Guide to Using Grab in Bali: Uber Alternative Super-App
There is no Uber in Bali in 2024, but Bali has its own version of Uber called Grab that you can use to get around the Island which is even better than Uber. Even though I drive my own scooter in Bali, I still use the Grab App every day – It’s what’s known as a “Super App” that offers many different services like food and package delivery.
✔️ Using Grab in Bali: Essential Info
📲 Is There Uber in Bali? There is no Uber in Bali, but they have Uber Alternatives called Grab and Gojek that work the same.
📍 Where is it Available? Grab and Gojek are available in any city or popular area in Bali like Ubud and Canggu, but they won’t be available in more rural areas like Lovina or Kintamani.
⛑ Is it Safe? Using Grab and Gojek is safer than hailing taxis off the street because the apps have GPS tracking.
💸 Is it Cheap? Grab in Bali is extremely cheap, most rides will be 20-100K IDR unless you’re going a longer distance.
✈️ Can You Take Uber from the Airport? You can take Grab from the airport but it has around $10 in airport terminal fees applied.
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✈️ Bali Airport Transfer Service
You can book private airport transfer in Bali through Klook for the same price (or less) as taking a Grab car.
Is There Uber Or Lyft In Bali In 2024?
There used to be Uber in Bali, but in 2018 it was bought out by the company “Grab”, and now Uber in Bali operates under the Grab App. Uber sold all of its business in Southeast Asia to Grab in exchange for a 27% stake in the company a few years ago. So, while you can’t use “Uber” in Bali, you can use an app just like it.
🚕 Grab vs Gojek: There are two ride-hailing apps in Bali that basically function the same, I prefer Grab, but they’re basically interchangeable.
Uber Alternatives: Using Gojek & Grab Apps In Bali
Grab and Gojek are the two competing ride-share apps in Bali that have replaced Uber. GoJek and Grab are both what’s known as “Super Apps”. They started as ride-hailing applications but they’ve grown and merged into comprehensive apps that have capabilities ranging from taxi services to paying electricity bills and ordering groceries.
7 Best ways to travel in Bali ranked for ease, budget, and traveler type.
Taking Grab To/From Bali Airport
They have a Grab Booth set up at Bali Denpasar Airport so you can easily take a Grab from the airport terminal, even if you don’t have cell service. Do know, there are around 250K Indonesian Rupiah of airport terminal fees, which makes taking Grab cost the same as a private transfer service or taking an official taxi. The last time I took a Grab Car from the airport in Bali, it was around 500K IDR ($33), which is about 30% more than a ride of that length would usually cost in Bali. Depending on which type of service you book, it can be cheaper to arrange your airport transfer ahead of time online or through your hotel.
💰 Budget Tip: There are no fees taking Grab to Denpasar Airport, just when you take a car from the arrivals terminal.
My Top Tips for Using Grab and Gojek in Bali
✅ Get a local SIM card to have data to call a car anywhere in Bali. 🚨Note! You will need an unlocked phone for this. 👉 I use Telkomsel cellular service.
📲 Why Get a Local SIM in Bali ► Getting a physical local SIM is usually the cheapest option. There are also eSIMs you could use, as well as International Roaming programs from your home cell company. To use any foreign SIM, you will need an unlocked phone that accepts other cell providers.
📲 How to Get a Local SIM in Bali ► There will be attendants selling SIM cards at the arrivals terminal at Denpasar Airport. The service only takes a few minutes, but do know that it’s around 1/4-1/3 more expensive to buy a SIM card in the airport than outside.
📲 If You Do Not Wish to get an Indonesian SIM Card ► Or if you do not have an unlocked phone that can accept you can sign up for Grab with a WhatsApp account number tied to your home phone number. This way, you can use the same Grab account all over SE Asia, even if your phone number isn’t active. Grab will still work off of Wifi.
✅ About the Bali Taxi Mafia: If you call a Gojek car from a popular tourist location like Savaya Beach Club in Uluwatu, or a famous landmark, you will likely have to call it to a side street to avoid the Balinese Taxi Mafia.
✅ If you call a scooter taxi, make sure to ask your driver for a helmet. All the scooter taxis come with helmets for passengers.
✅ Carry a rain poncho if you’re taking a scooter taxi! Rain is unpredictable in Bali.
✅ You can now use Grab to hire an all-day private driver in Bali to take you to more remote locations. It’s a pay-by-the-hour service.
🚨 Grab & Gojek Scams In Bali
About 1 in 10 rides done with Grab will have faulty charges added on by the drivers. I inquired to Grab about my most recent experience with this, I had a scooter taxi ride with a random charge that just said “others” in the description. Usually, I wouldn’t care about the money, but I wanted to see what the app said for research for this article. Grab said that drivers can add on fees for anything, and it doesn’t need to be approved by the system. When the app reached out to my driver he said he “accidentally” added the charge.
