Apple Wallet vs. Google Wallet for loyalty cards
Your customers carry iPhones and Android phones. Here's how a loyalty card behaves in each wallet, and why you don't have to choose between them.
Two wallets, one goal
Apple Wallet comes with every iPhone, and Google Wallet is available on Android phones. Both let people store boarding passes, tickets, and loyalty cards next to their payment cards. For a small business, that means your loyalty card can live on the phone your customer already uses, with no app to download.
The good news: with ClubWallet you don't pick one. You design your card once, and customers save it to whichever wallet their phone uses. When they scan your QR poster, they're offered the right option for their device.
What's the same
On both platforms, the card shows your brand color, icon, and photo, the customer's name, and their points or balance. It includes a QR code or barcode your staff can scan, and it updates automatically every time you add or redeem points. Push messages work on both: on iPhone they appear as an Apple Wallet notification, and on Android as a Google Wallet message.
What's different
The main difference for loyalty programs is location. Proximity alerts are an Apple Wallet feature: when a customer walks near your shop while you're open, their iPhone can suggest your card on the lock screen. This isn't available on Android. Even on iPhone, the phone decides when to show the suggestion, so it isn't a guaranteed notification.
Each wallet also has its own look. The layout, fonts, and the way the card appears in the list are set by Apple and Google, so your card will look slightly different on each phone, while keeping your colors and content. The dashboard preview shows you both versions before you save.
Side by side
| Apple Wallet (iPhone) | Google Wallet (Android) | |
|---|---|---|
| Save the card without an app | Yes | Yes |
| Your color, icon, and photo | Yes | Yes |
| QR code or barcode | Yes | Yes |
| Automatic balance updates | Yes | Yes |
| Push messages | Yes, as a wallet notification | Yes, as a wallet message |
| Proximity alerts | Yes, from the Entrepreneur plan | Not available |
| Card layout | Apple's design | Google's design |
Do you need to support both?
Yes. Unless all your customers use the same kind of phone, a loyalty card that only works in one wallet leaves part of your audience out. With ClubWallet, every plan includes one card that works in both wallets, so iPhone and Android customers earn the same points and get the same rewards. Your staff scans both the same way with the employee scanner.
Our take
For a loyalty program, the two wallets are more alike than different. Apple Wallet adds proximity alerts, which are a nice bonus for shops with foot traffic. Everything else, from points and cashback to messages and scanning, works on both.
Want to see your card on both phones? Read how it works or try ClubWallet free for 14 days from our pricing page.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need two separate cards for iPhone and Android?
No. You design one card in ClubWallet, and customers save it to Apple Wallet or Google Wallet depending on their phone.
Do Android customers get push messages?
Yes. Push messages reach customers on both Apple Wallet and Google Wallet, always during your business hours.
Why don't proximity alerts work on Android?
Proximity alerts are an Apple Wallet feature, so they only work on iPhone. Android customers still get your push messages and everything else on the card.
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