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Software · head to head

Google Pay vs Credit Karma

Google Pay logo

Google Pay

Software

Fast, simple and secure payments

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Credit Karma logo

Credit Karma

Software

Free credit scores, reports, and more

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Google Pay limited to Android devices and Chrome browser; lacks native support for iOS devices; Credit Karma state tax filing costs 15 USD even though federal filing is 0 USD
  • They diverge on capability: Google Pay covers Digital wallet, Credit Karma covers Free credit score.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Google Pay and Credit Karma actually diverge.

Attributes where Google Pay and Credit Karma differ
AttributeGoogle PayCredit Karma
Pricing modelfreefreemium
PlatformsAndroid, Chrome browserWeb, IOS, Android
Founded20152007

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Google Pay

  • Digital wallet
  • Contactless payments
  • Online shopping
  • P2P money transfers
  • Credit cards
  • Debit cards
  • Bank accounts

Only in Credit Karma

  • Free credit score
  • Credit report monitoring
  • Credit card recommendations
  • Tax filing
  • Credit bureaus
  • Financial institutions
  • Web support

Both cover

  • Android support
  • IOS support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Google Pay

  • Android users making contactless payments at supported retailersnot Credit Karma
  • Chrome browser users utilising payment autofill at checkoutnot Credit Karma

Credit Karma

  • Monitoring a credit score and the factors affecting it for freenot Google Pay
  • Comparing credit card and loan offers with Approval Oddsnot Google Pay
  • Filing federal tax returns at no chargenot Google Pay

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Google Pay

  • Limited to Android devices and Chrome browser; lacks native support for iOS devices
  • International money transfer through third-party provider (Wise Inc.) with limited details on coverage

Credit Karma

  • State tax filing costs 15 USD even though federal filing is 0 USD
  • Credit Spark builds score history against TransUnion, and the site states that not all lenders use TransUnion credit reports or scores
  • Card and loan listings are advertising placements, disclosed on the site as compensation from third party advertisers
  • Send and score update frequency limits are not published on the site

Pricing, plan by plan

Google Pay

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Google Pay review.

Credit Karma

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Credit score monitoring
    • Credit reports
    • Personalized recommendations

Which should you pick?

Choose Google Pay if

  • You need digital wallet.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Android, Chrome browser.
  • You also want contactless payments.
Google Pay review

Choose Credit Karma if

  • You need free credit score.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want credit report monitoring.
Credit Karma review

Questions people ask

Is Google Pay or Credit Karma better?
Neither clearly leads. Google Pay starts at Free and Credit Karma at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Google Pay or Credit Karma?
Google Pay starts at Free and Credit Karma at Free.
Does Google Pay or Credit Karma run on more platforms?
Google Pay runs on Android, Chrome browser. Credit Karma runs on Web, IOS, Android.
Can I use Google Pay for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Google Pay best used for?
Google Pay is most often used for android users making contactless payments at supported retailers, chrome browser users utilising payment autofill at checkout. Of those, android users making contactless payments at supported retailers and chrome browser users utilising payment autofill at checkout are not what Credit Karma is typically brought in for.
What can Google Pay do that Credit Karma cannot?
Google Pay covers Digital wallet, Contactless payments, Online shopping, P2P money transfers. Credit Karma covers Free credit score, Credit report monitoring, Credit card recommendations, Tax filing. Both handle Android support, IOS support.
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