Smartphones have made it unnecessary to insert your credit card into a filthy machine in order to pay for gas. You can utilize a few different techniques to pay using your phone. We'll demonstrate how.
You can pay with an app or by physically pressing your phone to the gas pump. With tap-to-pay, you simply tap your phone against the contactless scanner, thereby turning it like a credit card. The latter entails making payments from your car while using an app.
Tap-to-Pay
Many smartphones have a feature called NFC that enables close-range communication between devices. NFC is used to transfer payment credentials securely in the context of mobile payments. Your phone serves as your credit card in this scenario.
You'll need to look for a few logos if you want to use tap-to-pay at gas stations. The universal "Contactless Payment" systems are represented by the top logo in the image below. This applies to gadgets like smartphones and smartwatches that support mobile payments as well as some credit cards and other things.
The bottom two emblems in the above image, Google Pay (Android) and Apple Pay, are more unique to smartphone platforms (iPhone and Apple Watch). However, if you also see the global Contactless Payment logo, both of these will function.
Apple Pay is a mobile payment system that works with iPhones and Apple Watches. Simply adding your selected credit card to the app completes the setup process. After that, you can pay for gas by tapping your Apple smartphone to the pump.
There are a few additional choices for Android devices. The most popular option is Google Pay, which is accessible on any Android handset with an NFC chip. Manufacturers also offer mobile payment programs, like Samsung Pay, however they are only available on their own line of devices.
Although Google Pay is also accessible for iPhones, mobile payments are exclusively supported by Android-based smartphones. Similar to Apple Pay, you just need to connect a credit card to your account before you can tap your phone on a gas pump.
Mobile Apps
Although tapping your phone to a petrol pump to pay sounds quite cutting-edge, many gas stations actually provide a way that is even more recent. The entire payment procedure can be carried out in your car as opposed to physically touching your phone to the reader.
With the advent of apps, you may select your gas pump number and your preferred payment option at many gas stations without getting out of your car. You only need to physically engage with the pump to select the fuel grade and install the nozzle in your car.
Google Pay was discussed in relation to tap-to-pay, but it can also be utilized in this manner. Several gas station chains that offer the service are gathered by the Google Pay app. The Google Pay app can be used to complete the entire transaction.
You can choose to download an app from the gas station chain if you don't want to use Google Pay. Numerous well-known American gas station chains have their own applications for this feature.
- BP (Android, iPhone)
- Chevron (Android, iPhone, iPad)
- Exxon Mobile (Android, iPhone)
- Shell (Android, iPhone)
You can choose to download an app from the gas station chain if you don't want to use Google Pay. Numerous well-known American gas station chains have their own applications for this feature.
