Apple Pay / Google Pay

How Apple Pay / Google Pay works in each country we track, and the local alternative where it doesn't.

• Argentina🟡Local app preferred

  Bring USD cash for the better 'blue'/MEP exchange rate; cards are accepted but historically at a worse rate. MercadoPago is the local wallet.

  Use instead: MercadoPago / USD cash

• Aruba🟡Local app preferred

  Credit/debit cards are widely accepted; contactless wallet acceptance is growing but not universal.

• Austria🟢Works fine

  Apple Pay and Google Pay are supported; local wallets also available

  Use instead: Bluecode, Fitbit Pay, Garmin Pay, SwatchPay, Bitpanda Payments

• Bahamas🟡Local app preferred

  Apple Pay is supported; Google Pay depends on merchant acceptance

• Barbados🟡Local app preferred

  Cards work at hotels and restaurants; carry Barbados dollars (or USD) for small vendors and buses.

• Belgium🟡Local app preferred

  Contactless payments via Visa/Mastercard work widely; some older POS only support Bancontact.

• Belize🟡Local app preferred

  US dollars are accepted everywhere (pegged). Cash-heavy; cards work at resorts and dive shops.

  Use instead: Cash (USD accepted)

• Bolivia🟡Local app preferred

  Very cash-heavy; cards are accepted only at bigger hotels and restaurants. Carry bolivianos.

  Use instead: Cash (bolivianos)

• Bulgaria🟡Local app preferred

  Contactless works in cities; carry leva (cash) for smaller towns and markets.

• Cambodia🟡Local app preferred

  US dollars are used everywhere; ABA Pay is the local wallet and cards work at hotels.

  Use instead: ABA Pay / USD cash

• Chile🟢Works fine

  Contactless is widely accepted in cities; carry cash for small towns and markets.

• Cuba🔴Blocked

  U.S.-issued cards and Apple/Google Pay do NOT work due to sanctions. Bring cash (euros or USD) to exchange for pesos.

  Use instead: Cash (EUR/USD)

• Cyprus🟢Works fine

  Contactless is widely accepted in the south (euro); carry some cash.

• Denmark🟢Works fine

  Contactless wallets are widely accepted; MobilePay is Denmark’s dominant app requiring Danish bank account.

  Use instead: MobilePay

• Ecuador🟡Local app preferred

  Ecuador uses the US dollar, so cash is easy; contactless works at chains and hotels.

  Use instead: Cash (USD)

• Egypt🟡Local app preferred

  Very cash-heavy. Cards work at hotels and larger shops; carry Egyptian pounds for markets and tips.

• El Salvador🟡Local app preferred

  El Salvador uses the US dollar, so your cards and cash work as-is; tap-to-pay is common in San Salvador but many smaller places are cash-only.

  Use instead: Cash (USD is the currency)

• Estonia🟢Works fine

  Estonia is highly digital — contactless works everywhere (euro).

• Fiji🟡Local app preferred

  Cash-heavy. Cards work at resorts and larger shops; carry Fijian dollars for markets and buses.

• Finland🟢Works fine

  Contactless and Apple/Google Pay are accepted virtually everywhere; little cash needed.

• Georgia🟡Local app preferred

  Contactless works in Tbilisi; carry lari (cash) in smaller towns and the mountains.

• Greece🟢Works fine

  Contactless payments via mobile wallets (Apple Pay, Google Pay) are accepted widely on public transport and in retail where contactless is supported

• Honduras🟡Local app preferred

  Cash-heavy (lempira; USD on Roatán). Cards work at resorts and larger shops.

• Hungary🟢Works fine

  Contactless mobile wallets widely accepted in urban and tourist areas.

• Indonesia🟡Local app preferred

  Cash and QRIS dominate; GoPay/OVO wallets need a local number. Cards work at hotels and malls.

  Use instead: GoPay / OVO

• Israel🟡Local app preferred

  Contactless works widely; Bit is the local peer-to-peer wallet (locals only).

  Use instead: Bit

• Jordan🟡Local app preferred

  Cash-heavy outside Amman. Cards work at hotels and malls; carry dinars for taxis, sites and tips.

• Kenya🟡Local app preferred

  M-Pesa mobile money runs the economy — get a local SIM to use it, or carry cash. Cards work at malls and hotels.

