Which app do I need first when I arrive in Denmark?

MitID. You need it to log into almost every Danish government, banking, and municipal service. Download it from the Danish App Store immediately after getting your CPR number.

Do I need BankID for Denmark?

No. BankID is the digital identity system for Sweden and Norway. Denmark uses MitID. Finland uses Suomi.fi mobile. Each country has its own system.

Is MobilePay available outside Denmark?

MobilePay works in Denmark and Finland. Vipps works in Norway. Swish works in Sweden. They are all separate apps — you need the one for whichever country you're in.

Can I use Google Maps for public transport in the Nordics?

Google Maps works for basic routing but misses real-time disruption alerts and platform-specific info. Use Rejseplanen (Denmark), SL (Sweden), Ruter (Norway), or HSL (Finland) for accurate local transit.

Do I need a Nordic bank account to use these apps?

For payment apps like MobilePay, Swish, and Vipps — yes, a local bank account or at minimum a Wise account is required. Most government and transit apps work without a bank account.

The complete app list for expats in Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland. From digital ID and banking to public transport, health, and government services .

Essential Apps to Download When You Move to the Nordics

Nordic countries run on apps. Government services, banking, healthcare, public transport, tax — almost everything requires a specific local app that simply doesn't exist outside the region. Coming from elsewhere, you'll hit a wall in your first week if you don't have the right apps installed.

This guide covers every app worth having, by country, so you can set up your phone properly from day one.

Before you start: change your App Store region

Most of these apps are region-locked to their local App Store or Google Play store. If your account is set to India, UK, or any other country, you won't find them.

Change your region first. See our full guide: How to Change Your Phone Region When Moving to the Nordics.

Denmark — Apps to install immediately

Identity & Government

MitID (Critical — install first) Denmark's national digital identity app. Without MitID you cannot log into SKAT (tax), your bank, your municipality, e-Boks, or virtually any public service. You activate it after getting your CPR number. Available: Danish App Store & Google Play only.

e-Boks All official Danish government letters — from SKAT, your municipality, your employer's pension fund — arrive here digitally. If you don't check e-Boks, you miss tax notices, health appointments, and official correspondence. Free. Requires MitID to log in.

Min Sundhed (My Health) Your digital health record. Book GP appointments, see prescriptions, check referrals, access hospital discharge letters. Requires MitID.

Borger.dk (web, no dedicated app) The Danish government services portal — moving address, family registration, driving licence, social services. Use the mobile browser version; no dedicated app exists.

Payments & Money

MobilePay The dominant peer-to-peer payment app in Denmark (and Finland). Used to split restaurant bills, pay market stalls, send money to friends, and pay many small businesses who don't accept card. Almost everyone in Denmark has it. Requires a Danish phone number and bank account or Wise card.

Your Bank's App Danske Bank, Nordea, Lunar, or whichever bank you open — download their app on day one. Danish mobile banking is excellent and you'll manage everything from the app.

Transport

Rejsekort (DS: Commuter Card) The official app for Denmark's national transit card. Reload your card, check balance, see journey history. Essential if you commute by S-tog, Metro, regional train, or bus.

Rejseplanen Denmark's official journey planner — covers all public transport modes with real-time disruption alerts. More reliable than Google Maps for buses and regional trains. Free.

DSB (Danish State Railways) Buy train tickets, see platform info, manage seat reservations. Essential for anyone travelling between Danish cities by rail.

Donkey Republic The most widely available bike-sharing app in Copenhagen and other Danish cities. Dock-free bikes, hourly rental. Widely used by expats.

Everyday Life

Too Good To Go Buy surplus food from restaurants and bakeries at 30–70% off, collected at closing time. Hugely popular in Denmark. Reduces food waste; saves money. Available in all Nordic countries.

Just Eat (Takeaway.com) Food delivery. Dominant in Denmark. DoorDash and Uber Eats have limited coverage by comparison.

Arla (dairy/grocery) Denmark's largest dairy brand app — recipes, offers, product info. Not essential but useful if you cook at home.

Sweden — Apps to install

Identity & Government

BankID Sweden's equivalent of Denmark's MitID. Used to log into everything — banks, Skatteverket (tax), healthcare, government services, apartment applications. You get it through your Swedish bank after opening an account. Without BankID you are locked out of most digital services.

Kivra Sweden's digital mailbox for government and official letters — equivalent of Denmark's e-Boks. Tax notices, pension statements, utility bills all arrive here.

