best trip planner app free

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The best trip planner apps to make your travels easier

Booking a trip can be an exciting yet daunting task. As if booking airfare, hotel, and transportation weren't enough, you also need to consider food, sights, and attractions. As a travel lover myself, I often dread planning and preparing for a trip. Not only do I never have the time, but I often get oversaturated by the vast amount of information found online and the fear of getting scammed. 

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Over the years, I've found the best websites and apps to help smooth out the planning process. These apps help me keep track of all my reservations, send me booking reminders, and guarantee I always find the best prices -- because there is nothing worse than falling for tourist traps or overpriced offerings. 

Whether you are a spontaneous or a nitty-gritty planner traveler, ZDNET has tested and reviewed the best trip planner apps on the market. Our top pick for the best trip planner site and app is Booking.com due to its easy-to-use user interface, extensive booking capabilities, and pricing. However, since not every trip or traveler is the same, we've included several options to help you plan and stay organized during your travels. 

Keep reading to learn more about ZDNET's expert-tested and reviewed trip planner apps. 

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The best trip planner apps of 2023

Booking.com, best overall trip planner.

• Multiple bookings
• Great deals
• Can earn points from bookings and reservations
• Easy to use
• No group planning
• Can't organize bookings per trip

Booking.com features:   Platform: App and website |  Compatibility:  iOS and Android |  Pricing:  Free |  Booking:  Yes |  Group planning:  No

When planning my trips, I always make a stop at the Booking.com app, especially when reserving hotels. I find their user interface visually appealing and easy to use, and that it provides just the right amount of information I need when scrolling through hotel suggestions. Personally, I enjoy that I can add my top picks to my favorites with a quick tap of a heart, glance through reviews, look at cancellation policies, and even find out how far away hotels are from key spots. Through Booking.com, you can also book flights, car rentals, taxis, and city attractions, making it a great all-in-one place to plan and book upcoming weekend getaways or longer vacations. While I have personally never used the car rentals, taxis, or city attractions components of the app, I enjoy knowing that if I ever needed to, I can quickly hop on my phone and glance at the latest offerings. 

My favorite feature when using Booking.com to plan trips is the offers and promotions it displays for users. In the app, when you click your profile, you can see your "Genius" loyalty program status as well as discover the best deals around the world for your specific chosen dates. My only critique of Booking.com is that it does not enable group trip planning or let you organize your bookings per trip. This means if you are planning a trip with a friend, only one person can book and have access to reservations. 

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Best trip planner for organization

• Synced with e-mail inbox
• Organizes reservations no matter where you book
• Works offline
• Can't make any bookings
• Need to pay for advanced features
• UI could use an upgrade

TripIt features:   Platform:  App and website |  Compatibility: iOS and Android | Pricing: Free or $49 per year | Booking: No | Group planning: Yes

In terms of planning a trip, creating an itinerary, and keeping all your information in one place, TripIt is one of the best travel apps to keep yourself organized. When you first create an account, TripIt will sync with your inbox and automatically add all of your upcoming flights and reservations to your account. You can then modify each trip to include as little or as much information as you'd like. As someone who likes to be spontaneous when traveling, I usually only add the essentials: flight information, hotel reservations, and important documents. However, if you like to plan your trips down by the hour, you can also include activities, restaurant reservations, transportation, and more in your trip plan to share with fellow travelers.

As your trip approaches, TripIt will also send you packing reminders, give you COVID-19 travel guidance, and show transportation options. While you can get most of the essential features within the free version of the app (this is the one I use), you can also pay $49 a year to get advanced features such as check-in reminders, real-time flight alerts, point tracking, and even notifications for drops in airfare prices. 

Keep in mind that while TripIt gives you transportation options and finds places near your hotel, you cannot book or make any reservations directly from the app. The app is solely used to organize and keep track of all of your travel plans in one place, no matter where you book them. 

Best AI trip planner

• Personalized travel itinerary
• Hotel booking
• Can modify recommendations
• Group planning enabled
• Only available as a website
• No flight or restaurant booking

Guide features:   Platform: Website  Compatibility: all major browsers |  Pricing:  Free | Booking: Yes, but hotels only | Group Planning: Yes  Generative AI is everyone's favorite buzzword this year, and slowly but surely, it has been making its way across all industries -- including the travel industry. Guide is an innovative AI travel planning tool that creates personalized travel itineraries based on your preferences. (Full disclosure, it's also owned by ZDNET's sister company. It's currently in private beta, but you can join a wait list.) All you need to do is select your destination, the dates, whether you are traveling alone or in a group, your budget, and the types of activities you are looking for, and Guide will do the planning. 

After generating a trip itinerary for you based on your prompt, Guide then lets you modify and customize the itinerary to your liking. I recently used Guide to plan a six-day trip to Austin, Texas, and this was the feature I enjoyed the most, since I had specific restaurants and activities I wanted to incorporate into my trip, but I also needed some additional recommendations. While you can't book flights or restaurant reservations through Guide, you can book and find great hotel deals powered by Expedia on the platform. 

Guide will also give you an overall budget for your trip, a packing list, and a comprehensive list of things to know about your destination -- which may be helpful for some more than others. While my trip to Austin was a solo trip, Guide has a feature where you can invite other fellow travelers to collaborate in planning your trip through Guide's chatbot, GuideBot. This chatbot also works sort of like ChatGPT, where you can ask GuideBot questions about your trip, your destination, or recommendations. Keep in mind you can not ask GuideBot to directly modify your trip for you, and instead need to manually do it yourself -- believe me, I tried. 

Tripadvisor

Best trip planner app for reviews.

• Countless reviews
• Used by travelers worldwide
• Variety of information
• Booking capabilities
• Great for local spots
• Booking is not its strongest feature and you may not always find the best deals
• Doesn't vet reviews

Tripadvisor  features: Platform:  App and website |  Compatibility:  iOS and Android |  Pricing:  Free |  Booking:  Yes |  Group planning:  No

Reading customer reviews is one of the most important steps when planning a trip. While you shouldn't base all of your decisions on reviews, you should consider past customer experiences to get a feel for the brand and company you are about to trust, or the experience you are going to pay for.  When it comes to travel reviews, Tripadvisor is the best trip planner app to rely on. Since the platform has so many reviews for restaurants, activities, accommodations, and locations all over the world, it is always easy and convenient to log onto the app or website to help you make an educated decision. (However, remember that not all Tripadvisor reviews are legit, since the platform does not independently verify customer postings.) Beyond reviews, TripAdvisor also lets you book hotels, restaurants, things to do, and more while also providing detailed insights into their offerings -- including cancellation policies, ratings, and features. 

