Top Tech & Gadgets for Living in Italy: Best Apps, Smart Home Devices & Startup Trends

Living in Italy in the digital age means embracing the latest in technology, innovation, and smart living. Whether you’re a local, an expat, or a digital nomad, having the right apps, gadgets, and an understanding of Italian tech startups can transform your lifestyle 🇮🇹📲. From navigating Italian bureaucracy to automating your home, this comprehensive guide dives into the best tech tools, apps, and digital trends you need to thrive in Italy in 2025.
🇮🇹 1. Best Apps for Living in Italy 📱
Let’s start with what you absolutely need on your smartphone to live comfortably and smartly in Italy.
📲 1.1. IO App – The Essential Italian Government App
- Purpose: Digital identity, public services, COVID certificates, cashback, paying fines & taxes.
- Why it’s essential: If you want to live in Italy without dealing with confusing bureaucracy, IO is your lifeline. You can connect it to SPID (Italian Digital Identity) and receive push notifications for everything from your health card renewal to paying the TARI waste tax.
- SEO Tip: Best app for managing Italian public services
🗺️ 1.2. Moovit / Trenitalia / Italo Treno – Public Transport & Rail Apps
- Purpose: Local public transit, train tickets, real-time timetables.
- Best for: Navigating Rome’s metro, Milan’s trams, or planning trips from Florence to Venice.
- Why it’s great: Moovit gives you up-to-the-minute routes and delays, while Trenitalia and Italo let you book and manage your train travel in Italy like a local.
- Bonus: Italo often has flash sales accessible only through their app!
🍕 1.3. Glovo / Deliveroo / Just Eat Italia – Food Delivery Apps
- Purpose: Food and grocery delivery.
- Where they shine: Milan, Rome, Bologna, Turin, and Florence.
- Why use them: Whether you’re craving Neapolitan pizza or Sicilian arancini, these apps connect you with top-rated local eateries fast.
- SEO Tip: Best food delivery apps in Italy
🏦 1.4. Satispay – Italian Mobile Payments App
- Purpose: Mobile wallet and digital payments.
- Uniquely Italian: It’s the Venmo of Italy, accepted at thousands of small businesses.
- Cool features: Send money to friends, get cashback, pay at cafés, or even donate to charities in-app.
- Why it’s trending: Satispay is part of Italy’s fintech revolution.
🏘️ 1.5. Immobiliare.it / Idealista – Apartment Search Apps
- Purpose: Rent or buy apartments and houses in Italy.
- Perfect for: Expats or digital nomads finding a home.
- Features: Detailed filters, price history, map searches, and direct agent contact.
- SEO Tip: Best apps for finding apartments in Italy
📦 1.6. Poste Italiane & Amazon.it – Logistics & Shopping
- Poste Italiane: For managing postal deliveries, digital stamps, and payments.
- Amazon.it: The local Amazon experience with fast Prime delivery, Italian-language interface, and localized deals.
🚀 2. Italian Startups & Digital Trends You Should Know 💡
Italy may be known for history and art, but it’s also an emerging tech powerhouse in sectors like AI, greentech, blockchain, and agritech.
🌱 2.1. Zero (by CDP & Eni) – Italy’s ClimateTech Accelerator
- Location: Rome
- What it does: Supports startups that tackle climate change using innovative tech.
- Examples: Energy-saving systems, water purification tech, circular economy innovations.
🧠 2.2. Bending Spoons (Milan) – Mobile App Giants
- Famous for: Developing top iOS apps like Splice (video editing) and Remini (AI photo enhancer).
- Why it matters: A true Italian unicorn, showing that tech startups in Italy can compete globally.
- Trend: Rise of mobile-first companies headquartered in Milan.
🛵 2.3. Scalapay – Buy Now, Pay Later Revolution 🇮🇹💳
- Sector: Fintech / E-commerce
- Why it’s booming: With young Italians looking for more flexibility in shopping, Scalapay makes online and offline purchases easier with no upfront cost.