1177 Vårdguiden Sweden's national healthcare portal. Book GP appointments, renew prescriptions, chat with a nurse 24/7. Requires Swedish personal identity number (personnummer).

Payments

Swish Sweden's peer payment app. Every Swede has it. Used to pay at markets, split bills, pay service workers. Requires a Swedish bank account with BankID.

Your Bank's App SEB, Handelsbanken, Swedbank, Nordea, or Länsförsäkringar — download on day one.

Transport

SL (Stockholm public transport) Buy SL Access cards, check routes, real-time departures across metro, buses, trams and ferries in Stockholm. Replaces paper tickets entirely.

Skånetrafiken / Västtrafik / Länstrafiken Region-specific transit apps outside Stockholm. Install the one for your region.

SJ (Swedish Railways) National rail tickets — trains between Swedish cities. Essential for long-distance travel.

Norway — Apps to install

Identity & Government

BankID Norway and Sweden share the BankID brand but run separate systems. Norwegian BankID comes through your Norwegian bank. Required for virtually all digital government services.

Altinn Norway's government portal for tax returns, business registration, and public service applications. Mobile-optimised website; companion app available.

Helsenorge Norway's national health portal — book GP appointments, access health records, see referrals. Requires Norwegian personal ID (D-number or national ID).

Payments

Vipps Norway's dominant mobile payment app. Used everywhere — restaurants, market stalls, peer payments, even some parking. Requires Norwegian phone number and bank account.

Transport

Ruter Oslo's public transport app — metro, tram, bus, ferry. Buy tickets, check real-time departures. Required for day-to-day commuting in Oslo.

Vy (formerly NSB) Norwegian national railway tickets. Trains between cities, overnight services, and regional connections.

EnTur National journey planner covering all Norwegian public transport modes. Like Rejseplanen but for Norway.

Finland — Apps to install

Identity & Government

Suomi.fi Finland's government services portal. Authentication uses your bank's mobile ID (each Finnish bank provides it). Access tax records, social benefits, official letters, and government services.

OmaKela Kela is Finland's social insurance institution — healthcare reimbursements, housing benefits, study grants. OmaKela lets you manage claims from your phone.

OmaVero Finnish Tax Administration app. Check tax card, file returns, view assessments. Equivalent of Denmark's SKAT app.

Payments

MobilePay (available in Finland too) MobilePay expanded to Finland and is widely accepted alongside Finnish bank apps.

Your Bank's App OP (Osuuspankki), Nordea, Handelsbanken, or S-Pankki — Finnish mobile banking is strong and each bank provides their own mobile authentication ID.

Transport

HSL (Helsinki Region Transport) Helsinki's transit app — metro, tram, bus, ferry, and regional rail. Buy single tickets, day passes, or season tickets. Required for Helsinki commuters.

VR (Finnish Railways) National rail tickets — trains between Finnish cities.

Whim Helsinki's all-in-one mobility app — combines public transport, bike-share, scooters, taxis, and car rentals into a single subscription or pay-per-use service. Genuinely useful for reducing car ownership.

Apps that work across all Nordic countries

Google Translate Nordic languages (Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish) are not widely taught elsewhere. Camera translation is invaluable for reading official letters, menus, and product labels.

Wise International money transfers at the real exchange rate. Hold DKK, SEK, NOK, and EUR in one account. Get a local IBAN before your Nordic bank account is open. The most practical financial app for new arrivals.

Revolut Alternative to Wise — multi-currency account, instant notifications, good for day-to-day spending across borders. Free plan works well for most expats.

Duolingo / Babbel Both have strong Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, and Finnish courses. Starting the local language — even basics — makes the first year significantly easier.

WhatsApp / Signal Messaging is fragmented across the Nordics. Danes heavily use iMessage and MobilePay chat. Swedes use Messenger. Norwegians use Facebook Messenger alongside Vipps. WhatsApp is the safe cross-platform option.

Too Good To Go Available in Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Finland. Same app, same concept — surplus food from local restaurants and bakeries at heavily discounted prices.

Priority install order for new arrivals

If you arrive with nothing installed and have limited time, do it in this order:

Change App Store / Google Play region to your new country (takes 5 minutes, everything else depends on this)
MitID / BankID / Suomi.fi — digital identity, needed for everything
e-Boks / Kivra / Altinn — official letters, you'll miss things without it
Transit app for your city (Rejsekort, SL, Ruter, HSL)
Payment app (MobilePay, Swish, or Vipps) once your bank account is open
Wise — before your local bank is open, this is your financial lifeline

Everything else can wait until you're settled.