Walmart and Sam’s Club are finally adding tap-to-pay, including Apple Pay, Google Pay, and contactless cards.
The rollout starts August 24 at select locations, with all U.S. stores expected to have it by the end of 2026.
Not every store will be upgraded immediately, and fuel stations won’t be fully covered until mid-2027.
If you've ever walked into Walmart with your phone but without your wallet, you probably discovered an oddity: One of the biggest retailers in America still didn't accept Apple Pay or Google Pay.
That's finally changing.
Walmart recently announced that it's bringing tap-to-pay to Walmart and Sam's Club stores in the U.S., meaning shoppers will be able to pay with a contactless card, smartphone, or smartwatch. That includes popular digital wallets such as Apple Pay and Google Pay.
But don't leave your physical wallet at home quite yet.
The rollout starts August 24 — but not everywhere
Walmart says tap-to-pay will begin appearing at select Walmart and Sam's Club locations on Monday, August 24th.
The company plans to have the technology available at all U.S. Walmart stores and Sam's Club locations by the end of 2026. Walmart and Sam's Club fuel stations will take a little longer, with the company targeting mid-2027 for that rollout.
Walmart hasn't stated yet which stores will be among the first to get the upgrade.
So, if you walk into Walmart this week with your iPhone, and you don’t see the tap to pay icon, just ask the cashier if they know when the store is going to get upgraded.
There’s a good chance management has given them a rough idea of when the upgrade might happen.
Why did this take so long?
That's what makes the announcement interesting.
Walmart has been one of the most conspicuous holdouts in the move toward NFC contactless payments.
Walmart instead pushed shoppers to use Walmart Pay, which is their own QR code-based system. It forced shoppers to open the Walmart app and scan a QR code instead of just tapping their phone on the payment terminal.
But it’s safe to say that Walmart's resistance goes back even further. The retailer was part of a group of merchants that backed CurrentC, which was an attempted mobile-payment alternative to services such as Apple Pay. CurrentC ultimately went nowhere, while Apple Pay and other tap-to-pay options became the norm.
Rest assured, Walmart Pay isn't disappearing. The retailer says customers will still be able to pay with cash, credit cards, and Walmart Pay, while Sam's Club members can continue using Scan & Go.
In other words, Walmart isn't replacing its payment system. It's finally giving shoppers another choice.
What you'll be able to tap
Once your store is upgraded, you won't necessarily need Apple Pay or Google Pay.
Walmart says its terminals will accept eligible contactless credit or debit cards, phones, and smartwatches. Customers will also be able to put eligible Walmart, Sam's Club, and OnePay cards into their digital wallets and use them contactlessly.
That means the little contactless symbol on your physical credit card should become useful at Walmart, too.
One reason you may want to use Apple Pay anyway
Convenience isn't the only advantage.
Digital wallets such as Apple Pay and Google Pay can add another layer between the merchant and your actual payment-card information.
Instead of handing over your physical card details in the traditional way, the payment is generally completed using tokenized credentials.
It's not a reason to stop paying attention to your accounts, but it can be another useful security tool. This is particularly true for consumers who already keep most of their cards in a digital wallet.
You can also still earn the normal rewards associated with the card you put in your digital wallet, assuming the purchase otherwise qualifies under your card's rewards program.
Before you try it
A few things that are worth knowing during the rollout:
Look for the contactless symbol. Once your Walmart terminal has been upgraded, that's your clue that tapping should work.
Keep another payment method handy for now. The August 24th launch covers only select locations initially.
Don't assume the gas pump is ready. Walmart says fuel stations aren't scheduled for a complete rollout until mid-2027.
Pro tip: Check the card before you tap. Apple Pay and Google Pay make checkout so quick that it's easy to pay with whatever card happens to be your default. Before holding your phone to the terminal, take two seconds to verify you're using the card that gives you the best rewards for that purchase.