Planning a trip to Argentina, Brazil, Chile, or Uruguay? From our travels to all four countries we’ve created the following list of must-have apps for gay men. (And don’t forget our guide to mobile data and SIM cards.)
Google Maps
Essential! Google Maps over the years has evolved into one of the best ways to navigate unknown territory. The latest update provides the best public transportation directions available. And for walkers, try plugging one earbud in to listen to turn-by-turn audio directions to avoid walking to avoid exposing your mobile phone while barcrawling at night. (Pre-load our Google Maps for Buenos Aires, Montevideo, Rio de Janeiro, Santiago, and Sao Paulo for offline browsing.)
One note for Buenos Aires, the Moovit app is a highly recommended supplement to Google Maps with some of the best tips for the city’s public transportation system.
We assume most visitors will be walking, taking the bus/metro, or being driven by taxi, but for visitors who will be driving, the Waze app is essential too. And after you finish driving, Onde Parar is the best way to find a parking spot (only available in Brazil.)
99Taxis
More popular, and more available, than Uber in Latin America, the 99Taxi app uses both contracted drivers, and the existing pool of yellow and white taxis. Options like the ability to pay via PayPal are great. One downside is drivers who accept your request and then cancel if a better option appears. 99Taxis was recently in the news after one of their homophobic drivers expelled a gay couple in Rio during Carnival. The company quickly terminated the driver from their service.
This recommendation is mostly for Americans, since the extremely popular WhatsApp is one of the most downloaded mobile apps in the world. In Europe, Africa, Asia, and South America, everyone already knows the app allows free messaging, photo/video sharing, phone calls over wi-fi, and location sharing.
Grindr
“But, I’m not one of the those types of guys who uses Grindr.” Yes, the world’s most popular mobile app for gay men does have a slutty reputation, but Grindr is what you make it. You can create a G-rated profile stating that you are only looking to meet new people … Or, create and X-rated profile looking for sex. Enjoy Grindr and be safe!
Other hook-up apps with sizeable populations in Latin America are Hornet, Scruff, Adam4Adam, and Disponivel (more about that one below.)
Disponivel
What began as a hook-up website whose biggest competitor was ManHunt (remember them?) has since made the leap into the age of mobile apps to be one of the most popular ways to find men in Brazil. The Disponivel app’s interface now has an English option, but often reverts, or has untranslated Portuguese elements.
TripAdvisor
Still on top after all these year! If you must have one app for general city info and tourism recommendations (in English), TripAdvisor is the way to go. If your phone has enough storage space, try Foursquare, Yelp, and Vespa.
VamosGay
No, we don’t have a mobile app, but we do have a mobile website! Choose the “Add to Home Screen” option and you’ll see a shiny new icon on your phone which will take you to our listings for restaurants and nightlife whenever you need them.
