The problem with ZapPay is that it relies on you having a mobile signal, which is fine for most chargers but there are quite a few in remote areas where you’ll be wanting an RFID card. Notably, the Ionity chargers at Cobham Services are in a poor mobile signal area & it’s hardly off the beaten track.
Changes coming along are the ChargePlace Scotland chargers moving from CYC (Charge Your Car, part of BP Pulse but you need a CYC or ChargePlace Scotland card) to SWARCO (hoping the ChargePlace Scotland RFID cards move over with the deal & there definitely won’t be a £20 year charge anymore). Remember, SWARCO chargers in England are in strange remote places, so it makes sense for them to run the ChargePlace Scotland chargers too. Geniepoint chargers are going from £1.00 connection fee plus £0.30 per kWh, to a flat £0.35 per kWh.
For Rapid chargers the aim is to have them taking credit/debit card payments, as demanded by the Government but not yet implemented everywhere. Many of us are sick of poorly written apps that rely on poor connections, it’s how to get stranded.
How you pay does matter for another reason, if you use an app or an RFID card & get billed monthly, then this is an “energy bill” and companies are charging 5% VAT, but if you use a credit/debit card it’s 20% VAT, this is a loophole & it’s why these companies try to push their apps (they charge the same but pocket the difference in VAT rate).