Tripadvisor's "Travelers' Choice" best-of list is also a popular part of its platform, allowing visitors to see top-rated destinations, hotels, restaurants, and things to do around the world. With Tripadvisor, you can plan a trip yourself from scratch, hire a trip designer, or get a custom itinerary built by AI. 

Best trip planner app for transportation

• Great multi-mode travel comparison
• convenient and seamless transportation booking
• Multiple currency and language availability
• Flight deals and suggestions are not the strongest
• Limited offers depending on the country or city of travel
• Not the most reliable customer service

Omio features:  Platform:  App and website |  Compatibility:  iOS and Android |  Pricing:  Free |  Booking:  Yes, transportation only |  Group planning:  No

I first discovered Omio when a friend recommended it to me while I was studying abroad in Spain, and ever since I downloaded it, it has become my go-to app for booking the best deals and fares on transportation within Europe. The concept behind Omio is simple: You plug in your departure and arrival location, including the number of people you are traveling with, and add whether you are looking for a one-way or round-trip journey. Omio will then show you the best deals by train, bus, or plane to and from your desired destination, including how much time each option will take you and the number of stops. 

The German-based travel booking site is great at aggregating travel information from multiple sites, allowing you to view all of your transportation options in one place. This is incredibly beneficial when planning trips within Europe since there are several ways you can cross each border and often various languages and regulations to keep in mind. Omio is set in English but has multiple additional languages available, as well as currency options. During my time abroad, I solely used Omio to book all of my transportation, including planning a 17-day trip across seven different European countries. Overall, using Omio was not only convenient and seamless but also helped me save hundreds of dollars by helping me maximize my travel time by switching between flights, trains, and buses. 

However, since returning from Europe, I have not used Omio as much as I thought I would -- maybe because I have a car and take most of my trips by plane. And Omio's flight deals and suggestions are not the strongest compared to Booking.com or Skyscanner's, which heavily focus on flight deals. I have also found they have some limitations depending on the country or city you are traveling in. Be mindful of the deals and tickets you buy through Omio since some tickets are non-refundable, and some customers complain their customer service is not the best -- although I have yet to have any issues with them. 

What is the best trip planner app?

Booking.com gets our vote for the best trip planner app due to its wide selection of accommodations, its points and promotions offerings, and its easy-to-use user interface. Not only does Booking.com help you find the best deals throughout your trip, but it will also help you stay organized throughout your trip by keeping all of your reservations in one place. To determine which trip planner app or combination of trip planners is best for you, check out this comparison chart below. 

Which is the right trip planner app for you?

The best trip planner app ultimately depends on your travel and planning style. If you like booking and planning everything in one place while also earning points and getting great deals, then Booking.com is your top app. However, if you are looking for a place to keep all of your accommodations, reservations, and activity details organized, then TripIt is a better app for you. Check out the following chart to help you find the best trip planner app or a combination of apps for you to plan your next adventure. 

How did we choose these trip planner apps?

To find the best trip planner apps, we drew upon real-life experiences and tested their performance and capabilities during our latest trips. Ultimately, we weighted the following factors when choosing which trip planners to include on our list: 

• Features: Each app can vary significantly with the features it offers, whether it is solely to book flights and hotels, help you plan your next trip using AI, or help you find the best deals and booking information, each app on this list can help you address several common inconveniences that present themselves while planning that next adventure.  
• Compatibility: An app is of little use if it does not work with your devices, so we look to see what compatibility each trip-planning app offers and which platforms you can access it from. Personally, I enjoy apps that combine an app and website component since this quickly helps me switch between my wide computer screen and my tiny yet portable iPhone screen. 
• Customer reviews: We study real customer reviews and ratings to evaluate customer satisfaction and service. This is incredibly important since most times when you travel, you visit an unknown city or country, and you should be mindful of past experiences others have had. 
• Cost : Most trip planner apps are free, but you may have to upgrade to receive special access to exclusive features or deals. If your app is already free, it means you only have to pay a small amount (often unnoticeable) when you book your accommodations. 

What is a trip planner app?

A trip planner app is an app that provides organizational features for your upcoming trip. It is often free and incorporates trip planning tools, whether you are traveling by ground, water or air.   

How does a trip planner app work?

A trip planner app can incorporate special features, like an itinerary, calendar, reservation and booking hub, and map assistance. Depending on the app you choose, there is even trip-sharing with friends and family to simplify the entire trip planning process.  

How much does a trip planner app cost?

Most trip planner apps are free, but some may offer in-app purchases to upgrade or enhance your experience. Within this list, only Tripit costs money, but only for their advanced features version, which costs $49 a year. However, you can get access to most if not all, trip-planning features, through their free version. 

Are there alternative trip planner apps worth considering?

As I mentioned earlier, trip planning heavily depends on your personal style of travel and preferences. However, whether you like to plan your trips down by the minute or prefer to just have the basics, there are several apps that can optimize your planning. Here are a few apps worth considering that almost made it onto our list: 

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The 7 Best Trip Planner Apps for Travelers

Sarah Schlichter

Deputy Executive Editor Sarah Schlichter's idea of a perfect trip includes spotting exotic animals, hiking through pristine landscapes, exploring new neighborhoods on foot, and soaking up as much art as she can. She often attempts to recreate recipes from her international travels after she gets home (which has twice resulted in accidental kitchen fires—no humans or animals were harmed).

Sarah joined the SmarterTravel team in 2017 after more than a decade at the helm of IndependentTraveler.com. Sarah's practical travel advice has been featured in dozens of news outlets including the New York Times, the Chicago Tribune, USA Today, Budget Travel, and Peter Greenberg Worldwide Radio. Follow her on Twitter @TravelEditor .

The Handy Item I Always Pack: "A journal. Even years later, reading my notes from a trip can bring back incredibly vivid memories."

Ultimate Bucket List Experience: "Road tripping and hiking through the rugged mountains of Patagonia."

Travel Motto: "'To awaken quite alone in a strange town is one of the pleasantest sensations in the world.'—Freya Stark"

Aisle, Window, or Middle Seat: "Aisle. I get restless on long flights and like to be able to move around without disturbing anyone else."

Email Sarah at [email protected] .

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Crafting a trip itinerary can be both fun and overwhelming. Which places are an absolute must-visit, and which ones can you skip? How much time should you spend at the art museum, and how close is it to that bookstore you want to check out? And how can you keep all your ideas and bookings neatly organized?

The best trip planner apps can help you answer those questions. I’ve found several that will help you discover the right places to go and organize your day-by-day itinerary in one handy place. Download these apps, and you can pitch your endless spreadsheets and Word docs into the recycle bin.

All of the following trip planner apps are free unless otherwise noted.

