Updated April 2026

iFood, Mercado Livre, Rappi: Brazilian Apps That Need Your CPF

Brazil has one of the most developed app ecosystems in the world. Food delivery, e-commerce, ride-hailing, apartment rentals, streaming, fitness -- there is an app for everything, and most of them are genuinely excellent. The catch? Nearly every single one requires a CPF to sign up. This guide covers all the major apps you are missing out on without a CPF and why getting one should be your top priority.

Brazil's app ecosystem is incredible

Brazil has one of the most developed app ecosystems in the world. Food delivery that is fast and affordable, e-commerce with next-day delivery, ride-hailing that is cheaper than driving, apartment platforms with virtual tours. The technology is genuinely impressive.

But every single one of these apps requires a CPF to sign up. It is not optional. Brazil uses the CPF as a universal identity number for everything digital. Until you have one, you are locked out of the best parts of living here.

The frustration is real. You arrive in Brazil, hear about all these amazing apps, download them excitedly, and then hit a wall: "Please enter your CPF." Every time. For every app. It is the first field on every registration form, and there is no way around it.

This is not an oversight or an inconvenience. It is by design. Brazilian law requires identity verification for financial transactions, and the CPF is the standard mechanism. Since almost every app involves payments in some form, the CPF requirement is universal.

The good news: once you have your CPF, the entire ecosystem opens up at once. One number, and suddenly you have access to everything. It is genuinely one of the most satisfying moments of moving to Brazil.

Food delivery: iFood and Rappi

iFood is Brazil's largest food delivery app with over 300,000 restaurants. The variety is incredible, the prices are reasonable, and delivery is fast. It is the Uber Eats of Brazil but bigger and better integrated into daily life. CPF required.

What makes iFood special is its depth. Beyond restaurants, you can order groceries, pharmacy items, pet supplies, and even alcohol. The app has a loyalty program that gives you discounts based on how often you order. The interface is clean, and most restaurants have reviews, photos, and estimated delivery times.

For pricing context: a full meal from a good restaurant delivered to your door typically costs R$20-35 (about $4-7 USD). That includes delivery fees. You can eat well for a fraction of what delivery costs in most Western countries.

Rappi delivers food, groceries, pharmacy items, and basically anything else you can think of. Need medicine at 11pm? Rappi. Forgot to buy milk? Rappi. Also requires a CPF.

Rappi's "RappiFavor" feature lets you request almost anything. Someone will go to a store, buy what you need, and deliver it. It is like having a personal assistant on demand. This is especially useful when you first arrive and do not know where to find specific items.

Without these apps, you are limited to restaurants that have their own delivery or walking to pick up food. In a country where R$25 gets you a full meal delivered to your door, not having access to iFood feels like a genuine loss.

Shopping: Mercado Livre and Amazon BR

Mercado Livre is Latin America's largest e-commerce platform. Electronics, furniture, clothing, household items, often with same-day or next-day delivery in major cities. The deals are consistently better than physical stores. CPF required.

Mercado Livre is not just a marketplace. It has its own payment system (Mercado Pago), its own logistics network (Mercado Envios), and even a credit line for frequent shoppers. The delivery experience in major cities rivals Amazon in speed and reliability. Buying through Mercado Livre's "full" program (similar to Amazon Prime fulfillment) means fast, trackable delivery with easy returns.

For furnishing an apartment, Mercado Livre is your best friend. A quick search reveals everything from sofas to kitchen appliances at competitive prices, often with interest-free installment plans (parcelamento). This installment culture is huge in Brazil -- even a R$200 item can be split into 10 monthly payments of R$20.

Amazon Brazil operates separately from Amazon US/UK. Different inventory, different prices, great Prime delivery. CPF required. Amazon BR has been growing rapidly and now offers a wide selection, especially for electronics, books, and household items. Prime membership costs R$19.90/month and includes free delivery plus Prime Video.

Without a CPF, you are shopping in physical stores, paying retail prices, and carrying everything home yourself. With a CPF, you have two of the biggest e-commerce platforms in the world delivering to your door.

Rides: Uber and 99

Uber works in Brazil with your existing international account, but to get the full experience (including Uber Cash top-ups, Pix payment, and local promotions), you want a Brazilian account tied to your CPF.

99 is Brazil's own ride-hailing app, now owned by China's Didi. It is often cheaper than Uber, especially in major cities. The app requires a CPF for full functionality. Many expats use both and compare prices before each ride.

Ride prices in Brazil are remarkably affordable. A 20-minute Uber or 99 ride typically costs R$15-30 (about $3-6 USD). In cities with traffic like Sao Paulo, having both apps installed means you can find a ride quickly even during peak hours.

Both apps accept Pix as a payment method, which is the cheapest way to pay (no card processing fees for the driver, which sometimes translates to lower ride prices).

Housing: QuintoAndar

QuintoAndar is Brazil's largest rental platform. It handles everything: listings with professional photos and virtual tours, digital contract signing, rent collection, and maintenance requests. The entire rental experience is managed through the app.

Naturally, it requires a CPF to register. Without one, you cannot even browse listings with full detail, let alone apply for an apartment. With a CPF, you can filter by neighbourhood, price range, size, and amenities, schedule viewings, and submit applications digitally.

QuintoAndar eliminates many of the traditional friction points in Brazilian renting: no need for a fiador (guarantor), transparent pricing, and a standardized process. For foreigners, it is the single best platform for finding an apartment.

The full list of what opens up

Beyond the major apps above, here is everything else your CPF unlocks:

• ✓ Gympass/Wellhub for gym access across hundreds of locations with a single membership
• ✓ Netflix Brazil and Spotify Brazil at local pricing in reais, which is significantly cheaper than international pricing
• ✓ Nubank, Inter, C6 Bank for banking with Pix payments
• ✓ Vivo, Claro, TIM for postpaid phone plans
• ✓ Gov.br for government services including digital health card and vaccination records
• ✓ Magazine Luiza and Casas Bahia for electronics and home goods at competitive prices
• ✓ Droga Raia and Drogasil pharmacy apps for medicine delivery
• ✓ Decolar for domestic flights at Brazilian prices (often cheaper than international booking sites)

Even government services like checking your vaccination records or accessing your digital health card require a CPF.

The pattern is always the same: Brazil has built amazing digital infrastructure, and the CPF is the key to all of it. Once you have yours, every app, every service, every convenience that makes Brazil such a great place to live becomes available to you.

Entertainment and local pricing

One benefit of having Brazilian accounts for streaming services is local pricing. Netflix Brazil costs R$32-55/month depending on the plan (about $6-11 USD), compared to $7-23 in the US. Spotify costs R$21.90/month (about $4.50). These savings add up over time.

Disney+, HBO Max, and Amazon Prime Video all offer Brazilian pricing as well. Having a CPF and a Brazilian payment method (Pix or a Nubank card) means you can subscribe at local rates to all your streaming services.

For gaming, the PlayStation Store and Xbox Store both offer Brazilian pricing when accessed with a Brazilian account, which requires a CPF. Game prices in Brazil are significantly lower than international stores.

Frequently asked questions