[2026] What are some of the popular online apps/services that do not need DNI or local payments?

[bapal]

Hi all,

I am new here and enjoying Buenos Aires and so far it has been great. Like many, I am very used to buying things or services online, but I have found that many apps and services need an Argentine DNI.

Many of us here either do not have a DNI or are waiting for ages to get hold of that elusive DNI. Until then, what apps have you discovered that do not require DNI and/or accept payments with international cards?

So far, I have found a few usual suspects and a few surprises:

1) MercadoLibre - e-commerce only for online shopping
2) Uber - taxi
3) DiDi - taxi
4) Rappi - food/grocery delivery
5) Kino.com.ar - healthy food delivered to your home
6) CareThere - doctor tele-consult and medical prescriptions
7) SaludyVos - lab tests at home, e.g., complete body checkup, Iron panel, diabetes, HIV, STD, and other sexual screenings, etc.
8) Yara AI - talk to AI to know more about local events
9) ?


Look forward to discovering more such apps and services.

Cheers,

 

[Wally]

Hi all,

I am new here and enjoying Buenos Aires and so far it has been great. Like many, I am very used to buying things or services online, but I have found that many apps and services need an Argentine DNI.

Many of us here either do not have a DNI or are waiting for ages to get hold of that elusive DNI. Until then, what apps have you discovered that do not require DNI and/or accept payments with international cards?

So far, I have found a few usual suspects and a few surprises:

1) MercadoLibre - e-commerce only for online shopping
2) Uber - taxi
3) DiDi - taxi
4) Rappi - food/grocery delivery
5) Kino.com.ar - healthy food delivered to your home
6) CareThere - doctor tele-consult and medical prescriptions
7) SaludyVos - lab tests at home, e.g., complete body checkup, Iron panel, diabetes, HIV, STD, and other sexual screenings, etc.
8) Yara AI - talk to AI to know more about local events
9) ?


Look forward to discovering more such apps and services.

Cheers,

The DNI thing can be annoying. Is MercadoLibre working now without DNI? If so that is a huge improvement as they were requiring it not long ago. They usually match up your DNI with your face. Did they allow you to use your passport @bapal? Even now and again it will ask me to scan my face in the app or my computer to make sure it's me. They compare it to the DNI. Maybe now they use the passport photo?

You have a good list but you can add Cabify which is also like Didi and Uber. Add Peanut Wallet which I don't believe needs a DNI. Others have posted about it here if you do a search. It allows you to transfer money in and then pay with QR code. DolarApp someone recommended the other day. I can't remember if that requires a DNI or not. It also uses QR codes.

 

[Betsy Ross]

Hi all,

I am new here and enjoying Buenos Aires and so far it has been great. Like many, I am very used to buying things or services online, but I have found that many apps and services need an Argentine DNI.

Many of us here either do not have a DNI or are waiting for ages to get hold of that elusive DNI. Until then, what apps have you discovered that do not require DNI and/or accept payments with international cards?

So far, I have found a few usual suspects and a few surprises:

1) MercadoLibre - e-commerce only for online shopping
2) Uber - taxi
3) DiDi - taxi
4) Rappi - food/grocery delivery
5) Kino.com.ar - healthy food delivered to your home
6) CareThere - doctor tele-consult and medical prescriptions
7) SaludyVos - lab tests at home, e.g., complete body checkup, Iron panel, diabetes, HIV, STD, and other sexual screenings, etc.
8) Yara AI - talk to AI to know more about local events
9) ?


Look forward to discovering more such apps and services.

Cheers,

I like Moovit app better than Google Maps as I find the real-time bus and train info and alerts is better. I think you can add PedidosYa which is another food app. I can't remember if you can use it with a foreign credit card but I do believe you can.

You might want to add the Wise or Revolut app.

Turnos Ya is an app to book doctor's appointments and medical services at various clinics but now maybe it is just easier to use CareThere which is very good and has great reviews.

As you probably figured out just about everyone uses Whatsapp here so that is an essential app for communication.

 

[Nasdaq]

Hi all,

I am new here and enjoying Buenos Aires and so far it has been great. Like many, I am very used to buying things or services online, but I have found that many apps and services need an Argentine DNI.

