Google Wallet no longer supports sending money to friends and family in the United States. As of June 4, 2024, Google discontinued peer-to-peer payments through both the Google Pay app and Google Wallet for U.S. users. If you’re searching for a way to send money through Google’s payment apps, you’ll need to use an alternative service instead.
What Changed With Google Pay and Google Wallet
Google’s payment ecosystem has gone through several rebrands and feature shifts over the years. For a while, U.S. users could send money directly to other people through the Google Pay app, similar to Venmo or Cash App. That functionality was shut down in mid-2024. Google Wallet still exists, but it now focuses on storing digital cards, boarding passes, loyalty programs, and making contactless payments at stores. It is not a peer-to-peer money transfer tool.
Google Pay still supports person-to-person transfers in India and Singapore, where the service is built on local payment infrastructure. But for users in the United States and most other countries, sending money to another person through any Google payment app is no longer an option.
Alternatives for Sending Money
If you were relying on Google Pay to send money, several widely available services fill the same role. Each one connects to your bank account or debit card and lets you transfer funds to another person, typically for free when using a standard transfer speed.
- Zelle: Built directly into most major banking apps, so you may already have access without downloading anything new. Transfers go straight between bank accounts, usually within minutes.
- Venmo: A standalone app that lets you send money using your bank account, debit card, or Venmo balance at no cost. Sending from a credit card carries a 3% fee. Standard transfers to your bank take one to three business days, while instant transfers cost a small fee.
- Cash App: Works similarly to Venmo, with free transfers from a linked bank account or debit card. Cash App also offers a debit card tied to your balance.
- Apple Pay: If you and the recipient both use iPhones, Apple Cash lets you send money through the Messages app. Funds land in an Apple Cash balance that can be transferred to a bank account.
- PayPal: Sending money to friends and family is free when funded by your PayPal balance or a linked bank account. Credit and debit card funding adds a fee.
All of these services are free for basic person-to-person transfers funded by a bank account. Fees typically only apply when you use a credit card to send money or request an instant withdrawal to your debit card.
Keeping Your Transfers Safe
Whichever service you choose, peer-to-peer payments work more like handing someone cash than making a purchase. Once you send money, it’s generally gone. There’s no built-in purchase protection the way there is with a credit card transaction. Only send money to people you know and trust.
If you accidentally send money to the wrong person or suspect fraud, report it to the platform immediately. Early reporting gives you the best chance of reversing a transaction, though it’s not guaranteed. You should also contact your bank if your account is linked to the app, update your passwords, and turn on multifactor authentication if you haven’t already.
For paying a stranger for goods or services, avoid peer-to-peer apps entirely. Use a platform that offers buyer protection, like a credit card or a marketplace with its own dispute process.
What Google Wallet Still Does
Even though you can’t send money through it, Google Wallet remains useful for other financial tasks. You can store debit and credit cards for tap-to-pay purchases at stores, save boarding passes and event tickets, keep digital versions of loyalty cards, and in some cases store your driver’s license or student ID. If you had a Google Pay balance before the P2P feature was discontinued, you can still withdraw those funds. Transferring your balance to a linked checking or savings account via ACH is free. Withdrawing to a debit card costs $0.31 or 1.5% of the amount, whichever is greater.
For actually sending money to another person in the U.S., though, you’ll need one of the standalone alternatives listed above.