for this one is the sync to Quickbooks. There is a typical transaction fee of 2.9% plus .30, but businesses that process more than $7500 per month can get special customer pricing.
8. Circle Pay
Supported Devices: iOS, Android, Windows, Mac.
Circle Pay is a money transfer app developed by Circle, a Boston-based financial service company. It’s a way for a business to send or request money, including internationally.
Similar to Venmo, Circle started out as a way for money to be exchanged between friends and family, but expanded to use in commerce. The business Circle Pay account is linked to the biz phone or email. Security is protected by a 2-factor authentication called the Ethereum block chain.
Circle Pay Pricing
There is no fee, and Circle Pay doesn’t charge a conversion fee. For international transactions, Circle Pay uses the mid-market rate to calculate the exchange rate.
9. Square Cash
Supported Devices: iOS, Android, Windows, Mac
A business can sign up via the CashApp website, choosing “for business purposes.”
The owner sets up an account, creating a user name (usually the business name). The user name is called a Cash Tag. Once that’s been set up the business gets a Cash.me page. Customers can submit payments to the business’s Cash.me page. Customers don’t need a Square Cash Account to make payments to the business’s Cash.me page. The Cash.me page for the business can accept payments from many different apps, and also credit and debit cards.
Through the Square Cash app, a business can also buy or sell cryptocurrency, including bitcoin.
Square Cash Pricing
The fee for transactions is a bit lower than typical, at 2.75%. Reviews of Square Cash include criticisms of its $1,000 limit on the amount allowed per transaction. It’s important to point out that just is the limit automatically set on new accounts. To remove that restriction, a business just has to go through a short process to verify additional information.
10. Xoom
Supported Devices: iOS, Android, Windows, Mac. All payment options that are accepted by Pay Pal, including credit and debit cards that have a linked bank account.
Xoom is a PayPal service originally set up so that people could send money to friends and family abroad. A business owner can use Xoom to send money to a bank account in the US or another country or use the app to pay US or international bills. Xoom is accepted in 158 countries, and it is touted as an alternative to Western Union and MoneyGram.
Xoom Pricing
The basic fee for sending money from a bank account is $4.99 for transactions. The costs for moving money vary depending on the types of transactions and the country. As a service to member businesses, Xoom provides a fee and exchange rate calculator for overseas transactions.
11. Veem
Supported Devices: iOS, Android, Windows, Mac.
In terms of pros cons, Veem’s biggest plus is that it can be connected to various business accounting programs, such as QuickBooks, Xero, and Oracle + Netsuite. Veem also connects a business account to verified buyers and suppliers in more than 100 countries.
In other words, a business owner can pay and invoice businesses all around the world. And keep accounting and tax information up to date at the same time.
Veem Pricing
There is no setup or subscription fee. Veem uses the current interbank rate when assessing fees, but does not impose as interbank rate. There are no transaction limits. The Veem pricing uses live rates on international payments, and USD abroad $20.
12. Adyen
Supported Devices: iOS, Android, Windows, Mac. Accepts more than 200 methods of payment in more than 150 countries.
This mobile payment app is a payment gateway and processor. In the pros cons ratings, its top feature may be that it aggregates payment data. By aggregating payment data, a merchant can gain valuable information about consumers. The app is linked to a credit card.
Adyen Pricing
The fees vary account to the type of currency and the type of credit card. For transactions linked to a Visa or Mastercard, the rate is 2.9% plus .12. For American Express and Discover cards, the fee is 3.95% plus .12 per transaction.
13.LevelUp
Supported Devices: iOS, Android, Windows, Mac.
Customers download the app and link a valid form of payment, such as a credit card or debit card. Customers then up the app to scan QR codes when making a payment.
As a payment provider, LevelUp scores high due to its customer loyalty platform. Via the platform, customers can benefit from promotions. Customers who use the loyalty platform can save an average of 10% on a deal.
Customers can get information about deals on FB or via Twitter. They can also share info about deals with friends. In other words, your business can benefit whenever a customer shares information about deals on products or services with friends. Those friends can become your customers.
LevelUp Pricing
LevelUp charges a 1.95% fee for merchants. But here’s one of the best features of the app: through the use of a proprietary algorithm, a merchant can bundle transactions. For example, if your business is an entertainment venue, you can bundle a number of ticket sales for an attending group – such as the Community Music Club members who want to attend your Concert. You can bundle the ticket sales for that group to save money.
14. Lightspeed Retail
Supported Devices: iOS, Android, Windows and Mac.
Just as it sounds, this is a great way for you to accept payments from a digital wallet in the retail business. But Lightspeed Retail offers more than a typical app.
The app also includes the capability to support inventory and purchasing management, including quoting, ordering and invoicing. The point of sale purchase can be linked to the business FB site. The App can also be used to create reports about sales and other data. It supports other languages including German, Spanish, French and Dutch.
Lightspeed Retail Pricing
The basic package is $79 per month, which is reduced to $69 per month with an annual subscription.
15. Visa Checkout
Supported Devices: iOS, Android, Windows, Mac.
The app is not just for Visa. It also accepts debit cards and other credit cards, including Mastercard, Discover, American Express and more.
Visa Checkout Pricing
The cost is 2.95% plus .30 per transaction. By downloading the app, the business becomes a Visa Checkout Merchant, integrated on multiple devices.
16. Cash App
Supported Devices: iOS, Android, Windows and Mac.
Cash App is partners with Square Cash. Square gives Cash App users a payment page called cash.me. Customers can click on a link on your website to get to cash.me.
