Bali Guide by IZZI · Transport and daily life

Gojek and Grab: the two apps the island runs on

How locals actually use them — rides, food delivery, registering without an Indonesian SIM, and how paying works.

The Indonesian originalGojekRidesGoRide · GoCarFoodGoFoodWalletGoPayParcelsGoSendCoverageall of Indonesia

Works across South-East AsiaGrabRidesGrabBike · GrabCarFoodGrabFoodWalletOVO · GrabPayParcelsGrabExpressCoverage8 countries

The right answer is to install both

Daily life in Bali runs on two apps. They're local super-apps — taxis, food delivery, groceries, parcels, all in one — and once they're set up, getting around and getting fed becomes trivial. If you install nothing else on arrival, install these.

What they do

Rides

Car or bike

The fare is fixed and shown before you book — no haggling, no meter surprises. A bike taxi is faster through traffic and noticeably cheaper, and they hand you a helmet.

Delivery

Food from restaurants

Thousands of restaurants and warungs deliver to the door. A huge part of the island eats this way — including places that have no dining room at all.

Everything else

Groceries and parcels

A run to the mini-market, the pharmacy, a parcel across town. GoSend and GrabExpress will move almost anything door to door.

Getting set up

Install both. Coverage and pricing differ, which is why locals keep both and compare before each ride.
An Indonesian SIM isn't required. You can register with a foreign number and an email, or an eSIM carrying a local +62. A local SIM is still easier day to day.
Set the pickup pin carefully. GPS drifts in narrow lanes; add a note or a landmark, or the driver will circle the block.

Local quirk: in a few tourist areas, informal transport groups block app pickups — you may be asked to walk out to the main road. It's normal; don't argue, just walk to where the pin reaches.

Paying

Both apps take cash to the driver or payment from a wallet — GoPay in Gojek, OVO or GrabPay in Grab. A wallet is usually a touch cheaper and saves the change problem: drivers rarely carry change for a large note. Wallets top up with cash at any Alfamart or Indomaret till, or from a foreign card in the app.

Bike or car

A bike taxi is cheapest and fastest through traffic — ideal solo, for short hops, with no luggage. A car wins for a group, luggage, rain or the airport. For a sunset dinner you probably want the car; for a dash to the beach, the bike. Both come with a helmet and in-app trip tracking.

Since GoFood is open anyway

IZZI Kitchen cooks from five kitchens across South Bali — Canggu, Pererenan, Seminyak, Uluwatu and Nusa Dua — so the food arrives hot instead of cooling across the island. Same menu everywhere: borscht, handmade pelmeni, salmon steak, woks and pasta. No minimum order.

All delivery areas Menu and prices Shisha to your villa

Quick answers

How is Gojek different from Grab?

Barely, on features — both do cars, bikes, food and parcels. Prices and driver availability vary trip to trip, which is why locals keep both. Grab covers the wider region; Gojek is the Indonesian original.

Do I need an Indonesian SIM card to register?

No. You can register with a foreign number and an email, or an eSIM carrying a local +62. A local SIM is simply more convenient day to day.

How do I use Gojek in Bali?

Download the app, register, set your pickup pin, choose a car or bike (or food), and pay in cash or from the wallet. The fare is fixed and shown before you book.

Which is cheaper, Gojek or Grab?

It depends on the trip and the time of day — neither is consistently cheaper. Having both is what lets you compare.

Can I order food delivery in Bali?

Yes — GoFood and GrabFood deliver from thousands of restaurants and warungs. You order and pay in the app and track the driver to your door. IZZI Kitchen is on both.