Google is giving you a debit card that works through your Google Wallet account and can be used like an ATM or credit card. It’s going to get a lot easier to get to use Google Offers, too, meaning that Google gets a lot more bites at pushing its advertisers at you. Again.
The Google Wallet Card uses your Google Wallet Balance. You can add money to the account either by getting money via Wallet or Gmail, or by adding it yourself from a linked bank account or from a credit/ debit card. The card has no fees to order and activate. There are no annual or monthly fees the card. L
The Google Wallet Card works pretty much like an equivalent MasterCard credit or debit card at checkout. It just uses your Google Wallet PIN when you are prompted. Presently, it is only available for use in the United States where MasterCard is accepted, both at retail and ATM.
You can check your Wallet Balance anytime using the Wallet app, or by visiting wallet.google.com. If you don’t have enough money in your Wallet Balance to cover a purchase, tell the cashier in advance how much to deduct from your card and how much you will pay using an alternate payment method. You have a $5,000 max every 24 hours, irrespective of how much money you have in your actual Google Wallet so, Sergey Brin won’t be buying any planes with his card, and Eric Schmidt can’t just use it to buy jewelry for his numerous lovers. Unless he goes to the mall and takes advantages of the bargains at Zales or Kays.
You can also withdraw cash from ATMs, get cash back with purchases, or get cash over the counter at a bank. To withdraw cash at an ATM, select “checking account” when prompted. To check the current limit on how much cash you can withdraw per 24 hours from an ATM or bank, check under “settings” in the app, or click the Wallet App or at wallet.google.com.
What’s really cool is that you can now take advantage of Google Offers even at places that don’t have the fancy NFC scanner for Google Wallet on your Android phone. Offers are the deals you can save from Google properties, such as the new Google Maps app, Google Search, Google+, Google Offers and from sites across the web. These offers are tied to your Google account and can be redeemed with your Google Wallet app at checkout.
Google so owns you, dude!
