Walmart Still Doesn't Accept Apple Pay in the U.S. in 2026, Here's Why

[MacRumors]

As noted by 9to5Mac over the weekend, Walmart still does not accept contactless payment options like Apple Pay at its more than 4,500 stores across the U.S., and there is no indication that will be changing any time soon.

It is not just Apple Pay that is affected. Walmart also does not allow customers to use Google Pay or Samsung Pay, and you cannot tap a credit or debit card either. In other words, the NFC functionality on the payment terminals is turned off.

It is far from the first time that we have reported on this topic, but Walmart has still not changed course, despite endless customer complaints.

Last year, a Walmart spokesperson told MacRumors that the retailer remained focused on its own payment technologies in the Walmart app, including Walmart Pay and Scan & Go, but these options are not as convenient as one-tap Apple Pay.

To use Walmart Pay, customers must add a payment card to the Walmart app, and then scan a QR code displayed at the checkout to complete payment. This system allows Walmart to track a customer's purchase history and learn their habits, which is likely the biggest underlying reason that the retailer does not accept Apple Pay.

Scan & Go allows Walmart+ members to save time by scanning barcodes on items while they shop, rather than having to scan all of the items at a self-checkout register later. This can save you time, but Apple Pay is still not accepted.

Apple Pay has a lot of privacy protections, including hiding actual credit card numbers, and this would make it harder for Walmart to track customers.

Apple Pay launched more than 10 years ago, and it was accepted at more than 90 percent of U.S. retailers as of 2022, according to Apple. Some other major Apple Pay holdouts in the U.S. have reversed course and started accepting it over the past few years, including The Home Depot, Lowe's, Kroger, and Texas grocery store chain H-E-B, leaving Walmart as one of the country's only major retailers that does not accept Apple Pay.

Interestingly enough, Walmart has accepted Apple Pay in Canada since 2020, but apparently it is not willing to offer that luxury in America for now.

Article Link: Walmart Still Doesn't Accept Apple Pay in the U.S. in 2026, Here's Why

 

[CarAnalogy]

Data harvesting and forcing people into their app and then also getting a credit card added to their accounts.

As usual it’s all about customer manipulation. Nothing at all to do with what customers actually want.

 

[DEMinSoCAL]

Why can't Scan & Go at Walmart be as easy as Sam's Club? At Walmart, you still have to wait in line at self checkout and go through some rigamarole to pay for your cart unlike Sam's Club where you pay in app and walk out the door. Lately, at Sam's Club, they don't even check me or scan anything at the door -- just walk out!

 

[jicon]

Can we stop calling this Apple Pay? This is simply NFC payments. Given Walmart has option within their app, suspect a big driver on this is tracking who is making the payment, and curbing costs paid to banks.

 

[dmr727]

Perhaps there are areas of the country where Walmart is the only choice, but most folks have options. I shop at Lowes because Home Depot doesn't accept Apple Pay. That's their choice to make if they're that hell bent on scraping our data.

 

[TechRunner]

It aggravates me to no end to STILL have to slide a card into a slot to pay at Walmart. 'Tis a first-world problem, for sure. But it bugs me every single time.

 

[Apple MessagePad]

Same reason as always. They don't allow it because they don't have to pay as much for processing and they can collect more customer data.

It's the same reason Target gives people 5% off if they use the Target Card. They make far more money by collecting that purchase data from customers.

 

[Robert.Walter]

Why can't Scan & Go at Walmart be as easy as Sam's Club? At Walmart, you still have to wait in line at self checkout and go through some rigamarole to pay for your cart unlike Sam's Club where you pay in app and walk out the door. Lately, at Sam's Club, they don't even check me or scan anything at the door -- just walk out!

Sam’s Club knows who you are based on your membership number.

If they aren’t checking you on exit, they might be using biometric monitoring most of the time and only occasionally spot checking.

 

[Robert.Walter]

Perhaps there are areas of the country where Walmart is the only choice, but most folks have options. I shop at Lowes because Home Depot doesn't accept Apple Pay. That's their choice to make if they're that hell bent on scraping our data.

Lowe’s also has excellent customer service.

 

[Station Grey]

As someone from the UK, I read this article with genuine interest and mild shock. Not sure I've paid with anything other than my phone for anything for years now.

The only exception I can think of is my cleaner, so we have to remember every few weeks to get cash out of the machine with a card!

