Does Walmart take Apple Pay? [Updated for 2024]

A common question from iPhone users and loyal Walmart customers is ‘Does Walmart take Apple Pay?’  As one of the fastest-growing retail giants in the world, Walmart has multiple options for their transactions involving money, with their primary source for contactless payments being Walmart Pay.

What You Need to Know

Walmart does not take Apple Pay. They have chosen to bypass it as a third-party app and create their own digital wallet called Walmart Pay. > If you are a die-hard Apple fan and really want to use Apple Pay at Walmart, there is a workaround to make this happen. You just have to follow the exact steps (laid out in this post.) > There is no plan to bring Apple Pay on board. It just wouldn’t make sense to pay Apple when their own digital wallet has been successful and they own it. > The same goes for Google Pay, Google Wallet, or Samsung Pay – you will not see them offered at Walmart. > There are checkout options available if you don’t want to use Walmart Pay, such as Venmo, PayPal, Affirm, major credit cards, and others.

NOTE: This post may contain affiliate links. Read the disclosure for details.

First, the quick answer to the question “Does Walmart take Apple Pay?” is no, they do not.

However, they have developed their own digital wallet system with Walmart Pay, so they have no reason to use a third-party app.

Details about Walmart Pay:

• It is located inside the Walmart app.
• It is an all-inclusive mobile payment wallet developed by Walmart.
• It cannot be used at any retailer except Walmart.
• It can be used on all smartphones and the Apple Watch, although difficult because of its size.
• It uses the mobile payment technology of QR codes.

There are several reasons Walmart does not accept Apple pay as one of its contactless payment methods.

Even though Walmart does not take Apple Pay at their checkout, there is a work-around that allows you to not only use Apple Pay to make your purchase at Walmart but also save money at the same time.

Can you use Apple Pay at Walmart?

In short, the answer is no, Walmart does not take Apple Pay for in-store purchases or online purchases.

However, they do have another mobile payment option that allows contactless payments and is somewhat similar, as well as other payment methods.

With the advent and rapid growth of cell phones and high-speed internet access, the world’s economy is gradually shifting away from traditional payment methods such as credit cards, debit cards, cash, and checks to cardless, cashless, and contactless alternatives.

According to Statista, in 2021, 96% of Americans own a cell phone, with iPhones accounting for 55% of all mobile devices.

Therefore, it should come as no surprise that mobile wallets such as Apple Pay and other contactless payment systems such as Venmo, Zelle, Google Pay, Google Wallet, and Samsung Pay are growing increasingly popular over the common use of a credit or debit card.

It also isn’t surprising with the rise of iPhone enthusiasts in recent years that Apple users select Apple Pay over other payment solutions.

With their customer loyalty to Apple, they want to use their Apple devices for everything possible, including checking out at Walmart and other stores.

This speculation is supported by statistics from TechCrunch, stating that Apple Pay is the clear leader in contactless payment use, with 43.9 million customers opting for Apple Pay at thousands of locations worldwide that support the digital wallet and a touch-free checkout.

With Apple Pay being accepted at over two million stores across the United States, have you wondered if the retail giant Walmart is one of the chains that accept Apple Pay for contactless payments?

If customers want to use their smartphone to pay for their items, Walmart accepts their own app, Walmart Pay when they check out at the registers, self-checkout lane, scan to go, and online.

If you don’t want to use Walmart Pay, the retailer accepts a variety of other forms of payment, including:

In addition, the Walmart store is one of the retailers that accept Venmo for both in-store and online transactions.

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Why does Walmart not take Apple Pay?

Deep digging revealed several fascinating reasons Walmart does not support Apple Pay.

Essentially, Walmart doesn’t accept Apple Pay because they want their customers to utilize the Walmart Pay app instead of third-party apps, which is why Walmart Pay was developed.

Before the introduction of Walmart Pay, the corporation had another rationale for refusing to accept Apple Pay.

They had an affiliation with a corporation known as Merchant Customer Exchange or MCX.

CurrentC is a payment option that is only accepted by the company (MCX) and is based on the use of QR codes. Because MCX is a direct competitor of Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay, it wouldn’t make sense for Walmart to take Apple Pay as a payment method.

MCX also uses a completely different technology than Apple Pay, making them incompatible even if Walmart did want to offer to share their customers with a competitor.

