Add more Canadian banks to Fitbit Pay

[Mont-Sly]

I was hoping to use my watch to pay for transactions.  However, my Canadian bank (BMO) is not supported by Fitbit Pay.  In fact, only 6 Canadian banks total are supported, with only one major one (RBC).  I noticed in the Future Suggestions section, that Canadians have been asking for more of the major banks since early 2018, and, apparently, no progress has been made.

I guess my question is why haven't more Canadian banks been added to Fitbit pay?

Moderator Edit: Clarified subject

[Odyssey13]

Hi @Mont-Sly  Fitbit would like to have more banking institutions join the program, but it's up to those individual banks to agree to sign on. Try talking to your bank manager and see if there is anything their customers can do to encourage them to get on board.

[Mont-Sly]

Thank you for taking the time to answer my question.   Does that mean that Fitbit as a company has already asked these banks to sign on, but they have yet to agree?  Or, does it actually have to be initiated from the bank to request to be part of Fitbit Pay.  I would think the logical step would be for Fitbit to request the banks join.  I'm afraid if a bank joining the program is up to individual user requests that the major banks will have no real incentive to join.  After all, Fitbit as a company would seem to have a lot more clout that a few individual bank clients.

[Odyssey13]

@Mont-Sly  I wouldn't know, as I don't work for Fitbit. It just makes sense for the various banks who want to take care of their customers to ask Fitbit if they can join the program. With so many banks in so many countries, it would take a long time for Fitbit to contact them all. It would seem faster for an individual bank to get with Fitbit, wouldn't it?

[Mont-Sly]

Again, my apologies, I don't intend to come off a contrarian...  and I do very much appreciate your answer - especially since you don't work for Fitbit. 

However, the top banks in Canada have millions of clients, so it would make sense for Fitbit to make contact with those larger banks.  I would think it would be in Fitbit's best interest - for their clients.  There are 4 Canadian banks that qualify under Fitbit Pay, at the moment, that I've never heard of.  I'm convinced Fitbit has thousands of customers that use the top Canadian banks:  BMO, TD Bank, Scotia Bank, among just a few others.  Fitbit really wouldn't have to contact many banks to improve their quality of service to thousands of Canadians.

For me to go into a BMO branch and ask the bank manager to get the bank to join Fitbit Pay, would almost be the equivalent of someone in the US going into a Bank of America branch and asking the same thing...  It wouldn't go far.

Right now, it appears the only real option Canadians have, to use Fitbit Pay, is to get a credit card with RBC (or one of the other 5 lesser known banks..).  

[LizzyFitbit]

Hi @Mont-Sly. It's good to see you here in the forums. @Odyssey13, thanks for stopping by to share your insights.

@Mont-Sly, thanks for taking the time to share your feedback about this situation. I understand how much you'd like to see your bank in the supported banks list and I'm sorry for any inconvenience this has caused you. As @Odyssey13 mentioned, my best recommendation is to contact your bank in a private communication or on social media and tell them that you want to use Fitbit Pay to make contactless payments from your Fitbit device. Please note that it’s up to your bank to decide if they want to support Fitbit Pay.

Our team is also working to improve the Fitbit Pay experience and they’re interested in hearing more about the banks you want to see on the list of supported banks. That's why I'd encourage you to share the name of your bank in the Feature Suggestions board so the developers can keep tracking this request over time and change the status depending on Fitbit plans. If another member of the community suggested your bank, you can support that idea by adding your vote.

[marksurry]

This has been an issue for years in the UK, only one big player (Santander) supports Fitbit Pay.  The same issue plagues Garmin Pay.

[Mont-Sly]

I appreciate the responses above, I know everyone has the best intentions and, sure, it would be great if other banks ask to join.

Unfortunately, with the impetus on the international banks (especially large banks) to apply to be on Fitbit Pay, will make it less likely to happen.  As for Fitbit, Future Suggestions, I know for Canada the idea of adding more of the large banks has been listed for more than 2 years.

I'm sure it's the same thing in the UK and some other countries.  Large banks will unlikely act unless they get requests from hundreds if not thousands of clients, therefore, it appears this is one Fitbit function we pay for (by buying a product that promises the ability to pay by tapping) that we will, in all likely hood, never be able to use.  (Hey, I would love to be proven wrong...)

Like the heading says, it's disappointing and it's something people have to consider when purchasing these watches...  Benefits versus disappointments, I guess. 

For now I guess I'll continue using my phone with the app from that fruit company 😉.

[Marrrmaduke]

@Mont-Sly it seems like I'm late to this party but I would like to share my two cents as a fellow Canuck. All that @Odyssey13 and @LizzyFitbit have said stands. There are several threads on our Feature Suggestions Forum requesting this integration, so I would recommend voting. My experience is BMO and TD sit on their own products like an adder on eggs. All we as customers can do is keep yapping and demanding fitbit pay. I have no experience with CIBC.

[Mont-Sly]

Thank you for your response...  

[Marrrmaduke]

@Mont-Sly happy new year! 🎉

[Mont-Sly]

You too!  Looking forward to the start of a new year...

[Meech123]

Perhaps they'll replace Fitibit Pay with Google Pay if the deal goes through.

[Marrrmaduke]

@Meech123 personally I hope for that too.

[LizzyFitbit]

Hi everyone and welcome to our new members. @Marrrmaduke, thanks for your great help!

Thanks for your continued feedback about the Fitbit Pay. I understand where you're coming from and how helpful it'd be to have your banks available to use this feature. While our best advice is to contact your bank directly to make this request, our developers also take into consideration the requests shared in the Feature Suggestions board. We're always working to improve your experience with our products and expand our bank partnerships that support Fitbit Pay, and your feedback helps us to make sure that we are delivering what our users want and need.