Technology

Just how popular is Starbucks’ mobile pay?

More popular than any other pay-by-smartphone app, according to a recent survey.

The Starbucks app is more popular than any other app that allows users to pay via their smartphone, including Apple Pay and Google Pay, according to a recent survey.

This year, some 23.4 million people ages 14 and over will use the Starbucks mobile app to make a point-of-sale purchase at least every six months, according to the survey, which is the latest from data and research firm eMarketer. That’s compared to the 22 million who will use Apple Pay, 11.1 million Google Pay users and 9.9 million Samsung Pay users, the firm found.

“The Starbucks app is one of the bigger success stories in mobile proximity payments,” said eMarketer forecasting analyst Cindy Liu. “It has gained traction thanks to its ability to tie payments to its loyalty rewards program. For users of the app, the value of paying with their smartphone is clear and simple: You can save time and money at the register, all while racking up rewards and special offers.”

The Starbucks app was also recently ranked the most popular restaurant loyalty app, according to a different survey.

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