TripAdvisor

TripAdvisor ( iOS | Android ) is the granddaddy of trip planner apps. Unlike other apps that feature only major cities, TripAdvisor offers listings of both top attractions and hidden gems in just about every corner of the globe, along with restaurants, hotels, and vacation rentals. You can create customized itineraries by saving the places you’re interested in to the app’s new Trips feature . (Trips can be kept private or shared publicly.)

When you search for a city in the app, you’ll see a feed of other users’ trips, photos, videos, reviews, and articles about that destination, all offering ideas and inspiration. For more trip planning help, you can post your questions in the TripAdvisor forums , where destination experts offer in-depth advice.

Visit a City

Visit a City ( iOS | Android ) helps solve two common trip planning challenges: figuring out how long you need to spend at each place, and maximizing your vacation time by grouping nearby attractions together. When you select a destination, the app offers recommended sightseeing guides based on the number of days you plan to spend. For example, I put in that I was going to Paris, for three days and was given several itinerary options, including Top Attractions, Landmarks for Kids, Parks & Museums, Easy Going, and more. The app automatically puts nearby attractions together and lets you know how far apart they are (for instance, “three minutes by walking”). It also includes the estimated time that you’ll spend at each place.

You can edit the itinerary by changing the day you visit a place, revising the amount of time you spend there, or deleting the attraction altogether. (You’ll almost certainly have to do some editing, as the itineraries don’t include lunch or coffee breaks.) You can also book tours through the app and get general travel information about the destination, such as the best time of year to visit or tips for saving money.

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CityMaps2Go

CityMaps2Go ( iOS | Android ) offers a handy offline maps that you can customize with personal points of interest. Even better, the app displays your location on the map whether you’re connected to data or Wi-Fi. The app includes thousands of offline maps from just about anywhere on Earth, which means it’s useful for travelers who don’t want to pay international data charges when heading overseas. 

You can create different lists for your trip (for example, separate lists for dining, bars, attractions, etc.), and the locations you add to the list will show up on your map. Info cards for each place include a review score, nearby accommodations, some basic information, and the ability to add notes of your own.

The fun part of trip planning is imagining all the cool places you’ll go. What’s not so fun? Figuring out the logistics of getting there. Fortunately, Rome2rio ( iOS | Android ) can help solve that problem. The app searches just about every mode of transportation—plane, train, subway, bus, ferry, taxi, Uber—to recommend the best way to get from point A to point B.

You can enter either two destinations within a given city or two points farther apart, and the app will display your options, including the time it’ll take to travel and the approximate cost. Note that the listings are for planning purposes only, and you can’t actually book your flights or tickets through the app.

TripIt ( iOS | Android ) is a fixture on “best travel apps” lists, and for good reason. It turns an inbox full of scattered booking confirmations and restaurant reservations into a single master itinerary that you can access offline, sync with your phone’s calendar, and share with loved ones. You simply forward each confirmation email to [email protected] and let the app do the rest.

Upgrade to TripIt Pro ($49/year) for other useful features such as real-time flight alerts, rewards program tracking, and the ability to locate alternate flights if your original plans are disrupted.

Culture Trip

The app arm of Culture Trip ( iOS | Android ) aims to bring travelers a little bit out of the mainstream (tagline: “For curious travelers”) by highlighting unique, off-the-beaten-path options in popular destinations. With recommendations for more than 200 destinations around the world, it’s a great way to bring more local perspective to your trip planning. 

The Culture Trip app uses the publication’s content as a starting point; say, an article on the Top 9 Dessert Spots in Amsterdam. While reading the article, you can save individual places to lists that you create and view their location on maps. You can also explore their curated “Culture Trips”—pre-made itineraries for small group travel bookable within the app.

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TripScout ( iOS ) combines articles and videos from well-known travel publishers and local experts to form what it calls “a personalized, always up-to-date travel guide” for destinations around the world. Every point of interest mentioned in the content is mapped, so you can build a customized itinerary showing your intended destinations on a map.

TripScout can also personalize recommendations based on your travel dates, budget, interests, and even the number of people in your travel group. And like some of the other apps on this list, TripScout works entirely offline, potentially saving you from paying international data fees. The only downside? Android users are left out; TripScout is iOS only.

Editor’s note: This story was originally published in 2019, and has been updated to reflect the most current information. SmarterTravel’s Carl Unger contributed to this story.

Follow Sarah Schlichter on Twitter @TravelEditor for more travel tips and inspiration.

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The 19 Best Travel Planning Apps for Every Type of Traveler

December 1, 2021 15 min read

Planning your next travel adventure can be both exciting and stressful. While searching for amazing destinations and attractions to visit is always fun, keeping track of all of the information relating to your trip isn’t the easiest task. 

If you’ve been using Google docs and sheets or simply storing travel inspiration, confirmations, bookings, and reservations in your email, there’s a better way: using a travel planning app! 

You can discover an array of travel itinerary apps on the market, such as Wanderlog , a free and easy-to-use travel itinerary planner. But deciding which is best for your needs can be challenging. To help, we’ve put together this list of the 19 best travel planner apps on the market. 

To create this guide, we started by searching for the top trip planners online and in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. We then tested these apps and looked at user reviews to create this ultimate list of the best travel planning apps. This extensive list includes a range of apps, from road trip planning apps to itinerary planning apps. No matter what type of traveler you are, we have you covered. 

If you’re looking for a way to simplify travel planning and organization, keep reading! 

Best Overall Travel Planner App: Wanderlog 

We truly believe that Wanderlog is the best overall travel itinerary planning app on the market. Wanderlog allows you to plan detailed day-by-day itineraries, import all of your trip information, and search activity suggestions. It’s also perfect for group travelers and those traveling via a range of transport methods, from flying to taking a road trip. 

You can use Wanderlog in-browser, or download the app for iOS and Android. Wanderlog is 100% free to use, and this free version offers access to almost all of the apps’ features. There is an upgrade option, Wanderlog Pro, that offers added benefits with a one-week free trial.

Wanderlog Features

Activity Suggestions and Access to Pre-Created Trips 

You can search third-party websites and add things to do to your itinerary from online guides, like Tripadvisor or Google Trips. Wanderlog also offers activity suggestions, and you can view trips created by other users for inspiration. 

Storage and Organization of Travel Information 

When using Wanderlog, you can manually add travel information or automatically import reservations, bookings, and other email confirmations by syncing with Gmail. This travel information includes flight info, bus or train reservations,  accommodation details, rental car confirmations, and more. You can also add expenses for places and items on your itinerary, and manage your total budget.

Itinerary Creation 

As you upload travel information and add activities you want to undertake on your trip, a day-by-day itinerary will be created. This itinerary is incredibly easy to edit, and you can add notes to each stop. 

