If I could download only 15 apps for my Taiwan trip, it would be these must-have apps:

• GoogleMaps
• Klook
• KKday
• Uber
• FindTaxi – Taiwan Taxi Finder
• Tripool
• Google Translate or Papago
• Booking
• YouBike (UBike)
• Go! Taipei Metro
• T Express
• Taiwan Weather
• Windy
• LINE
• UberEats or Foodpanda

In this article, I’ll share our review on these 15 apps and 20+ other apps to consider while traveling or living in Taiwan, from taxi, travel, food, dating and shopping! All of these apps are free to download.

If you’re planning a trip to Taipei or Taiwan, also see my guides to the best Taiwan itinerary for 10 days, our Taiwan must buy list and my guide on is it safe to travel in Taiwan right now.

We LOVE traveling in Taiwan for its rich culture, kind locals, incredible nature hikes, night markets, easy public transportation, delicious food, and high safety standard of living. Also, Taipei is also one of the top 10 places to live in the world for remote work.

Apps for Taiwan Travel and Living as a Local

Google Maps

Google Maps is the best map app in Taiwan. We’ve find Google Maps to be extremely reliable in Taiwan, from the MRT metro and bus timings in bustling Taipei, to the old streets of Jiufen to explore the must eats, Houtong cat village, Pingxi Taiwan where our favorite Taiwanese restaurant is, and even the mountains in Sun Moon Lake.

You can use Google Maps to explore hidden gems in Taiwan, navigate bustling cities like Taipei, and find your way with ease. When taking the MRT (Taiwan’s city metro subway), it even shows which entrance or exit to take, which was so helpful and easy to use! (especially compared to New York subways)

Download GoogleMaps for Apple / Android

Best Taxi Apps in Taiwan: Uber, Find Taxi and Tripool

Wondering is there Uber in Taiwan? Yes, there is and here’s why Uber is still our top recommended taxi app in Taiwan!

In rare cases where you cannot find a Uber (or it’s too far away), we recommend using local favorites like FindTaxi to hail cabs efficiently, and Tripool for hiring drivers. That can happen in smaller towns alway from the old city like Pinglin Taiwan where you can visit the tea plantation and try a Taiwanese tea ceremony at Xuan zi ju tea house.

Download Uber for Apple / Android | Download FindTaxi – Taiwan Taxi Finder for Apple / Android |
Download the Tripool app for Apple / Android

YouBike 2.0

YouBike 2.0 is the best app for using the YouBike (UBike) bike sharing program in Taiwan.

These are the distinctive white and yellow (2.0) from local bike manufacturer Giant, which you’ll see everywhere in Taipei and Taiwan. They can be leased at docking stations across Taipei and other major Taiwanese cities such as New Taipei, Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Taichung, Chiayi, Tainan, Kaohsiung, and Pingtung.

It’s similar to bikes sharing programs like Uber or Lime scooters in the USA. The interface is extremely reliable and easy to use. The bikes also include automatic locks.

You do need a Taiwan phone number to sign up, but you can easily buy a SIM card on Klook or in-person at the airport. Once we signed up with our local temporary Taiwan numbers on the app, we were able to register within 2 minutes and start using YouBikes to visit local temples.

Download YouBike 2.0 for Apple / Android

Go! Taipei Metro

This metro Taipei app provides everything you need to use the Taipei MRT (Taipei Mass Rapid Transit). One click will take you to a high-resolution map of all MRT lines, which is super useful.

Personally, we found Google Maps to be reliable enough to navigate the MRT and did not need to use the Go! Taipei Metro app. However, we did use it on our first trip to familiarize our self with the general MRT color lines.

While Taipei’s MRT is very reliable, we found the MRT to be extremely packed to the brim during rush hours M-F 7:00am-8:30am and 4-6pm. We actually preferred to use Uber during these times. Find out why we preferred using Uber in Taiwan here, over the taxi or MRT (during rush hour).

Download Go! Taipei Metro for Apple / Android

T Express

You might be wondering how to book HSR and if you can use an app to book it. Yes you can! You can book HSR tickets on the official HSR website or on Klook to get to places like Kaohsiung, Taichung or Kenting National Park to explore the Kenting night market or beaches.

Booking on Klook as a traveler is always preferred for us because you get a 20% discount, as long as you buy it at least ONE day before your date of travel. Once you book your Klook HSR pass, you can redeem it on the official HSR website on desktop or mobile, for any ticket within 90 days after purchase (and even reschedule it) which is super convenient.

Bus+

Bus+ provides real-time bus information and many locals use it. The difference between Bus+ and using Google Maps for buses, is that Google Maps only shows scheduled bus times, and doesn’t tell you if a bus is running early or late.

Taiwan buses are usually on time by the minute but we had an instance where the bus came 6 minutes late and we were in the mountains (3 hours away from the nearest city). Not a big deal though!

Many locals who use the bus in Taiwan use this app as it has the most reliable bus times schedule. This app allows you to identify bus stops near you, check which buses are coming next, view all of the stops they’ll make and at what times, and look up any bus in Taiwan by number.

