5 Mainstream Mobile Payment Apps in Japan

The spread of cashless payments in Japan has been rapid, with many consumers opting for smartphone-based app payment services instead of cash. In line with this trend, a diverse range of payment apps have emerged, each offering unique services and convenience.

This article focuses on recommended app payment services with a particularly high number of users, and reports on their features and popularity in a ranking format. It provides an overview of each service and its features, and identifies their respective strengths and usage scenarios.

Top 5 Payment Apps

1. PayPay
2. Mobile Suica
3. Rakuten Pay
4. Famipay
5. D-Pay

1. PayPay

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PayPay is one of the most popular payment services in Japan, with over 57 million registered users. The service is available in more than 3.44 million locations nationwide and the number of supported shops is still growing. This allows PayPay to be used for a wide range of situations, from everyday purchases to large-scale shopping. 

PayPay frequently holds special offers and users can take advantage of exclusive coupons. For example, up to 5% of the savings apply when using PayPay for shopping on Yahoo! Up to 1.5% of points can be redeemed. PayPay also has a feature where you can send money to other users. This allows for easy money transfers, such as settling fractions when splitting a bill, making it convenient to use in everyday life.

2. Mobile Suica

Image Source: https://apps.apple.com/jp/app/suica/id1156875272

Mobile Suica is a convenient cashless payment app provided by East Japan Railway Company. It also serves as an IC card ticket and prepaid electronic cash. It is particularly suitable for people who frequently use trains, as they can complete payments on public transport and in shops with just your phone while earning points. 

Mobile Suica also features the ability to purchase train tickets directly from the app. You can also purchase commuter passes and green tickets, thereby eliminating the need to queue up at ticket machines. You can also benefit from receiving one point for every 50 yen spent on a train ticket after registering your Mobile Suica on the JRE Point website.

3. Rakuten Pay

Image Source: https://apps.apple.com/jp/app/

Rakuten Pay is a cashless payment app provided by Rakuten Group, which supports a variety of payment methods, including QR code payment. One of the main attractions of Rakuten Pay is that you can link it to your Rakuten Card to increase your point reward rate. If you use your Rakuten Card, you can earn up to 1.5% in points when recharging and paying with Rakuten Pay. This benefit makes the Rakuten Card a good choice for users who want to make the most of Rakuten Pay. Rakuten Pay also allows users to earn double points by charging from their Rakuten Card and using Rakuten Pay. For example, by recharging with your Rakuten Card and paying for the charge with Rakuten Pay, you can earn up to 1.5% points. This allows you to earn points efficiently.

4. Famipay

Image Source: https://apps.apple.com/jp/app/

Famipay is a cashless payment app that offers many special deals for FamilyMart users. Free coupons are offered every week when purchasing products at FamilyMart. This makes everyday shopping even more affordable, as you can get beverages, snacks and other items for free. You can also choose to link your favourite points from Rakuten points, d-points and T-points. The ‘triple take’ is particularly attractive when combined with the Famima T-Card. This allows users to accumulate points more efficiently.

5. D-Pay

Image Source: https://apps.apple.com/jp/app/d

D-Pay is an e-money service provided by NTT DoCoMo, Inc. and is a cashless payment application that offers many benefits, especially to DoCoMo users. D-Pay's main feature is that you can use the d-points you have accumulated directly to pay your DoCoMo mobile phone bill. d-payment's basic reduction rate is 0.5% at physical shops and 1% for online shopping. 

The basic redemption rate for d-payment is 0.5% at brick-and-mortar stores and 1% for online shopping, but depending on the number of times you accumulate d-points and the amount spent, you can receive up to 7% in points. In addition, if you register as a member of the Point GET Mall, you can earn double points when spending via the mall. Furthermore, if you register your d-card and shop at online shopping sites such as Amazon and Shoplist, you can enjoy a 2% point reduction, making online shopping a great way to save money.

Conclusion

Each of these app payment services offers different features and convenience, allowing users to choose the one that best suits their needs. The use of these services is expected to continue to grow as cashless payments become more widespread. Consumers will be able to make their daily lives more convenient and affordable by choosing the service that best suits their lifestyle and using it wisely.