  Use instead: M-Pesa

• Latvia🟢Works fine

  Contactless is widely accepted (euro).

• Lithuania🟢Works fine

  Contactless is widely accepted (euro).

• Luxembourg🟢Works fine

  Contactless is accepted everywhere (euro).

• Malaysia🟡Local app preferred

  Cash and QR are common; Touch 'n Go eWallet is the local default. Cards work at malls and hotels.

  Use instead: Touch 'n Go eWallet

• Malta🟢Works fine

  Contactless is widely accepted (euro); English is official, so it's easy to get around.

• Montenegro🟡Local app preferred

  Cash-heavy (uses the euro unofficially); cards work at hotels and larger restaurants.

• Morocco🟡Local app preferred

  Very cash-heavy. Cards work at hotels and bigger shops; carry dirhams for souks, taxis and tips.

• Nepal🟡Local app preferred

  Cash-heavy, especially on treks. eSewa/Khalti are local wallets; cards work at city hotels.

  Use instead: eSewa / Khalti

• New Zealand🟢Works fine

  Contactless and Apple/Google Pay work virtually everywhere; little cash needed.

• Nicaragua🟡Local app preferred

  Cash-heavy (córdoba; USD often accepted). Cards work at hotels and larger shops.

• Nigeria🟡Local app preferred

  Bank transfers and cash rule; foreign cards are often declined and fraud is a risk. Carry naira and use trusted ATMs.

  Use instead: Bank transfer / cash

• Philippines🟡Local app preferred

  Cash-heavy. GCash and Maya wallets need a local number; cards work at malls and hotels.

  Use instead: GCash / Maya

• Qatar🟢Works fine

  Contactless and Apple/Google Pay are widely accepted. (Unlike the UAE, WhatsApp calls work in Qatar.)

• Romania🟢Works fine

  Contactless is widely accepted in cities; carry lei for rural areas.

• Saint Lucia🟡Local app preferred

  Cards work at resorts; carry East Caribbean dollars (USD often accepted) for vendors and taxis.

  Use instead: Cash (EC$ / USD)

• Saudi Arabia🟢Works fine

  Contactless and Apple Pay (via mada) are widely accepted.

• Serbia🟡Local app preferred

  Contactless works in Belgrade; carry dinars (cash) elsewhere.

• Singapore🟢Works fine

  Contactless and Apple/Google Pay work almost everywhere; PayNow is the local transfer network.

• Slovakia🟢Works fine

  Contactless is widely accepted (euro); carry some cash for rural areas.

• Slovenia🟢Works fine

  Contactless is widely accepted (euro); carry a little cash for small vendors.

• South Africa🟢Works fine

  Contactless is widely accepted; SnapScan/Zapper QR wallets are common. Keep cash for load-shedding outages.

  Use instead: SnapScan

• South Korea🟡Local app preferred

  Contactless cards work in chains; get a T-money card for buses/subway and carry some cash for small shops.

  Use instead: T-money card

• Sri Lanka🟡Local app preferred

  Cash-heavy. Cards work at hotels and city restaurants; carry rupees for tuk-tuks and small shops.

• Sweden🟢Works fine

  Sweden is nearly cashless — your contactless cards and Apple/Google Pay work everywhere, and cash is often refused. (Swish is locals-only.)

• Switzerland🟡Local app preferred

  Apple Pay works widely but depends on card issuer; Twint is most popular locally.

  Use instead: Twint

• Taiwan🟡Local app preferred

  Get an EasyCard for transit and convenience stores; contactless works at chains, cash for night markets.

  Use instead: EasyCard

• Trinidad and Tobago🟡Local app preferred

  Contactless works in malls and chains; carry TT dollars for maxi-taxis and small vendors.

• Turks and Caicos🟢Works fine

  The currency is the US dollar and cards are widely accepted; carry some cash for taxis.

• United Arab Emirates🟢Works fine

  Contactless and Apple/Google Pay are accepted almost everywhere.

• Uruguay🟢Works fine

  Contactless is widely accepted in cities; carry pesos for small towns.

• Vietnam🟡Local app preferred

  Very cash-heavy. Cards work at hotels/malls; MoMo is the local wallet but needs a Vietnamese bank account.

  Use instead: MoMo (needs local bank)