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10 Essential Apps for Life in Spain: A Practical Guide for Newcomers
If you have only just moved to Spain and have very little idea which services can make your life easier, this guide is for you. La Cotorra has put together a list that will help you get your bearings.
1. The government application Cl@ve
This is the application that will help you with administrative matters, for example, obtaining an appointment for registration at your address. It is a must-have, just like the app of the bank where you decide to open an account.
2. Finding a place to live. Idealista, Spotahome
These applications will be useful if you intend to rent a flat in Spain. Idealista is the portal best suited to long-term rentals (rarely for less than a year), while Spotahome is better for shorter stays, although you will also find flats available for a year or longer. To secure a good option, you will almost certainly need to monitor new listings very actively for a time, and the apps will make this easier.
On Idealista, it is important to write a good introduction letter for landlords, respond to listings quickly (ideally both calling and messaging), and be ready to attend a viewing as soon as possible.
With Spotahome there is no need to go to a viewing at all. Everything is done online: you choose the flat and dates, send the required information and documents to the owner or rental company, and wait for their reply. Spotahome is a good medium-term alternative to Airbnb, which many people use while searching for a permanent home. Prices are usually noticeably above the market, although not as high as tourist day-to-day rentals.
3. Health. The public Tarjeta Sanitaria app or private insurance
This category includes apps that help you organize appointments with doctors. Tarjeta Sanitaria, for instance, is the application used to interact with the public healthcare system.
If you have Spain’s most popular private insurance, Sanitas, then their application allows you to do almost anything: find the nearest clinic covered by your policy (there are very many), make appointments in any branch of the network for in-person, video, or telephone consultations, check your test results, prescriptions, and medical notes, and much more. Waiting times for appointments will, in all likelihood, be shorter than in the public system.
4. Taxis. Bolt, Uber, Cabify, Freenow
Taxis in Spain are relatively inexpensive compared with most of Europe. There are many options, but availability varies by city. In Madrid, people usually call a Bolt or Uber, or simply hail one of the city taxis – the numerous white cars with a roof sign. In Valencia, Bolt does not operate, but Uber, Cabify and Freenow are widely used. Aggregators show the fare in advance, whereas city taxis work with a meter.
5. Food delivery. Glovo, UberEats
If you want to order groceries or prepared meals, Glovo is the most commonly used application in Spain. The selection depends on your city and neighborhoods, but in the center of a large city, the variety of restaurants offering delivery within an hour is likely to be overwhelming. There is also a door-to-door delivery option, useful if you need to send something to a friend but do not wish to travel yourself.
A less popular, though perfectly functional, alternative is UberEats. However, on the author’s iPhone it works extremely poorly. Hence Glovo takes first place.
6. Trains. Iryo
A convenient application where you can purchase and store tickets for rail travel within Spain. It keeps all information about your upcoming journey close at hand.
7. Flights. Iberia
Iberia is Spain’s flagship airline. Here you can also buy and store all your tickets, check in for flights and change your bookings. Iberia also has an excellent loyalty programme. You earn Avios and Elite Points for each journey, which can be used towards free flights and other benefits.
8. Concerts. Ticketmaster
Tickets for almost all major concerts in Spain are sold through Ticketmaster. It has a unique feature: if you realize you cannot attend a concert for which you have already bought a ticket, you can sell it through the service. Ticketmaster will verify that your ticket is genuine and put it up for sale. The beauty of this option is that even if the event has sold out, there is still hope – someone may decide to sell their ticket, allowing you to attend without fear of fraud.
9. Pets. Rover
Going on holiday with no one to look after your dog or cat? Rover is the place to go. You can find a pet-sitter for almost any taste and budget – experienced carers charge more, newcomers and enthusiasts less. Some will take your pet into their home; others will visit it at yours. Payment is usually per day.
10. Buying what you need and selling what you do not. Wallapop, Vinted
Wallapop is Spain’s most popular application for buying and selling items from other people. You can find anything here: furniture, appliances, bicycles, even cars. Everything is local: you agree a meeting and complete the exchange in person. Vinted is another marketplace, but specifically for clothing and accessories. These applications will help you save money and adopt a more sustainable approach to possessions.