The best apps for international students in Canada cover money transfers, transit, groceries, academic tools, and staying connected with family back home.
This guide lists the most useful apps to download before or shortly after you arrive in Canada, organized by category so you can find exactly what you need.
Planning to study in Canada?
ApplyBoard connects international students with Canadian universities and colleges. Get expert guidance from application to arrival.
Apps for Managing Your Money
Managing money across currencies is one of the biggest practical challenges for international students. These apps help you send money home, track your spending, and avoid unnecessary bank fees.
Wise (formerly TransferWise)
Wise is the most popular app for sending money internationally. It uses the real mid-market exchange rate with low, transparent fees. You can use it to receive money from family abroad and convert it to Canadian dollars. Wise also offers a multi-currency account and a debit card that works in Canada. Available free on iOS and Android.
Your Canadian Bank's Mobile App
Once you open a Canadian bank account, download your bank's official app immediately. Canada's major banks, including TD, RBC, Scotiabank, BMO, and CIBC, all have well-rated mobile apps. You can check your balance, transfer money, pay bills, and deposit cheques by taking a photo. Most international students open an account within the first week of arriving.
Tip! Many Canadian banks offer free or low-fee student chequing accounts. Ask specifically about international student accounts when you visit a branch. Some banks also have partnerships with universities that include extra perks.
Splitwise
If you share an apartment with roommates, Splitwise makes it easy to track shared expenses like rent, groceries, and utilities. Each person can log what they paid, and the app calculates who owes what. It removes the awkwardness of asking housemates to pay their share. Free on iOS and Android.
Apps for Getting Around Canada
Canadian cities have good public transit, but each city uses a different system. These apps help you navigate confidently from day one.
Google Maps
Google Maps is the most reliable navigation app in Canada. It works well in all major cities and shows real-time transit directions for buses, subways (called the metro in Montreal and the TTC in Toronto), and the SkyTrain in Vancouver. You can download maps offline in case you lose cell signal. Free on iOS and Android.
Transit
Transit is a dedicated public transit app designed for Canadian and North American cities. It shows real-time arrivals for buses and trains, nearby stops, and the fastest route options. Many students find it more reliable than Google Maps for day-to-day transit use. It works well in Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, Calgary, Ottawa, and other major cities. Free on iOS and Android.
Your City's Transit App or Card App
Many Canadian cities have their own transit payment apps or card management systems. In Toronto, the PRESTO app manages your transit card. In Vancouver, you use the Compass Card. In Montreal, the STM app shows routes and allows mobile payments. Download the app for your specific city to manage top-ups and check balances without visiting a station.
Uber and Lyft
Both Uber and Lyft operate in most major Canadian cities. They are useful when you need a ride late at night, have heavy bags, or are in an area not well served by transit. Set up your account and add a payment method before you need it. Both apps are free to download.
Apps for Food and Groceries
Food is a major part of your monthly budget. These apps help you find the best grocery deals and order delivery when you are too busy to cook.
Flipp
Flipp aggregates weekly sale flyers from all major Canadian grocery chains in one place. Before you go shopping, check Flipp to see which store has the best price on what you need. It can save you a meaningful amount each month, especially if you shop at multiple stores. Free on iOS and Android.
PC Optimum
PC Optimum is the loyalty program for Loblaws-owned grocery and drug stores, including No Frills, Real Canadian Superstore, Shoppers Drug Mart, and Zehrs. You earn points on purchases and redeem them for free groceries. These stores are widely available across Canada. The app is free on iOS and Android.
Skip the Dishes
Skip the Dishes is Canada's largest food delivery app. It delivers from restaurants across most Canadian cities. Uber Eats and DoorDash are also available and worth comparing, as prices and delivery fees vary. All three apps offer student discounts or promo codes from time to time, so check before your first order.
Note: Food delivery fees add up quickly. Cooking at home and buying groceries on sale is one of the most effective ways to reduce your monthly expenses as a student.
Apps for Staying in Touch with Family
Staying connected with family and friends back home is important for your wellbeing. These apps make it easy and affordable.
WhatsApp is the most widely used messaging app among international students in Canada. It works across all countries, supports voice and video calls, group chats, and file sharing, all over Wi-Fi or mobile data. If your family does not already have WhatsApp, encourage them to download it before you leave. Free on iOS and Android.
Google Meet and Zoom
For video calls with family or group calls with classmates and professors, Google Meet and Zoom are the most commonly used platforms in Canadian education and daily life. Both offer free tiers that work well for most needs. Your university may also provide a free Zoom account through your student email.
Apps for Your Studies
Canadian universities use a variety of digital tools for course management and academic work. Here are the most common ones you are likely to encounter.
