Walmart & Sam's Club Stores Are Finally Getting Tap To Pay: Here's When & Why

A longstanding annoyance at Walmart and Sam's Club has been the lack of Tap to Pay at the register. It's an increasingly popular alternative to carrying cash or cards, so not being able to use it when loading up on household essentials seems like a significant oversight. Fortunately, Tap to Pay is finally coming to Walmart and Sam's Club locations soon. Now is as good a time as any to set up Apple Pay on your devices or equip them with Google Pay, since you'll be able to use them at select locations starting August 24.

While this tap-to-pay rollout won't reach all Walmart and Sam's Club locations immediately, the goal is for all United States locations to support Tap to Pay by the end of 2026, with the payment option expanding to fuel stations by mid-2027. Per the company's press release, the rationale is to give shoppers more options at checkout. This is an easy, convenient way to help them pay for what they need with less hassle.

However, if your local Walmart or Sam's Club isn't getting Tap to Pay immediately, you're not totally stuck with using cash or card — at least if you're shopping at the former. Walmart already has its own Tap to Pay method that you can use in the meantime.

As of this writing, Walmart and Sam's Club haven't released a list of stores that are part of the initial rollout of Tap to Pay. That said, Tap to Pay isn't entirely new to Walmart, at least in a sense. While Apple Pay and Google Pay support is indeed a big change, especially for Sam's Club shoppers, Walmart regulars have had access to Walmart Pay for some time — and it could be worth setting up while you wait for your local Walmart to expand its Tap to Pay choices.

Walmart Pay is part of the Walmart app on Android and iOS, and functions similarly to other digital contactless pay wallets. It can store debit, credit, and gift cards, allowing you to use your phone to check out at Walmart locations. It also stores receipts digitally in case you need to make a return. On top of that convenience, setting up and using Walmart Pay is incredibly simple, so even if you're not tech-savvy, you shouldn't have much trouble getting it going.

While Walmart Pay is, and has for some time, been an option, being able to pay with other digital wallets, including Apple Pay and Google Pay, at Walmart and Sam's Club locations will be a big win for consumers all the same. Thankfully, it likely won't be long before the feature reaches a Walmart or Sam's Club location near you.