Settling Down

12 Must-have Apps in Jakarta

Hello FlokqJune 12, 2020

For those first-timers living in Jakarta or even Indonesia, adjusting to the climate might be the most important part. Aside from the physical adaptation that you need to do, social adaptation is just as important. Social adaptation in today’s Jakarta doesn’t only mean knowing the language and etiquette, but also some of the online kinds of stuff too. So free up some of your phone’s memories, because you’ll be needing some adjustments for your Indonesian digital culture. To help you cope with the lifestyle of full-bred Jakartans, here are the essential apps that you need to have!

Social Media

1. Instagram

Aside from Twitter and Facebook, Instagram is the place with a capital ‘p’ to get in touch with friends. Tag your fun experience in Jakarta’s concrete jungle with IG Stories and share delicate stories with its ‘close friends’ feature! Sure, Twitter and Facebook are still not dead, but nowadays Instagram is more dynamic and updated most of the time. 

2. WhatsApp

WhatsApp is widely used around the world, including in Indonesia where its usage for work-related communication is widely known. Some Indonesians still prefer to use WhatsApp over other types because of its reliability and simplicity. Indonesians are increasingly using the Story feature too, like in IG, so you can also be kept in the loop!

3. LINE

LINE is one of the more laid back and fun options for your daily chatting with Indonesian friends. There are a lot of sticker options and a variety of interface theme options that make the app very customizable. Their video call has a feature for two-player games and lives filters to make catching up with friends more fun.

Transportation

4. Grab

The products that Grab has at its disposal to offer its Jakartan customers are especially abundant than in other cities. Just by looking at a busy street, you’ll know that Grab has almost all corners covered with their experienced drivers. Their food delivery, ride-sharing, e-scooter, and package delivery services are among the most reliable for Jakartans to use.

5. Gojek

This super app that is easily Grab’s biggest competitor can be said to be a Jakartan and even Indonesian favorite. Just like Grab’s drivers, you can easily spot Gojek’s green troops in Jakarta’s streets completing orders and providing customers’ needs. Their app is indeed superb with services such as providing car rides, massages, and even opportunities for investment.

6. Google Maps

If you happen to not want to use ride-sharing super apps for going around Jakarta, have GMaps with you. Whether you have your own car or commute often, Jakarta’s dynamic cityscape would make this app a necessity. Some roads might be closed, some places might have too much traffic, or you might have to take a detour. What’s a better way to avoid all of those troubles than to automate it through Google Maps’ system?

E-Wallet

7. OVO

OVO is the e-wallet product that’s attached to services provided by Lippo Group which includes the Grab app. With OVO, you can pay using QR codes in restaurants, pay for the Grab ride, or even pay parking fees. OVO periodically has cashback events where there would be big discounts if you pay with OVO in certain vendors. Grab also often give discounts for customers who pay its various services using OVO instead of cash. It also has a discount system called OVO points that are made to be the cashback.

8. Go-Pay

This built-in e-wallet in Gojek is one that can help your daily life through one centralized digital payment method. For those using certain mobile banking apps like the one used by BNI, they have an integrated top-up system. Gojek also has events for large scale discounts called PayDay where the price cut even gets to half the price. With the Gojek app, you can even pay with a combination of Go-Pay and cash when you’re in a hurry.

Reference for Food and Places

9. Zomato

This app has been a trusted tool for foodies and restauranteur alike in reviews and assessments of meals for long. Zomato offers plenty of ways for users to give reviews about their experience in a particular restaurant that they’ve visited. You can observe through the five-scale star that they give and also the reviews that people wrote about them. Zomato also provides the approximate “busy hours” that restaurants have so that people can adjust their arrival to venues accordingly.

10. Trip Advisor

This app is a very useful tool for those moving into a new town with minimum knowledge of the place. The pictures available in the app are also user-generated so it won’t be too suspicious – most of the time. For hotels, managers can respond to reviews now so that phony reviews can also be called out by owners. Not just for looking at reviews to help you, you can even book hotels, flights, and restaurants through this app.

Read also : Best Apps for Traveling in Indonesia

Discounts

11. Dealjava

This app allows you to get opportunities for discounts at various restaurants around large cities, including the city of Jakarta. It started out only to accommodate discounts in the city in Medan in 2013 but quickly found success elsewhere. Now it operates in cities like Jogja, Surabaya, Bandung, and even Pekanbaru to serve customers with their city-exclusive deals. So for your daily discount surprises, use Dealjava to help your wallet out!

12. Fave

To get deals not just from restaurants, install this app just in case you want to get a good price. Fave can get you better deals to get beauty treatments, holiday discounts, and even for theme parks of your choosing. So help yourself out by installing Fave for future recommendations and fun with friends and family! And even more so for the cheaper price and cashback from the app!

So there you have it! the must-have apps for adapting to the social landscape of Jakarta and its concrete jungle. Of course, these are the general apps and you might need to adjust accordingly to your social circle. But nevertheless, we hope this list will give you some head-start in forming friendships and bonds during your stay in this modern-day Batavia!