We provide a curated list of 22 of the best and most popular mobile apps to use when traveling to and living in Medellín and Colombia. These mobile apps can help you navigate the city and country, find the best restaurants, chat with friends, make translations, order taxis and much more.
Only two of these 22 mobile apps are specific to Medellín and the rest can be used throughout Colombia.
In the past few of weeks I have used these apps to message friends, call my family in the U.S., order home delivery of food from local restaurants, order taxis, translate a few words, find a new restaurant to try out and helped a taxi driver find the best route to an address.
Note we also provided a comprehensive guide to buying and using cell phones in Colombia.
Communications
Mobile apps are very popular for communications in Colombia and we included four popular mobile apps used to communicate.
The WhatsApp App, courtesy of WhatsApp
1. WhatsApp Messenger – Free – Android – iPhone
WhatsApp is a very popular messaging map that has taken over SMS texting in Colombia and other countries throughout the world. In addition, with this app you can make calls, send photos and have group chats.
With WhatsApp you can easily send unlimited messages to any part of the world for free. In addition, WhatsApp is the most popular mobile app used in Colombia. Almost everyone with a smartphone in Colombia uses WhatsApp.
With this app there is no cost to message and call friends. So, you can stay in touch with your friends and family. And you don’t even need to have a Colombian cell phone number to use this app.
The Facebook App, courtesy of Facebook
2. Facebook – Free – Android – iPhone
With Facebook you can see what your friends, family and work colleagues are up to and send messages, share photos, updates and videos.
This is another one of the most popular mobile apps used in Colombia. Most Colombians with a smartphone have this app.
Medellin Guru is also on Facebook. So, you can see all of our updates on the Medellin Guru Facebook page and join our Medellin Guru Events and Discussion Forum.
The Skype App, courtesy of Skype
3. Skype – Free – Android – iPhone
Skype is a popular mobile app that permits you to send messages, make voice calls or video calls. And this is free regardless of what device they use Skype on.
Skype to Skype is free. So, you can use Skype to keep in touch with your family and friends back home without any long distance charges or other fee.
With Skype, you can make conference calls and also video calls. In addition, you can call mobile phone and landlines at low rates.
Instagram App, courtesy of Instagram
4. Instagram – Free – Android – iPhone
Instagram permits you to easily share photos with family and friends. And you will be taking a lot of photos in the beautiful city of Medellín and the amazingly beautiful country of Colombia.
Medellin Guru is also on Instagram. So, you can follow us on the Medellin Guru Instagram.
Ground Transportation
The inDriver App, photo courtesy of inDriver
5. inDriver – Free – Android – iPhone
inDriver is a app that works in over 300 cities in 31 as an alternative to taxis. This app is one of the top five ride-sharing and taxi apps worldwide.
inDriver’s business model is that passengers determine the price of the trip. The user enters the amount he or she is willing to pay for the trip. The order is confirmed by the first driver who is willing to accept the offered price.
In addition, inDriver charges drivers primarily on a flat rate, whereas its competitors charge drivers a percentage of their taxi fare receipts. Reportedly the fees that inDriver takes from drivers’ receipts average 5 to 8 percent of the fare, which is significantly less than other major ride-hailing services. Passengers make all payments for rides directly to drivers in cash or non-cash settlements.
The Cabify mobil app, courtesy of Cabify
6. Cabify – Free – Android – iPhone
Cabify is a mobile app used for hailing taxis. Cabify merged with EasyTaxi in 2019 and has the most taxis available in Medellín out of the available mobile taxi apps. Cabify was started in Spain and has a major presence in the cities in Latin America.
With the Cabify app you simply request a taxi on your cellphone and you can track the taxi arrival in real time. The app also conveniently provides you with the driver’s name and the license plate of the taxi. And you can use a credit card instead of cash.
Also, we have a detailed guide to Medellín taxis.
Uber App, courtesy of Uber
7. Uber – Free – Android – iPhone
Uber Technologies, Inc., commonly known as Uber, is an American multinational ride-hailing company offering services that include peer-to-peer ride-sharing.
