In your first weeks in Spain, half of everyday tasks are handled by phone: calling a taxi, buying a SIM card, sending money to a friend, booking an appointment with a public office or a doctor. Below are the apps people in Spain use every day, and the key things to know about them in advance: some of them require an NIE, a Spanish bank account or municipal registration, so it is best to install them in the right order.
Taxis: which apps work in Spain
Spanish cities have two types of ride services. An ordinary licensed taxi can be hailed on the street — a free car shows a green light — or called through an app. VTC means cars with a driver booked in advance; Cabify, Uber and Bolt operate this way.
- FreeNow — for calling an ordinary licensed taxi in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and other large cities.
- Cabify — a Spanish VTC service that operates in most large cities.
- Uber and Bolt — operate in Madrid, Barcelona and a number of other cities, but coverage depends on local rules.
Taxis in Barcelona. The rules for VTC in Barcelona and the surrounding area are stricter than in Madrid: such a car cannot be hailed on the street, rides are booked in advance and there are fewer cars. That is why in Barcelona people more often use ordinary taxis — through FreeNow or straight from a taxi rank. Taxis in Madrid are simpler: licensed taxis and VTC services are equally available.
In all these apps you can pay with a card from any country except Russia: cards issued by Russian banks do not work in Spain.
Mobile: SIM cards and operators
Spain’s largest mobile operators are Movistar, Vodafone, MásOrange (Orange and MásMóvil, merged in 2024) and Digi; they also run budget brands such as Lowi, Simyo and Yoigo. Prepaid SIM cards are sold in operators’ shops, supermarkets and kiosks.
There are no anonymous SIM cards in Spain: under Law 25/2007 the operator must record the owner’s details even for a prepaid card, so you need a passport when buying one. For a monthly contract you are usually also asked for an NIE and a Spanish bank account.
Banks and transfers
Spain’s main payment app is Bizum: it lets you send money by phone number in seconds, split a restaurant bill and pay in some shops. Bizum is built into Spanish banks’ apps, so you need an account with a Spanish bank linked to a Spanish phone number. How to open an account with a Spanish bank as a non-resident or resident is covered separately.
At first many people use online banking apps with a European IBAN, but for rent, utility bills and taxes an account with a Spanish bank is more convenient.
Public services and documents
- Cl@ve — the government login system for online services: tax, social security, pensions, appointments with public offices. You need an NIE to register.
- FNMT digital certificate — an electronic signature used to file applications and documents online, including immigration ones.
- Mi Carpeta Ciudadana — an app that brings together your data held by public bodies, notifications and documents.
- miDGT — the app of the Directorate-General for Traffic: your driving licence and vehicle documents on your phone.
- Agencia Tributaria — the tax agency’s app for tax returns and notifications.
Start with getting an NIE in Spain and municipal registration (empadronamiento): without them most public services will not work.
Healthcare
Each autonomous community has its own health app: you use it to book an appointment with your family doctor and to view prescriptions and test results — for example, La Meva Salut in Catalonia. You can use it once you have received a health card in your region.
Transport, food and everyday life
- Renfe — tickets for trains, including high-speed ones, and commuter rail.
- Glovo, Just Eat, Uber Eats — food and grocery delivery.
- Wallapop — second-hand listings between individuals, handy for furnishing a flat.
- Idealista, Fotocasa, Habitaclia — house-hunting; how to avoid overpaying when moving in is covered in the article how to rent a flat in Spain.
Frequently asked questions
Which taxi app works in Barcelona?
For an ordinary licensed taxi — FreeNow. Cabify, Uber and Bolt also operate, but the rules for such cars in Barcelona are stricter: they cannot be hailed on the street, and rides are booked in advance.
How do you call a taxi in Spain?
Hail a free car with a green light, take a taxi from a rank or call one through an app: FreeNow for an ordinary taxi, Cabify, Uber or Bolt for cars with a driver booked in advance.
Do you need a passport to buy a Spanish SIM card?
Yes. Under Law 25/2007 the operator records the owner’s details even for a prepaid card, so you need a passport when buying one; for a monthly contract you are usually asked for an NIE and a Spanish bank account.
Can you use Bizum without a Spanish bank account?
No. Bizum works through Spanish banks’ apps, so you need an account with a Spanish bank and a Spanish phone number.
Which government apps do you need in Spain?
Cl@ve for logging in to online public services, Mi Carpeta Ciudadana for documents and notifications, miDGT for your driving licence and vehicle documents, and the tax agency’s app. Most of them require an NIE.
Sources
- Ley 25/2007, de conservación de datos relativos a las comunicaciones electrónicas (data retention law) — identification of prepaid SIM card owners. BOE-A-2007-18243.
- Cl@ve — identification system for online public services.
- Mi Carpeta Ciudadana — portal and app.