If you don’t need a day-by-day itinerary and want more flexibility in your plans, you can simply create lists, for example, a list of things to do or restaurants to try. 

Access to Maps 

When you add stops to your itinerary or lists, they’ll be displayed on a map. The map feature makes it easy to see where all the attractions you wish to visit are located, allowing you to plan the most efficient itinerary. 

Road Trip Planning

Wanderlog now offers the ability to plan road trips! You can add start and end destinations, plus unlimited stops along the way, and your road trip route will be shown on interactive maps. 

It’s super easy to rearrange these plans, and you can even use our “Road Trip Optimizer” to generate the most efficient route. The total time and distance of your road trip journey will be displayed too.  

Group Collaboration 

Wanderlog makes collaborating with others in your travel group a breeze! You can easily collaborate with others traveling with you by simply adding their email to your trip. Alternatively, you can just share a link to the itinerary. Having done this, all members of your group can collaborate on the plans in real-time. 

Wanderlog Pro Added Features

• Offline access to itineraries and maps
• Exporting of maps to Google Maps
• Auto scanning of travel confirmations in Gmail
• Road trip route optimization  

Who Is Wanderlog For? 

Wanderlog is the best app to plan travel for every type of traveler. From solo travelers to groups, and from the highly organized traveler to those that simply need one place to store information and activity suggestions. Wanderlog also has a highly user-friendly interface, and best of all, it’s free to use! 

Who Is Wanderlog Not For? 

Wanderlog is great for all travelers! Whether you want to organize your travel details, search for an array of activities to enjoy on your trip, or collaborate with fellow travelers, the Wanderlog travel planning app won’t disappoint. 

Does Wanderlog sound like the travel itinerary planner for you? Download the app today ! 

Best Road Trip Planning App: Roadtrippers

If you’re looking for road trip planner apps, Roadtrippers is one of the best options out there! This app is created exclusively for those traveling via car. It not only maps out the best routes for you to follow but also offers suggestions of things to do along the way. 

Roadtrippers can be used online and via their iPhone and Android app. Roadtrippers offers a free Basic version and a paid-for version called RoadTrippers Plus, which costs $29.99 per year.  

Roadtrippers Features

Custom Route Maps

Roadtrippers calculate the best route for you. Simply enter your road trip start and end destination, plus stops along the way if applicable. You can choose the fastest route or ask Roadtrippers to suggest additional stops along the way. 

Activity and Attraction Suggestions 

As just mentioned, Roadtrippers offers suggestions on things to do along your road trip route. These suggestions include activities to try and attractions to visit, as well as dining and accommodation suggestions. 

Gas Cost Estimations 

Once you have a route mapped, Roadtrippers provides an estimation of the total gas cost. This feature is great for those operating on a budget. 

Navigation 

Roadtrippers also help guide you once you set out on the trip with in-app navigation. This feature allows you to stay within the app instead of switching to another navigation app, like Google Maps. 

Roadtrippers Plus Added Features 

• Offline maps
• Collaboration features, allowing multiple travelers to add to the road trip itinerary 
• Live traffic updates 
• Special promotions from Roadtrippers’ travel panthers, such as discounts on hotels 
• Dark mode 
• No in-app ads 

Who Is Roadtrippers For? 

As the name suggests, Roadtrippers is ideal for people planning road trips. The app is helpful for all types of road trip travelers, from those looking for a quick route from A to B to those wanting to visit an array of attractions along a multi-city route. 

Who Is RoadTrippers Not For? 

This app isn’t optimal for those planning different types of travel experiences. For example, if you’ll fly to one city and then want recommendations for tourist attractions, this isn’t the right app for you. You also miss out on features without a paid account, so if you want to benefit from all of a travel apps’ features for free, you may not be interested in RoadTrippers. 

Want to learn more about Roadtrippers? Read our in-depth Roadtrippers review ! 

Best Travel Planning App for Trip Information Organization: TripIt

TripIt is one of the relatively well-known itinerary planning apps that stores all your trip details, like transport and accommodation information, in one place. TripIt can be used via web browser or an app for iOS or Android. 

TripIt has both a free version of the app, with limited features, and a paid-for version called TripIt Pro. You can also purchase TripIt for Teams which is targeted at business travelers.

TripIt Pro: $49 per year with a 30-day free trial

TripIt Teams: Starts at $29 a month for one to ten users 

TripIt Features

TripIt allows you to upload your travel information to one place. Things you can upload include flight details, hotel bookings, and activity reservations. You can manually upload information or email it to TripIt. 

TripIt Pro Added Features 

• Transport fare trackers
• Check-in reminders
• Flight updates
• Seat upgrade information 
• Airport security wait time updates 
• Loyalty/rewards program points tracker 
• Baggage claim location notification 
• Interactive maps
• Ability to share plans with others 
• Features to add documents to your itinerary, such as photos or PDFs 

Who Is TripIt For? 

This is a great app for those that only want to store and organize all the information they already have relating to a trip in one place, and have access to this information on their phone. It’s also very easy to use. 

Those that also want notifications related to their trip all in one place will appreciate the features offered by TripIt Pro. 

Who Is TripIt Not For? 

TripIt is quite a basic itinerary planner. In addition, TripIt doesn’t offer suggestions on things to do in the city you’re visiting. These drawbacks mean that TripIt is best for those that only want to store all of their travel information in one place.

If you’re looking for an app that offers travel suggestions, such as activities to try or landmarks to visit, this isn’t the app for you. Travelers looking for a free travel itinerary app will probably not be interested in TripIt either (you should instead try Wanderlog that’s 100% free to use!) 

Unsure if TripIt is right for you? Read our detailed TripIt review to learn more about the app.

Best Travel Planning App for Documenting Your Trip: Polarsteps

Polarsteps allows you to document your entire trip, along with creating itineraries. This travel app can be used in-browser or via an app and is one of the best free travel planner apps, as you can access all features at no cost. You can pay for a printed travel book with pictures and notes relating to your trip. These books start at approximately $40 for a 24-page book.

Polarsteps Features

Trip Itinerary Creation 

You can create a trip itinerary and add as many stops as you like. These stops include different cities, countries, and landmarks/places of interest. A map showing each stop will also be generated. 

Addition of Images, Videos, and Notes 

For every stop added, you can also upload pictures, videos, and a description of the place. This feature is ideal for those looking to document their adventure and makes Polarsteps somewhat of a digital travel scrapbook. 

Access to Pre-Created Trips

You can follow other users (as you would on social media networks) and access their pre-created trips. This is the one discovery feature on the app to help you find additional places to visit. 

Sharing Features 

It’s easy to share trips with other people, like friends and family. You can add followers to your trip, which allows them to see everything you’re doing. Multiple people, however, can not edit and add to a trip from different accounts. 