As of 2019, Uber is estimated to have over 110 million worldwide users.
Colombia ordered Uber to cease its ride-hailing operations in Colombia in late 2019, effective immediately, after a judge ruled the company violated competition rules. And Uber on January 10, 2020, decided to exit the Colombia market with its last day on January 31, 2020. So, starting on February 1, 2020, Uber was no longer be an option in Colombia.
However, Uber returned to Colombia on February 20, 2020.
The Beat mobil app, photo courtesy of Beat
8. Beat – Free – Android – iPhone
Beat is a new competitor to Uber in Colombia with prices that can be lower. Formerly known as Taxibeat, the company was founded in 2011 by Nikos Drandakis in collaboration with associates Nikos Damilakis, Kostis Sakkas and Michael Sfictos in Greece. The ride-hailing service was acquired by MyTaxi in February 2017, and was soon renamed to Beat.
Today the company is part of the FREE NOW group, the ride-hailing joint venture of BMW and Daimler
The Moovit App, courtesy of Moovit
9. Moovit – Free – Android – iPhone
Moovit is a mobile app used to find the fastest and most convenient bus routes in real time. With this app you enter a destination and it shows the bus route numbers with estimated times to get to your destination.
This mobile app provides step-by-step guidance from A to B. And it provide notifications when to get off the bus. Also, you can add one-tap destinations to your most traveled places.
In addition, this mobile app shows estimated walking and biking times. I use this app fairly frequently to learn bus routes to many locations in Medellín.
The Metro de Medellín App, courtesy of Metro de Medellín
10. Metro de Medellín – Free – Android – iPhone
Metro de Medellín is a mobile app that that includes a map of the Medellín metro system as well as the current metro fare structure. It also include messages about any metro system problems.
This app is more likely to be used by someone visiting Medellín as a tourist. Once you have lived in Medellín for a while you learn the metro system and likely won’t need this app. Note that the Medellín metro system does post any system problems on the Medellín metro Twitter.
Maps
The Google Maps App, courtesy of Google
11. Google Maps – Free – Android – iPhone
Google Maps is considered the navigation king. The Google Maps mobile app is fairly accurate in Medellín. And I primarily use Google Maps for walking directions and have found that it is pretty reliable.
Google Maps is the most popular navigation app by far. But I prefer the Waze app for use on the road in Medellín, as it seems to do a better job of finding alternate routes to avoid traffic. Google Maps is better for directions when walking.
The Waze App, courtesy of Waze
12. Waze – Free – Android – iPhone
Waze is a maps mobile app that is popular in Medellín and Colombia. I have started using Waze more often than Google Maps for use in cars.
Waze has a large community of drivers feeding data into the app’s backend. So, Waze is able to better estimate travel times and also find alternate routes to avoid traffic.
The Waze map has real-time color-coded traffic that is normally more accurate than Google Maps. And I have used the alternate routes feature of Waze many times to find faster routes while in taxis.
For example, I used this app twice last week to direct taxi drivers to alternate routes that were faster as they avoided traffic.
Languages
The Google Translate App, courtesy of Google
13. Google Translate – Free – Android – iPhone
Google translate is a very popular app for making translations. It supports 103 languages and even supports translations while offline. With the app you can speak, take a photo, write or type to get a translation.
This is a very popular mobile app for expats visiting Medellín and Colombia for those that don’t speak much Spanish. I speak Spanish at the intermediate level but still use this app on occasion to look up the translations of some words.
The Microsoft Translator App, courtesy of Microsoft
14. Microsoft Translator – Free – Android – iPhone
Microsoft Translator is a viable alternative to Google Translate. It has many of the same features. With the Microsoft Translator app you can speak, take a photo, type and even carry on conversations. Translated conversations are across devices. For example, one phone to another phone.
Microsoft Translator also supports translations when offline. I use both Google Translate and Microsoft Translator. I have found that some things translate better in Google Translate, while other thing translate better in Microsoft Translator. Both are decent translators.
