What are the must-have apps for traveling in Kenya?

The essential apps for Kenya are Uber, Bolt, M-Pesa, WhatsApp, Google Maps.

How many travel apps does Kenya have?

We've curated 10 apps across 7 categories for traveling in Kenya, including 5 essential apps.

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Kenya

Q: What is the best ride hailing app in Kenya?

Uber is the top-rated ride hailing app in Kenya. Available in Nairobi and Mombasa with reliable coverage. Offers UberX, UberXL, and UberChapChap (a more affordable motorcycle and tuk-tuk option). Upfront pricing in Kenyan shillings makes budgeting easy.

The birthplace of mobile money welcomes you

Curated by travelers, verified by locals

Heads up

Kenya is a pioneer in mobile payments, and M-Pesa is woven into daily life here. Nearly everything can be paid for via M-Pesa, from street food to safari bookings. Getting a local Safaricom SIM card at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and registering for M-Pesa should be your first move. Uber and Bolt work well in Nairobi and Mombasa, while smaller towns rely more on local matatus (minibuses) and boda bodas (motorcycle taxis). English and Swahili are both official languages, and most apps support English. Nairobi's traffic can be brutal during rush hours, so plan trips outside peak times or use ride-hailing apps that show estimated arrival times.

10 apps5 essentialAfrica

Last updated: March 2026

Uber

Essential

Available in Nairobi and Mombasa with reliable coverage. Offers UberX, UberXL, and UberChapChap (a more affordable motorcycle and tuk-tuk option). Upfront pricing in Kenyan shillings makes budgeting easy.

Pro tip: UberChapChap is a great budget option for short trips around Nairobi. For airport pickups, set your pin at the designated ride-hailing pickup zone outside arrivals.

Bolt

Essential

A popular alternative to Uber in Nairobi and Mombasa, frequently offering lower fares. The driver network is large, which means short wait times even during off-peak hours.

Pro tip: Bolt often undercuts Uber by 10-15% on the same route. Check both apps before confirming a ride, especially for longer trips across Nairobi.

Little Cab

Nice to have

A Kenyan-built ride-hailing app developed in partnership with Safaricom. It integrates directly with M-Pesa for payments, making it the most seamless cashless ride option if you already have M-Pesa set up.

Pro tip: If you are already using M-Pesa, Little Cab's integration is seamless. Payment is deducted automatically from your M-Pesa wallet at the end of each ride.

View Ride Hailing guide →

Glovo

Nice to have

The leading delivery app in Nairobi, covering restaurant meals, groceries, and everyday essentials. Strong selection of both local Kenyan cuisine and international options. Delivery is fast in central Nairobi.

Pro tip: Glovo delivers groceries from Nairobi supermarkets like Carrefour and Naivas. Handy for stocking up your Airbnb without a trip to the store.

Jumia Food

Nice to have

A food delivery platform with wide restaurant coverage across Nairobi. Good for discovering local spots serving nyama choma, pilau, and other Kenyan staples alongside more familiar international fare.

View Food Delivery guide →

M-Pesa

Essential

Kenya's revolutionary mobile money platform and the single most important app for any traveler in the country. Used by over 80% of the adult population, M-Pesa handles everything from paying for groceries and restaurant bills to settling taxi fares and buying safari tickets. Operated by Safaricom, it works via a simple SIM-based system.

Pro tip: Register for M-Pesa at the Safaricom shop in the airport arrivals hall. Bring your passport, buy a SIM, and load some Kenyan shillings onto your M-Pesa wallet. Most merchants display their 'Till Number' for payments.

View Payments guide →

View Messaging guide →

View Navigation guide →

View Travel & Booking guide →

View Transit guide →

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