Carnival vibes, Pix payments, and iFood on speed dial
WhatsApp is how everyone communicates in Brazil. Businesses, hotels, and locals all use it, so download it before you land. Cash is becoming rare; Pix instant payments dominate, but as a foreigner you'll rely on cards or Uber/99 in-app payments. Stick to app-based rides rather than street taxis for safety and transparent pricing.
Books cars and taxis in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Brasília, Belo Horizonte, Salvador, Recife, Curitiba and Porto Alegre.
Books rides in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Brasília, Belo Horizonte, Salvador, Recife, Curitiba, Porto Alegre and hundreds of cities.
Lets riders agree fares in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Brasília, Belo Horizonte, Salvador, Recife and many regional cities.
Delivers in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Brasília, Belo Horizonte, Salvador, Recife, Curitiba, Porto Alegre and hundreds of cities.
Delivers meals in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Brasília, Belo Horizonte, Salvador, Recife, Curitiba and Porto Alegre.
Delivers in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte, Brasília, Curitiba, Porto Alegre and selected regional cities.
Delivers restaurant meals in São Paulo and selected surrounding metropolitan service areas.
Delivers in regional cities including Maringá, Londrina, Uberlândia, Presidente Prudente, Cascavel, Bauru and Passo Fundo.
Brazil's instant payment system used by 92% of adults. As a foreigner without a Brazilian bank account you can't use Pix directly, but knowing it exists helps you understand why vendors prefer it over cards.
The de facto communication standard in Brazil. Used by virtually everyone from restaurants and hotels to tour operators and local contacts.
Essential for navigating Brazil's cities, finding restaurants, and planning multi-modal routes including metro and bus.
Public transit navigator covering metro, bus, and BRT routes in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and other major Brazilian cities.
Brazil's leading intercity bus booking platform with access to 3,000+ routes. Long-distance buses in Brazil are comfortable and affordable.
Critical for navigating Portuguese menus, signs, and conversations. The camera translation feature works well on restaurant menus and street signs.
Reliable mobile internet at better prices than most travel eSIMs, with polished iOS and Android apps and support for making and receiving phone calls.
One of the biggest travel eSIM brands, with a very large destination catalog.
Known for unlimited-data plans in many destinations, at a higher price per gigabyte.
The CPF is the real wall: travelers report being turned away at store after store across Sao Paulo and Rio. Topping up Claro by phone or online also needs a CPF, so top up in person or with vouchers. A Brazilian number is the identity layer for WhatsApp, Pix and delivery apps, so a data-only travel eSIM can fail app verifications. The clean fix: a CPF is free and can be arranged before your trip through a Brazilian consulate or Receita Federal's online form.
The carrier most likely to sell prepaid to a foreigner on passport alone, with good coverage including smaller coastal towns. Even so, success varies by store.
The largest network with good national coverage, but the strictest about requiring a CPF.
Hit-or-miss on the CPF requirement depending on the store, and coverage thins out in remote beach areas.
The post office's mobile brand, sold at post offices, some pharmacies and newsstands. Indoor signal is weak.
The essential apps for Brazil are 99, Uber, iFood, Rappi, WhatsApp.
We've curated 14 apps across 7 categories for traveling in Brazil, including 6 essential apps.
99 is the top-rated ride hailing app in Brazil. Books cars and taxis in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Brasília, Belo Horizonte, Salvador, Recife, Curitiba and Porto Alegre.
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