Guides · Gap year · Updated May 2026
Essential apps for living in Israel
Israel has its own app ecosystem, and some of the most important ones won't be obvious when you arrive. Install these before you leave — or in the first few days.
Transit
Moovit
Moovit is the go-to app for getting around on public transit anywhere in Israel. It covers intercity buses, city buses, trains, and light rail — with real-time arrival info, route planning, and walking directions to stops. Think of it as Google Maps but actually reliable for Israeli buses. Moovit was founded in Israel, which shows: the local data is excellent. Download it before you try to take your first bus anywhere.
Rav Kav Online
The Rav Kav is Israel's transit card — the equivalent of a London Oyster or New York MetroCard. You need one to pay for buses and trains; cash is rarely accepted on public transit anymore. The Rav Kav Online app lets you check your card balance, reload it remotely, and see your recent trips. You still need a physical Rav Kav card (available at train stations and post offices), but the app means you don't have to hunt down a top-up machine when you're running low.
Gett
Gett is Israel's dominant taxi app. Uber operates in Israel but has a limited footprint; Gett is what locals actually use. It hails licensed Israeli taxis, shows you an upfront price, and lets you pay in-app. Particularly useful late at night, on Shabbat in cities where some taxis still run, or any time you'd rather not negotiate a fare.
Food
Ten Bis
Ten Bis (תן ביס, literally "give a bite") is Israel's largest food ordering platform — part delivery app, part corporate meal benefit system. Many Israeli employers load lunch credit onto employee Ten Bis accounts; some yeshivot and seminaries do the same for students. Even if you're not getting Ten Bis credit from a program, it's worth having for restaurant discovery and delivery. It has the widest restaurant selection of any Israeli food app, especially outside Tel Aviv.
Wolt
Wolt is Israel's answer to DoorDash — fast delivery, clean interface, and a strong selection of restaurants, especially in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Where Ten Bis has breadth, Wolt often has faster delivery times and a better experience in major cities. Most gap-year students end up using both depending on what they're craving and where they are.
Cibus
Cibus is Ten Bis's main competitor in the corporate meal benefit space. If your program or employer provides meal credit, it'll be on either Ten Bis or Cibus — check which one before you assume. Cibus also functions as a standalone food ordering app, though its restaurant selection is somewhat smaller than Ten Bis. Worth downloading if your program uses it; otherwise Wolt and Ten Bis cover most needs.
Aroma Espresso Bar
Aroma is Israel's ubiquitous coffee chain — there's one in almost every neighborhood, mall, and university campus. The app lets you order ahead and skip the queue, load credit for a 10% discount on purchases, and browse the full menu. If you're going to be in Israel for any length of time, you'll end up at Aroma regularly; the app pays for itself quickly.
Cafe Joe
Cafe Joe is another of Israel's popular coffee chains, found across the country and particularly common near university campuses and shopping areas. Their loyalty app lets you collect points, access member discounts, and order ahead. Note: Cafe Joe's app situation has been in flux — search "קפה ג'ו" in the App Store or Play Store to find the current version, as it has been bundled with other brands at times.
Search "קפה ג'ו" in the App Store or Google Play for the current app.
Tech
Airalo
If you're using an Airalo eSIM for your Israel data plan, the Airalo app is how you monitor your remaining data, top up mid-trip, and troubleshoot connectivity issues. You don't strictly need the app to use an Airalo eSIM — the QR code install works without it — but having the app makes managing your data much easier, especially if you're on a capped plan and want to keep an eye on usage before you run out at the worst possible moment.
Holafly
Same idea for Holafly users. The Holafly app lets you check your plan status, see your data usage, and access customer support. Holafly's 24/7 multilingual chat support is one of its main selling points over Airalo — the app is your direct line to that support if something goes wrong.
Safety
Red Alert — Home Front Command
This is the official emergency alert app from the Israeli government's Home Front Command (Pikud Ha'Oref). It sends real-time notifications when rocket or missile alerts are issued anywhere in Israel, broken down by city and region. You can configure it to alert you only for specific areas, or turn on alerts nationwide. For anyone spending a year in Israel, this app is not optional — install it on day one and leave notifications on. The alerts give you 15–90 seconds of warning depending on where you are; knowing the alert came in is what lets you use that time.