Help me understand GPay on android vs. Google Pay on desktop
November 17, 2021 7:44 AM Subscribe
My GPay on Android and Google Pay on desktop (pay.google.com) seem to be unrelated to one another. Is this an error or by design?
I feel like this should be simpler than it is. I'm trying to use Google Pay both on my phone (using the GPay app on an android) and on my desktop (at pay.google.com). They have the same log in information with the same google account. However, they don't seem to be the same thing. Activity in one is different from activity in the other. Payment methods, while all mine and identical in both, needed to be added separately. On the desktop pay.google.com, I can even find an option to pay people.
Is it possible to use the desktop pay.google.com site with the same functionality as the GPay app on Android so I can pay friends via the desktop?
Googling "gpay on desktop" or "gpay vs google pay" or anything else has not been helpful.
I feel like this should be simpler than it is. I'm trying to use Google Pay both on my phone (using the GPay app on an android) and on my desktop (at pay.google.com). They have the same log in information with the same google account. However, they don't seem to be the same thing. Activity in one is different from activity in the other. Payment methods, while all mine and identical in both, needed to be added separately. On the desktop pay.google.com, I can even find an option to pay people.
Is it possible to use the desktop pay.google.com site with the same functionality as the GPay app on Android so I can pay friends via the desktop?
Googling "gpay on desktop" or "gpay vs google pay" or anything else has not been helpful.
Is your phone install an old legacy install? Shocking everyone, Google made a bunch of changes and basically threw away the old app. Maybe your phone is still running that?
posted by glonous keming at 8:01 AM on November 17, 2021
Response by poster: The app was installed directly from the play store in the last two weeks, so I don't think it's a legacy version.
The android app has much more functionality than what I see on desktop at pay.google.com
posted by msbrauer at 8:06 AM on November 17, 2021
The android app has much more functionality than what I see on desktop at pay.google.com
posted by msbrauer at 8:06 AM on November 17, 2021
It's as glonous keming says. Both versions are in the Play store. And the old one was even updated this month. In the description, it also claims you'll need the new app to send money. I would presume the website only gives you the new version. It's not good and it doesn't make sense, but Google can just unilaterally decide for you.
Old, good Google Pay. aka "Gpay"
New, bad Google Pay. aka some...interlocking squiggles
"Still have questions? Head over to https://support.google.com/googlepay"
posted by Snijglau at 8:53 AM on November 17, 2021 [3 favorites]
Old, good Google Pay. aka "Gpay"
New, bad Google Pay. aka some...interlocking squiggles
"Still have questions? Head over to https://support.google.com/googlepay"
posted by Snijglau at 8:53 AM on November 17, 2021 [3 favorites]
Best answer: There are presently two different Android apps. There's the old "Google Pay" app (fka "Android Pay"), which I believe is the same backend as what you get with pay.google.com, but confusingly says "G Pay" on the splash screen and there's the new "GPay" app that shows the weird squiggle logo on the splash screen.
Google Pay lost the ability to do p2p payments around the time they launched the new GPay. GPay is based on the code that was previously specific to India and requires a phone number, unlike the old Google Pay, which was tied only to your Google account. AFAIK they've never released a web version of the new app, it's phone only.
Google had big plans for the new app, including a Google-branded credit card like the Apple Card, but the VP driving the change left and so now it's pretty much in hibernation until somebody else decides to care about it. There was talk of actually shutting down the old Google Pay, but in typical Google fashion, it hasn't happened now that there's nobody around to drive GPay forward or complain loudly about forcing the transition so there's just this mishmash of competing platforms that mostly do the same thing.
posted by wierdo at 10:34 AM on November 17, 2021 [1 favorite]
Google Pay lost the ability to do p2p payments around the time they launched the new GPay. GPay is based on the code that was previously specific to India and requires a phone number, unlike the old Google Pay, which was tied only to your Google account. AFAIK they've never released a web version of the new app, it's phone only.
Google had big plans for the new app, including a Google-branded credit card like the Apple Card, but the VP driving the change left and so now it's pretty much in hibernation until somebody else decides to care about it. There was talk of actually shutting down the old Google Pay, but in typical Google fashion, it hasn't happened now that there's nobody around to drive GPay forward or complain loudly about forcing the transition so there's just this mishmash of competing platforms that mostly do the same thing.
posted by wierdo at 10:34 AM on November 17, 2021 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Pay.google.com is "Google Payments", which is NOT the same as Google Pay, even though they seem to say it is. :-/ I know, I'm confused too.
posted by kschang at 10:37 AM on November 17, 2021
posted by kschang at 10:37 AM on November 17, 2021
Response by poster: I've got GPay with squiggles, so I've got the new one.
What I want is to be able to do all that stuff that I do with the new squiggle app on the desktop pay.google.com or some other site that I can access from my desktop. It seems like that's not possible.
posted by msbrauer at 11:46 AM on November 17, 2021
What I want is to be able to do all that stuff that I do with the new squiggle app on the desktop pay.google.com or some other site that I can access from my desktop. It seems like that's not possible.
posted by msbrauer at 11:46 AM on November 17, 2021
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