 

[Ronald Watt]

Was glad to learn last year HEB came around and allowing Apple Pay. I had shifted a lot of my grocery shopping over to Krogers who allowed Apple Pay. Also, glad to see in this thread that Home Depot is finally coming back to allowing Apple Pay, they had it briefly in the beginning and then turned it off.

Not the same as Walmart, but Target allows apple pay, at some point, Walmart needs to cave and do what the customers want.

 

[turbineseaplane]

They don't offer ANY tap to pay, even with my normal real VISA card.

Drives me crazy.

 

[Jumpthesnark]

Like I needed another reason to never shop there. They're actually making it more difficult to pay there than at their competition.

 

[al256]

I tried to use Walmart Pay once. I set it up years ago and when I finally tried to use it, my card had expired.

For some reason I never have to update my credit cards in Apple Pay ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[jml12286]

Walmart is like one of the only stores in our small town to stock normal household things besides ACE. Having to pull out my card and stick in a machine is so annoying. Just get with the times already!

 

[Madmic23]

As someone from the UK, I read this article with genuine interest and mild shock. Not sure I've paid with anything other than my phone for anything for years now.

The only exception I can think of is my cleaner, so we have to remember every few weeks to get cash out of the machine with a card!

I laugh every time a USA payment story comes up. If you go to most restaurants there, they still take your card and walk away from the table with it, and then come back with a piece of paper for you to sign. Just bring a wireless debit/credit machine to the table and let me add the tip and pay with tap or by entering my chip and pin. It feels like going back in time.

 

[B4U]

Walmart is free to do whatever they want, just like I can choose not to shop there.
They can be stupid all day long.

I do feel bad for those of us who have not much choices though.

 

[firstcitazen]

we all have places we go that may not have the best prices, but have excellent customer service or great selections. Walmart's whole business model is based on "cheap", but for those of us who have a choice where to shop (cost is secondary) we go elsewhere. Walmart doesn't want us as customers, as the type of shopping experience we expect, they have no desire to provide as we aren't their target audience.

 

[munpip214]

Perhaps there are areas of the country where Walmart is the only choice, but most folks have options. I shop at Lowes because Home Depot doesn't accept Apple Pay. That's their choice to make if they're that hell bent on scraping our data.

Home Depot accepts Apple Pay now

 

[dmr727]

Home Depot accepts Apple Pay now

I noticed that in the article - when did that happen? I feel like I was just there in the Fall. Glad to see they came around!

 

[BabyBoii]

if you have walmart+ its no big deal cuz you just checkout with their app in store.

Walmart+ is legit the best $99 I spend every year. Free grocery delivery is insane value. HATE going to the grocery store. such a time suck.

(walmart plz sponsor me omg i'm your biggest fan)

 

[munpip214]

Can we stop calling this Apple Pay? This is simply NFC payments. Given Walmart has option within their app, suspect a big driver on this is tracking who is making the payment, and curbing costs paid to banks.

Yes, that is true, but this is also MacRumors so “Apple Pay” makes sense

 

[BruiserB]

Can we stop calling this Apple Pay? This is simply NFC payments. Given Walmart has option within their app, suspect a big driver on this is tracking who is making the payment, and curbing costs paid to banks.

Interestingly, whenever I use Walmart Pay, I get a notification (that I signed up for) from my bank that my linked credit card was used for a "card not present" transaction. I believe fees are actually higher for card not present transactions than ones where the card is physically used. Maybe Walmart was able to work something special out with the card issuers.

Using Walmart Pay is way more cumbersome...scan the QR Code, make sure the right funding card is selected, then hit pay on the phone. Seems like they could come up with some sort of Walmart Loyalty card that is also stored in the wallet and then automatically applied when the phone is used for ApplePay. I think Walgreens works like this. And for those just tapping their physical credit cards, they would still get the full card number the same as they do when chip or swipe are used, so they'd be no worse off.

 

[chelsel]

It aggravates me to no end to STILL have to slide a card into a slot to pay at Walmart. 'Tis a first-world problem, for sure. But it bugs me every single time.

Add your card to the Walmart app. Scan the barcode on the checkout screen... done. I use it with my PayPal Debit card and get 5% cash back too. No swiping. All digital scanning.

 

[munpip214]

In general, I’m not a fan of what the EU is putting tech companies through, but in this case, I would not mind seeing the US force Walmart to accept it.