34 Must-Have Apps in Dubai: What Every Resident Needs in 2026

Apps in Dubai

In this guide you will find all 34 apps in Dubai that residents use, in the order you need them: the seven government and home apps first, then the best apps for each everyday job, with a link to our full guide for each. After that, we look at which apps people in Dubai use most and the best app for each job.

ALSO READApps in Dubai9 GUIDES

START HERE · READING NOWApps in DubaiUAE Pass, DubaiNow, Careem · the 34 apps every resident needs

Taxi Apps in DubaiCareem, Bolt, Zed · which is cheapest How to Pay Parking in DubaiParkin, SMS, WhatsApp · when it is free Food Delivery Apps in DubaiTalabat, Deliveroo, Keeta · free delivery from AED 19 Online Shopping Apps in UAEAmazon, noon, Namshi · the biggest sale seasons Car Rental Apps in DubaiUdrive, Yango Drive, invygo · from AED 0.70 a minute Calling Apps in UAEBotim, GoChat, Teams · why WhatsApp calls fail Job Apps in UAELinkedIn, Bayt, Naukrigulf · what paid plans add Discount Apps in DubaiFazaa, Entertainer, Cobone · who gets Fazaa free

Here are all 34 apps, grouped by what you use them for. The numbers match the list below.

Government Apps Every Dubai Resident Needs

Start with UAE Pass, because it signs you in to most of the others.

1. UAE Pass

UAE Pass is the national digital ID of the UAE, and it is the first app to install once you have your Emirates ID. It signs you in to DubaiNow, RTA Dubai, Parkin and many bank and telecom services, so you do not need a new password for each one. You can also sign documents digitally and keep official documents in it.

To show a digital Emirates ID, open Documents, tap Request Document and choose Emirates ID Card.

2. DubaiNow

DubaiNow is the Dubai government's app for more than 320 services from over 50 government and private bodies. You can pay your DEWA, du and e& bills, pay traffic fines, top up Salik and nol, pay for parking, and sponsor or renew visas for your family. If you keep only one more government app next to UAE Pass, make it this one.

DubaiNow pays for public parking only. For paid parking at Dubai Mall or the airport, the fee comes off your Salik balance instead.

3. RTA Dubai

RTA Dubai is the app of the Roads and Transport Authority, which runs Dubai's roads, taxis and public transport. It is the app for everything about your car: renewing your driving licence, booking a vehicle test, paying for parking and recharging Salik, the road toll account. You sign up with UAE Pass.

Most drivers do not need a separate Salik app, because you can link your Salik account to RTA Dubai and recharge it there. To plan trips by Metro, bus or tram, use the RTA's other app, S'hail.

4. nol Pay

nol Pay is a separate RTA app for one job: your nol card, the card you tap on the Metro, buses and trams. You hold the card to the back of your phone, and the app reads it through NFC, the same contactless chip used for phone payments. Then you can check the balance, top up or add a travel pass.

You can also top up a nol card in RTA Dubai, S'hail and DubaiNow. nol Pay is the quickest if you just want to check the balance before a trip.

5. Dubai Police

The Dubai Police app is most useful for drivers: you can pay traffic fines and report a minor accident with no injuries in the app, without waiting for a patrol car.

To report a minor accident, choose Minor Traffic Accident Report, enter the details of every car involved and upload photos of the damage. If anyone is hurt, call 999 instead.

6. DEWA

DEWA is Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, and its app is where you pay your electricity and water bill. It matters most when you move: you apply to switch on water and power for a new home in the app, and you pay your final bill there when you move out. DEWA serves Dubai only; homes in other emirates have their own provider, such as SEWA in Sharjah.

If you prefer one app for all your bills, you can also pay DEWA in DubaiNow. You still need the DEWA app to start or end your connection.

7. GDRFA DXB

GDRFA DXB is the app of Dubai's General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs, the office that issues Dubai visas. It is for residents who sponsor family: you can apply for a visit visa for relatives, bring your spouse and children on a residence permit, and renew their residence.

If your employer sponsors you, its HR team usually handles your own visa. Live in another emirate? Use UAEICP, the federal app for visas, residency and fines.