Download Bus+ for Apple / Android

Book Taiwan Activities with Klook and KKday

Klook & KKday are the best apps to find amazing deals on tours, activities, and transportation tickets.

Klook is my top app for general travel in Taiwan. It is the best place to get travel passes such as EasyCard, Taipei Unlimited Fun Pass, visit Taipei 101 with a skip-the-line ticket, SIM cards, heavily discounted HSR High Speed Rail tickets, private drivers, car rentals, day excursions, hotels, and deeply discounted tickets to Taiwan’s top attractions.

KKDay is very similar to Klook, and is a Taiwanese company. Many of the excursions are same across both platforms. Because KKday is Taiwanese, it frequently has more activities than Klook. For example, only KKday operates domestic flights in Taiwan.

However, I normally prefer Klook first since its UI is more user-friendly, has far superior English translation and customer service. Klook has a very generous cancellation, where you can cancel most activities within 24 hours of the activity happening.

Download Klook for Apple / Android
Download KKday for Apple / Android

Google Translate and Naver Papago for Translation

Don’t speak Mandarin? I recommend learning some basic Mandarin before visiting Taiwan, but a translation app will get your around just fine.

I recommend using Google Translate or Naver Papago. They basically perform the same duties, so it’s simply a matter of testing both and deciding which one you like. Set the language to Traditional Mandarin characters (中文繁體得). Simplified is not used in Taiwan. Most locals can read it, but not very well.

The most helpful feature while traveling is the photo translation function, especially when ordering from local restaurant menus that do not have English menus or English speaking staff. (which is quite often the case) You can turn on the camera and scan any Mandarin words (menus, hiking signs, road signs, etc.) and see them instantly translated to English on your phone’s screen – brilliant feature!

Download GoogleTranslate for Apple / Android
Download Naver Papago for Apple / Android

Pleco for Learning Mandarin

If you’re learning Mandarin, Pleco is a great dictionary app where you can draw characters to look up a term, or search words and sentences by English, Characters and pinyin. As someone who studied Mandarin, I used this app for years!

Download Pleco for Apple / Android

Taiwan Chat App – Line

LINE App is Taiwan’s chat app, and was created in South Korea. It is the most popular messaging app in Taiwan for instant messaging, group chats, and free voice/video calls between users.

LINE is East Asia’s answer to WhatsApp in the West, India, Facebook Messenger in the US, and WeChat in China. Locals don’t bother with these other apps.

This free multifunctional app lets you chat, make calls, and even pay for things! It is significantly more popular and widespread than traditional text chatting, which are hardly ever used in Taiwan.

Pro Tip: For travelers, I recommend downloading LINE because if you make any Taiwanese or east Asian friends, that will be their preferred way to exchange contact information to stay in touch. If you don’t intend to use it after your vacation, ask for their Instagram information instead. Also, many smaller hotels and Minsu in Taiwan will like to contact with you via LINE. You may also need it to speak with tour guides, drivers (if you hire any), and some hotels and Minsus accept reservations via LINE.

There are a few add-ons that can assist with translation within this app, which came in extremely helpful. Line is exactly what we used during our Jiufen Minsu B&B stay where the owners only spoke Mandarin. One way is to scan this QR code to add this translator as a “friend”. Then add that friend to any conversation and it will automatically translated the conversation between English and Chinese! Another option is to use the Ligo LINE translator. Both work seamlessly.

Download LINE for Apple / Android

Booking.com App for finding accommodations

Booking.com is our favorite website and app for booking hotels in Taiwan (and most travel destinations). We appreciate its UI, map function, straightforward cancellation policies, review checks, and filtering system.

While Agoda, Hotel.com, or other portals are available in Taiwan, Booking.com’s UI, straight forward cancellation policies, and easy review checker are much clearer.

While most hotels that are available on Booking.com are also on Agoda, in my experience it’s almost always the same price (give or take by $20 dollars total). When we booked hotels on Agoda in Taiwan and Japan, the local host almost always answered our questions in the local language, or wanted us to communicate via Line app after. (this is an extra planning task) This is almost never the case with Booking.com because most English speaking guests are expected to use Booking.

Airbnb, Vrbo or a Minsu

For couples or families who want bigger space than what hotels can offer, I recommend Airbnb, VRBO, or booking a Taiwan Minsu.

A Minsu is a stay with a local Taiwanese host and can be a villa, a B&B, or a hotel, and often has a unique theme. Many locals in Taiwan often choose this option and book directly with the owners.

Read my article here on what is a Minsu in Taiwan and how to book one. These are more popular outside of big cities. We recently stayed at a Minsu in Jiufen Old Street where we explored the best food to eat everyday, and hiking the best regional hikes like Keelung mountain and Teapot mountain.

Taiwan Weather

Taiwan’s weather is often unpredictable, as with any tropical place. No software or website seems to get it quite right. However, if you’re looking for a Taiwan-specific weather app, the Central Weather Bureau’s Taiwan Weather app is the best option.

Download Taiwan Weather for Apple / Android

Windy for checking Taiwan’s weather for surfing or watersports

If you are doing any type of water activities like surfing, SUP paddling, or swimming in open sea, we highly recommend using the Windy app where you can find reliable wind condition and wave swell levels.

