Your phone becomes your lifeline in Bali. Need a ride? App. Need dinner delivered in the rain? App. Need to buy toilet paper at 11 PM? App. Indonesia’s app ecosystem is surprisingly mature — in many ways more advanced than what you’d find in Europe or North America.
Here are the apps you should install before (or right after) landing in Bali, organized by category.
TL;DR — Must-Have Apps
| Category | App | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Ride-hailing | Gojek | Rides, food delivery, payments — all in one |
| Ride-hailing | Grab | Same as Gojek, compare prices |
| Food delivery | GoFood (in Gojek) | Biggest restaurant selection in Bali |
| Shopping | Tokopedia | Everything from cables to furniture |
| Payments | GoPay (in Gojek) | Cashless payments everywhere |
| Maps | Google Maps | Navigation, traffic, business hours |
| Communication | Indonesia’s default messaging app | |
| VPN | NordVPN | Unblock Reddit, streaming sites |
Ride-Hailing & Transport
Gojek
Indonesia’s homegrown super app. It started as a motorbike taxi service and now does everything — rides, food delivery, payments, groceries, massages, and more.
- GoRide: Motorbike taxi. Rp 10K–30K ($0.60–$1.90) for short trips
- GoCar: Car rides. Rp 30K–80K ($1.90–$5)
- GoFood: Food delivery from thousands of restaurants
- GoSend: Same-day package delivery
- Payment: GoPay e-wallet (top up at Indomaret/Alfamart)
Grab
Southeast Asia’s biggest ride-hailing app. Works nearly identically to Gojek. Having both means you can compare prices and availability.
- GrabBike / GrabCar: Same as Gojek’s ride services
- GrabFood: Food delivery (slightly smaller selection than GoFood in Bali)
- Payment: OVO e-wallet
Pro tip: Always open both Gojek and Grab before booking a ride. Prices can differ by 20–30% depending on demand and driver availability.
Google Maps
Essential for navigation. Bali addresses are notoriously confusing — many places don’t have proper street numbers. Google Maps with the pin location is how everyone finds everything.
- Use “share location” when giving your address to drivers
- Check real-time traffic before heading out — Canggu to Ubud can be 45 or 90 minutes depending on the hour
- Download offline maps in case you lose signal in remote areas
Food Delivery
GoFood (inside Gojek)
The dominant food delivery platform in Bali. Almost every warung, cafe, and restaurant is listed. Delivery fees are usually Rp 5K–15K ($0.30–$0.95) depending on distance.
GrabFood (inside Grab)
Second option. Slightly fewer listings in Bali but sometimes has promos that make it cheaper.
ShopeeFood
Growing fast. Aggressive promos and discounts. Worth checking for deals, especially on chain restaurants.
Pro tip: Rainy season (Oct–Mar) means you’ll order delivery a lot. Download all three food delivery apps and rotate based on promos to save money.
Shopping & E-Commerce
Tokopedia
Indonesia’s Amazon. You can buy almost anything — electronics, furniture, household items, vitamins, gym equipment, phone accessories. Delivery is usually 1–3 days in Bali.
- Payment: Bank transfer, e-wallet, COD
- Shipping: Free shipping promos are common over Rp 50K orders
Shopee
Tokopedia’s main competitor. Better for cheap goods, flash sales, and smaller items. The app experience is more cluttered but prices are sometimes lower.
Indomaret / Alfamart Apps
Both convenience store chains have apps for online ordering and delivery. Useful for quick grocery runs — snacks, drinks, toiletries, phone credit top-ups.
Pro tip: For household items (sheets, towels, kitchen supplies), Tokopedia is cheaper than buying at physical stores in tourist areas, which mark up prices for foreigners.
Payments & Banking
GoPay (inside Gojek)
The most widely accepted e-wallet in Indonesia. Use it for Gojek rides, food delivery, convenience store payments, and some restaurants/cafes.
- Top up: Indomaret, Alfamart, bank transfer
- Minimum top-up: Rp 10,000
OVO (linked to Grab)
Second biggest e-wallet. Accepted at many offline stores, Grab rides, and some restaurants.
DANA
Another e-wallet growing in acceptance. Some shops only accept DANA, so it’s worth having as a backup.
Wise
Not an Indonesian app, but essential for managing money. Use Wise to:
- Convert your home currency to IDR at the best rate
- Send money to Indonesian bank accounts
- Receive payments from international clients
Communication
Not optional. WhatsApp is how Indonesia communicates. Your landlord, your Grab driver, your coworking space, your local friends — all on WhatsApp. Install it before you arrive.
- Many businesses use WhatsApp Business for bookings and customer service
- Group chats for Canggu and Ubud nomad communities are active on WhatsApp
Telegram
Secondary to WhatsApp, but some nomad communities and crypto/tech groups prefer Telegram.
Maps & Navigation
Google Maps
Primary navigation app. Accurate for Bali, including warung locations, business hours, and user reviews.
Waze
Useful for car navigation — it has real-time traffic data and crowd-sourced road information. Less useful for scooters since scooters can lane-split.
Health & Wellness
Halodoc
Indonesia’s telemedicine app. Consult a doctor via video call (Rp 15K–50K / $0.95–$3.10), get prescriptions, and order medicine delivered to your door.
- Available in English
- Useful for minor issues: stomach problems, skin rashes, cold/flu
- Medicine delivery within 1–2 hours in urban areas
SehatQ
Alternative health app with doctor consultations and health articles. Good second option if Halodoc is busy.
Utilities
PLN Mobile
Indonesia’s electricity company app. Useful if your accommodation uses prepaid electricity tokens (common in kost and some apartments). You can buy tokens directly in the app.
MyTelkomsel / by.U
Manage your SIM card data packages, check remaining balance, and buy top-ups.
VPN
NordVPN / ExpressVPN
Essential in Indonesia. Reddit, some streaming services, and various websites are blocked. A VPN lets you access everything normally.
- Set up before arriving — some VPN websites are also blocked
- Both NordVPN and ExpressVPN have Indonesia servers for good speeds
Setup Checklist
Before you arrive in Bali, install:
- Gojek
- Grab
- Google Maps (download Bali offline map)
- NordVPN or ExpressVPN
- Wise
After you arrive and have a local SIM:
- Top up GoPay (Rp 200K to start)
- Top up OVO (Rp 100K to start)
- Download Tokopedia
- Download Halodoc
- Set up by.U for data management
FAQ
Do I need cash in Bali? Yes, for some situations — small warungs, local markets, tips, and the occasional shop that doesn’t accept e-wallets. But Bali is increasingly cashless. GoPay and OVO are accepted at most established businesses. Carry Rp 200K–500K ($12–$31) in cash as backup.
Can I use Apple Pay or Google Pay? Very limited acceptance in Bali. GoPay and OVO are the dominant mobile payment systems here.
Is Gojek or Grab better in Bali? They’re nearly identical. Gojek has slightly more drivers in Bali and GoFood has a bigger restaurant selection. Grab sometimes has better car availability. Use both.