When was the last time you actually used a physical map to get somewhere? Or carried a dictionary in case a foreigner asks you for direction? Or called a restaurant to book a table for dinner? You get the idea. Today’s society is highly dependant on mobile phones for a good reason: they let you access an immense list of mobile applications that make your life easier.
Mobile apps can help you with almost anything. From learning a new language to getting around in an unknown city to ordering a taxi or having someone pick up your dirty laundry. With over 5,000 new apps being released every day, no wonder finding the right apps has turned into a challenging duty. But no worries, we’ve done the lsquo;heavy lifting’ for you.
If you are an expat, or planning to become one, the following mobile apps can save you many headaches, unpleasant surprises and make your life overseas seem like you never left home. Ready to try them out? The apps below are available for both iOS and Android users. Oh, and you can click on the provided links to download them directly.
Best iOS and Android Apps for Expats
Apps To Never Get Lost Again
Getting from A to B in unknown territory isn’t easy. From basic directions to public transport, use these apps to get around and familiarize with every corner of your new lsquo;home’.
CityMaps2Go
Exploring the new city you are staying in is the logical thing to do. Hopefully, there is no need to rely on those messy paper maps at the hotel reception desk filled with local ads. CityMaps2Go is an interactive map that lets you discover hotspots in major cities, with photos, reviews, guides and more. You can pick and save the places you want to visit. The best part? You can use the app offline, which makes it perfect if you are struggling to find a stable internet connection.
Moovit
In many countries, the cost of using a car or taxis on a daily basis can be high. Public transport is usually the solution for moving around and still having money to eat hellip; Moovit is the go-to app for expats that rely on public transportation. This app offers real-time schedules for bus and train in over 2,700 cities worldwide. Not convinced? Ask their 360 million users…
UBER
The sharing economy is here to stay. UBER is a proof of it. This ridesharing app is available in more than 300 cities worldwide. Pre-fixed rates and transparent information about vehicles and drivers makes it a safe choice for foreigners. And it saves you the trouble to give directions in a foreign language as all you need to do is enter the destination in the app. Not satisfied with the service? You can contact UBER in your native language, leave a review and even get a refund!
Google Maps
You can like it or not, but you cannot deny that Google Maps is the best mobile map in the world. It has it all in one single place. From basic transport alternatives (public transport, taxi services, trains, airplanes, etc.) to navigation to street views, reviews and so much more. You can even download city maps and access them offline.
Apps To Learn And Translate Languages
If you are reading this article, then you probably speak English quite well. And despite this language is one of the most popular spoken languages around the globe, there are plenty of destinations where you could still hit the language barrier.
Duolingo
Planning a long stay? If yes, then it’s highly advisable to master the local language. Not only it will open you the doors to valuable sources of information, but also enable you to communicate and get a deeper understanding of the people around you. Many expats find it difficult to accommodate language classes into their busy schedules.
Duolingo is a free and effective way to learn over 20 different languages on the go. You can use it during a lunch break or on your way to the office. Lessons last from 5 to 10 minutes, making the learning process incredible smooth and easy to digest.
Google Translate
Looking for a translator? You’ve found it. And it will not cost you a single penny. Google Translate is world’s most popular translation app due to its extensive offer mdash; 103 languages available. The collaborative platform allows people to suggest changes and new translations, which over time helps the app to provide more accurate results. You can download up to 52 languages offline. The app also allows you translate images, a useful feature for traffic signs.
Apps To Send Money Internationally
It’s a reality. Many expats have entire families to support back home, bills or taxes that have to be paid. So hellip; how do they handle it? Not long ago, expats relied on slow and expensive bank transfers or remittance services such as Western Union or MoneyGram.
However, new technology companies are offering innovative, inexpensive and fast ways to send and receive money internationally.
TransferWise
TransferWise is a UK-based fintech company that enables you send and receive money internationally at minimum rates. While the company still relies on the outdated banking system to process transactions, it offers more competitive fees and processing times than any regular bank or remittance service out there.
