Laos now has useful local apps, but availability changes sharply by city. LOCA is the strongest general ride app and Green SM is a worthwhile electric taxi comparison where cars appear; KOKKOK Move is a lower confidence Vientiane alternative. Uber, Grab and Uber Eats do not operate. Foodpanda has active Vientiane coverage, while delivery elsewhere must be checked against the exact address. LOCA Pay is a no balance feature inside LOCA that lets an international card fund participating Lao QR payments, but as of August 2026 it adds 3% plus 5,000 LAK to each transaction. Keep Lao kip for small businesses, rural travel and outages. The official LCR Ticket app can sell Laos China Railway tickets, but registration, regional download and card payment failures are still reported, so retain an office or accommodation fallback. Download two maps before leaving reliable internet and never treat a mapped rural line as proof that land is clear of unexploded ordnance. For emergencies call police on 1191, fire on 1190 or ambulance on 1195; Vientiane Rescue also uses 1623.
No balance payment feature inside LOCA that funds participating Lao QR purchases from an international card.
These apps need data
Guac eSIM covers Laos with plans from $0.58 per GB. Install it before you land and activate instantly.
How to Pay in Laos