Nokia popularized Near Field Communication with its phones in the early 2000s. Originally, it was used to share files between two NFC-enabled devices. In addition to sharing files, NFC technology has a variety of other uses, such as making contactless payments.
Tap and Pay also uses the same NFC technology. With this feature, you can pay at stores and cafes without touching anything. You simply need to place your phone or card a few centimeters away from the POS machine and Voila! The transaction was successful.
The contactless payment feature can prove to be very useful during times of pandemic and can stop the spread of the virus, which is not possible through conventional payment methods. As a result, in this article, we present to you the best NFC-enabled smartwatches that make it easy to pay on the fly.
Apple Watch Series 6
Let’s begin with Apple’s latest smartwatch. It is the Apple Watch Series 6 and, like its predecessors, it also supports Apple Pay, through which you can pay for your purchases in a hassle-free manner.
All Apple smartwatches come with this feature. Before the Apple Watch Series 3, you were only able to add a maximum of 8 cards per device. Now, you can add a maximum of 12 cards per device.
The Apple Watch Series 6 also makes adding and removing cards a breeze. The Apple Pay app on the connected iPhone can be used to add new cards. You can, however, remove any card using the watch itself.
Along with NFC capabilities, Apple Watch 6 also offers other premium features, such as health monitoring, fitness tracking, and cellular connectivity. Cellular connectivity allows you to use this watch as a standalone smartwatch, so you can leave your phone at home along with your wallet.
Generally, if you are looking for a smartwatch that allows you to travel cardless, then this is the watch for you. However, if you’re an Android user, then it’s not for you, but don’t worry, we have other great options.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 3
Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 is the equivalent of Apple Watch 6 for Android users. It has all the features and luxury you’d expect from an Apple watch. In contrast to the Apple Watch, the Samsung smartwatch works well with both iPhone and Android smartphones.
Due to its NFC capabilities, Samsung Watch 3 can pay your bills even if you forget your phone or wallet at home. Additionally, the watch has an easy-to-use payment feature. Samsung Pay lets you add and remove cards using its app on a connected smartphone.
Adding or removing a card from your Samsung Pay account requires an active internet connection. You don’t need an internet connection to use the watch to make purchases at stores nearby once the card is added.
Paying with the Samsung Watch 3 is also very easy. All you have to do is long-press the button and the card will appear on the screen. Then you have to put your watch near the contactless payment machine, and it will give you 60 seconds to enter your pin and complete the transaction.
If you’re looking for an Apple smartwatch alternative with contactless payment, the Samsung Watch 3 is the best Android smartwatch with NFC.
TicWatch Pro 4
You should consider the TicWatch Pro 4 if you want a premium smartwatch under $300 that can also be used to pay bills on the go. TicWatch Pro 4 competes with Apple and Samsung smartwatches in terms of features, durability, and looks, and that too at a much lower price.
In addition, it is compatible with both Android and iOS smartphones, so you can use it for contactless payments from either of them.
In addition, the smartwatch uses Google Pay to make payments. To add a card, you can sync the watch to your smartphone with Google Pay installed, and then you can add any card to your account. Your purchases will then be reflected on the watch.
It has three security settings such as Pin, Password, and Patterns, which you can set to prevent anyone from using your cards without your permission.
TicWatch Pro 4 offers a seamless payment solution on the go, and if you shop a lot, you should consider it.
Fitbit Versa 3
The Fitbit brand is synonymous with fitness tracking and provides you with a smartwatch with advanced features such as heart rate monitoring, voice assistance, GPS, and more. You are here because of a more advanced feature in this watch, and that is contactless payments.
Fitbit introduced this feature in its Ionic watch in September 2017. Fitbit’s latest smartwatches and fitness trackers come with a built-in NFC chip.
Fitbit has its own payment system called Fitbit Pay (obviously). Currently, it does not support all banks. You can check Fitbit Pay’s site to see if your bank is supported or not.
You can definitely use this Fitbit product if your bank is supported. All of the smartwatches we have discussed above can be used to make payments. Your credit/debit card must be added to your Fitbit Pay account using the Fitbit app before you can make payments.
The Fitbit smartwatch is the best choice if you love to be active and fit. You can track your runs and also purchase water bottles when you feel exhausted while running with the app.
Garmin Vivoactive 3
The Garmin Vivoactive 3 is a sports watch and one of the cheapest smartwatches you can buy from Garmin. You can train better for your sport with the watch’s built-in sports apps.
Thanks to the smartwatch’s built-in NFC chip, you can use sports apps as well as make contactless payments. To make the most of the payments you must have your card added to your Garmin Pay account. Contactless payments can be made with either an iPhone or an Android smartphone.
You can add up to 10 cards at a time to your Garmin Pay account, which is great if you have cards from multiple banks. Garmin’s official website will tell you whether their payment platform accepts your bank cards or not. Garmin Pay supports all the major banks out there, and it keeps adding more banks to its platform. You can probably find your bank on this list.
Garmin Vivoactive 3 is a smartwatch that can train you for your favorite sports while allowing you to pay your bills on the go.
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