Who Is Polarsteps For? 

Polarsteps is recommended for those that want to document their entire trip with images, notes, and the like. It’s also perfect for those taking long, multi-city trips, although can be used by those taking shorter trips too. 

Who Is Polarsteps Not For? 

This app isn’t recommended for those looking to create an itinerary that simply keeps all of their travel information in one place. If you don’t want to document your trip via images, notes, and videos, Polarsteps probably won’t be worth using. 

The app also isn’t great for those looking for activity suggestions, you can access the trips of others for ideas, but the Polarsteps will not offer streamlined activity suggestions itself. 

Read our detailed Polarsteps review to discover more about this app. 

Best Alternative to Print Travel Guides: Lonely Planet Guides

Lonely Planet is an extremely well-known travel guide brand. Recently, they launched an app, Lonely Planet Guides, that is quickly becoming one of the  best travel planner apps. Lonely Planet Guides offers attractions and landmark suggestions for over 1,000 cities. You can also access videos, curated collections, and phrasebooks. 

Lonely Planet Guides is accessible via an app for iOS and Android. There is a free version, but it’s very basic, so paying for a subscription is necessary in most cases. Lonely Planet Guides pricing is as follows: 

• One Month: $4.99
• Six Months: $21.99 (or $3.67 a month)
• One Year: $39.99 (or $3.33 a month) 

Lonely Planet Guides Features

Information on Places of Interest 

You have access to information on landmarks and attractions for the majority of cities on the app. This feature is great for discovery and allows you to find the best things to see and do in the city you’re visiting.

If you don’t have a paid subscription, you can only access info on four places of interest per month. 

Custom Maps and Bucket Lists 

If you discover places of interest that you want to visit, you can add them to a map and/or bucket list. Once in the city, you can open your map to easily see where all the attractions you want to visit are located. 

Without a paid plan, you can only add four locations to your map each month. 

Curated Collections

Access to pre-created collections of things to do is available. These are often categorized, for example, the best markets or restaurants to visit. 

Ability to Purchase Tours and Other Tickets 

If you discover an attraction you want to visit or a tour you want to try, you can purchase tickets via a third party directly in the app. 

Paid Subscription Added Features 

• Access to phrasebooks for 19 languages 
• 360-degree immersive experiences 

Who Is Lonely Planet Guides For? 

The Lonely Planet Guides app is ideal for those looking for a digital alternative to traditional print travel guidebooks. It’s also a good choice for those going on a multi-city trip as you have access to information for thousands of cities across the globe, all from your phone. 

Who Is Lonely Planet Guides Not For? 

Lonely Planet Guides isn’t recommended for travelers that are looking for free travel planner apps. It’s also not the best option for those looking to create complete itineraries that include transport and accommodation information as well as places they plan to visit. 

Get all the details on this travel planner app by reading our Lonely Planet Guides review . 

Best Travel Planning App for Those That Want to Explore Like a Local: ViaHero

ViaHero is a travel planning app with a difference. Instead of planning your itinerary yourself, locals to the area (called “Heroes”) will create an itinerary and personalized guidebook for you. Understandably, this comes at a cost. You’ll be charged $40 per day of itinerary planning, with the maximum paid for a guidebook usually being $125. 

Destinations covered include cities in North America, Central and South America, Asia, and Europe. 

ViaHero Features

Custom Guidebook Creation  

After highlighting the types of activities and attractions you’re interested in, your “Hero” will create an itinerary and guidebook. 

A Personalized Map

You’ll also get access to a custom map that features each location mentioned in your guidebook. 

Booking of Activities and Other Travel Arrangements 

If things on your itinerary need booking (and booking doesn’t require prepayment) your local “hero” will make these arrangements for you. 

Ability to Communicate with Your “Hero”  

You can get in touch with your local “hero” at any point before and during your trip. This feature allows you to request changes to your itinerary and ask questions if needed as you explore the city.  

Who Is ViaHero For? 

ViaHero is one of the best travel planner apps for those that have limited time to plan their own trip, plus a decent budget for someone else to do so for them. It’s also a great choice for those that like to explore off the beaten track and get recommendations from locals instead of visiting tourist hotspots. 

Who Is ViaHero Not For? 

Due to the cost, ViaHero isn’t a good option for those traveling on a budget. It also may not be a great choice for those that are visiting a city for the first time and want to see the most popular landmarks and attractions. 

Being a newer service, only “heroes” from a limited number of cities are available at this time. If you’re visiting an area without a local “hero,” you won’t be able to use the service. 

Best Travel Planning App for Those That Love Reviews: Tripadvisor 

Tripadvisor is another of the itinerary planning apps that’s well-known to the majority of travelers. Along with a browser version, Tripadvisor has a convenient app that can help with everything from booking accommodation to discovering places to visit. 

Tripadvisor is free to use and has information for almost every city across the globe. Tripadvisor will offer an overview of the city you search for, along with hotel, restaurant, and activity recommendations. Best of all, all suggestions include reviews from travelers who have visited. 

Tripadvisor Features 

Things to Do  

Tripadvisor suggests a range of places to visit and activities to try in the destination you’re visiting. Along with searching the “Things to Do” section, you can search for specific landmarks and attractions to get more information on them. Whichever way you search, you’ll also have access to reviews from travelers who have visited the landmark or attraction or tried the activity.  

Restaurants 

You can also access restaurant suggestions for the destinations you’re heading to. Again, reviews from those who have dined at each establishment are available. You can also select categories, such as types of cuisine, to narrow down your search. Many restaurants offer the option to reserve via Tripadvisor too. 

Hotels 

Looking for a place to stay? Tripadvisor has you covered! Simply input the dates you need accommodation for, number of guests, and other filters like budget, if applicable, to view hotel results. You can then go straight to the hotel website from Tripadvisor or view deals from hotel booking sites like Hotels.com. 

Itinerary Maps and Lists

When you find activities you want to try, landmarks you intend to visit, and restaurants you wish to dine at, you can add them to a map and list. By adding these things to a map, you can easily see where everything you want to do is located, and develop day-by-day plans. Unfortunately, you can’t create an actual day-to-day itinerary via Tripadvisor. 

Who Is Tripadvisor For? 

This app is great for learning more about attractions, landmarks, restaurants, and accommodation via reviews. If you like to hear opinions from real travelers before committing to plans, you’ll appreciate Tripadvisor. It also has amazing discovery features, making Tripadvisor ideal for travelers that are looking for suggestions on things to do in the locations they’re visiting. 

Who Is Tripadvisor Not For? 

Tripadvisor isn’t ideal for planning day-to-day itineraries. While you can create maps and lists of all the places you want to go, these can’t be separated into individual days. That can be frustrating for travelers, especially if going on a multi-day or week trip. 

