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Google Wallet and Samsung Wallet Diverge on IDs, Cross-Device Use, Crypto and Security

Engadget compares Google and Samsung wallets, finding trade-offs in IDs, cross-device use, crypto and security.

AI News Feed · 2026-09-22 03:14

According to the comparison, both wallets can store credit and debit cards, tickets, loyalty cards, membership cards, boarding passes, car keys, house keys and certain forms of ID. Both can also upload physical passes through a phone camera, a feature Engadget said is only now arriving in Apple Wallet with iOS 27. The differences emerge in how far each service extends beyond those basics.

Google Wallet has the advantage in digital ID recognition. Samsung Wallet is compatible with digital ID in eight states, while digital IDs stored in Google Wallet are recognized in 11 states and Puerto Rico, Engadget reported. California, Montana, New Mexico, Ohio and Puerto Rico recognize Google Wallet but not Samsung Wallet. West Virginia is the exception in the other direction, recognizing Samsung Wallet while excluding Google Wallet.

Cross-device support also favors Google. Google Wallet has a web version and is available on other Android devices running Android 9 and above or Wear OS 2.18 and above. That means users can pay with Google Wallet on a Samsung Galaxy Watch, but Samsung Wallet cannot be used on a Pixel phone because it is exclusive to Samsung devices. Google passes sync across devices, and Gmail lets users pull tickets and passes from emails into Google Wallet.

Samsung Wallet holds an edge in cryptocurrency. It allows users to link digital asset services such as Coinbase or Samsung's own Blockchain Wallet with the rest of their cards, so they can view and manage crypto assets inside the wallet app. Security is another area of comparison. Engadget said both wallets offer similar levels of data encryption, and most users are likely to face greater risk from social engineering scams than brute-force cyber attacks. Samsung may have a slight edge because of its integration with KNOX, which provides hardware-level security.

For Samsung Galaxy owners worried about choosing a default wallet, Engadget said there is nothing stopping them from using both wallets and keeping one as a fallback. The comparison presents the two services as having strengths in different areas: Google for cross-platform convenience and broader digital ID acceptance, Samsung for crypto management and KNOX-backed security.