A few years ago, it was an oddity to see someone paying for ordinary supermarket transactions with credit cards, while nowadays we can pay without even entering our PIN codes – and now, the next level of payment technology has arrived. With the smartphone application Simple, we can pay for food, cinema tickets, and and much more all over Budapest – and, as the name suggests, it's simple to use.

Getting started with Simple is not difficult, either – first we download the free application from the App Store or from Google Play. After installation is completed, we can put a maximum of 50,000 forints into our digital wallet at one time with the help of our credit card information (the application is independent from banks and mobile services). After that, we can shop to our heart’s delight! We can store additional credit-card information in the application, and if we run out of funds, another registered user can send us money through the application itself.

Tipping by phoneAt this point, we can spend money with Simple in four different ways: we can make purchases from hundreds of vending machines across the country, order food from 300 restaurants, buy cinema tickets, and as a special service, we can pay waiters at selected restaurants (currently accepted in Budapest at A38 Ship, Pirítós, Farger, Café Alibi, Kantin, and Kolor).

This last function is particularly interesting, because if we go to a restaurant that accepts payment with Simple, we do not have to wait for the server to bring a menu, but can scan the restaurant’s QR code with the application and view the current offerings. We can also place our order through the application, and even pay (and tip) and the end.Buying experienceThe developers did not just integrate a credit card into our phones, but also addressed the entire purchasing process, and made certain that everyday situations are made a lot simpler and quicker. With Simple, they wanted to respond to user needs and to offer the fullest buying experience that they can provide. They plan to add additional functions to the service in the near future.

Easy orderingNaturally, we tried the application, and can only tell of good experiences. First, we tested the food-delivery service. After just a few clicks and 30 minutes of waiting, lunch was right on our table. For the first step, we had to provide our exact location and contact information, and then we could choose a sympathetic restaurant from a drop-down list. At the restaurant we chose, the minimum-order value was 800 forints, and since the place was Turkish, we “could” not eat anything else but döner. The restaurant did not charge a delivery fee, and since it is relatively close to our office, our food was on our table within the promised arrival time.

Coffee within a minuteThe system worked even faster with a vending machine. Simple recommended a few nearby stores where we can pay with the application, so we chose the nearest from here. After pushing the machine’s green button and selecting our drink (in this case, coffee), we just had to hold the phone in front of the QR code appearing on the machine.

After scanning the code, we proceeded to pay within in the application, and after the machine notified us of the successful transaction, we finally got our coffee.

The application Simple can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play.