Cash App Pricing
The fee is 2.75% per transaction.
Things to Consider When Choosing the Best Mobile Payment App for Your Business
Should you continue just using the credit card and debit card route? You can, but remember – It’s only one additional step to link a credit card or debit card account to a payments app that’s part of a digital wallet. The best reason for making that change is that customers want it and it is the future of payment processing.
In fact, consumers find it easy to create a digital wallet and use it to make payments for any goods or services that they need. Do you need any more reasons for joining the ranks of customers and businesses that use apps to send and receive money for goods and services?
Which one is best and which one should you choose when you go to the app store? Here are things to consider:
What are the App Fees?
The majority of apps charge no fee to the consumer to move money. But when the consumer uses the app in lieu of actual cash money to purchase goods or services, the business pays a fee.
It’s hard to escape and accept the fact that there’s a cost associated when businesses send and receive money. You can ease the pain by remembering that way back when, when debit cards were only in someone’s imagination and credit cards were the standard, there was always a fee to businesses.
The bottom line is that you like customers. And customers like using apps to make payments, instead of exchanging cash money.
CashApp and Square provide a free credit card reader to customers but that hardware must be upgraded ($49) to process chip cards or go contactless. The CashApp and Square readers can process prepaid cards.
Does the App Support Overseas Transfers?
It’s like one of the Catch-22 statements. “I am only in the US and I don’t need an app that supports overseas transfers” a biz owner might say. And a related statement could be “I only do business in the US because I don’t have an app that supports overseas business.”
If you’re already operating overseas, of course, you need an app for that. If you’re planning to expand to overseas operations, you need to choose the app that’s best for you and banking operations there.
Can You Pay In-Store?
Adding contactless person payments in-store is one of the services you can offer customers, whether they are purchasing products or services. You can also use a website to do online purchases with contactless or curbside pickup.
The way you operate is unique to you. When you think of products and services, and your reasons for choosing an app, you have to also factor in your customers. How do your customers prefer to pay? What’s the best app for your users?
Google Pay and Pay Pal are popular with users. Apple Pay is also hugely popular but limited to users who have Apple Devices. Similarly, Samsung pay is limited to Galaxy phones.
Google Pay can accept android devices and Apple devices.
How is Paying Online Handled?
PayPal is accepted by millions of websites and is often given as a payment option at checkout. Users love its ease of use, according to reviews.
Paypal set the standard. It started as a way to send money between friends and family and revamped itself into commerce. As is standard with most payment apps, the PayPal app is connected to a debit or credit card, such as a Mastercard, which is connected to a linked bank account.
PayPal partners include Venmo and Xoom.
Is there Debit Card, Credit Card, and ATM Card Availability?
Apps can be linked to your debit card or credit card. Venmo has its own card, which acts like a debit card.
Are there Payment Limits?
Apple Pay – up to $3,000 per transaction or $10,000 in a 7 day period.
Google Pay – up to $9,999 per transaction
Samsung – no payment limits.
PayPal – up to $10,000 per transaction.
Xoom – up to $25,000 per transaction (put for new customers starts at $2,999 per transaction)
Circle Pay and Venmo – up to $3,000 in a 7-day period.
Square – up to $2500 in a 7-day period.
How is App Security?
Using an app is a safe way to send money. Although the app may be linked to credit card or debit card, the card numbers are encrypted. The numbers for the cards are not saved on the biz website.
Advantages for Business
- Customers love the convenience of the digital wallet.
- Customers may not like to handle actual money.
- A mobile payment app is free for a customer to download.
- The customer credit score is not a factor when a customer downloads a payment app.
- Many payment apps include loyalty programs, which customers enjoy.
Disadvantages of Using Mobile Payment Apps for Business
- The biz owner needs a tablet or smartphone to run the app. Might be a challenge for some.
- It may take 24-48 hours for payments to get to the bank.
- There may be payment limits.
- The customer’s phone may not be compatible with the biz system.
- There may be compatibility issues.
What is the best payment app for small business?
The granddaddy of them all is PayPal, with its trusted links to credit or debit cards.
Is a payment app worth the cost?
On average the cost of a payment app for the biz is about 3%, or about the same as the cost to process a credit card payment. A biz owner has to weigh that cost against the popularity of payment apps with users.
Which is the safest payment app?
Apps provide an additional layer of defense. Although they are connecting to banking information, that’s typically via credit or debit cards. When money is paid, only the app is used. The number information for the credit or debit card is encrypted.
What is the best payment app for Android devices?
Google Pay is one of the best payment apps for Android. Another reason to choose Google Pay is that it also accepts Apple Pay.
Is Cashapp or Venmo best?
When Venmo added Venmo for Biz, it already had thousands of consumer users. So there was some brand recognition as an easy way to send money.
Both apps draw a consumer to a company page. With Cashapp, a partner of Square Cash, the consumer can send money via cash.me page for the biz. With Venmo, the consumer can send money via the biz’s profile page. The limit on the transaction amount is $500 a week higher with Venmo. Both get high ratings with consumer reviews.
On the profile page, a consumer can add “likes” and comments. That gives a biz an added layer of interaction with customers.
Which is safer, PayPal or Cashapp?
Paypal uses extremely strong encryption technology. But Cashapp and other apps used to send money also use such technology, with multiple barriers between private information and the money in your bank.
In short, safe use is the best feature of payment apps. That’s because of the additional layers between the app and financial information.
Image: Depositphotos
This article, "16 Mobile Payment Apps" was first published on Small Business Trends
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