While Apple Pay processes in-store payments using Near Field Communication (NFC-based technology), Walmart’s payment system utilizes QR-based technology to provide a touch-free checkout.

This means to allow customers to use Apple Pay in a Walmart store, they would have to integrate a new technology (the Apple Pay technology) in addition to their QR code method.

Another reason why Walmart does not accept Apple Pay is that it prevents them from collecting any personal data from customers when they complete a transaction since it would be considered a third-party app to Walmart.

In order to acquire consumer loyalty, the corporation has implemented a digital strategy that includes a collection of customer data for marketing purposes.

In order to track shoppers’ purchasing behaviors and target them with customized promotions, the merchant can utilize their app to offer products based on the customers’ previous purchasing trends.

Without this personal data in their system, Walmart is unable to offer such personalized recommendations and notifications to customers who use the Walmart Pay app.

And yet another likely reason is that Walmart is attempting to avoid paying processing costs, which would likely reduce its already-thin profit margins.

You might also like: What is Walmart Rollback? [Hint: It’s not a sale!]

Why is Apple Pay important to Walmart customers?

Walmart is the largest brick-and-mortar retailer in the world, with more than 20,000 outlets in 190 countries.

Millions of Americans visit Walmart stores to purchase personal items such as apparel and purses, shop for the cheapest perishable and non-perishable food items to eat on a budget or following a special diet, and to use their check-cashing services.

It would be hard to meet someone that hasn’t heard about the retail giant with roughly 6,000 retail outlets in the United States, including 24-hour superstores in many locations, according to the company.

So whether you’re looking for a midnight snack or realize the Walmart tire department can save you money compared to other retailers on a new set of tires for your vehicle, you can almost always find a Walmart location within driving distance.

A common question from iPhone users that are also loyal Walmart customers is ‘does Walmart take Apple Pay’ because of the convenience and incentives it offers in a store they shop regularly.

When devoted customers find out this mobile payment system is not an option, it is not surprising they are disappointed in every aspect.

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How do I pay with my iPhone at Walmart? [or any smartphone]

To support their own brand, the retailer encourages Walmart shoppers to use their digital wallet and mobile payment option known as Walmart Pay.

It is a free account capable of making in-store mobile payments at a Walmart self-checkout lane or registering with a cashier.

How to use Walmart Pay

The Walmart Pay app is compatible with both iOS and Android devices, and it can be used to make purchases both in-store and online.

Before you can use your iPhone or another smartphone to pay, you need to download and set up the Walmart mobile app.

When you set up the app, you can select either a PIN, Touch ID, or Face ID recognition for login.

You will need to use the one you select at the time of purchase.

Add the major credit card or cards you want to use, a debit card, Walmart gift card, and/or prepaid cards to the Walmart app. These are what will be used for payment when you use Walmart Pay to purchase products online or check out at a local store.

Although Walmart encourages users to add their Walmart gift cards into the app to use them, it is not a necessity.

This is how you do it:

1. Go to a self-checkout lane and scan your items
2. After all the items are scanned into their system, hit the payment option button for Walmart Pay
3. A QR code will pop up on the checkout monitor, open your app and select Walmart Pay, then scan the QR code with your smartphone
4. Following the scanning of your barcode, you will hear a chime to indicate that your transaction has been successfully completed

The video below will also show you how simple it is to use Walmart Pay.

There are no processing fees attached to the transaction.

Just like Apple Pay, Walmart Pay does not issue paper receipts, so there is no need to wait for one. Instead, you’ll receive a notification as well as an e-receipt on your smartphone or tablet. Receipts can be accessed inside the app.

If you go through a register that has the customer associate scanning your items, it is just as simple. Either the cashier or you can scan your QR code to make the payment.

After all your items have been scanned into the system by the associate, follow the same process on the customer payment pad.

QUICK WIN TIP
Unless you turn off the feature, Walmart Pay will generally use the value of your gift card first if one is available. Remember, you should use your EBT or WIC balances (if applicable) on Walmart Pay before using any other payment options.

Where can Walmart Pay be used?

Unlike Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay, which can all be used at multiple retailers, Walmart Pay can only be used in Walmart stores.

For example, you cannot use Walmart Pay to make Walgreens, Kroger, Home Depot, or Publix purchases.

