Martin Grosz
07/08/2021 6:00 AM
Clarín.com
Services
Updated 07/08/2021 6:46 AM
Pay in stores and online, send money, receive it, access discounts, even invest.
All from the cell phone, without touching cash and
saving time and money
.
Those are the attractions that have been driving, in the midst of the pandemic, the boom in so-called wallet apps or
electronic wallets
.
A recent study by
Red Link
highlighted that these practical mobile applications broke new
records
in the country in May.
Its users grew
11.5%
in just
30 days
and they are already
more than triple
than 12 months ago (an increase of 217%).
While in number of operations the jump was
114%
year-on-year, according to the report.
And as users multiplied, so did a
large number of apps
, banking and non-banking.
There are already
dozens of them
and it can be difficult to choose
which one is best to
install.
Or, actually,
which ones
.
Because today, in order not to lose any chance to save, the best thing may be that each person has at least
s
2, 3 or 4
different
wallets
that suit your needs well.
Here is a guide with
eight options
that have been growing strong and are worth considering, with details of what each one offers and different
tricks
to take full advantage of them.
Bimo, the 365 app that advises how to save more
The Bimo app, with a "smart recommender" for discounts.
Image: Archive.
For those who have the 365 benefits card, from
Clarín
, the Bimo app is a great ally.
Since, once all the debit and credit cards of the user are loaded there, it allows paying without delivering any plastic, and always at the
best possible price
.
How does it work?
By scanning a
QR code
at the store's checkout, the app shows what discounts are available
that day at that store
with each available card, and
recommends
which one to use to
pay less
.
With Bimo you can also
recharge
your cell phone and SUBE, and pay
tax
bills
and services
.
How to take better advantage of it
:
Load all your cards
.
Credit and debit, to exploit the full potential of the recommender.
Those admitted are Visa, Mastercard, Maestro, Cabal, Diners, American Express and Naranja.
Check out the benefits
.
Paying with Bimo allows you to access strong discounts and it is key to look at the app or on the 365 site on which days and locations they apply.
Opportunities to pay with Bimo
Where to download it
: here for Android mobiles and here for iPhones.
More information at www.bimo.com.ar.
Modo, the option of the big banks
It is the wallet app that more than
35 major banks
(the list, here) offer their clients to facilitate their
payments
and
transfers
.
Some entities integrated the tool into their mobile banking app, others offer it separately.
More than
two million
people already use it.
The Modo wallet and its main options: send money, order and pay with QR.
Image: Capture.
Among the most valued is the chance to
send money
to another bank account looking for the recipient among the
cell phone contacts
.
It can also be used to pay at participating
stores by
scanning a
QR
code
, taking advantage of discounts, promos and fees for each card.
How to take better advantage of it
.
Loading all the plastics and accounts that are had from different banks.
Until July 31, they
refund $ 500
to those who make their first purchase with the app.
Where to download it
: here for Android mobiles and here for iPhones.
More information at www.modo.com.ar.
Mercado Pago, the king of QR and the paid account
Many businesses display the Mercado Pago QR code and receive payments from that app.
Photo: Maxi Failla.
Mercado Libre's electronic wallet stands out for the
various
options
it offers to handle money, all open to the
unbanked
public
.
It is also chosen for the
massive acceptance
in businesses of its payments with QR code.
And by allowing the money loaded in the wallet to
earn interest
, as if it were in a fixed term but without ceasing to be available.
Some
5.4 million
people
a month
already make at least one payment with this system, either with the balance they have in their wallet or with any card previously loaded in the app.
The
most popular and valued
uses
are:
Send money
to other wallets (CVU) and bank accounts (CBU).
Pay with QR
in shops, with the chance to pay in installments without using a credit card.
Pay bills
and make
refills
.
Extract cash
in premises, scanning a QR.
Pay the Telepase
with the money from the account on the main AMBA highways.
Hairdressers, among the businesses where the Mercado Pago app can be used.
Photo: Reuters.
How to take better advantage of it
:
Look for discounts nearby
.
The app places on a map opportunities to save by paying with the app.
I asked for the prepaid card
.
