There are approximately 4 million apps in existence and I use about 15 of them regularly in Phuket. The list below isn't aspirational or sponsored — these are the actual apps on my phone that make daily life on this island work. Some are Thailand-specific, some are generic but essential in the Phuket context, and a few are so obvious I'm including them anyway because I've met too many new arrivals who didn't have them.
🔴 Essential: Install These Before You Land
LINE
Non-negotiable. LINE is how Thailand communicates. Your landlord uses it. Your doctor's clinic uses it. Your kids' school uses it. The Phuket immigration office uses it. The PEA electricity authority has a LINE account. If you don't have LINE, you're operating at a significant disadvantage. Available for iOS and Android; create an account with your phone number. Join LINE groups for your local area, condo, or building — this is where essential information (water outages, community notices, local events) actually circulates in Phuket. For a full breakdown of how LINE, Facebook, Instagram and other platforms fit into Phuket expat life, read our complete social media guide for Phuket expats.
Grab
The dominant platform for ride-hailing (GrabCar), food delivery (GrabFood), parcel delivery (GrabExpress), and grocery delivery (GrabMart) across Phuket. GrabCar covers the entire island and is price-transparent — no negotiating with tuk-tuk drivers, no uncertainty about fare. Essential for the first weeks in Phuket before you sort out your own transport. GrabFood covers Bang Tao, Chalong, Patong, Rawai, Phuket Town, and most built-up areas. Coverage thins out in rural parts of Rawai and Thalang.
Google Maps
Works better than any alternative in Phuket, including Apple Maps. The Phuket data is comprehensive and mostly accurate. Use it for driving directions (set your preferred route — the Thepkrasattri/bypass road can save 15 minutes vs. the coastal route), walking around Phuket Town's Sino-Portuguese heritage area, and finding businesses. Important: many Phuket businesses have two Google Maps listings (one Thai, one English) and the hours are not always updated — call before visiting anywhere that involves a special trip.
Google Translate with Camera
The camera translation function (point your camera at Thai text and see it translated in real time) is essential for reading menus, signs, government notices, food packaging, and rental contracts. Thai script is learnable but takes months — until then, this is your lifeline. Download the Thai language pack for offline use (essential when your data is patchy). Accuracy is imperfect but good enough for practical use.
💰 Banking & Money
Wise
If you receive money from overseas — salary, pension, investment income — Wise is how you transfer it without getting destroyed by bank fees and poor exchange rates. The real exchange rate with a transparent low fee (typically 0.4–0.7%) vs. bank transfer markups of 2–5%. You can also hold and convert multiple currencies in the Wise account. Most Phuket expats I know who receive foreign income use Wise as their primary transfer mechanism. See our Phuket banking guide for the full setup process.
KBank (Kasikorn Bank) / SCB Easy / Bangkok Bank
Whichever Thai bank you open an account with, install their mobile banking app immediately. Thai mobile banking is actually very good — QR payment, PromptPay transfers, ATM cardless withdrawal, and bill payment all work reliably. KBank is the favourite among expats for its English-language interface and wide ATM network across Phuket. SCB Easy is a close second. You'll need to open a bank account in person at a Thai branch — see our guide to opening a Thai bank account in Phuket.
Set up PromptPay on your Thai bank account immediately. It links your phone number or Thai ID number to your bank account for instant free transfers. Every Thai person and most Phuket businesses accept PromptPay QR payments — this is how Phuket actually runs on a day-to-day basis. Markets, small restaurants, local vendors, even some landlords now prefer QR payment over cash.
🍽️ Food & Daily Life
LINE MAN
Grab's serious competitor for food delivery in Thailand, and in some parts of Phuket (particularly around Chalong, inner Rawai, and Phuket Town) LINE MAN has better restaurant selection. Both apps are worth having — check coverage and restaurant selection in your specific neighbourhood. LINE MAN also handles grocery delivery and package pickup. The interface is Thai-first but navigable in English.
Lotus's / BigC / Tops Online
All three major Thai supermarket chains have apps with delivery to most Phuket addresses. Lotus's (formerly Tesco Lotus) has the widest Phuket coverage and fastest delivery. BigC is strong in central areas. Tops (operated by Central Group) has good quality imported produce. For Villa Market (the expat favourite for Western products in Bang Tao), check their LINE account for order-and-deliver options — they don't have a standalone app but maintain an active LINE presence.
🌤️ Weather & Outdoor Life
Windy
The essential Phuket weather app, especially during rainy season. Windy's detailed wind and precipitation modelling is genuinely superior to any standard weather app for predicting Phuket's notoriously localised storms. You'll learn to read it intuitively within a week — that distinctive green-to-red pressure gradient approaching from the Andaman tells you exactly how long you have before your afternoon is cancelled. Essential for divers, sailors, surfers, and anyone who parks their scooter outside.
IQAir / AirVisual
Phuket generally has good air quality, but the annual agricultural burning season (February–April) in northern Thailand can push AQI readings to unhealthy levels even in the south. This app gives real-time AQI readings from the Phuket monitoring stations, lets you set alerts, and shows forecasts. Particularly useful if you have children, asthma, or cardiovascular conditions. Run by IQAir, one of the most trusted air quality monitoring companies globally.
🏥 Health & Safety
BNH / Bangkok Hospital App
Bangkok Hospital Phuket has a patient app for appointment booking, accessing medical records, and telemedicine consultations. If Bangkok Hospital Phuket is your primary healthcare provider (it's excellent for expats — private, English-speaking, internationally accredited), install this app and register your patient ID. It makes routine appointment booking and prescription management significantly easier. Siriroj Hospital (the government teaching hospital) also has an appointment booking function via their website.
Save Phuket (local emergency contacts saved in contacts)
No single dedicated app, but save these numbers in your phone contacts immediately: 191 (police), 1669 (EMS ambulance), 199 (fire), 1155 (Tourist Police — English speaking), 076-254-425 (Bangkok Hospital Phuket ER). For real-time marine emergencies, the Phuket Rescue Foundation (sawang Mahapon) is reachable at 076-292-967. These are more useful than any app.
One more essential you can't install — health insurance
The best healthcare app in Phuket is the one your insurer provides. Bangkok Hospital Phuket is exceptional, but without insurance one hospitalisation can cost THB 100,000–500,000. Get covered before you need it.
[AFFILIATE_SEVEN_SEAS] Compare Expat Health Plans →Plans from THB 15,000/year — get a free quote in 2 minutes
🛵 Transport & Getting Around
Bolt
Grab's main competitor for ride-hailing in Phuket, and often slightly cheaper. Bolt has been expanding coverage across the island and is worth having as a backup when Grab prices surge (surge pricing during rain, peak hours, or events is real). Both apps run off the same Phuket driver network — having both installed means you can quickly compare fares and availability.
immigration.go.th (bookmarked in mobile browser)
Not an app but a mobile-optimised website. Bookmark the Thai immigration 90-day online reporting portal. After your first in-person 90-day report, you can do all subsequent ones online here. Also use this site to check your remaining days of stay, 90-day reporting due date, and to download immigration forms in advance. Save the site to your home screen — it works as a pseudo-app. See our guide to Thai bureaucracy for the full 90-day reporting process.