Paying in Ecuador: cards, cash and QR
A practical guide for short stays · US dollar (USD)
How to pay in Ecuador as a visitor
- Use cards and small US-dollar notes.Foreign cards work at many formal businesses. Cash remains important in small towns, small shops, remote areas and during terminal failures.
- PayPhone has an account-free route.A merchant-created PayPhone QR or link gives an unregistered payer a card form for supported international cards.
- Identify every QR.Ecuador's interoperability work is still staged. PayPhone checkout does not make Deuna, peiGo or bank QRs payable by a foreign card.
Payment apps and QR in Ecuador
The key distinction is between opening a local wallet and paying a merchant checkout. PayPhone supports the latter without an account; the other prominent wallets remain locally gated.
| App | Sign up | Fund from | Payment cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| PayPhone checkout official payment guide | No account for guest checkoutA Personal wallet itself rejects passports | Bank-issued cardVisa, Mastercard, Diners or Discover | No payer fee publishedMerchant fee is deducted from recipient |
| Deuna official payment guide | Ecuadorian cédula + local setupPhone, WhatsApp and selfie checks | Cuenta Deuna / local bankResident account route | Check account termsNo passport-only visitor route |
| peiGo official payment guide | Ecuadorian identity documentEcuadorian phone and biometric validation | Local account or national debit cardBanco Guayaquil-backed account | Check account termsNo passport-only visitor route |
How does PayPhone work for a visitor?
The merchant enters the amount and creates a PayPhone QR or payment link. A payer without PayPhone is sent to a card form. PayPhone documents bank-issued Visa, Mastercard, Diners and Discover debit or credit cards from abroad; Amex and unnamed gift cards are excluded. Issuer approval can still fail.
How do I pay for transport in Quito?
A foreigner can create Cuenta Ciudad using a passport or home-country ID and generate a digital QR. Current guidance also supports a physical Tarjeta Ciudad after account activation and minimum reload. The simple fallback is a single QR ticket from a station machine or ticket office; Trolebús and Ecovía machines accept exact cash or card for the simple ticket.
Using foreign cards
- USD is the transaction currency.A card billed in another currency can still charge conversion and foreign-transaction fees even though Ecuador uses US dollars.
- The displayed price should be the same.Ecuador's banking supervisor says the advertised price must be the same for cash and card under consumer law.
- Bring a second card.A supported network does not guarantee approval at every merchant or in a PayPhone form.
Cash and ATMs
- Carry small denominations.Large notes are often difficult to spend, especially at smaller businesses and away from cities.
- Inspect ATM costs.Use a machine at a bank or controlled location and read its fee before confirming; your issuer may add another charge.
Sources
Visitor payments and wallets
QR infrastructure and Quito transport
Continuing your trip?
Check payment access again when you cross a border. A wallet or QR code that works here may have different requirements elsewhere.