It allows you to pay at any business or website - in the country or in the world - with the funds you have in your wallet.
Activate inverter mode
.
It makes the money in the wallet start to earn interest.
The last month it yielded
30.2% annually
: somewhat less than a fixed term (37%), but much more than if the money were left in a common savings account (0%).
Where to download it
: here for Android mobiles and here for iPhones.
More information at www.mercadopago.com.ar.
Ualá, with daily interest and payment in installments
The Ualá wallet and your prepaid card.
Photo: EFE.
Highly chosen by the
unbanked
public
, the
Ualá
app
works together with a
free
prepaid Mastercard
.
And you
pay interest
daily, at levels of 30% per year, just for having money there.
The company has already issued more than
3 million
plastics in the country, which are available for people over
13 years
of
age
.
The system is usually used to
pay
in shops and websites around the world,
withdraw cash
from ATMs,
transfer and receive money
(to CVU or CBU), pay for services, recharge and rate consumption.
In addition, entrepreneurs can request a reader to make
card charges
.
The Ualá combo, complete: app, card and billing device.
Photo: Archive.
How to take better advantage of it
:
I invested the idle money
.
It is done from the "investments" section, indicating what amount (from $ 1) you want to put to generate interest.
When silver is needed, it can be released right there right away.
Check promotions
.
Every day there are chances to pay with discounts of
up to 75%
in multiple items.
They can be viewed here.
Take control
.
In the "Expense analysis" section, you can access a detailed record of payments made month by month.
Where to download it
: here for Android mobiles and here for iPhones.
More information at www.uala.com.ar.
Orange X, with prepaid card and easy to use
The app and its plastic, which has a vertical design and accepts contactless payments.
Image: Archive.
In
Naranja X they
offer people over
13 years
of
age
a
free
virtual account that can be
managed from a very intuitive and friendly app, associated with a
Visa prepaid card
with
contactless
technology
that arrives in
less than 24 hours
.
More than
1 million users have
already chosen this option, which allows them without having to have a bank account or credit card:
Pay in stores and websites in
the country and the world that accept Visa, with the money stored in your wallet.
Send and receive money
by transfer (CVU or CBU).
Withdraw cash
at ATMs and Naranja X branch.
Make recharges,
pay bills and add automatic debits.
Charge by card
with a special reader ("Touch").
How to take better advantage of it
: consult frequently the
promotions
in different areas (in this link).
In the first purchase they give a discount of 30%;
and in the first payment of services, a reduction of 10%.
Where to download it
: here for Android mobiles and here for iPhones.
More information at www.naranjax.com.
Valepei, connected to all banks
Valepei, to easily send money from any bank account.
Image: Capture.
Developed by Red Link, Valepei is a multi-bank wallet that makes it easy to pay and
send money
to any contact on the phone book, using funds from your own
bank account
.
Its main attraction is that it can be used with accounts of
all the banks
of the Argentine financial system.
And that the recipient of the money is not required to have an account: if they have one, they receive it there instantly;
And if you don't have one, you can get your money at an ATM.
With Valepei you can also make balance inquiries, invoice payments, recharges and purchases with QR.
How to take better advantage of it
: enable the "Quick Start" option, to access the app in just one step.
Where to download it
: here for Android mobiles and here for iPhones.
More information at www.valepei.com.ar.
The wallets of public banks, with good discounts
Exclusive benefits are accessed by paying from the app, through a QR code.
Photo: Bapro.
Large public banks created their own wallet apps and have been offering good
discounts
to promote their as a means of payment in stores.
The two most important apps in this area, both
free
, are:
-
BNA +
.
Del Banco Nación, allows you to pay with QR with exclusive benefits, send money, make payments of bills and recharges, create withdrawal orders without a card and more.
It is downloaded from this link.
-DNI account
.
From Banco Provincia, it allows you to pay with QR and with exclusive discounts in thousands of shops in Buenos Aires.
This month, for example, you save $ 4,800 on food purchases.
It also allows you to send money, recharge and pay for services.
It is downloaded from this link.
MG
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This month an app allows you to save $ 4,800 on food purchases: how to access
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