Many of us here either do not have a DNI or are waiting for ages to get hold of that elusive DNI. Until then, what apps have you discovered that do not require DNI and/or accept payments with international cards?

So far, I have found a few usual suspects and a few surprises:

1) MercadoLibre - e-commerce only for online shopping
2) Uber - taxi
3) DiDi - taxi
4) Rappi - food/grocery delivery
5) Kino.com.ar - healthy food delivered to your home
6) CareThere - doctor tele-consult and medical prescriptions
7) SaludyVos - lab tests at home, e.g., complete body checkup, Iron panel, diabetes, HIV, STD, and other sexual screenings, etc.
8) Yara AI - talk to AI to know more about local events
9) ?


Look forward to discovering more such apps and services.

Cheers,

You covered my favorite Apps. I'd just add Google Maps to the list. Once you get a DNI Mercado Pago is essential. But the Peanut app works very good. I posted about some initial hiccups I had but I haven't had any problems since then.

There is a thread about it here: https://www.expatsba.com/threads/ha...send-mercado-pago-payments-in-argentina.6669/

 

[bapal]

The DNI thing can be annoying. Is MercadoLibre working now without DNI? If so that is a huge improvement as they were requiring it not long ago. They usually match up your DNI with your face. Did they allow you to use your passport @bapal? Even now and again it will ask me to scan my face in the app or my computer to make sure it's me. They compare it to the DNI. Maybe now they use the passport photo?

You have a good list but you can add Cabify which is also like Didi and Uber. Add Peanut Wallet which I don't believe needs a DNI. Others have posted about it here if you do a search. It allows you to transfer money in and then pay with QR code. DolarApp someone recommended the other day. I can't remember if that requires a DNI or not. It also uses QR codes.

I think you are confusing MercadoPago with ML. ML does not need a DNI or a passport; MP definitely does. Cabify is a good one, I will add it here, I missed it.

I am mostly looking for local businesses/services with local presence, hence did not mention Wise, peanut app etc.

 

[Bob]

I think you are confusing MercadoPago with ML. ML does not need a DNI or a passport; MP definitely does. Cabify is a good one, I will add it here, I missed it.

I am mostly looking for local businesses/services with local presence, hence did not mention Wise, peanut app etc.

Do you use Peanut or Wise? If so what has been your experience with them in Argentina?

 

[bapal]

I like Moovit app better than Google Maps as I find the real-time bus and train info and alerts is better. I think you can add PedidosYa which is another food app. I can't remember if you can use it with a foreign credit card but I do believe you can.

You might want to add the Wise or Revolut app.

Turnos Ya is an app to book doctor's appointments and medical services at various clinics but now maybe it is just easier to use CareThere which is very good and has great reviews.

As you probably figured out just about everyone uses Whatsapp here so that is an essential app for communication.

I am mostly looking for local businesses/services with local presence, hence did not mention Wise, peanut app, etc.

I will look into PedidosYa and TurnosYa. I think PedidosYa needs a DNI, the last time I tried. Never heard of TurnosYa.

Funny, most popular services end in 'Ya'. 🙂

 

[bapal]

Do you use Peanut or Wise? If so what has been your experience with them in Argentina?

I am a heavy user of Wise. Peanut never, and I believe its brand new. Will wait and see.

Wise has recently starting sending money in ARS bank accounts, so it has been helpful. If you time it correctly, money from your bank to ARS bank accounts comes in less than 2 hours. Not great, but works!

 

[Wally]

I am mostly looking for local businesses/services with local presence, hence did not mention Wise, peanut app, etc.

I will look into PedidosYa and TurnosYa. I think PedidosYa needs a DNI, the last time I tried. Never heard of TurnosYa.

Funny, most popular services end in 'Ya'. 🙂

I think PedidosYa opened up to non DNI. My friend from the US used it but I can't remember if he used mine. Half the time my friends come to visit me from the US and things don't work so I give them my log in.

Wise works great in many countries. Peanut I tried and if you have crypto it is very easy. I know @Nasdaq had some problems but they seem to be cleared up in a few days. I transfer USDC here to get pesos and is easy. I have a local bank account so I use it to send crypto and buy pesos and then deposit into my local account sometimes. A very easy way to get money here. Or you can use a QR code to pay at stores.