Your University's Learning Management System (LMS)
Most Canadian universities deliver course materials, assignments, and grades through an online Learning Management System. Common platforms include Brightspace (D2L), Blackboard, Moodle, and Canvas. Download your university's LMS app before classes start. Your institution will tell you which platform they use during orientation.
Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace
Most Canadian universities provide free or discounted access to Microsoft 365 (including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams) or Google Workspace (including Docs, Sheets, and Slides) through your student email. Check with your institution to see which suite they offer and how to activate your access.
Grammarly
Grammarly is a writing assistant that checks your spelling, grammar, and sentence structure in real time. It is particularly helpful for students who write in English as a second language. The free version is very useful for everyday academic writing. A paid version offers additional suggestions. Available as a browser extension, desktop app, and mobile keyboard on iOS and Android.
Zotero
Zotero is a free reference management tool used widely in Canadian universities. It helps you collect, organize, and cite research sources in the correct format for your essays and reports. Your university library may offer training sessions on how to use it. Free on all platforms.
Apps for Health Care
Access to health care works differently in Canada than in many other countries. These apps help you navigate the system.
Your Provincial Health Authority App
Each Canadian province has its own health care system. Some provinces have apps or online portals where you can find clinics, check wait times, or access your health records. Search for your province's health authority app after you arrive and register for provincial health insurance.
Maple
Maple is a virtual care app that connects you with Canadian doctors and nurse practitioners online, often within minutes. It is useful for minor illnesses, prescription renewals, and situations where you cannot easily get to a walk-in clinic. Some university health plans and provincial programs cover Maple consultations. Available on iOS and Android.
Pharmacies' Mobile Apps
Major Canadian pharmacy chains, including Shoppers Drug Mart (owned by Loblaws), Rexall, and Pharmasave, have mobile apps where you can manage prescriptions, set refill reminders, and earn loyalty points. If you take regular medication, setting up a pharmacy account early makes managing your prescriptions much easier.
Note: Most international students in Canada are covered by their university's student health and dental plan for the first year. After that, coverage depends on whether you are enrolled in the plan, have provincial health coverage, or both. Check your student union or institution's health benefits page to understand what is covered. Learn more in our guide, How International Students Can Get Health and Travel Insurance in Canada.
Apps for Finding Student Deals and Discounts
Your student status unlocks discounts at hundreds of Canadian and international businesses. These apps help you find and use them.
UNiDAYS
UNiDAYS offers verified student discounts at a wide range of stores and services, including clothing retailers, tech brands, food chains, and streaming platforms. You verify your student status with your university email and then access discounts directly through the app or by generating a code at checkout. Free on iOS and Android.
Student Beans
Student Beans is similar to UNiDAYS and available in Canada. It offers discounts at different brands, so it is worth checking both apps to see which has better deals for what you are looking for. Free on iOS and Android.
Rakuten (formerly Ebates)
Rakuten gives you cash back when you shop online at hundreds of Canadian and international retailers. Link it to your browser and it will automatically notify you when a site you are visiting offers cash back. Free on iOS and Android.
Apps for Finding Housing
If you are looking for off-campus accommodation, these are the most-used platforms in Canada.
Kijiji
Kijiji is Canada's most popular classified ads site. Most landlords posting rooms and apartments for rent list on Kijiji first. You can filter by city, neighbourhood, price, and unit type. Free on iOS and Android.
PadMapper and Rentals.ca
PadMapper shows available rentals on a map, making it easy to search by neighbourhood and proximity to your campus. Rentals.ca lists professionally managed apartments and purpose-built rental buildings. Both are free to use. Always view a unit in person or via video call before paying any deposit.
Warning! Rental scams exist in Canada, particularly on platforms where individual landlords post listings. Never send a deposit via wire transfer or cryptocurrency before signing a lease and verifying the landlord's identity. If a deal looks too good to be true, it usually is.
Apps for the Canadian Weather
Canadian winters can be extreme, especially for students arriving from warmer climates. A good weather app is essential.
The Weather Network
The Weather Network is the most trusted weather app in Canada. It provides hourly forecasts, severe weather alerts, and wind chill information, which is especially important in winter. The app also gives clothing recommendations based on the day's conditions. Free on iOS and Android.
Tip! The "feels like" temperature in Canada accounts for wind chill in winter and humidity in summer. It can feel significantly colder than the actual temperature. Always check the feels-like number, not just the number in degrees, before you head outside in January or February.
The right apps can make a real difference in how quickly and comfortably you settle into life in Canada. Download the ones that match your needs before you arrive, and explore the others as you go. Your university's international student office is also a great resource for local recommendations specific to your campus city.
Everything you need to prepare for Canada
Browse our full collection of arrival guides, budgeting tips, and student life resources on ApplyBoard Assist.