The DuoLingo App, courtesy of DuoLingo
15. DuoLingo – Free – Android – iPhone
DuoLingo is a language-learning platform that includes a mobile app, website as well as a language proficiency exam. With this program you can learn Spanish using the DuoLingo mobile app as well as your computer.
DuoLingo is considered a freemium service with ads in the free version. And DuoLingo Plus costs $9.99 per month and offers ad-free sessions and offline access. In addition, you can use DuoLingo on the DuoLingo.com website.
The DuoLingo mobile app supports an offline mode, which allows you to access a handful of lessons without internet or Wi-fi connectivity. However, not all lessons are available in offline mode. And you’ll need to connect to the Internet for those lessons to be recorded and count towards your daily progress.
Finances
Several banks in Colombia have mobile apps for access to accounts. But smartphones are stolen frequently in Colombia. So, to me it’s not a good idea to have a banking mobile app on a phone that could be stolen.
The XE Currency App, courtesy of XE.com
16. XE Currency – Free – Android – iPhone
XE Currency is a helpful mobile app that lets you see the current live exchange rates for over 180 currencies, as well as view historical exchange rate charts. Also, this app is helpful to know if you are getting a good exchange rate when exchanging money.
When traveling to Colombia you select Colombian Peso (COP). And when you enter a price in COP, you can see the equivalent price in your home currency.
While you need a Wi-Fi connection to see the current exchange rate with the XE Currency app, it also works offline with the last exchange rate.
The Zeepod App, courtesy of Zeepod
17. Zeepod – Free – Android – iPhone
Zeepod is a mobile app for exchanging money and that I have used with success. Zeepod was actually created by a Colombian in Medellín.
What this mobile app does for you is let you know who is close by and what currency they have to trade. For example, COP for USD. The app will also provide you with the current bank rate.
With the Zeepod app, you choose the person who has the currency you need, then negotiate the exchange rate. Also, no other fees are involved. Usually you won’t get the current rate unless someone is trying to get rid of their COP before they leave. The other people using this app are trying to make money.
But you can get pretty close to the XE exchange rate with Zeepod. And it can be the best deal for exchanging money.
Also, we previously looked at exchanging money, receiving and transferring money in Colombia.
Travel Guide
The TripAdvisor App, courtesy of TripAdvisor
18. TripAdvisor – Free – Android – iPhone
TripAdvisor is a popular travel guide mobile app with countless reviews of hotels, restaurants and things to do in Medellín and other cities in Colombia.
The TripAdvisor mobile app also has a ¨near to me¨ feature that helps you find well-reviewed places nearby. I use this app frequently when looking for a new restaurant to try out in Medellín or other cities I happen to be visiting.
However, be skeptical of ratings on TripAdvisor. For example, I have found that the highest rated restaurants on TripAdvisor may not actually be the best restaurants in town.
Videos and Music
The YouTube App, courtesy of YouTube
19. YouTube – Free – Android – iPhone
YouTube is a mobile app that lets you see movies on the massive YouTube platform. With YouTube you can upload, view, rate and share videos.
There are more than 400 hours of content uploaded to YouTube each minute, and over one billion hours of content are watched on YouTube every day.
YouTube is very popular in Colombia, particularly for viewing music videos.
The Spotify App, courtesy of Spotify
20. Spotify – Free – Android – iPhone
Spotify is a mobile app that provides you with free access to several personalized song playlists. And these playlists are automatically generated from what you’ve listened to and what you’ve told Spotify you like.
These playlists include your daily and weekly mixes, and playlists based around your favorite musical genre. You can’t pick what’s in these playlists (beyond suggesting artists and songs you like), but you can play through them in any order you like, and skip through songs an unlimited number of times. But there are ads with the free version of Spotify. The premium version costs $9.99 per month.
Spotify is very popular in Colombia and is one of the most downloaded mobile apps in Colombia. You will find many people listing to music with Spotify on their smartphones in Colombia.
Pollution
The Ciudadanos Cientificos App, courtesy of SIATA
21. Ciudadanos Científicos – Free – Android – iPhone
Ciudadanos Científicos is a mobile app created by SIATA and financed by the Aburrá Valley Metropolitan Area that permits you to track the real-time pollution levels at monitoring stations throughout the Medellín metro area.
