1Rappi: The Terrible App That Does Everything So You're Stuck With It
Landed in Medellín three months ago thinking I'd use whatever delivery apps locals recommended. Turns out there's only one religion here: Rappi.
The Rappi Monopoly
Rappi does everything. And I mean EVERYTHING. Groceries, restaurant delivery, pharmacy runs, liquor at 2am, someone to wait in line at the bank for you. They have a service called "RappiCash" where they just... bring you cash? Like an ATM with legs?
The app is absolutely terrible. Crashes constantly. The UI makes no sense. Search function is drunk. But it has every restaurant, every store, every random thing you might need, so you're stuck with it.
Competitors exist technically. Uber Eats is here. PedidosYa tries. Nobody uses them because Rappi already has all your favorite restaurants and your payment info saved and inertia is real.
The Transportation Nightmare
Uber, Didi, InDrive, Beat, and Cabify all fighting for your $2 ride.
InDrive is weirdly the best in smaller cities. You name your price, drivers counter-offer, you negotiate. Sounds annoying but actually you end up paying less and drivers make more (no app taking 40% cut). In Medellín or Bogotá it's chaos because everyone's offering different prices.
Here's the thing nobody warned me about: Uber drivers call you IMMEDIATELY after you book. Every time. They want you to cancel the ride and pay cash because Uber's fees are insane. First week I was confused. Now I just do it. The social pressure is real.
Beat is trying to position itself as the "ethical" option with better driver pay. Still has to call you to tell you to cancel though.
The Payment Disaster
Nequi and Daviplata are how Colombians transfer money. Like Venmo but everyone actually uses it. As a foreigner you can't get them easily (need Colombian ID).
So you're stuck asking "do you take card?" and watching locals roll their eyes as they Nequi each other instantly while you're fumbling with your Visa.
WhatsApp for everything else. Your landlord doesn't email. The restaurant doesn't have online ordering except through WhatsApp. Your Spanish teacher? WhatsApp. The guy fixing your toilet? WhatsApp Business with a professional profile photo and everything.
What Actually Works:
- Rappi (surrender to it)
- InDrive for rides in smaller cities, Uber in big cities but expect the cancellation call
- Google Maps but download offline maps because data dies in the mountains
- WhatsApp or you don't exist here
What Doesn't:
- Trying to use your US banking app (every transaction gets fraud-flagged)
- Apple Pay (nobody takes it)
- Any food delivery app that isn't Rappi
The learning curve is watching locals use their phones for 30 seconds while you're still figuring out which app to open. You'll get there. Eventually. After Rappi crashes for the fourth time today.