Using Tripadvisor to access reviews and combining this research with a full travel itinerary planner, like Wanderlog , is recommended.  

Other Itinerary Planning Apps to Consider 

While we rank the above five as the best travel planner apps on the market, the following eight apps are worth checking out too!

GEOVEA allows you to plan trips, store details like flight and accommodation info, and search for activity suggestions. This travel planning software also has budgeting features. You can estimate the cost of the activities included in the itinerary to see the overall cost of your trip. 

While you can use the company’s website on your phone, there isn’t an app. The standard version of the software is free but comes with limitations. To have full access to the app, you must purchase a subscription which starts at $29.99/year.  

Hipherd is one of the best free travel planner apps for those looking for a place to store travel inspiration. It allows you to save a range of travel content that you find across the web, such as travel articles, videos, and other information on destinations you want to visit.  

As with Pinterest, you can create “boards” to organize content by destination or other categories. You can view the collections of other users too. You can also create maps that show all the attractions you want to visit. Best of all, Hipherd costs nothing to use. 

Inspirock is a free travel itinerary planning  software that creates day-to-day itineraries for you based on data you input. Once a list of suggested places to visit has been generated, you can edit the itinerary to remove and add activities. You can also access accommodation suggestions, car and flight deals, and booking links. 

Learn more about this travel planner by taking a look at our Inspirock review ! 

Jubel is one of the great itinerary planning apps for those that are looking to discover new destinations. You start by answering a questionnaire to highlight travel likes, dislikes, and other preferences. A customized itinerary for a surprise destination is then created for you. This service does come at a cost, with Jubel users needing a trip budget of at least $1,500 for a solo-traveler trip or $1,100/per traveler for multi-person trips. 

Pilot 

Pilot is one of the free travel planner apps that’s perfect for travelers wanting to create itineraries as a group. You can add travel information, like flight bookings, to your online account, along with adding the activities you’ll do each day to an itinerary. It’s also easy to collaborate on one trip itinerary as a group. As mentioned, Pilot is free to use, but there is not a mobile app, so you must use the software in-browser. 

Portico 

Portico is another recommended app for planning itineraries, organizing travel information, and searching for activity suggestions. Travel confirmation emails (transport bookings, accommodation reservations, etc.) can be added manually or simply email them to Portico to add to your account. You can also search for travel inspiration in-app and add places you want to visit to itineraries and lists. Portico is free and can be used in-browser or via an iOS app. 

Tripscout 

Tripscout is one of the best travel planner apps for trip inspiration and high-quality travel content. You can search an array of content in-app to learn about new destinations and attractions. If you discover things you’d like to do and places you’d like to go, you can add them to lists, itineraries, and maps to begin planning your next adventure! Tripscout is also always free to use. 

Tripsy 

Tripsy is another organization-focused itinerary planning app. This app stores travel information, such as flight confirmations and other transport info, restaurant reservations, and the like.  You can also get notifications, for example relating to your flight status, and can easily share your itinerary with friends and family. 

You can integrate your plans with third-party maps and calendars and can email confirmations as well as adding them manually. Tripsy has a free and paid-for Pro version that offers additional benefits, including unlimited itineraries. 

The Best Travel Apps for Flights and Hotels

Need transport or accommodation deals? These four travel planner apps are here to help! 

Snaptravel 

Snaptravel offers amazing deals on flights and hotels. Simply enter your travel dates and destination(s), and a selection of customized offers will be served to you. Customers benefit from rate and fare reductions of 30-50%, and Snaptravel is free to use. 

Discover more about saving on hotels and flights with this app by reading our Snaptravel review . 

Scott’s Cheap Flights 

Scott’s Cheap Flights provides users with incredible flight deals out of their local airport. You’ll receive deal emails each day with fare reductions of up 90% off applied. Scott’s Cheap Flights offers a free version and paid-for options, which allow you to receive business and first-class deals and add multiple departure airports. 

Read our Scott’s Cheap Flights review to learn more about this company! 

Dollar Flight Club 

Dollar Flight Club is another company offering steep discounts on flights. Enter your departure airport at sign-up and you’ll be emailed daily with great deals to an array of destinations. There is a free version, but this only offers access to 20% of deals. For the best results, upgrade to Premium ($69/year) or Premium Plus ($99/year.) Users can expect to save 60-90% on flights, however, you don’t have the option to get deals for specific destinations.  

Want to find out more? Read our Dollar Flight Club review . 

RometoRio 

Rome to Rio offers an array of transport options that work with your trip and are bookable through the app. This free app can show you flights, car rentals, buses, and trains that will allow you to get from point to point on your itinerary. While Rome2Rio isn’t a deal-based app, you can also benefit from cheaper transport rates when using the app. You can also find accommodation and activity suggestions via Rome2Rio, but cannot create itineraries.

Not sure which of these travel planner apps to choose? Give Wanderlog a try ! It costs nothing to do so, and we guarantee that you’ll love it.

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Complete Guide: The Best Travel Planning Apps

by Melissa Giroux | Last updated May 12, 2023 | Travel Tips

Nowadays, there is an app for everything. However, some apps are more useful than others.

For travelers, a travel planner app is an invaluable tool to have on your phone.

Whether you’re new to the travel life or are a seasoned traveler, you’ll find that using travel apps to plan trips makes your next trip totally stress-free.

These intelligent apps for vacation planning include nifty features such as curated itineraries, offline maps, and tailored suggestions. 

With that being said, you may feel overwhelmed searching for a travel planner app in your app store.

There are certainly a lot of options, so how do you determine which is the best app for trip planning?

We’ve tried out many travel itinerary apps for our own trip planning.

Here is our list of the seven best travel planner apps available on both iOS and Android devices.

1. Travel Mapper

Travel Mapper is a travel planning add-on for Google Sheets that helps you plan trips faster and gives you what you need to enjoy your trip plan while on the go. Its marquee feature is a Google Map integrated right into your spreadsheet to make adding activities to your itinerary faster.

This makes it easy to see your full itinerary on the map so you can optimize your trip based on activity locations. Travel Mapper also enables you to edit your itinerary in a drag-n-drop interface similar to Trello, so you don’t need to deal with copy-pasting between spreadsheet cells.

Planning is one thing, but what about sticking to your plan while on your trip? Travel Mapper helps here in two ways. There’s a nice trip summary you can email to yourself and others with your full itinerary organized by date and time.

Each activity has links to Google Maps as well to make navigating while on the go easy from your phone. The other way is by exporting your itinerary to Google My Maps so you have all locations marked and available while on the go, which can also be used on your phone.

You can create unlimited travel templates with the free tier of Travel Mapper and the affordable premium tiers give you the integrated map, drag-n-drop editing, email summary, and Google My Maps export.

