PayNow vs Pay Anyone vs PayLah: What’s The Difference – And Which Should You Use?

It’s important to know the differences that distinguish each payment service and platform. Apart from restrictions, knowing how each cashless payment method or platform works allows you to make the most out of every dollar spent.

If you’re unsure about the difference between PayNow, Pay Anyone and PayLah!, here’s a handy guide to help you learn more about each payment method and which you should use.

Read Also: Beginners’ Guide To Cashless Payment Platforms In Singapore

#1 PayNow

PayNow is a free funds-transfer service that allows you to transfer money with your recipient’s mobile number or NRIC/FIN number or a QR code. This feature is unlocked if those details are registered and linked to the payee’s bank account number.

The payee can receive funds via PayNow as long as they have a Singapore bank account with one of the PayNow participating banks–– Bank of China, Citibank Singapore Limited, DBS Bank/POSB, HSBC, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Limited, Maybank, OCBC Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, and UOB.

When To Use: Peer-to-peer transfer, merchants who accept PayNow.

How To Use:

• Log in to your bank’s mobile bank or online banking service
• Open the PayNow tab
• Enter your recipient’s mobile number or NRIC number or Unique Entity Number (UEN) or scan the PayNow QR

How To Register: You can activate PayNow functionality by registering through your chosen bank’s internet banking account. Registration is not needed for funds transfer via PayNow, but you do need it to receive funds via PayNow.

Read Also: What Is PayNow And 3 Reasons To Register For It If You Have Not Done So

#2 OCBC Pay Anyone

OCBC Pay Anyone is an app that allows OCBC customers to send money to anyone or make NETS QR purchases up to a daily limit of S$1,000. This extends to meals, shopping, taxi rides or even payment at NETS terminal at participating merchants and food outlets.

Customers can also request for money through a personalised QR code through the app.

When To Use: At compatible merchant points, and when your purchases or money transfers to your peers are under S$1,000.

How To Use / How To Register: Download the OCBC Pay Anyone app and activate OCBC Pay Anyone service with your OCBC online banking account, PIN and OTP sent to your registered mobile number.

Read Also: We Downloaded OCBC Pay Anyone To Make Our Life More Convenient. Here’s What We Think

#3 DBS PayLah!

DBS PayLah! is a mobile wallet with payment functionality to your peers or merchants. You don’t have to be a DBS / POSB account holder to use PayLah!.

DBS PayLah! can be used to pay common bills such as hospital bills, taxes, HDB housing loan instalments, telco bills and more. You can also have your QR gifts credited into your PayLah! wallet.

DBS PayLah! is now supporting PayNow. This means that you can send money through DBS PayLah! to someone who doesn’t have a PayLah! account as long as they are registered with PayNow.

When To Use: When you want to save the hassle of logging into your internet banking account to make a simple transfer, or when you want to separate your funds used for different payment functionalities.

How To Use: Log in to your DBS PayLah! app and enter your recipient’s mobile number for a peer-to-peer transfer, or select the billing organisation and enter your bill reference number to make a bill payment.

Alternatively, you can make payment with integrated merchants such as Golden Village, SISTIC and ChopeDeals by launching their page through the relevant icons within the app itself.

How To Register: Download the PayLah! app. Link your DBS / POSB bank account to your app if you are an existing DBS / POSB customer. Otherwise, you can register by allowing DBS to retrieve the necessary information from your MyInfo profile. This applies only if you are a Singaporean or Permanent Resident.

Read Also: 6 Things Singaporeans Need To Know About The GrabPay Card Before Applying

Other Peer-To-Peer Transfer Services

Other cashless and peer-to-peer transfer services have mushroomed in recent years. Examples include GrabPay, FavePay, Singtel Dash, and Alipay and Wechat Pay if you are travelling to China.

The pervasiveness and variety of mobile payment methods reveal how their convenience and functionality have become integral in our lives. At the same time, many of these apps allow you to link up your credit cards to top-up funds. This allows you to chalk up more points and rewards depending on your credit card, allowing you to stretch the value of every purchase.

On the other hand, payment methods that integrate merchants and offer promotions encourage users to make the most of every purchase and make every dollar spent go further than it usually can, compared to cash payments.

Read Also: Singapore Travellers: Here Are 4 Things You Need To Know About Using Alipay (Overseas And Locally)

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