Pollution in Medellín is a major concern of expats living in Medellín. And with this mobile app you can track pollution levels in different neighborhoods in the city.
Delivery Services
The Domicilios.com App, courtesy of Domicilios.com
22. Domicilios.com – Free – Android – iPhone
With the Domicilios.com mobile app you can order food from over 4,000 restaurants in Colombia for home delivery. There are several hundred restaurants in Medellín found in this app.
Talking on the phone in Spanish to order food to be delivered can be challenging for many expats that don’t speak Spanish very well. So, this mobile app makes ordering food for delivery in Colombia much easier. Also, you can use the website domicilios.com to order delivery services like in the mobile app.
I used this app twice in the past week to order domicilio services for having food delivered at home. An alternative to Domicilios.com is Rappi, which some expats have used with good service. I tried Rappi in Sabaneta and service was too slow.
The Best of Medellín
Besides this article about the 20 best mobile apps to use in Medellín and Colombia, Medellin Guru has several additional best of Medellín articles:
- 35 Top Things to Do in Medellín and Nearby: Top Tourist Attractions
- 21 Best FREE Things to Do in Medellín and the Aburrá Valley
- 17 Top Kid-Friendly Things to Do in Medellín and Nearby
- 14 Best Malls of Medellín – the Ultimate Guide to Medellín Malls
- 12 Best Museums of Medellín and the Aburrá Valley
- 8 Best Pueblos Near Medellín Worth Visiting
- 7 Best Panoramic Views of Medellín
- 5 Best Neighborhoods in Medellín
- 2 Best Walking Tours in Medellín
- 14 Top Churches in Medellín Worth Visiting
- 22 Best Mobile Apps to Use in Medellín and Colombia
Also, Medellin Guru has several more articles about the best restaurants and coffee shops in Medellín and the Aburrá Valley:
- 19 Best restaurants in Laureles in Medellín
- 15 Best Restaurants in Envigado, Colombia
- 15 Best Restaurants in Sabaneta, Colombia
- 14 Best Pizza Places in Medellín: The Best Pizzerias in the City
- 13 Best Burgers in Medellín: Best Burger Places in the Aburrá Valley
- 12 Best Steakhouses in Medellín and the Aburrá Valley
- 12 Best Vegan and Vegetarian Restaurants in El Poblado
- 10 Best Mexican Restaurants in Medellín and the Aburrá Valley
- 9 Best Colombian Restaurants in Medellín and the Aburrá Valley
- 9 Best Italian Restaurants in Medellín and the Aburrá Valley
- 9 Best Places for Brunch in El Poblado
- 5 Best Independent Coffee Shops in El Poblado
- 8 Top Coffee Shops in Laureles
- 5 Best Nano/Micro Breweries in Medellín
The Bottom Line: 22 Best Mobile Apps to Use in Medellín and Colombia
There are literally millions of mobile apps available. Our above list of 21 mobile apps are 21 of the most popular mobile apps used by expats in Medellín and Colombia. And all 22 mobile apps we listed are free.
19 of the 22 mobile apps we listed aren’t specific to Medellín but they make visiting and living in the city of Medellín easier and make visiting other cities and pueblos in Colombia easier.
And for women, one other mobile app we have looked at is Bluma, which permits you to book manicures and pedicures in Medellín from the comfort of your home. It’s like the “Uber” for home beauty.
The bottom line is that using popular mobile apps can make your life easier when visiting and living in Medellin and Colombia.
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Editors note: updated on October 8, 2018 to add Rappi as an alternative to Domicilios.com.
Editors note: updated on November 23, 2019 to add the Beat app to the list, which is an alternative to Uber.
Editors note: updated on February 1, 2020 to remove the Uber app, which stopped operating in Colombia on February 1, 2020. Also, added the inDriver app as an alternative to Uber.
Editors note: updated on March 7, 2020 to add back Uber that returned to Colombia on February 20, 2020.