Let’s find out what Samsung Pay is and how to use it

Samsung Pay: key features and availability. Source: shutterstock.com

Samsung Pay is a mobile payment platform and digital wallet by South Korean electronics company Samsung, that allows users to make payments at a touch. You don’t even have to place your phone in direct contact with a payment terminal to perform a payment.

You can add up to 10 cards of different banks and payment systems to your wallet. You can also add an unlimited number of sales cards and gift certificates.

After you’ve added a card to your wallet, you don’t have to use it to pay for your purchases. All payment details will be transferred from your phone once you’ve unlocked it (with PIN, fingerprint, or iris scan).

Competitors

Samsung Pay has much in common with its competitor’s payment solutions. Essentially, these systems also allow you to perform contactless smartphone payments.

However, the competitor’s service works with only one communication channel (NFC), while the Samsung solution offers NFC and MST (Magnetic Secure Transmission). It also works like a traditional plastic card transaction, which uses a magnetic strip.

It also works like a traditional plastic card transaction, which uses a magnetic strip. Source: shutterstock.com

Devices

Similar to Apple Pay, Samsung Pay is only available for Samsung devices.

Smartphones: Galaxy Note 8, S8/S8 edge, S7/S7 edge, S6/S6 edge, S6 edge +, A7 and J5 2017, A5 2016 and 2017.

Smartwatches: Gear S2 (only for NFC terminals), Gear S3, Gear Fit 2, and Gear Sport. Smartwatches work only with a compatible smartphone, that operates on the Android 4.4 KitKat or above. Moreover, you can’t download other payment apps on a Samsung smartwatch. Thus, people who live in countries where this payment system hasn’t yet been launched, can’t use these watches for payments. Alternatively, Samsung smartphones are able to use different payment apps.

Authentication: a fingerprint sensor, password, iris scan for Galaxy Note 8, S8, and S8+, and all the above-mentioned features, along with facial recognition for Galaxy S9 and S9+.

Samsung Pay is only available for Samsung devices. Source: samsung.com

Availability

No less than 650 financial institutions, like Chase, Citi, HSBC, or Wells Fargo, in 25 countries accept Samsung Pay.

Samsung Pay features

Samsung Pay Mini

This spin-off has limited functionality and doesn’t work in all Samsung Pay countries. It is an online multi-platform payments service. Indian citizens, for example, can link Paytm wallet to their Samsung account.

The main difference between Samsung Pay and Samsung Pay Mini is that the latter requires more operations. In addition to putting the phone to a payment terminal, you’ll also have to scan a QR code or undergo mobile phone authorization.

Cashback

Samsung has an added cashback feature. US users can receive money back after each transaction, which has been carried out in partner retail stores. You can find exclusive offers in a new section called ?Cash Back?.

You can also use Samsung Pay online. Source: shutterstock.com

Samsung Pay online

You can also use Samsung Pay online. What’s good about this feature is that you don’t have to input your bank card details. It’s enough to click the Samsung Pay button. The payment confirmation is done via your smartphone (fingerprint scan, or e-mail authorization).

Purchases

Samsung Pay 2.5 and above are endowed with a special feature. You can make purchases right in the app. The ?Samsung Pay? button is embedded in a merchant’s apps. The feature is available for all Samsung devices to run on 5.0 Lollipop and above.

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