Google Pay offers $21 rewards because it also can't wait for 2020 to end

The new Google Pay app
The new Google Pay app (Image credit: Joe Maring / Android Central)

What you need to know

  • The new Google Pay app is offering upgraded rewards for referrals and purchases at select retailers.
  • Users can refer up to three people to use the app, with $21 rewards per person.
  • The redesigned Google Pay app was launched in late November with new features and banking options.

There's no denying 2020 was quite the year, particularly for Google which is in the midst of a legal onslaught. The company obviously can't wait to put 2020, as well as these lawsuits, behind it, so as a treat to customers, Google Pay is now offering upgraded rewards of $21 in cashback for select purchases and referrals.

Users who open the Google Pay app should immediately see the banner at the top for the new offer. In the U.S., spending $50 or more at Target with Google Pay will reward you with $21 cashback within the app. It's a one-time-only offer that you must activate within the app by December 31st. Following activation, you then have 45 days to use-it-or-lose-it.

Source: 9to5Google (Image credit: Source: 9to5Google)

Google Pay users can also get $21 rewards for referrals. There's a limit of up to three eligible referrals where the person who referred the app can get $21 per referral, and the recipient can also receive the $21. The caveat here is that the recipient has to spend at least $10 in the Google Pay app for both to receive the reward. 9to5Google reported that Google changed the limit from 10 referrals to three due to "enormous demand.

If you have not yet updated to the newly redesigned app, don't worry as we have a guide on how to download and set up the new Google Pay app. And if you're still looking for holiday gift ideas, these watches support Google Pay as well.

Derrek Lee
Managing Editor

Derrek is the managing editor of Android Central, helping to guide the site's editorial content and direction to reach and resonate with readers, old and new, who are just as passionate about tech as we are. He's been obsessed with mobile technology since he was 12, when he discovered the Nokia N90, and his love of flip phones and new form factors continues to this day. As a fitness enthusiast, he has always been curious about the intersection of tech and fitness. When he's not working, he's probably working out.