Taxi Apps in Dubai

Five apps book Dubai's regular red-roofed taxis, and they all charge the same RTA tariff: from AED 9 off-peak or AED 13 at peak, with an AED 13 minimum. These are the four most people keep on their phone.

8. Careem

Careem is the only app that books Hala, the taxi service the RTA runs with Careem, and Hala carried 41.3% of all Dubai taxi trips in the first half of 2025. The same app books private cars and delivers food and groceries, so many residents use it for almost everything.

9. Bolt

Bolt books Dubai Taxi Company's cars, including the pink Ladies and Family taxis and taxis for People of Determination. It is the app to open when you need one of those, or a taxi at the airport.

10. Zed

Zed is a Dubai-made app that books taxis from DTC, National Taxi and Kabi, which together run most of the city's fleet. Its strength is planning: you can book a ride for later or set a repeat ride for every working day.

11. Uber

Uber does not book regular taxis in Dubai. It sends private cars at its own prices, shown before you confirm, and it is also the app for driverless rides in Umm Suqeim and Jumeirah.

Because the tariff is the same, the cheapest taxi app is usually the one giving cashback that day. Our taxi guide shows what a ride costs in each app and how to pay less.

Food Delivery Apps in Dubai

Each restaurant sets its own delivery fee, so a subscription saves the most if you order every week. Careem Plus and talabat pro start at AED 19 a month. These four cover almost every restaurant in the city, and each card in our full guide shows what you pay without a plan and what a subscription adds.

12. Talabat

Talabat is the app most people in Dubai open first when they are hungry. Besides restaurants, it delivers groceries from talabat mart in under 20 minutes and pharmacy orders, and its family plan lets four people share free delivery for AED 49 a month.

13. Deliveroo

Deliveroo is strong on restaurant food and shows the delivery fee before you choose a restaurant. You can pay in cash where the restaurant allows it, and Amazon Prime members get its Plus Silver plan free for a year.

14. noon

noon is best known for shopping, but its Food section lists more than 10,000 restaurants, and noon Minutes delivers groceries in under 15 minutes in the areas it covers. One noon One membership covers both your food and your shopping.

15. Keeta

Keeta is the newest big app, in Dubai since September 2025. It has no subscription: free delivery and discounts appear as daily deals for everyone. With no plan to pay for, it suits the odd order more than a weekly habit.

Parking Apps in Dubai

Public parking costs AED 2.10 to AED 6.30 an hour in most zones, and it is free from 10pm to 8am, on Sundays and on public holidays. Not paying costs AED 150.

16. Parkin

Parkin is the main parking app in Dubai, because Parkin PJSC runs the city's public paid parking for the RTA. You pick your zone on a map or type its code, choose how long you will stay and pay, either as a guest or logged in with UAE Pass.

RTA Dubai and DubaiNow (numbers 2 and 3 above) pay for the same zones at the same price, so you only need Parkin if you park often.

Calling Apps in the UAE

This is the one that surprises newcomers most. WhatsApp and FaceTime calls do not work in the UAE, because they are not on the list of calling apps allowed by the TDRA, the UAE's telecoms regulator. WhatsApp messages still work. These four apps are allowed, and all are free over data or Wi-Fi.

17. Botim

Botim is the calling app most residents install first, and the closest thing to WhatsApp calling here. You no longer need a paid calling plan to use it on du, because du stopped selling its Internet Calling Pack in August 2025. The person you call needs Botim too.

18. GoChat

GoChat is the calling app made by e&, the telecoms company that used to be called Etisalat. It offers free voice and video calls, including group video calls, and you can swap coins you earn in the app for mobile data.

19. Comera

Comera is a smaller calling app from a UAE company, with free calls and no ads. It suits people who only want calls, with nothing to buy and no extra features.

20. Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams is the free app that replaced Skype, which closed on 5 May 2025. You can make voice and video calls to anyone with a Microsoft account, and most UAE offices already use it for work.

