Stocard: 3 alternatives to the mobile customer card exchange

The days of countless plastic cards in your wallet are over. Apps such as Stocard flexibly replace conventional plastic customer cards. But there are many other providers on the market. We present three alternatives in this article.

An app as an alternative to customer cards: How Stocard & Co. work

Apps have long since replaced customer cards for many. IOS users in particular rely on Apple Wallet, on Android Stocard is the most common solution.

• Customer cards can often be easily added via scan.
• In an app, you have a list through which you can quickly find all customer cards.
• If a customer card is selected, the smartphone simply displays the barcode, which is then scanned by the cashier.
• Some solutions even show you related offers.

---

1. Manage customer cards with Google Pay

It doesn’t always have to be a Stocard: The Google Pay smartphone app for contactless payments can also manage customer cards.

• You can download Google Pay for Android and iOS .
• You can use the customer card function regardless of whether you have also saved payment methods in Google Pay.
• After you have opened the app, tap on the menu item “Maps”. You can find this at the bottom of the screen in the navigation bar.
• You can add new maps directly above the navigation bar using a button.
• Now choose between a customer card and a gift card. The addition of tickets for public transport is not yet supported in Germany. 
• After you have selected a provider, you can scan your customer card with the camera or add it manually.
• All added customer cards now appear under the “Cards” tab. With a tap on the corresponding card, you can show the associated barcode or QR code.
• Long tap on a card to change the order of it.

2. The Yunar app from Deutsche Bank

Yunar was launched by Deutsche Bahn at the end of 2018. The app combines all customer cards in a simple layout.

• Yunar is also available for both Android and iOS .
• As soon as you open Yunar, the customer cards you have added will be displayed.
• If you select one, Yunar shows a barcode or QR code for scanning at the checkout.
• Here you can also add photos of the front and back of the card or notes.
• The release of cards is exciting. Upon request, Yunar will generate a link that friends or family can use to add your card to your Yunar account.
• You can add new cards using a floating action button at the bottom right of the start page. As with Google Pay, first select a provider and then scan the card or type in your membership number.
• If you tap “Profile” on the start screen in the navigation bar at the bottom of the screen, you can also sort your cards in Yunar.

3. fidme: ​​More functions, but with restrictions

fidme comes from the English-speaking world and even takes over the receipt in the United Kingdom. 

• fidme is available for Android and iOS devices here.
• fidme shows you all your customer cards as tiles on the home page.
• It is not possible to set your own order. You can sort according to various criteria such as “Recently added” and search all cards.
• Here, too, you add new cards using a floating action button, which is located at the bottom right of the start screen. The rest of the procedure is identical to the providers described above.
• A disadvantage of fidme is that this app has not been adapted to the German area. Almost all providers of customer cards available in this country are still available. There is occasionally a “UK” behind the name – but that doesn’t matter. 
• Every time you use a card, you receive points, so-called fids, which you can exchange for rewards. 
• The app will soon be able to display current offers. But for the time being, these will probably not be available for the German area.
• Also, fidme makes no secret of the fact that the app processes your personal data in order to display advertising that has been sharpened.

In the next practical tip, we will explain how you can pay with your smartphone right away.

Video