Google announced a major redesign of its Google Pay app on Android and iOS that provides better functionality and security. The app is used by over 150 million people in 30 countries every month, the firm says.

“The new app is designed around your relationships with people and businesses,” Google VP Caesar Sengupta writes. “It helps you save money and gives you insights into your spending. It’s built with multiple layers of security to keep your money and information private and safe. And in 2021, it will give you the chance to apply for a new kind of digital bank account with trusted financial institutions.”

Launching first in the U.S., the new Google Pay drops the stack of credit cards and other payment methods for a new conversational-based UI with lists of the people, groups, and businesses with which you do business. Google says the app will help you split restaurant bills, rent, and other expenses with others, and help you save money via offers from brands like Burger King, Etsy, REI Co-op, Sweetgreen, Target, Warby Parker, and more. And if you connect the app to your bank account, Google Pay will give you a clearer view of your finances with spending summaries, trends, and insights over time.

Perhaps most interesting, Google will soon offer Pay users access to a new mobile-first bank account called Plex in partnership with financial institutions.

“Accounts are offered by banks and credit unions, include checking and savings accounts with no monthly fees, overdraft charges or minimum balance requirements and help you save toward your goals more easily,” Sengupta notes. 11 banks and credit unions will offer Plex accounts in Google Pay starting in 2021.

Tagged with Google Pay