- Partner brands: Nike, Decathlon, and even luxury fashion outlets.
🚜 2.4. xFarm Technologies – Agritech meets IoT
- Headquarters: Milan
- Mission: Digitize European farming using sensors, data analytics, and cloud platforms.
- Why it’s hot: Agriculture is central to Italy’s economy, and tech is modernizing everything from olive oil production to wine fermentation.
🧑⚕️ 2.5. PatchAi – AI-Powered Health Companion
- Sector: HealthTech
- Use Case: Virtual assistants that support clinical trials and help patients adhere to medication.
- Why it matters: Puts Italy on the AI-in-healthcare map, alongside Silicon Valley giants.
🏠 3. Smart Home Gadgets for Life in Italy 🤖🏡
Want to make your Italian home smarter and more efficient? Check out the top smart gadgets that are trending in 2025 among Italian tech lovers.
💡 3.1. Google Nest Hub & Alexa Echo Show (Italian edition)
- Supports: Italian language
- Controls: Lights, music, appliances, news, weather
- Why it’s useful in Italy: Integrates with Enel X smart plugs and TP-Link smart devices widely used in Europe.
🔌 3.2. Enel X Smart Plugs & Thermostats
- Brand: Enel, Italy’s top energy provider
- Features: Control energy usage, schedule appliances, reduce electricity bills.
- Bonus: Connects seamlessly with Google and Alexa ecosystems.
🔐 3.3. Yale Linus Smart Lock (EU Version)
- Why it works in Italy: Compatible with EU lock types, enables keyless entry to apartments.
- Smart Features: Auto-lock, virtual guest keys, remote monitoring.
- Perfect for: AirBnB hosts, urban apartments, or remote-controlled second homes.
🎥 3.4. Ezviz or Arlo Indoor/Outdoor Security Cameras
- Why Italian homeowners love it: Compact, privacy-respecting, and integrates with Italian internet systems.
- Features: Night vision, motion detection, smartphone alerts.
🌡️ 3.5. Tado° Smart Climate Control
- Supports: Radiators and wall-mounted heating common in Italian homes.
- Functionality: Adjust heating based on weather, geolocation, or routines.
- Why it’s smart: Energy savings + comfort = Italian winter bliss ❄️🔥
📊 4. Digital Lifestyle Trends in Italy (2025 Edition) 🔮
🧑💻 4.1. Remote Work Culture is Here to Stay
- Trend: More Italians are working remotely from countryside villages, historic towns, and even digital nomad hubs like Matera.
- Tools: Slack, Zoom, Notion – plus local coworking apps like Cowo and Talent Garden.
- SEO Tip: Remote work tools in Italy
🌐 4.2. Rise of the Digital Nomad Visa
- What’s new: Italy introduced a “Digital Nomad Visa” allowing remote workers to live and work legally for up to 1 year.
- Why it matters: More foreigners are choosing Rome, Naples, and Palermo for their Mediterranean WFH lifestyle.
💶 4.3. Open Banking & Fintech Growth
- Apps like: Hype, Revolut Italia, N26
- Trends: Budgeting, crypto-friendly platforms, Italian IBANs for freelancers
- SEO Tip: Best digital banks in Italy 2025
🛒 4.4. E-commerce Expansion Beyond Amazon
- Boom in platforms like:
- ePrice.it: Italy’s electronics shopping hub.
- Zalando (Italy): For fashion and beauty.
- Etsy Italia: Artisan and handmade markets.
🛠️ 5. Must-Have Tech Accessories in Italy in 2025 💼
🌍 5.1. Portable Wi-Fi Hotspot (Like GlocalMe)
- Why you need it: Italian countryside and trains can have spotty internet.
- Bonus: Works across Europe—great for weekend trips to France or Switzerland!
🔋 5.2. Power Banks (Anker / Trust Italy)
- Why it matters: Italy’s outdoor café culture means long hours out – stay charged in Rome’s piazzas or Milan’s design week.
