SHARE
COPY LINK
For members

APPS

These are the essential smartphone apps for living in Germany

We asked our readers which one app they find indispensable for life in Germany. Here are the top 10.

These are the essential smartphone apps for living in Germany
A man in Berlin uses DB Navigator to buy a ticket on his smartphone. Photo: DPA

Accu

This summer has brought a range of weather – from torrential rain to humid heat – and often in the same afternoon. “Weather is everywhere here. If you are not prepared, you suffer,” said Pavan in Duisberg. 

Not only does the convenient app break down daily temperatures, it also gives minute-by-minute hyperlocal forecasts of when a storm will hit – giving you enough time to seek cover.

DB Navigator 

Despite a push to increase the number of on-time trains in Germany, Deutsche Bahn gets a bad rap for being late. At least Germany’s railways have an app to notify passengers if their train is on time, and book transport tickets in the meantime. Unlike most other German public transport apps, there’s also an option to use it in English. 

Lieferando

Photo: DPA

Deliveroo closed its doors in Germany earlier in August, giving Lieferando (formerly Lieferheld) a monopoly on the home delivery market in Germany. That said, our readers praised its quick service and broad selection of food, especially after-hours when stores are closed. 

“It’s the easiest app to order food at home when the market closes at 8 p.m. and you are lazy and hungry,” said Panshul in Munich. 

Offi

From the tram system across much of east Germany, to the double-decker busses in some cities in the west, public transport systems vary widely around Germany.

This can be quite confusing if you’re in a new city or looking to travel to one. This is where readers said Offi comes in handy: not only does it help you get from point A to point B, but offers alternative connections if yours is running late or if you’ve missed it. 

“This is the best app for public transport. Not only is it essential in Germany but in other cities or countries as well, though Germany is best covered,” said Chenbo in Dresden. 

Dict.cc

There are a lot of online German dictionaries, but readers such as Silviu from Munich preferred dict.cc as it provides example phrases for the selected word. It also translates from a wide variety of languages, from English to Finnish, and includes many colloquialism expressions left out of other dictionaries. 

Schnäppchenfuchs

Whether you’re on the search for a new laptop or pair of skis, this comprehensive online coupon app was recommended by Local readers and bargain hunters. “It’s a very useful app to find good online shopping deals,” said Yuvaraj in Stuttgart.

Idealo Shopping

Other readers recommended this shopping companion app, which helps locate the best deals and tells you if you’re getting ripped off or not. “You can check the prices of various articles and even scan a barcode to see if you are getting a good deal,” said Emil in Hanover. 

WhatsApp

A family chat about dinner on WhatsApp's group messaging function. Photo: DPA

The messaging app has been and continues to be a core way Germans communicate, whether through individual chats or catered groups. “I use it to manage communications with different groups: family abroad, colleagues, my food group, my book club, and my yoga class,” said Ming near Frankfurt. 

Google Translate

Many readers pointed to Deepl as the best online translator, even giving the option to select a different word when you aren’t satisfied with the the current version. However, as Deepl doesn’t yet have an app, some readers pointed to “the next best” thing: Google Translate, which also has some savvy features such as automatic text translation and the ability to translate text offline. 

Tinder

Whether you’re on the look out for love or just making new contacts in a foreign city, readers recommended this dating app. “I haven’t found anything serious, but made some friends and a connection who led me to a job,” said Emily in Berlin. 

But if you’re not a fan of continually swiping left or right, there are other apps with a large base of both German and international users like okcupid, Happn, and Bumble, which is also marketed as a friendship and networking app if you prefer searching for your next job rather than date.

And of course The Local's app

You can get all the news, features and information on Germany direct to your mobile phone by downloading our app, which is available for both Apple and Android phones. It just takes a few seconds.

The Local's app is available for Apple iOS and Android phones and gives you quick and easy access to The Local Germany news site.

What App users say?

“Nice app, loving it.”

“My favourite source of news.”

“The Local should be your daily morning read”.

“The best app to get updated on European news.”

Download the apps HERE.

 

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.
For members

LIVING IN GERMANY

Living in Germany: Battles over Bürgergeld, rolling the ‘die’ and carnival lingo

From the push to reform long-term unemployment benefits to the lingo you need to know as Carnival season kicks off, we look at the highlights of life in Germany.

Living in Germany: Battles over Bürgergeld, rolling the 'die' and carnival lingo

Deadlock looms as debates over Bürgergeld heat up 

Following a vote in the Bundestag on Thursday, the government’s planned reforms to long-term unemployment benefits are one step closer to becoming reality. Replacing the controversial Hartz IV system, Bürgergeld (or Citizens’ Allowance) is intended to be a fair bit easier on claimants.

Not only will the monthly payment be raised from €449 to €502, but jobseekers will also be given a grace period of two years before checks are carried out on the size of their apartment or savings of up to €60,000. The system will also move away from sanctions with a so-called “trust period” of six months, during which benefits won’t be docked at all – except in very extreme circumstances. 

Speaking in parliament, Labour Minister Hubertus Heil (SPD) said the spirit of the new system was “solidarity, trust and encouragement” and praised the fact that Bürgergeld would help people get back into the job market with funding for training and education. But not everyone is happy about the changes. In particular, politicians from the opposition CDU/CSU parties have responded with outrage at the move away from sanctions.

CDU leader Friedrich Merz has even branded the system a step towards “unconditional Basic Income” and argued that nobody will be incentivised to return to work. 

The CDU and CSU are now threatening to block the Bürgergeld legislation when it’s put to a vote in the Bundesrat on Monday. With the conservatives controlling most of the federal states – and thus most of the seats in the upper house – things could get interesting. Be sure to keep an eye out for our coverage in the coming weeks to see how the saga unfolds. 

Tweet of the week

When you first start learning German, picking the right article to use can truly be a roll of the “die” – so we’re entirely on board with this slightly unconventional way to decide whether you’re in a “der”, “die”, or “das” situation. (Warning: this may not improve your German.) 

Where is this?

Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Boris Roessler

Residents of Frankfurt am Main and the surrounding area will no doubt recognise this as the charming town of Kronberg, which is nestled at the foot of the Taunus mountains.

This atmospheric scene was snapped on Friday morning, when a drop in temperatures saw Kronberg and surrounding forests shrouded in autumnal fog.

After a decidedly warm start to November, the mercury is expected to drop into single digits over the weekend. 

Did you know?

November 11th marked the start of carnival season in Germany. But did you know that there’s a whole set of lingo to go along with the tradition? And it all depends on where you are. First of all, the celebration isn’t called the same thing everywhere. In the Rhineland, it’s usually called Karneval, while people in Bavaria or Saxony tend to call it Fasching. Those in Hesse and Saarland usually call it Fastnacht. 

And depending on where you are, there are different things to shout. The ‘fools call’ you’ll hear in Cologne is “Alaaf!” If you move away from Cologne, you’ll hear “Helau!” This is the traditional cry in the carnival strongholds of Düsseldorf and Mainz, as well as in some other German cities.

In the Swabian-Alemannic language region in the southwest of the country, people yell “Narri-Narro”, which means “I’m a fool, you’re a fool”. In Saarland at the French border, they shout “Alleh hopp!”, which is said to originate from the French language. 

Lastly, if someone offers you a Fastnachtskrapfe, say yes because it’s a jelly-filled carnival donut. And if you’re offered a Bützchen? It’s your call, but know that it’s a little kiss given to strangers!

SHOW COMMENTS