Give Travel Mapper a try and get 10% off with code ABB10 if you decide to go premium!

2. TripIt (iOS | Android)

TripIt is one of the best vacation planner apps and is a popular choice among backpackers and those with multiple trips booked.

This is because it works like a personal travel assistant by curating your reservations, booking confirmations, and flight tickets into a simple and easy-to-understand itinerary. 

All you need to do is forward all confirmation emails relating to your upcoming trip to the app’s email address. The clever system will then create a master itinerary for each of your travels for free!

The app will also sync with your calendar, automatically entering your flights and reservations into your schedule.

What’s more, you can use the app offline, so when you’re without an internet connection, you’ll still be able to access your itinerary. 

The free version of this app has all of the fantastic features above. It already makes one of the top apps for travel itinerary creation; however, you can upgrade to TripIt Pro for $49 a year for extra goodies.

The advanced features include real-time flight alerts and an alternative flight finder should your original ones be disrupted.

3. Roadtrippers (iOS | Android)

If you prefer to travel by road rather than air, you’ll love the Roadtrippers app. As the name suggests, this app is tailored towards planning cross-country road trips.

It works by following your journey as you drive and offering you suggestions to create the road trip of a lifetime. 

Roadtrippers doesn’t just give you recommendations for where to eat and fill up your gas; this app goes one step further.

This road travel companion will let you and your travel buddies know about a whole array of exciting things around you as well as the best camping spots nearby.

It’s also great at giving ‘off the beaten track’ ideas that you may never have come across otherwise. 

The one downfall of this app is that it only works in a few countries.

Currently, you can use it in the USA, Australia , and New Zealand.

While it can’t help you when you’re backpacking around Europe , you could well find this to be the best app for planning your next epic US road trip.

4. TripAdvisor (iOS | Android)

TripAdvisor is a well-known travel website, but you may not be familiar with everything their app can do. The TripAdvisor travel planner app is the ultimate tool for planning trips.

It gives you trusted recommendations on all elements of your trip; where to stay, what to do, places to eat, and sights to see.

You can save places that spark your interest, see your saves on a map, and share them with your travel companions. 

Trip Advisor’s all-in-one capabilities make the app one of the best travel planners in 2021. Once you find restaurants you’d like to visit, you can book a table directly from the app.

You can also compare prices on hotels and flights to find the best deals. 

Another thing we love about the TripAdvisor app is its sharing aspect. As well as leaving reviews and sharing your experiences to help others, you can follow experts in the industry for travel advice.

If that’s not enough, this app works worldwide, covering a staggering 8 million destinations. Wherever you’re planning to visit, this app could easily become your favorite and best vacation planner.

5. Rome2rio (iOS | Android)

Although trip planning is fun, figuring out all the logistics involved in getting from A to B is not so great. Thankfully, the Rome2rio app will help you out with this, making your travel planning less of a headache. 

The app will help you compare all possible modes of transport. This is great for backpackers looking for the cheapest routes and savvy tourists who want to maximize their travel budget.

It will also show you your complete journey from door to door. Therefore, you’ll never worry about arriving at an unfamiliar airport or bus station with no idea how to get to your hostel.

Once you’ve searched for your route, the app will show you all available transport options, including the duration of each and the approximate cost.

However, one downfall is that you can’t book your flights or tickets directly through the app. Even so, this transport search engine works almost everywhere, including the most remote locations.

So, if you’re backpacking off the beaten track, this will be one of the most useful and best travel planner apps for you.

6. Sygic (iOS | Android)

Sygic is another popular app for vacation planning, helping you make the most of your trip and not miss out on the must-see attractions.

This expansive app contains information on over 20 million travel destinations.

As well as all the famous sights, you’ll find the best parks, restaurants, bars, beaches, and more in the area.

You can check the opening hours of each place, browse through photos, and watch 360-degree videos that will give you a taste of what it feels like to be there. 

Sygic also has a pro version that offers offline apps. At the cost of just $10, upgrading to premium is totally worth it.

As you’ll know, it’s not always easy to find a WIFI connection while you’re walking around the streets trying to find the next stop on your itinerary.

Another benefit of upgrading to the Sygic Pro is the advanced day-to-day itinerary planner. This gives you estimated travel times and walking distances between all your stops, helping you plan your day down to a tee. 

7. Kayak (iOS | Android)

Kayak is an all-in-one travel search engine for planning and booking trips. As one of the best travel planner apps, it searches hundreds of reputable travel sites to show you the best deals for your destination.

This includes flights, hotels, cruises, and even rental cars.

If you’re unsure of where you’d like to go on your next vacation, Kayak will help you decide. By entering your budget, the app will recommend various destinations worldwide.

The app’s technology works quickly, saving you time when it comes to planning and booking travel. You cannot book directly on the app.

However, when you find a deal you like, the app will transfer you to the company’s website to book.

Another pro of this app is how user-friendly it is. The way this app organizes information is fantastic, making everything clear and easy to understand.

Other nifty features of this app are airport terminal maps, price alerts, and the most advanced one, the ability to measure your luggage by using your phone’s camera.

8. TripHobo (iOS | Android)

TripHobo is another one of the top travel itinerary apps available for both iOS and Android. TripHobo will create your ideal trip from start to finish.

Simply enter your destination, preferences, and budget, and the app will develop you a dream travel itinerary. 

You’ll have tailored hotel recommendations, restaurant suggestions, and a list of things to do based on your interests all at your fingertips.

The app also gives maps and detailed routes to each place, helping you to navigate a new city or town with ease.

Other highlights include offline maps for when you’re out of data and the ability to view different users’ itineraries for inspiration.

The app is not just great for planning a vacation. It can also create a detailed day-to-day itinerary for a multi-country trip.

Therefore, if you’re backpacking through Europe, you’ll find this to be one of the best travel planners that fit into your pocket.

Another pro is that the app features information for destinations all over the globe. 

Final Thoughts On Best Trip Planners

Apps for vacation planning are revolutionary tools for all kinds of travelers.

Perhaps you want help finding flights, need assistance to piece together an itinerary, or are looking for inspiration for your next backpacking trip.

Regardless of your needs, one of these seven best travel planner apps will help you.

That said, if you’re all about digital means – make sure to check out our Revolut travel card review . Revolut is a digital bank that is very useful for travelers.

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The 10 Best Road Trip Planner Apps for 2024

Save time, money, and energy with these apps so you can focus on the fun instead

• University of Ontario
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We love road trips! Planning them can be fun but, let's be honest, also stressful. The right road trip planner apps can take some of that stress away by helping you plan, organize, and manage travel before and during your trip. We've researched and tested these apps to help give you peace of mind so that you can spend more time enjoying your trip.