Additionally, the app does not operate at Walmart franchisees or other brands owned by Walmart, such as Jet.com, Moosejaw, Bare Necessities, Shoes.com, Bonobos, Eloquii, and Hayneedle, among other places.

You might also like: Find a Coinstar Near Me and Avoid the Fee

Will Walmart ever get Apple Pay?

Walmart has no plans of accepting Apple Pay in the future, according to a Walmart spokeswoman.

There’s no need for Apple Pay or the costs associated with it because Walmart Pay is embedded directly into the Walmart app of their customers’ iPhones or other smartphones.

Could you use some extra cash?

How do you use Apple Pay at Walmart?

If you really want to use your Apple Pay at Walmart, there is a way!

With the Ibotta app and extension, there is a backdoor method, and here is how you do it:

1. Install the ibotta app and extension to your smartphone
2. Set the payment option to Apple Pay
3. Use the Ibotta app as your payment method when you’re shopping local and use the ibotta extension when you’re shopping on your computer at home

What is ibotta?

Ibotta, a cashback rewards eCorp, pays you up to 2% of the total amount you spend on a transaction when you use their platform.

There is no gimmick and nothing special you have to do. Use their app or extension to check out and you make money on every transaction.

However, using the ibotta checkout is not an option on all products. It only applies to specific items that are purchased from participating vendors.

Also, in order to earn your free money, you have to select the items inside the app on your smartphone.

When you get to the checkout, select Apple Pay as the method of payment.

Now you have used your Apple Pay plus earn up to 2% in free cash!

Try out Ibotta now! It’s free so go check it out and see for yourself how awesome it is!

Another often-missed option for payment: Affirm

If you are looking for another payment option and placing an order in the Walmart online store, you can take advantage of Affirm.

Similar to the other credit options, Affirm is a financing option that requires monthly payments.

You can acquire financing on the spot if you qualify, and you can pay back your balance in three, six, or twelve months. Just select your choice when it asks you how you would like to pay during the checkout process.

The Affirm eCommerce loan option is comparable to a layaway program, except you get your items without waiting until they are paid off.

Depending on the items you are buying, you may or may not have to pay interest for borrowing the money from Affirm.

If interest is collected, it can have a price tag between 10 and 30%, so be aware of what you are buying and what they are charging before moving forward.

Your credit score is the final determination for the APR (annual percentage rate) you will pay.

Does Walmart take Apple Pay [Key Takeaways]

An obvious reason Walmart’s popularity extends to millions of customers is the company’s extensive geographic reach and numerous services they have available.

There aren’t many retail stores available where a customer can get so much done in one store, such as purchase a money order, get their nails done, cash their paycheck, rent a carpet cleaner, change their vehicle oil, or trade in their loose coins using a Coinstar machine.

And this isn’t even close to all the services offered in one store so it isn’t a surprise why they have grown to one of the largest retail giants.

The bad news for iPhone users is that Walmart does not take Apple Pay in any capacity or department. It cannot be used to pay for in-store or online purchases or to get money orders or Walmart gift cards.

Even though Walmart doesn’t accept Apple Pay, they offer an alternative for iPhone and Android users who prefer to use a digital wallet.

Instead, they accept payment using their own Walmart pay account is known as Walmart Pay, as well as Venmo, PayPal, Affirm, major credit cards, and others.

With the development and success of Walmart Pay, they have no plans to bring the digital wallets of their competitors into their corporation by offering Google Pay, Google Wallet, or Samsung Pay.

This includes no plans to accept Apple Pay.

By not using a third-party app, Walmart can save money on processing fees and other expenses that would be required, including having to install the Apple Pay payment processing technology of NFC, which is different than the QR code technology that runs Walmart Pay.

As disappointing as it might be, one has to understand from a business perspective the company wants to save as much money as possible. Part of this plan is not paying fees to third-party apps (such as Apple.)

And talking about saving money, how is your budget coming along?

Are you struggling with keeping your finances stress-free?

Starting a budget will make a huge difference no matter how much money you make. 

If you feel like your financial goals are going in the right direction and don’t have a budget, that’s great!

However, just think about how much a budget could put even more of your hard-earned money back into your pocket!

The free Budgeting Basics eBook is the perfect resource to get your money under control or fine-tune it in a specific area.

If you need ideas or help to create your budget, hop over to 20 free printable budget templates to get you started!

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Sources used in this post

• Walmart Facts and Statistics

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