India
भारत
India runs on UPI payments and Ola/Uber for rides. Swiggy and Zomato dominate food. Tourists can't easily use UPI, so carry cash.
🚖Rideshare & Taxi
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The most widely available rideshare service globally. Works in 70+ countries.
Works well in all major Indian cities.
India's homegrown rideshare with cars, autos, and bikes.
Indian-origin rideshare with autos and bikes — a good backup when Uber is surging.
💳Payments & Wallets
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A well-known Indian UPI app, now a distant third to PhonePe and Google Pay.
UPI payments + mobile recharge. Needs an Indian bank account and number, so most tourists can't set it up.
India's UPI app with widest merchant acceptance, often paired with Paytm.
India's biggest UPI app — but it needs an Indian bank account; any UPI app works at any QR.
🗺️Navigation & Maps
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Works almost everywhere except mainland China. Offline maps are critical when roaming.
Works well.
📱Messaging
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The dominant messenger in Europe, Latin America, India, Middle East, Africa.
Universal for hotels, drivers, guides, and small businesses.
🍱Food Delivery
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India's major food delivery and groceries platform.
Food delivery plus Instamart groceries — runs neck and neck with Zomato.
India's other big food delivery and restaurant discovery app.
Other major food delivery + restaurant discovery.
✈️Travel Planning
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Activities, attractions, and SIM cards across Asia. Better than GetYourGuide in Asia.
Taj Mahal tickets, palace tours, train bookings.
Is India one stop of several?
Add your other destinations and get one combined app list, with the adapters and currencies for the whole trip.
The practical basics
Power & plugs
- Plug type
- C / D / M
- Voltage
- 230V
- Frequency
- 50Hz
- Type C: Two round pins. Used across most of Europe, South America, parts of Asia and Africa.
- Type D: Three large round pins in a triangle. Used in India and South Asia.
- Type M: Three large round pins. Used in South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland.
Type D is the old British round-pin plug, also used in Nepal. Universal adapter strongly recommended.
Tipping
10% at restaurants if no service charge. 20-100 rupees for porters, drivers.
CurrencyINR
Hindi you'll actually use
Etiquette and scams to know
✓ Do
- Eat with your right hand if eating with hands.
- Remove shoes before entering temples and homes.
- Dress modestly, especially at religious sites.
✕Don't
- Public displays of affection.
- Photographing women without consent.
- Beef in Hindu-majority areas / pork in Muslim-majority areas.
⚠️ Common scams to know
- "Your hotel is closed/burned down" at Delhi airport — it's not.
- Rickshaw drivers taking you to commission shops.
- Fake travel agents near New Delhi Railway Station.
This page was last reviewed in September 2026. Apps launch, rebrand and pull out of countries all the time, so confirm anything your trip depends on. Spotted something out of date? Tell us — here's how we check.