As regular SUP paddlers, we found that Windy app predictions are far more reliable than looking at the forecast. Be sure to input the specific location (Jiufen Old Street) instead of an entire city (Taipei).

Anything 0-10 wind speed is practically perfect wind conditions for water sports. 10-17 wind speeds will require a jacket. Anything above 17 means it’ll be VERY windy, and you should probably plan for another day.

Download Windy for Apple / Android

Taiwan Food Delivery app – Uber Eats & Food Panda

Craving delicious Taiwanese food delivered straight to your doorstep? UberEats and Foodpanda are the two most popular apps to order delivery, and most restaurants will use either one of these. With a wide variety of restaurants to choose from, you’ll never go hungry.

Download UberEats for Apple / Android
Download FoodPanda for Apple / Android

Shopping Apps

The following are the most popular shopping apps in Taiwan. If you love shopping, also check out my list of the Top 38 things to buy in Taiwan which include things that are famous to buy in Taiwan and the best souvenirs as a gift for yourself, family and friends!

• Shopee Taiwan – The most in demand app for apparel and almost anything else. This Singapore-based company is well-known to users from Taiwan and other Asian countries.
  
  Note, we prefer to shop in person for cloths in Taiwan as the sizing chart in Taiwan is often smaller than in the United States. Also, English on most of these apps are limited or non-existent. For in-person clothing, we recommend Air Space for Women (Jade’s favorite shop), and NET, Zara, Uniqlo for Men.
  
• Momo Shop and Yahoo! Taiwan Shopping are other popular websites for apparel and shopping.
  
• Carrefour Taiwan App, Cheers Taiwan App, Costco Taiwan App – These shopping apps have great grocery deals and promotions, and are widely used in Taiwan. These are great to use especially if you’re staying for a longer duration.
  
  And yes, Costco is very popular in Taiwan! Of the 14 Costco operations in Taiwan, three – Taichung, Neihu, and Chungho – ranked in the top 10 in the world in sales volume. If you have a Costco membership in the USA (or anywhere in the world), you can shop Costco Taiwan too. I’ll admit, it’s super fun to see what’s available in other countries!
  
• IKEA App – Ikea is very successful in Taiwan and Locals love Ikea to shop for home furniture and inspiration. Most of my Airbnbs in Taipei used Ikea furniture. In store, Ikea Taiwan also has a wide selection of meals and food items.
  
• Taipei 101 Mall App – If you’re planning to visit Taipei 101, be sure to get the skip-the-line tickets and download the Taipei 101 Mall App. Taipei 101 is the landmark in Taipei City and was designed based on the Chinese lucky number 8. The building is huge and its shopping centers are from B1 to the 4th floor, and parking lots from B2 to B4.

Taiwan Dating Apps

Finding love or making friends in Taiwan? Here are Taiwan’s most used dating apps and dating sites in to consider for locals and foreigners. This list isn’t exhaustive, and the best Taiwan dating app depends on your preferences.

Dating apps are taken more seriously in Taiwan than in many western countries. The majority of women are looking for serious relationships or their life partners to marry, rather than hookups.

Fun fact – We’ve been married for years but we actually met each other on a dating app, and it’s the first one below.

• Coffee Meets Bagel – The most used dating app used in Taiwan for serious dating. This popular dating app is used mostly by young to mid professionals, and both foreigners and locals are on it. It’s the dating app that we used to meet each other in the US (on the first try too) so you know we recommend it!
  
• Bumble – The most popular app among travelers and expats in Taiwan, not just for dating but also finding friends and networking.
  
  Personally, I (Jade) use Bumble BFF (best friends forever) which was created as a safe space for women to meet like-minded local women. I enjoy the platform and meeting Bumble BFF feature, and it even allows you to set up a traveling feature.
  
• Hinge – Taiwan dating app for foreigners, but there are very few locals on there.
  
• OKCupid – OKCupid is becoming more outdated globally including, but still used a little in Taiwan
  
• Grindr and Jack’d – LGBTQ+ dating in Taiwan
  
• We do not recommend hook up apps due to safety, STD prevention, and health reasons. But if that’s what you’re looking for, Tinder and Par Par (Mandarin only) are what is used locally. Note, hookup culture is not common or accepted in Taiwan as in western cultures. If you do use these, just be clear about what it is that you’re interested in, don’t play games, and don’t waste someone’s time.  

Apps for Taiwan Travel – Xe Currency Converter

Xe Currency Converter is a reliable tool for currency conversion and checking real-time mid-market rates. It allows travelers to stay current on currency rates and make informed decisions when shopping in Taiwan and shopping with foreign currencies. The app also enables international money transfers to over 130 countries in 65 currencies, with simple setup and tracking options, and can monitor up to 10 currencies.

This currency converter app is helpful when you have to convert USD (or your home currency) to the official currency of NTD (New Taiwan Dollar).

Download Xe Currency Converter for Apple / Android

We hope you found this list of best apps for traveling in Taiwan or living in Taiwan helpful. It’s best to download these Taiwan apps BEFORE your trip, when you have reliable internet.

If we missed anything important, please let us know in the comments below!