Moving to Bulgaria involves a lot of hidden obstacles that you may not think of before you make the move.
We live in an advanced technological age where any advice and help is available at your fingertips on your smartphone!
To help you along, we have chosen a list of free apps that will help you in your daily life in Bulgaria!
1- Google translate
This is an app that has been around for quite a long time, but new features make it a must-have for all foreigners and expats in Bulgaria.
From Bulgarian labels translation with the camera, and the translation of in-app chats conversations (works translating from Bulgarian language), even has an instant voice translation feature (unfortunately speech audio is not available yet in Bulgarian), which allow you to speak and get a real-time translation of your words and real-time translation of the answer.
Pro tip:
How to Use Google Translate in Any App on Android
You don’t have to switch over to the Google Translate app and copy-paste text to decipher the foreign language. Tap to Translate lives inside any app and works like a shortcut or an extension. But you will need to enable it first.
Step 1: Enable Tap to Translate in Google Translate
- Download Google Translate from the Play Store or update your copy to the latest version.
- Launch Google Translate. Tap on the Hamburger icon for the menu and click on Settings.
- Select Tap to Translate. On the next screen, toggle or tick the option that says Enable Tap to Translate.
2- Grabo
The Bulgarian application Grabo, allows you to easily find and purchase lots of offers with great discounts. It also notifies you about new offers from your favorite local businesses.
Keep in mind that this app is in Bulgarian language, then you will need some basic Bulgarian knowledge to use it or to use google translate app.
It is very popular in Bulgaria and mostly used for discounts in restaurants, hotels and also professional services as a dentist, ads or courses.
3- Viber
Viber is the favorite communication app of Bulgarians, many people even prefer it over phone calls, and it’s completely free. All you need is a data plan or Wi-Fi connection and you’re good to go. Make free international calls, send text messages, open a group chat, and so much more!
Pro tip:
Do you have a secret to share? Even though your messages are end-to-end encrypted by default, you can always open a Secret Chat for moments when you’re feeling like you really need to gossip or share an intimate secret.
Secret Chats lets you set a self-destruct timer for every message in your conversation so that after your message is read, it’s automatically deleted from your recipient’s phone. Your messages in a secret chat can’t be forwarded and screenshots are either totally unavailable or alerted to you by an instant notification in the chat screen.
4- Google maps
This is also an old friend of the expats in Bulgaria, which allows you to navigate your world faster and easier with Google Maps. Businesses and places on the map. Get real-time GPS navigation, traffic, and transit info, and explore local neighborhoods by knowing where to eat, drink and go – no matter what part of the world you’re in.
-Pro tip: Google Maps now lets you share your current location with people for specific periods of time. If you share your location with a specific contact, they’ll see your icon moving in real-time on their map. On Android or iOS, tap the hamburger icon on the top left and select Location sharing. Choose who you want to share with and how long they’ll be able to see where you are.
5- Airbnb
Airbnb is an online marketplace that connects people who want to rent out their homes with people who are looking for accommodations in that location. the offer of properties in Bulgaria is great a,d very convenient if you don’t want to stay in a hotel.
Airbnb hosts list many different kinds of properties—single rooms, a suite of rooms, apartments, entire houses, and many more in between.
Free Listings
Hosts don’t have to pay to list their properties. Listings can include written descriptions, photographs with captions, and a user profile where potential guests can get to know a bit about the hosts.
Hosts Can Set Their Own Price
It’s up to each host to decide how much to charge per night, per week or per month.
Customizable Searches
Guests can search the Airbnb database—not only by date and location, but by price, type of property, amenities, and the language of the host. They can also add keywords (such as “close to the Subway”) to further narrow their search.
Pro tip: Check the comments of other guests who have stayed at that Airbnb property to make sure the listing is accurate.
You may become an Airbnb host and make some money with your property.
6- iCard
Considering the special needs of foreigners in Bulgaria, iCard and Foreigner BG have prepared for all the foreigners and expats in Bulgaria the “iCard digital wallet” that will allow you to open a Bulgarian bank account for free, in your own language and without going to the bank office, all secure and from the tranquility of your home.
Pro tip: The bank statement from your iCard wallet is a valid document and can be used in the immigration office as a bank account when you process your residence permit.
7- Momondo Cheap Flights
This is one of the travel apps where I have found the cheapest prices for flights, you can search and compare billions of flight and hotel prices all over the world from wherever you are.
It’s free, easy, fun to use and you can save money and time when booking your next trip back home!
So why pay more for the same when you can find the best here? momondo is independent and we’re dedicated to price transparency for all travelers!
Pro tip: The cheapest Days for Flights: Tuesday, Wednesday and, the cheapest season to fly are low-season, non-holiday travel dates; this will vary based on your destination, largely because of weather. Because summer is the popular tourist season for an abundance of vacation spots, winter is a great time to seek out rock-bottom airfares.
8- TransferWise
This app is for people that come from the UK, is a fast, low-cost, and secure online money transfers from the United Kingdom to Bulgaria.
9- TaxiMe
In Bulgaria there isn’t Uber, but there is this mobile application to get a taxi in Sofia is reliable and you won’t pay the “Expat extra fee” for the taxi driver.
Another plus is that you can pay with a credit card, keep in mind that many of the taxies in Sofia, won’t accept your credit card.
10- Couchsurfing Travel App
Couchsurfing is the best way to stay with locals, make lifelong travel friends, or host travelers coming to your hometown. Over 14 million travel enthusiasts use Couchsurfing in more than 230,000 cities around the world.
Find hosts in your next destination
Browse the millions of local hosts offering a place to stay in thousands of cities around the globe
Make New Friends
See who’s nearby and wants to meet up by becoming available on Couchsurfing Hangouts! Also check out the thousands of events planned by Couchsurfers in your hometown or upcoming travel destination.
Meet Travelers Without Traveling
Can’t travel right now? Host or meet up with incoming travelers coming to your city
We hope we help you to discover a useful app for you, and please let us know which app you will recommend to expats and foreigners in Bulgaria.
