India is on the path to a digital revolution. While pop culture and travel documentaries continue to depict it as a rural country, India is moving ahead fast. You can pay your local vegetable vendor with the tap on a phone, book a tuk tuk online and order groceries without leaving home. If you are planning to travel to India and looking for essential apps to use in India, there are quite a few that can make your stay smoother. It can be even more useful if you are a digital nomad in India since your travel needs focus on a long-term budget stay in India. This guide will help you make the best of your time in the country without overspending or struggling to find restaurants or grocery stores in India. You have Indian food delivery apps, grocery delivery apps, taxi apps in India and so on. But if you are feeling lost about which ones you should install on your phone, this guide will help you.
List of apps to use in India on your next workation
The more frequently used apps in India are listed in our quick guide to being a digital nomad in India. However, if you want to truly experience India as a local, then you need to get these too.
Food devliery apps in India (Swiggy/Zomato)
Ever felt that hunger pang and loss of motivation to cook, all at once? The best way to grab a quick meal in India is to order on Swiggy and Zomato. These food delivery apps offer a wide choice of restaurants at great prices. You also get your meal delivered within a maximum timeframe of 40 minutes. However, be sure to read reviews before you order since not every restaurant might offer great quality food. What’s more? Swiggy also delivers groceries if you ever need anything essential.
Grocery Delivery Apps in India (BigBasket/Dunzo/Blinkit)
Apart from Swiggy, Blinkit, Dunzo and Big Basket are a few other grocery delivery apps in India. If you want to order vegetables or fruits in India, these are your best picks. With Dunzo, you can even send stuff within the city. Want to give back a dress you borrowed? Dunzo’s got you. These apps work best in the metropolitan areas of India so don’t be too dependent on them especially if you are considering living in more rural spaces.
Wireless Payment/UPI Apps in India (Gpay/PhonPe/Paytm)
UPI is one of the many services that revolutionised digital payments in India. Anyone with a bank account can now transfer funds with a single tap. Vegetable vendors on street sides and your favourite golgappe walla now accept payments through GPay. However, it is a tricky service that does not have the same user case worldwide. Even though GPay is popular, one country’s application does not work in other countries. Usually, one needs a local bank account to use the local payment app.
If you are an international tourist looking to simplify payments in India through UPI, you can get a special wallet at select airports in India (Delhi, Bengaluru and Mumbai). As of now, the service is available primarily to residents of the G20 countries (Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, United Kingdom and the United States), and the European Union. This can ease your struggles with credit cards and reduce your need for carrying liquid cash since a large business population in India may not accept cards.
Travel Booking Apps in India (IRCTC/Make My Trip)
India has a well-connected network of trains, flights and buses. If you want to pop into an island, we have ferries too. However, trains in India require you to reserve a seat for yourself. The easiest way to do that is to access apps like IRCTC or Make My Trip. They are particularly essential if you are looking to travel by train. IRCTC is the primary rail network platform in India and regardless of where you book your tickets, you need to have an account on this website. It’s pretty easy to make one. If you are a foreigner, you will be charged an additional fee and there is a chance your credit card might not work. Try multiple payment gateways and other apps such as Yatra or GoIbibo to make sure your payment goes through.
Travel Booking Apps in India (IRCTC/Make My Trip)
India has a well-connected network of trains, flights and buses. If you want to pop into an island, we have ferries too. However, trains in India require you to reserve a seat for yourself. The easiest way to do that is to access apps like IRCTC or Make My Trip. They are particularly essential if you are looking to travel by train. IRCTC is the primary rail network platform in India and regardless of where you book your tickets, you need to have an account on this website. It’s pretty easy to make one. If you are a foreigner, you will be charged an additional fee and there is a chance your credit card might not work. Try multiple payment gateways and other apps such as Yatra or GoIbibo to make sure your payment goes through.
Metro Train Apps in India
India’s metropolitan cities have a wonderful connection to metros. Instead of stressing through traffic, you can easily hop onto one to get to your destination. While they may not always take you to your exact location, they are efficient. So depending on where you are in India, getting the respective city’s metro app can be very helpful. You can find metro apps for Bangalore, Delhi NCR, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Chennai, Ahmedabad and Mumbai.
Online Pharmacies in India (Apollo 247/ Tata 1MG)
Heading out and hunting for a pharmacy in India may not always be an option for you. Apollo 247 and Tata 1MG offer delivery of all your pharmaceutical needs in India. In larger metropolitan cities, they offer same-day delivery options whereas, in more rural spaces such as Goa, you can get your medication the next day. These apps in India also offer online doctor consultations in India so you don’t have to bother looking for one. If you are looking for apps in India to deliver medicines, these are for you.
Taxi Apps in India (Ola/Uber/Rapido)
Everyone loves taking a tuk tuk in India and a bike maybe if the traffic is bad. While Ola and Uber are more popular for cabs, Rapido is another growing app in India that allows you to book tuk tuks and bikes. It’s cheaper and extremely reliable. However, apps like these often have small margins for paying your rider. So be kind and tip them?
Useful Apps in Goa
Party Hunt
Everyone loves a good party once in a while, right? In a state like Goa where clubs and pubs are popping up everywhere, it gets difficult to find the one for you. So what do you do? You get Party Hunt. This app helps you locate the most fun and happening events in Goa and then choose one that matches your taste. It usually mentions the entry fee and the kind of music being played so you know where you want to go.
Taxi App in Goa (Goa Miles)
Well, Goa doesn’t really have Ola, Uber or Rapido. So if you are wondering about how to book a taxi in Goa, Goa Miles is your answer. You also find prepaid cabs at airports and railway stations, however, they require you to go to the location. Goa Miles also offers you great prices as compared to private taxi owners and allows you to book one from anywhere. However, the app is still in its nascent stages and it’s best to not completely rely on it. Make a friend and keep a cab driver’s number on you in case you are ever stranded.
Travelling in India as a digital nomad can be easy-breezy. You just have to get your hands on the right apps in India that make living long-term easy. Order groceries, take the metro and learn how to bargain during your fun workation in India.
