Are you getting ready to move to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam? Here are the must-have apps for living in Ho Chi Minh City that will make your life so much easier and best of all…they’re FREE!
Grab
Grab is SE Asia’s APP for everything. Book a driver (similar to Uber/Lyft/DiDi) and choose from a car or a motorbike, order food from restaurants spread around the city, top up your mobile account, book a hotel or experience, and so much more! Every time you use a Grab service, you get rewards that unlock offers including vouchers, % off, and various membership levels.
Vinasun
It’s always great to have a taxi backup for when Grab is unavailable. Vinasun is a trustworthy safe taxi service that I’ve used a handful of times in Ho Chi Minh City when there weren’t available drivers nearby due to an event (marathon nearby, Tet festival, New Year’s Eve, etc.). The APP doesn’t allow you to connect your bank card like Grab, so you’ll need to pay the driver in cash. Vinasun gives you an amount from the time you book, so there are no unexpected meter charges or negotiating.
Chopp
Order your groceries through the Chopp APP in Ho Chi Minh City and have access to every single grocery store, supermarket, specialty store, butcher, bakery, and even liquor stores around the city. With just one order, your shopper will grab what you request at each of the various stores (extra service fees per stop apply) around town and deliver within your scheduled delivery time. It’s a very convenient way to get everything you need from the comfort of your home.
Zalo
Zalo is the second largest social media network after Facebook in Vietnam. Its messaging, voice chat, video call, and media sharing are all private, secure, and free! Most local Vietnamese use Zalo for personal as well as business. The one downside is that you’ll need a Vietnamese phone number to set up your Zalo account, so you’ll have to wait until you arrive in Vietnam and get your SIM card.
WhatsApp is the #1 messaging APP in the world, so I’d be surprised if you’re moving to Vietnam and didn’t already have it. But regardless, I’m still adding it to the list just in case. HCMC is full of international expats, so it’s no surprise WhatsApp is the most used messaging APP between friends here. Unlike in Mexico where locals and businesses alike use WhatsApp, in Vietnam, WhatsApp is just used for personal while Zalo and Facebook are most common for businesses.
Google Translate
While most people speak enough English that you can usually get by with a bit of broken English and pointing, it’s always a great idea to download the Google Translate APP. The APP allows you to type, text, or take a photo and translates it to your native language and vice versa if you are trying to communicate with someone. I recommend downloading the language offline, so even if you don’t have WiFi or service, you can still use the translator. Do this in advance, so you won’t have to worry about not being able to find something, pay for something, or go somewhere.
Most businesses in Ho Chi Minh City are not on Yelp and some do not even have websites. They mainly operate on Facebook Business Pages. Therefore, if you don’t already have a Facebook or don’t have it on your phone, you’ll want to download it now.
GetYourGuide
Booking a tour in Ho Chi Minh City or any city around the world for that matter? You’ll definitely want to download the GetYourGuide APP for booking activities like walking tours, private or group tours, or day trips.
Did I miss an APP that you’ve found useful? Share your apps for living in Ho Chi Minh City in the comments below!