 

[Johnny]

Hi all,

I am new here and enjoying Buenos Aires and so far it has been great. Like many, I am very used to buying things or services online, but I have found that many apps and services need an Argentine DNI.

Many of us here either do not have a DNI or are waiting for ages to get hold of that elusive DNI. Until then, what apps have you discovered that do not require DNI and/or accept payments with international cards?

So far, I have found a few usual suspects and a few surprises:

1) MercadoLibre - e-commerce only for online shopping
2) Uber - taxi
3) DiDi - taxi
4) Rappi - food/grocery delivery
5) Kino.com.ar - healthy food delivered to your home
6) CareThere - doctor tele-consult and medical prescriptions
7) SaludyVos - lab tests at home, e.g., complete body checkup, Iron panel, diabetes, HIV, STD, and other sexual screenings, etc.
8) Yara AI - talk to AI to know more about local events
9) ?


Look forward to discovering more such apps and services.

Cheers,

Wow @bapal how did you get ML to work? Did you just upload your passport? It didn't work for me a few months ago. But if it works I'll try again.

 

[JonJLA]

Wow @bapal how did you get ML to work? Did you just upload your passport? It didn't work for me a few months ago. But if it works I'll try again.

That would be great if Mercado Libre works for foreigners now. Every time my friends go down to stay in my place they always have to use my account.

 

[Johnny]

That would be great if Mercado Libre works for foreigners now. Every time my friends go down to stay in my place they always have to use my account.

That is what I do. I just use Mike's accounts for everything. 🤣

 

[ElQueso]

I am mostly looking for local businesses/services with local presence, hence did not mention Wise, peanut app, etc.

I will look into PedidosYa and TurnosYa. I think PedidosYa needs a DNI, the last time I tried. Never heard of TurnosYa.

Funny, most popular services end in 'Ya'. 🙂

Gotta go with what works. They all copy the Ya but it's the only thing in BA that is quick! I'm surprised how well Rappi and PedidiosYa work.

 

[bapal]

Wow @bapal how did you get ML to work? Did you just upload your passport? It didn't work for me a few months ago. But if it works I'll try again.

I don't remember even providing them with a passport. As long as you do not use any part of the app other than ordering items from the store, it should continue to work. One time, I tried using food delivery through ML, which needed MP to be enabled, and they banned my account for missing a DNI.

 

[Marianne D]

I don't remember even providing them with a passport. As long as you do not use any part of the app other than ordering items from the store, it should continue to work. One time, I tried using food delivery through ML, which needed MP to be enabled, and they banned my account for missing a DNI.

I heard a coworker say the same thing that they were able to get access to Mercado Libre without a DNI but then they accidentally tried to use something else and locked them out. I don't even want to try to sign up until we land in BA. @bapal once they banned your account how did you sign back up for another one?

 

[bapal]

I heard a coworker say the same thing that they were able to get access to Mercado Libre without a DNI but then they accidentally tried to use something else and locked them out. I don't even want to try to sign up until we land in BA. @bapal once they banned your account how did you sign back up for another one?

Just created another account with another phone number and email (Wife's), and it still works. Now we know what not to do. We have been placing orders and receiving deliveries without any hassles for months.

 

[MikeAnton]

Just created another account with another phone number and email (Wife's), and it still works. Now we know what not to do. We have been placing orders and receiving deliveries without any hassles for months.

Thanks bapal! I tried before to get a ML account last year and it didn't work but I just tried after reading your post and it allowed me to sign up! Very helpful. Thanks for posting!

 

[Will I Am]

I don't remember even providing them with a passport. As long as you do not use any part of the app other than ordering items from the store, it should continue to work. One time, I tried using food delivery through ML, which needed MP to be enabled, and they banned my account for missing a DNI.

This is very helpful. Thanks!

 

[David]

You all nailed all the apps that I have in my BA Folder on my iPhone. All are great. I'm not understanding the benefit of Peanut. Is it only to use crypto? Is there any cost to send crypto to the Peanut?

 

[BarryBloomWwf]

Mercado libre works without a DNI ........ Wot ? Can I please join the reality you live in, it would make mine so much easier