🔌 5.3. EU Plug Adapters & Surge Protectors
- For expats: Make sure your devices from the US/UK are compatible.
- Pro Tip: Get one with USB-C ports to stay future-ready.
🇮🇹 6. Final Tips: Living Smart in Italy with Tech 🤌
- 📡 Choose the right mobile plan: Iliad, TIM, Vodafone, and WindTre offer competitive data plans. Iliad is often the cheapest.
- 💳 Always have contactless cards or mobile wallet ready: Cash is still king in small towns, but Apple Pay and Google Pay are growing.
- 🌐 Learn Italian with AI: Apps like Duolingo, Babbel, and even ChatGPT (in Italian!) are helping residents level up their language.
- 🗂️ Digitize your documents: Scan your Codice Fiscale, passport, and permesso di soggiorno using Adobe Scan or CamScanner.
FAQs About Tech & Gadgets in Italy 🇮🇹
1. What are the best apps for living in Italy?
Italy has several must-have apps for daily life, including:
- IO App (for government services)
- Trenitalia/Italo (train travel)
- Moovit (public transport)
- Glovo/Just Eat (food delivery)
- Satispay (mobile payments)
- Immobiliare.it (real estate)
2. Which Italian startups are leading in tech innovation?
Some of the most promising Italian startups in 2024 include:
- Satispay (mobile payments)
- Bending Spoons (app development)
- Everli (grocery delivery)
- Treedom (eco-friendly tree planting)
- Young Platform (cryptocurrency exchange)
3. Is Italy good for digital nomads and remote workers?
Yes! Italy offers:
- Co-working spaces in major cities (Milan, Rome, Florence)
- Affordable 5G SIM cards (TIM, Vodafone, Iliad)
- Digital nomad visa (coming soon for non-EU remote workers)
- Fast internet in urban areas (though rural zones may lag)
4. What smart home gadgets are popular in Italy?
Italians are adopting:
- Smart thermostats (Nest, Enel X)
- Home security cameras (Arlo, Ring)
- Voice assistants (Google Home, Alexa)
- Solar-powered devices (great for sunny regions)
5. How can I pay bills and taxes digitally in Italy?
Use these digital tools:
- IO App (official government app for taxes & services)
- Poste Italiane App (bills, banking, postal services)
- SPID (digital identity for accessing online services)
6. What’s the best way to learn Italian using apps?
Top language-learning apps for Italian:
- Duolingo (gamified lessons)
- Babbel (structured courses)
- Memrise (vocabulary & real-life phrases)
- HelloTalk (chat with native speakers)
7. Which Italian cities are the most tech-friendly?
The best cities for tech lovers are:
- Milan (Italy’s startup & fintech hub)
- Rome (growing digital nomad scene)
- Turin (smart city projects & AI research)
- Bologna (university-driven innovation)
8. Are ride-sharing apps like Uber available in Italy?
Yes, but with restrictions:
- Uber (only operates as Uber Black in major cities)
- Free Now (best for taxis)
- Bolt (cheaper alternative in Rome & Milan)
9. How can I reduce food waste in Italy using apps?
Try:
- Too Good To Go (discounted surplus meals)
- Bring the Food (connects restaurants with charities)
10. What’s the future of tech in Italy?
Expect growth in:
- 5G & fiber internet expansion
- AI adoption in businesses
- Green tech & sustainability startups
- More e-government services
Still have questions? Drop them in the comments! 👇💬
📌 Conclusion: Embrace La Dolce Vita — Digitally 💻🍝
Whether you’re relocating to Florence, working remotely in Rome, or retiring in the Amalfi Coast, Italy offers the perfect blend of old-world charm and modern tech. By downloading the right apps, investing in smart home gadgets, and staying informed about Italy’s booming digital ecosystem, you can live smarter, easier, and more connected 🇮🇹❤️.
Discover more from SuqMall
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.