Useful apps

Having the correct information available when you need it is priceless.

Here are some apps that can make your life easier in Germany. Note for most we did not add links to the apps, as it is a lot of work to maintain for all operating systems. Use the search function to search the apps

Integration

Integreat app – Digital Integration platform
Arrive App from the Bundesagentur für Arbeit

Residence card

Ausweisapp2 – Use it to identify yourself online with your electronic residence permit

Mobility

DB Navigator – Deutsche Bahn Navigator to book long-distance train tickets. Local tickets can also be bought. Apple App Store or Google Play store
DB App – Deutsche Bahn main app
Local public transport apps e.g HVV for Hamburg or VVS for Stuttgart
Bicycle hire apps like StadtRAd Hamburg
Mobility apps for a taxi, E-Roller, E-Scooter, and carsharing e.g Free Now or Reach Now
mobiLet – parking payment app
Taxi Deutschland
Voi, Lime and Bolt for E-bike and scooter hire

Public transport in Germany

The German public transport system is extensive, reliable and very affordable. The Deutsche Bahn AG is the national railway company and is state-owned. The DB offers long distance, regional and local travel options.Here is a list of PDF Files with the route maps in German Long distance trains Long-distance trains offer fast and convenient connections between major cities. The following types of trains are available for long-distance travel: ICE – InterCity Express. These are high-speed trains with limited stops

Komoot – Routes for hiking, running and cycling
Strava. Join the South Africans in Germany Group
Alltrails – Routes for hiking, running and cycling
Outdooractive – portal for outdoor activities
Hiking and tour apps in your region e.g Tours in BW

Maps

Offi directions – public transport
HereWeGo (downloadable maps)
Google Maps

Medical

Doctolib – search and book appointments. You can also search for English-speaking providers
Jameda – app to rate and rank medical professionals
Shop-Apotheke for buying medication online
Doc Morris for medication

Ask a SA Pharmacist in DE

A qualified pharmacist offered to assist in trying to answer questions regarding substitute suggestions for South African pharmaceutical products.Very important – always refer to your doctor or pharmacist before taking medicationThe Admin team of this website are not medical professionals and cannot give any medical advice. Please do not misuse

Health product substitutes

We are not medical professionals and cannot give any medical advice. We do however have contact with a qualified Pharmacist who offered to answer questions you might have about substitutes for South African health products. We cannot give any information about prescription medication. We have listed some suggestions for over

Visiting a doctor

Navigating Healthcare in Germany Visiting a doctor in Germany can feel overwhelming at first, but understanding how the system works will help you feel confident and prepared. When I first arrived in Germany, I was fortunate to travel back to South Africa frequently. I relied on that to manage my

DWD WarnWetter App – Deutscher Wetterdienst. Weather warnings by the German Weather service
Nina Warn app – Natural disasters and general warnings. This is a must have app
Power outages – see where there are current power outages

Entertainment

Spotted by locals
Open Table – Restaurant bookings
Eventim – Concerts etc
Radiobox – Worldwide radio station streaming
PressReader Inc. – Access to all publications as a member of the local public library. Many German newspapers and magazines but also worldwide, including South African and Afrikaans.

Translators and language

Leo Translator
Linguee
Deepl Translator
Dict – excellent German/English Dictionary
Google translate, can also translate text on photos
Alle Deutschen Wörterbücher – one app with all the different German dictionaries
See our Where to learn German page for more apps

Learning German

Master the Language. Embrace the Culture. Embarking on the journey to learn German can be approached in various ways to suit your lifestyle and goals. Online platforms offer the convenience of flexible language courses, while mobile apps make learning easy wherever you are. For a more interactive experience, attending in-person classes can provide practical lessons and opportunities to practice with others. European Language Framework In Germany, the European Language Framework (CEFR) is widely used to

Amazon
YouPickIt – shows deals of the day at local shops. You can compare prices
Momox – Buy and sell second-hand items
Rebuy for second-hand shopping
Groupon – Discount vouchers
Payback – for points collecting and discounts
Idealo – Price comparisons

Shopping Clothes

Most shops like C & A, Bonprix, Peek & Cloppenburg have their own apps

About you – Clothing
Zalando – Clothing, shoes, accesories and more
Vinted – Buy and sell second-hand clothes

Food

Hello Fresh for weekly ingredients delivered to you for meal preparation
Flink – Flink promises to deliver groceries “in 10 minutes”
Wolt – order food and household goods from the platform’s restaurant and merchant partners
Picnic – grocery deliveries
Flaschenpost – grocery deliveries
Lieferando for restaurant food deliveries
Too good to go – Discover shops and restaurants near you with Too Good To Go and save bags of surplus groceries from going to waste – at a great price.

Where to shop for clothes

We understand how difficult it can be to find the perfect shop where you can buy new clothes. That’s why we took the initiative to put together a comprehensive list of shops that we believe could be helpful in your search. If there are shops that you believe should be included on the list, please don’t hesitate to let us know by visiting our Contact Us page. We value your input and we want to ensure that

Klarna for online payments
DHL, GLS or DPD and Hermes for deliveries

Travel

Airline apps like Lufthansa or Eurowings
Booking.com app for hotel etc bookings
Airbnb – Accomodation
Momondo flight search and comparison app
Moovit for maps, it also shows bus information
Fuelflash – compare fuel prices in your area
Parkopedia – find parking spots
Flush app – Find a restroom
Rome2Rio – handy app to find different ways of getting to your destination
The Auswärtige Amt has a Sicher Reisen App. In the app you will find tips and a checklist for your travel preparations, and the addresses of the representations of your destination country in Germany. For problems on site, the app offers you information for emergencies as well as the addresses of the German representations in your travel country.

Communication, social and community

Threema, Signal or Whatsapp
Discord – There is a South Africans in Germany group that you can join
Nebenan – neighbourhood community
Familywall – use it to keep a shopping list: each in the family can contribute to the lists
Internations – International communities
We also have a webpage with a list of South African communities in Germany

Money transfers

Please refer to our Foreign Exchange Information on the following pages ZAR to EUR and EUR to ZAR

Xoom or Paypal
Worldremit
XE – currency converter. Please note that there is a buying and selling rate for Forex. Most apps show an average

Foreign Exchange- EUR to ZAR

We are not financial advisors and therefore cannot give financial advice. The information here should not be seen as financial advice in any way.Always make

Foreign Exchange- ZAR to EUR

We are not financial advisors and therefore cannot give financial advice. The information here should not be seen as financial advice in any way.Always make

Many banks have mobile apps, see your bank’s website for more information
Most medical aid companies have mobile apps where you can submit your claims, and see your documentation