Guide
EV charging apps, RFID cards and Plug and Charge: what you actually need
Network apps versus roaming cards versus tap-to-pay, and how to keep it down to two or three tools.
A phone screen full of charging apps is the emblem of early EV life. It is no longer necessary: two or three well-chosen tools cover almost every public charger. Here is how to choose.
The three ways to start a charger
The network’s own app. Every operator has one: register a card and start its chargers at list price, with any membership discounts. The best price is nearly always here.
Roaming apps and RFID cards. Services that aggregate many networks: one app or one card starts chargers from dozens of operators. Very convenient on trips, but the price includes a markup, often 10 to 30 percent over the native app. Many carmakers offer their own roaming card with conditions for their customers.
Contactless bank card. Required on new fast chargers in the UK and EU, and increasingly present in North America and Australia: tap and charge, no app, no account. The rate is the “guest” rate, the highest on the board, and a pre-authorisation of 30 to 60 units of currency is held and later released.
Choosing: the three-step strategy
- Identify the networks you will use every week. Near home and work. The city pages on this site list the networks with the most locations, and the map filters by network. Install their native apps and consider a membership if you exceed 60 to 80 kWh a month.
- Add one roaming solution for trips. An app or card that covers the highways and regions you drive.
- Keep a contactless card as the safety net. It covers fast chargers even when the phone has no signal or the app updated at the wrong moment.
RFID card or app?
The card works with no mobile signal and no phone battery: in underground car parks and tunnels that matters. Apps show status, price and receipts and can start a session remotely. The ideal is both for your main network; most send the card free or for a few dollars.
Plug and Charge
Newer cars support ISO 15118: plug in and charging starts by itself, because the car authenticates with a digital certificate tied to your account. It is available on a growing number of fast-charging sites in North America and Europe, and Tesla Superchargers have worked this way for Tesla owners from the start. If your car supports it, enable it in the manufacturer’s app: it is the most convenient method of all.
Mistakes to avoid
- Registering a card in ten apps “just in case”: harder to track charges, and you end up roaming near home and paying more.
- Buying prepaid bundles that expire before you check your real consumption.
- Forgetting the pre-authorisation hold: on a low card limit, the second charge of the day can be declined.
- Relying on the app alone without a card: no signal, no charge.
The bare minimum
For most people: the native app of the main network plus its card, one roaming app for trips, and a contactless card in the wallet. Three tools, not ten. To see how roaming markups change the final bill, the cost guide compares every line item.