RadPad Ends Their Free Android Pay Rent Promotion

Unfortunately RadPad has announced they are ending their no credit card fee Android Pay promotion (it’s a good thing I told you to wait 24 hours before buying a device). RadPad cited the huge increase in users and volume for the end of the promotion, some statistics:

  • Android Pay previously represented 5% of all rent payments, now it represents 70^
  • Thousands of people signed up
  • More than $5,000,000 in rents have been paid using this promotion

If you signed up for the promotion before today (August 24th) and your rent is charged on or before August 31st, 2016 then there will be no credit card fee. After that date the regular fee of 2.99% for credit cards will be charged. Keep in mind that debit cards also come with a $4.95 fee now as well.

It’s pretty disappointing that this promotion has ended already, I know some people specifically bought devices that would run Android Pay in good faith. RadPad could have avoided some of the frustration and anger that is likely coming their way by adding a disclaimer about the end date being December 31st, 2016 or until the budget limit is reached.
    William Charles
  • On August 24, 2016, 18:57

View Comments (42)

  • RadPad offers: Credit cards just 2.99%. I don't see that as a bad deal if they are coding that as a travel & if that triggers CSR travel credit & 3% cash back! Basically, you get the fee paid back as a cashback and going towards the $4000 requirement. This is how I understand all this aftermath...Am i fooling myself or what?

  • I got a promotion email from Plastiq saying "Schedule at least 6 rent or mortgage payments with your MasterCard, by September 30, and lock in a 1.75% rate on those payments. "

  • Not a big deal. Thanks RadPad for extra $34 cashback on my Citi DC. That is free money anyway.

  • I don't think $5M has been paid in rent so far, they say "thousands of renters have signed up in the last two weeks to pay their rent using Android Pay, equating to more than $5M in rents."

    I doubt $5M of rent from users is due between the 9th and 24th of the month, unless people have been making a LOT of fake leases. I've only ever had rent due on the 1st of the month.

    • > I doubt $5M of rent from users is due between the 9th and 24th of the month, unless people have been making a LOT of fake leases. I’ve only ever had rent due on the 1st of the month.

      Not necessarily: If you haven't used RadPad before and they offer a promotion too good to be true, it seems reasonable to Pay your Rent early enough to -- in case they mess it up -- still have time to actually pay your rent without late payment penalty. Whether or not that would be in the order of 3 weeks early is indeed questionable.

      Personally -- given my personal experience and reports that others had similar issues -- I don't believe they ever intended to go through with this till the end of the year. It seems fairly easy to statistically extrapolate the costs for this promo as new clients sign up and close registration.

      They choose to not do that, but to cancel the promo right before -- as you IMO correctly stated -- the majority of Payments would have been scheduled.

    • Don't be a dick.. Why do you feel you are you so entitled? Am I upset that they aren't continuing this promotion? Absolutely. But they don't owe us anything and the next good thing will come around.

      • I got no dog in this fight but I don't blame guy for taking it to the attorney general, it's a legit complaint. Helps prevent company from thinking about doing the same. You let them get by with this and what's next

      • They are not a small startup. They were founded years ago and have received over 9 million dollars in funding.

        What they did is bait and switch. From comments I've read about issues processing payments with Discover and Amex, they also seem to have lackluster support and an attitude of not really caring about honoring commitments to their customers.

        I don't care how big or small you are. If you advertise a promotion and are a registered business, I expect you to honor it. If doing so causes you company financial issues/bankruptcy, that is a lesson to be learned, but no excuse to lie to your customers.

  • Got the email and needless to say dejected. Got PRG just now and had plan to pay rent via it to complete spending req. of 2K.

    Well here's hoping the current radpad checks atleast get delivered without issue.

  • Not surprised by that. They didn't process my Rent payment (via Discover) -- and didn't even tell me!

    When I asked why they first said the card was rejected multiple times (not true), then they suddenly changed their story and said they couldn't verify my landlord (a big shot which was verified before).

    I wouldn't be surprised if others with high rents had a similar issue.

Leave a Comment