Online Shopping Apps in the UAE

Most people in Dubai shop on two big apps, noon (number 14 above) and Amazon, and add one or two for clothes. Free delivery usually starts at AED 100 to AED 250 an order. Flipkart and Myntra do not deliver to the UAE.

21. Amazon

There is no separate UAE app: the normal Amazon Shopping app opens the UAE store for a UAE address. Delivery is free over AED 100 on items fulfilled by Amazon, and Prime, at AED 16 a month, adds free delivery from the US, UK and Germany.

22. Namshi

Namshi is a Dubai fashion app with more than 2,000 brands, owned by noon. Delivery inside the UAE is fast and returns are free within 14 days, but beauty products cannot be returned.

23. SHEIN

SHEIN has very low prices on trend fashion, shoes and home items. Parcels come from abroad, so they take longer: Gulf News reported delivery times of 8 to 10 days in May 2026.

Job Apps in the UAE

Every good job app in the UAE is free to search and apply. Never pay to get a job: charging recruitment fees to workers is illegal in the UAE, so a "job" that asks you for money is a scam.

24. LinkedIn

LinkedIn is where most office and professional jobs in the UAE are posted, and where recruiters look for people. Set your location to the UAE and keep your profile up to date, so recruiters here can find you.

25. Bayt.com

Bayt.com is a Dubai-based job board with the widest mix of jobs in the Gulf, from entry level to senior roles. You can build a CV in the app and apply to many jobs with it.

26. Naukrigulf

Naukrigulf is the Gulf site of India's Naukri.com, and it is popular with job seekers from India and the rest of South Asia. Many recruiters who hire from those countries post here first.

27. Dubai Careers

Dubai Careers is the free official app for jobs in Dubai Government departments. It lists vacancies across Dubai government bodies, and you apply in the app.

Car Rental Apps in Dubai

You can rent a car in Dubai for a few minutes, a day or a month, all from your phone. Careem (number 8) also rents cars. Salik tolls, fines and fuel are usually extra on daily rentals, so check what the price includes before you book.

28. Udrive

Udrive is a car sharing app: you find a car parked on the street, unlock it with your phone and pay from AED 0.70 a minute. It suits short trips when you do not want a taxi.

29. Yango Drive

Yango Drive compares more than 150 rental firms in one app, with prices from AED 45 a day, so you can find the cheapest car for a weekend without calling around.

30. invygo

invygo rents cars by the month, from AED 1,500 with no deposit. It suits people who need a car for a few months, for example while they wait for their own.

Discount Apps in Dubai

A few apps cut what you spend on food, fun and family days out. Discounts usually cannot be combined, so compare the offers and use the best one each time.

31. Fazaa

Fazaa is a government discount card with offers on shopping, dining, cars and travel. Resident families with at least one child can get it free until 31 December 2026, so it is worth checking even if you thought you were not eligible.

32. Esaad

Esaad is the Dubai Police discount card, with offers on shopping, dining, travel and more. It is free for eligible groups, such as Dubai government staff and their families.

33. The Entertainer

The Entertainer is best known for buy one get one free deals on dining, attractions and spa days. The UAE 2027 membership costs AED 650, so it pays off if you eat out or go out often.

34. KidZapp

KidZapp is an app for finding things to do with children in the UAE, from classes to camps and play areas, and booking them, with deals on many.

Which App Is Most Used in Dubai?

No official figure ranks the most used apps in Dubai, but the number of ratings in the UAE App Store is a good clue, because people rate the apps they use. On 18 October 2026, WhatsApp had the most ratings of the apps we checked, more than 1 million. People use it for messages; its voice and video calls are blocked, which is why Botim is on so many phones.

Among apps made for daily life here, noon and Talabat lead, and Dubai Police is the most rated government app.

What Are the Best Apps to Use in Dubai?

The best apps to use in Dubai are UAE Pass and DubaiNow for government services, Careem for rides, Talabat or noon for delivery, RTA Dubai and Parkin for driving, and Botim for calls home. We picked one app per job using two tests: is it the official channel, and is it the app most people in the UAE use and rate.

You will also need your own bank's app for your salary, transfers and card. Download it from the link on your bank's website, so you do not install a fake copy.