You can't use Apple Pay or Google Pay if you're shopping in-store at Walmart. Kativ/Getty Images
When I stop by Walmart on my way home from the gym, I don't always have my wallet on me. At most stores, it's not a big deal because I have my phone with me, so I can use my digital wallet to make a purchase.
But Walmart doesn't accept Apple Pay or Google Pay. If I want to use a digital payment in store, I'd have to use Walmart Pay on the Walmart App or a digital wallet offered by OnePay, a Walmart majority-owned fintech. You can still use most major credit and debit cards when buying something in-store or online.
Digital wallets offer the convenience of paying without having to carry a credit card, and they can also keep your transactions more secure than using a physical card.
Growing in popularity over the past few years, Apple Wallet and Google Wallet let you store payment options as well as your digital hotel key, boarding passes and concert tickets. The OnePay Wallet can store up to 20 credit or debit cards, but it can only be used at Walmart and on walmart.com and cannot hold other digital documents or passes.
You can also set up a digital wallet within the Walmart app, which lets you store additional payment methods. But that means downloading yet another app to your phone.
We'll break down all your payment options when shopping at Walmart.
Why doesn't Walmart accept Apple Pay or Google Pay?
Walmart, with more than 4,600 locations across the country, is one of the last major retailers to refuse to accept popular third-party contactless payment options like Google Pay and Apple Pay. (However, you can use your Apple Card, just not through Apple Pay.)
By sticking to its own mobile payment apps, Walmart avoids paying fees for third-party options and can more easily track your purchase history. However, that exclusivity also makes purchases less convenient for customers who use digital apps and wallets as their primary means of payment.
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