Pick A Side
Gojek or Grab. You need both but drivers are LOYAL to one or the other and will judge you for your choice.
Gojek was first. Has more drivers. Better prices for bikes (ojek). The app is... chaotic. Green everywhere. Too many services. Where's the food delivery option? Oh it's hidden under "GoFood" obviously.
Grab is cleaner app. Better for cars. More expensive usually. Has the same driver loyalty problem.
The Payment App Nightmare
GoPay (Gojek's wallet) OVO (who knows, it's just everywhere) Dana (also everywhere) LinkAja (less everywhere) ShopeePay (for Shopee shopping)
Different restaurants take different apps. Different drivers prefer different apps. You need all of them. Your phone storage is crying.
Sometimes the coffee shop only takes OVO. Sometimes the warung only takes cash. Sometimes GoPay has a promo but you're out of money in that wallet and transferring between wallets costs fees???
Gojek Services (Too Many):
- GoRide (bikes)
- GoCar (cars)
- GoFood (food delivery)
- GoSend (package delivery)
- GoMart (grocery delivery)
- GoMassage (yes really)
- GoClean (home cleaning)
- GoTix (movie tickets)
It's too much. Nobody uses half of these. But they're there, cluttering the app.
Grab Does Less, Better:
Grab rides, Grab food, Grab packages. That's it. The app is cleaner. Easier to use.
But Gojek has more bike drivers in most cities, so for quick trips through Jakarta traffic you're using Gojek anyway.
Tokopedia vs Shopee:
Online shopping wars. Both have everything. Both have confusing interfaces. Both have fake products mixed with real ones - good luck figuring out which is which.
The malls are still better and you can negotiate. But at 2am when you need phone charger? Tokopedia.
What Nobody Warns You About:
Drivers WILL call you and speak Indonesian. You don't speak Indonesian (probably). Google Translate's voice feature becomes essential.
"Adanya di mana?" (Where are you?) You panic. You send your location again. They're confused. You're confused. Eventually you meet. It works out. This happens every time.
The Visa/Mastercard Problem:
Some apps don't take foreign cards. Or they take them but decline randomly. Or they work but charge you 3% foreign transaction fee plus your bank's fee plus...
Get a local SIM card with data. Link it to GoPay or OVO. Top up at an Indomaret. This is the way.
My Setup:
- Gojek for bikes
- Grab for cars when I want to feel safer
- GoPay, OVO, and Dana (kill me)
- Tokopedia for emergencies
- WhatsApp for arguing with sellers about delivery times
- Google Translate voice feature open constantly
Indonesia is chaos, it's humid, the traffic is insane, the apps barely work together, and somehow you'll love it anyway. Or you'll leave after two weeks. Both are common outcomes.