👉 Tip: The best way to not get faulty charges added on is to make sure you tell your Grab driver you will tip them (and then actually do it) at the end of your ride.
What’s The Best Way To Get Around Bali?
The very best way to get around Bali is by renting and driving your own scooter. Renting a scooter in Bali is a quintessential part of any trip, but it can be dangerous. Especially if you’re driving a scooter in Canggu or Kuta area, which is where most tourists in Bali start their trip, there is a ton of traffic. If you don’t know how to drive a scooter, or if you’re in a group of more than two people, then hiring a private driver in Bali is the best way for you to get around.
How Much Does it Cost to Rent a Scooter in Bali?
The price for renting a scooter in Bali varies considerably! I’ve seen it as cheap as 70K Indonesian Rupiah ($5) per day, for a banged-up Scoopy. If you’re renting a banged-up scoopy on a monthly rate instead of a daily, then it could even be as cheap as 50K ($3.50). I’ve also seen very nice scooters go for 400+ Indonesian Rupiah ($25) per day.
The scooter rental service I use is called 🛵 Bikago. It includes hotel drop-off, new helmets, insurance, and a first-aid kit, and can be delivered anywhere in Bali.
Everything you need to know about renting scooters in Bali: how to do it legally, safely, affordably, and about any alternatives.
Most of this info isn’t right as of December 2023. It says updated, but it definitely has not been. This is pre-pandemic info. The Grab prices are much lower and it’s easy to walk to the Grab or Gojek booth now. Gojek is definitely available in-airport. Grab price was 139k. I arrived after midnight. This is so off base you’re going to lead people astray here. This should be updated or removed.
Hello! Thank you for commenting – I can assure you that this isn’t pre-pandemic info as I didn’t have a travel blog before Fall 2021. I live in Bali currently and I just flew out of Denpasar Airport less than a week ago. This article was originally written late 2022, and I keep it updated. I mentioned there’s Grab pickup points at Denpasar Airport, which were not available pre-covid. I also mention that taking Grab FROM the airport is far more expensive than taking Grab TO the airport due to airport taxes and fees levied. When I arrive at the airport I arrange transport independently, because it’s cheaper than using Grab, by at least 30%.
However, I take Grab to the airport when I depart. You can test this out on your Grab app by putting in your location and seeing how much a ride to the airport costs vs from the airport. It’s the same ride, but the airport fees are only applied when you’re departing.
Edit: I just double checked this, a GrabCar from Outpost Ubud to Denpasar Airport is 160K, and to Outpost Ubud from Denpasar Airport it’s 464K IDR. So roughly 300K in airport fees.
If Gojek is also now available for airport pickup I will have to check it out, as I haven’t seen their booth.
Honestly wondering…Why not just use an esim instead of a local SIM? Not sure why I should bother with a local telecom in Indonesia when I can be set for data before I even arrive, Do I need a local number to use Grab there for any reason? I have already installed Grab and used my personal North American number to confirm registration. Not planning on calling anyone in Indonesia.. just want transportation and delivery using Grab. Arriving in two weeks.. I would really appreciate more info. Thanks. Great blog.
Hi Gregg – So, you can sign up for Grab with a WhatsApp # or your home North American cell number if that will be active while you’re in Indonesia. The reason I recommend getting an Indonesian SIM is because it’s usually around 1/5 of the price of keeping your at-home cell number active in Indonesia. For example, a 1-week Indonesian Telkomsel SIM card can be 150K ($10), vs a T-mobile international Cell plan, last time I checked, was around $10 per day. I can’t test out the coverage differences, but I know getting a local SIM is the cheapest option unless you already have an international roaming plan.
Thank you for this heads-up it helped a lot I’m from morocco and planing to visit Bali in 24 June as solo and this article gave me much information I even sent you a message on Instagram and starting following you… well thank you again who knows I might see you there 🙂 >< what's the best option to go from kuta to padang bai and padang bai to canggu how much does it cost with grab or there's other option ? And how far Padang bai is from kuta and canggu planing to spend 7 day on gili island because it has great beaches and great club then ill head back to canggu thank you again good luck
Hello – Kuta to Padang Bai will be easy to do with Grab, since you’re going from a populated area to an unpopulated one. On the way back, however, there’s no Grab cars so you will have to use a local taxi. When I did the trip in December it was around $20 USD each way, but if you want to save some money you can bundle your ferry tickets from Padang Bai with shared transfer here: 12GoPadangBaiShuttle . Padang Bai is 1-2 hours from Kuta, depending on the traffic, so I recommend leaving early.
Thanks I will look for that I’m coming next week
Hope you have a great trip!
thanks 🙂