TransferWise allows you to connect your debit/credit card to easily send and receive funds across the world. It is estimated that $4 billion are processed through this app every month.
Crypterium
Crypterium is also a leading fintech company in this field. With the Crypterium App, users all over the world can store, send, receive and cash out popular digital currencies.
Unlike TransferWise, Crypterium leverages blockchain technology to allow customers send and receive funds instantly and without fees. To transfer money, all you need is the recipient #39;s phone number, even if they are not Crypterium clients.
The greatest thing about it is that you can easily cash out funds to any bank card in minutes. Alternatively, you can apply for a prepaid global card that connects to your Bitcoin, Ethereum and other crypto balances and lets you use them online or offline in over 174 countries.
Apps To Find Food And Have Fun
Whether you are a suited top manager in London or a developer wearing flip flops in Bali, one thing is for certain: we all need some rest and fun.
If you are having a tough time finding a good spot for dinner, booking a table or checking interesting events around you, then these apps might give you a break:
OpenTable
From little cantinas in Italy to Michelin-star restaurants in the US, with OpenTable you have the key to all of them right in your pocket. You can book a table in more than 48,000 restaurants around the world. With this app you can manage the reservation, invite friends, read and leave reviews, and find the closest places using geolocalization.
Eventbrite
Music? Yeap. Comedy standups? Sure. Festivals? You’ve got it. Eventbrite helps you find the most interesting events around you and book a place in seconds. The app keeps you updated about the events you are planning to attend, with dates, times, locations, and similar offers that you might want to consider too.
InterNations
If you are missing home, InterNations is your app. This is the largest network of expats in the world, currently present in over 420 cities. You need to submit an application to get in, but it is definitely worth it. You’ll get access to tons of free events, meetups and meet hundreds of like-minded foreigners over good drinks. The basic membership is free, but you can upgrade it for some additional features.
Apps To Stay Close, Even When You Are Away
Staying in touch with the people you love is easier than ever thanks to new technologies. Mobile apps allow you to text, call or video call with almost anyone miles away, for free.
Telegram
You might be already familiar with Whatsapp or Viber, but Telegram is the next big player. This messaging app offers outstanding stability for chats, calls and video.
The app is also considered more secure than Whatsapp, which has been negatively affected by multiple scandals related to security breaches and leaks of user data. Telegram is free and offers an exceptional user experience.
Skype
While Skype become popular as a video chatting platform, it offers so much more than that. For example, you can purchase local numbers so people can reach you anytime without getting to pay extra money, or you can use Skype credit to make international calls at super-low rates.
Apps To Work Remotely
Working abroad has its pros and cons. If you are a freelancer or working remotely, you might need to find a decent place with WiFi unless you want to become a hermit. Another rising problem for expats is government restrictions for certain websites. Unfair, right?
WiFi Finder
Wi-Fi Finder goal is simple: helping you find the closest free Wi-Fi connection. The app uses geolocalization to display the nearest spots in the map. As a general recommendation, make sure you have a charger with you as this service might affect battery life.
NordVPN
NordVPN is recognized as one of the best VPN services worldwide. The service has 5,100 servers distributed in over 62 countries, which basically allows you to surf the Internet with freedom, accessing to all the services and sites you want.
This is a paid service, but the pricing is competitive and flexible. Beyond the basic VPN function, you also get additional communication services to maximize your privacy, such as P2P, Double VPN, Dedicated IP, Onion Over VPN, and Obfuscated.
About Crypterium
Crypterium is one of the most promising fintech companies, according to KPMG and H2Ventures. We are building a mobile app that meets the banking needs of the digital assets era.
Our goal is clear: with Crypterium, whatever you can do with traditional money you will able to do with digital assets. This idea is supported, among others, by the co-founder of TechCrunch Keith Teare and over 400,000 registered users, and the number is growing by day.
The team is led by former General Manager of Visa Central amp; Eastern Europe Steven Parker, and C-level executives from global financial institutions, like Renaissance Insurance, London Derivatives Exchange, American Express etc.
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