VPNs and other tools worth installing before you go, curated for travelers visiting Spain.
AlertCops is Spain's official nationwide safety app and can provide police chat, incident reporting, photo or location sharing, area alerts and automatic translation.
Spain's official multilingual channel for police chat, incident reporting, safety alerts and location sharing.
Spain's official tourism guidance presents it as a complementary way to contact Policía Nacional and Guardia Civil. It is optional, not a replacement for emergency calls. Current store reviews include failed foreign-number verification and crashes, so install and test it only after arriving in Spain and do not depend on it as the sole safety channel. Call 112 immediately for an emergency; the number is free throughout Spain and offers multilingual tele-translation.
Keep 112 written offline in case the phone has no data, the app is signed out or location permissions fail. Use AlertCops only for genuine safety or police matters, grant location access deliberately and review any continuous sharing afterward. In a theft, prioritize personal safety, block payment cards and the mobile line, use device-locator tools from a safe place and ask about the Foreign Tourist Assistance Service where available. Keep a separate copy of passport details and insurance contacts, but do not store unnecessary identity scans in an open photo gallery.
No single utilities app stands out for visitors in Spain. The guidance above explains what to try and what to do when it does not work.
Bento recommends one utilities app in Spain, checked in 2026.
These apps need data
Guac eSIM covers Spain with plans from $0.58 per GB. Install it before you land and activate instantly.
Local taxi apps, lek cash and offline maps matter more than global brands
Public transport first, with city and Alpine tools that prevent expensive mistakes
Carry BAM, use local transport apps, and stay on established routes
National rail, regional transit and simple card backups for Belgium
Licensed taxi apps, city-specific transit tools and euro cash backups
Use SBB first, keep a card and francs handy, and prepare offline maps for the mountains