Mobile apps make daily life easier in Kenya. From payments to transport, here are the apps every Kenyan should have on their phone.
Payment and Banking Apps
M-Pesa is essential for mobile money transfers. KCB M-Pesa offers savings with interest on your M-Pesa. Equity Mobile for banking and loans. T-Kash from Airtel Money users. PesaLink for instant bank transfers. These apps handle most financial transactions conveniently.
Transport and Navigation
Uber and Bolt for reliable cab services in cities. Little Cab offers competitive rates. Google Maps works well for navigation in major towns. Moovit helps with public transport routes. Waze provides real-time traffic updates. Matatu operators increasingly use WhatsApp for booking.
Shopping and Delivery
Jumia is Kenya’s largest online shopping platform. Glovo delivers food, groceries, and parcels. Uber Eats brings restaurant food to your door. Naivas app for grocery shopping. Carrefour app for household items. Kilimall offers affordable Chinese products.
Entertainment Apps
Netflix, Showmax, and Amazon Prime for streaming movies. Spotify and Boomplay for music streaming. YouTube for free videos and local content. Zuku Play if you’re a Zuku subscriber. DStv Now for satellite TV subscribers. Viusasa for local Kenyan shows.
Communication Apps
WhatsApp dominates messaging in Kenya. Telegram for larger groups and channels. Facebook Messenger still widely used. Zoom for video calls and meetings. Microsoft Teams for work collaboration. Skype for international calls.
News and Information
Citizen Digital for breaking news. Daily Nation app for comprehensive coverage. The Star app for alternative perspectives. BBC News for international stories. Tuko for trending local news. Twitter/X for real-time updates.
Productivity Tools
Google Calendar for scheduling. Microsoft Office mobile for documents. Google Drive for cloud storage. CamScanner for document scanning. Todoist for task management. Notion for notes and organization.
Health and Fitness
MySafaricom for managing your Safaricom services. mHealth Kenya for medical information. Tiba for doctor consultations online. Keep for Google’s fitness tracking. MyFitnessPal for diet tracking. First Aid by Red Cross for emergencies.
Education and Learning
Shupavu291 for CBC curriculum support. Eneza Education for affordable learning. Duolingo for language learning. Khan Academy for free lessons. Coursera for online courses. YouTube Kids for children’s education.
Money Management
M-Shwari for savings and loans. KCB M-Pesa for higher interest savings. Branch for quick loans. Tala offers instant mobile loans. PayPal for international transactions. Chipper Cash for cross-border payments.
Social Media
Facebook remains popular across all ages. Instagram for photos and stories. TikTok for short entertaining videos. Twitter/X for news and discussions. LinkedIn for professional networking. Pinterest for inspiration and ideas.
Security and Safety
Truecaller identifies unknown callers and blocks spam. Google Authenticator for account security. Find My Device to locate lost phones. 1Password for password management. Kaspersky Mobile Security for antivirus protection.
Download apps from official stores only—Google Play or Apple App Store. Check reviews before installing. Be cautious with app permissions. Update apps regularly for security. Delete apps you don’t use to save space and data.
Most essential apps are free with optional paid features that enhance functionality but aren’t necessary for basic use.