The Ultimate Map App for Planning Your Route: Roadtrippers

Access to free and convenient travel guides.

Share-ability so friends can join in on the planning process and suggest places to visit.

The app can use up the battery life of your device quickly. Take a car USB charger with you.

Built for travelers, Roadtrippers helps you create your route while allowing you to discover great places as you plan it out. Add a new place to your itinerary to work it into your trip.

The app features an easy-to-use interface. In addition to covering the U.S., it also covers Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Download For:

Automate Your Trip Planning and Organization: Google Travel

Automatic trip organization via Gmail integration. 

Offline access so you can see your trip information even when you don't have an internet connection.

Limitations with customizing some day trips exactly the way you want.

You can count on Google to make your trip planning a breeze. Pre-constructed day plans are available for hundreds of the world's most popular destinations, which you can customize to your liking.

It's one of the most versatile travel planner apps out there, giving you one convenient place to see your hotel, rental car, and restaurant bookings.

Find and Book a Last-Minute Place to Stay: Hotels.com

A fast, easy-to-use booking feature.

For every 10 nights you book through Hotels.com, you get one night free, provided it's the average daily rate of those 10 nights.

No option to easily cancel if you change your mind.

Whether your road trip itinerary changed, or you haven't decided on a place to stay yet, Hotels.com can help you find a place and book it when you're on the go, even when it's super last-minute. You can sort and filter hotels, see the amenities they have to offer, compare prices, and catch a glimpse of how many rooms are available.

This is the app you'll want to have handy if you want to see in-depth hotel details at a glance and need to find a place to crash ASAP without breaking the bank.

Find Local Restaurants, Read Reviews, and Make Reservations: OpenTable

Lots of great filter options and suggestions.

Access to gorgeous, high-quality images of menu items and informative reviews from other users.

Reported problems and inconveniences with their built-in reward system.

Searching for specific restaurants is more difficult than simply looking at what's around in the area.

Deciding on a place to eat in a new area is quick and hassle-free with OpenTable. See what's nearby, filter restaurants by cuisine, see photos of what's on the menu, make reservations, and get personalized recommendations based on your preferences.

OpenTable is known to be one of the top  location-based food apps  available, so you know you can trust its information when you're dying for something to eat.

Navigate Like a Local: Waze

Hands-free navigation with voice commands.

Alerts-only mode for road hazards and police.

Share up-to-date ETA with friends.

Spotify and Apple Music widgets get in the way.

Cluttered maps can be confusing.

Higher battery usage than Google Maps.

Waze  is a community-driven travel app that shows you the shortest possible route to your destination. Like Google Maps, Waze makes real-time adjustments for traffic jams and other obstacles—but Waze is often more accurate since it caters specifically to drivers.

The app syncs with your Google Calendar and can tell you when you should leave for appointments based on traffic. There's also a cool option to record your own voice and use it for directions .

Know Exactly When and Where to Make a Pit Stop: iExit Interstate Exit Guide

Access to detailed summaries of what's at the next exit (including gas prices at nearby gas stations).

Search for the next 100 exits from your location.

The app can only be used on major U.S. exit-based highways.

No offline access, so you'll use your data plan while you're on the road.

Making a pit stop for food, gas, or a bathroom break is easy when you have the iExit app. Using your device's GPS, the app offers helpful suggestions for when and where to stop based on your location along the highway.

Whether you're looking for well-known franchises like Starbucks and Walmart to convenient amenities like free Wi-Fi and truck or trailer parking, this app has you covered.

Find the Cheapest Fuel Nearby: GasBuddy

An in-app gas payment feature.

Opportunity to save 10 cents per gallon on your first fill-up and five cents per gallon on every fill-up after.

The app can take up a lot of data and battery life as it runs in the background.

GasBuddy is an app specifically designed to find nearby gas stations and save money on gas. Use it to find the cheapest gas in your area and filter gas stations by amenities like car washes, restaurants, and bathrooms.

It's the app you want to have if you're serious about finding the cheapest gas around. Information comes from users like you, so you have the most up-to-date prices.

Download For :

Never Forget an Item: PackPoint Premium Packing List

Access to a built-in library of items to pack with the ability to add or remove items as needed. 

An elegant, intuitive app interface.

Can't input multiple destinations for a single trip.

Not a free app.

PackPoint helps you make sure you have everything you need based on where you're going and what you're doing. In addition, the app takes into consideration the length of your trip and the expected weather conditions. Perhaps best of all, this app turns a mundane chore into something that's actually quite fun.

Find Out Where to Park and How Much It Will Cost: Inrix ParkMe

ParkMe is the only app that also includes street parking and parking meter rates where available, in addition to parking lots.

Real-time updates on available parking spots.

Rates and hours may be inaccurate in some areas.

ParkMe claims to be the world's largest and most accurate parking database. It allows you to purchase your parking spot through the app and compare prices across parking providers to help you save more money.

If you're road tripping around major cities in the U.S., Canada, or Europe, this app can be a huge help. You can even compare parking options and prices so that you always get the best deal.

Automate Your Itinerary: TripIt

Automatically creates itineraries from your inbox.

Widget displays trip details on your home screen.

Annoying amount of alerts by default.

If you're planning a trip, you'll likely have a lot of confirmation emails for hotels, appointments, restaurants, and attractions. TripIt syncs with your inbox and uses that information to compile an itinerary so that you don't have to scramble for it.

The free version is fine for road trips, but if you ever fly, the premium version gives you the option to upgrade seats and track reward miles.

In addition to your phone, laptop, and tablet, other travel tech essentials include chargers, headphones, travel adapters, cameras, luggage trackers, and off-grid communications

Yes. You can use Google Maps as a trip planner through the “Places” and “My Maps” features. Both the Google Maps website and app let you save locations to lists and get directions.

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The 8 Best Trip Planner Apps to Help You Travel Better

Looking for a trip planner app? From AI trip planners to group-trip planning apps, we’ll review the best ones to help make planning trips with friends a breeze.

Let's face it, life can get pretty crazy sometimes.

That's why we're all about taking that sweet escape and hitting the travel road—it's our much-needed break from the everyday chaos. But, you know how it goes, just when you're ready to unwind and start planning your trip, you're hit with a mountain of stuff to do.

Sorting out bookings, arranging schedules and then trying to align all these plans and paperwork with your travel buddies. It's enough to give anyone a headache!

For many of us, though, planning a holiday or organizing travel itineraries is the starting point of the fun. It's like the first wave of excitement that keeps us pumped and ready for the adventure ahead.

My go-to when it comes to making planning easier? A trusted trip planning app! Thank goodness they exist and are becoming more and more available.

A well-designed trip planner app is a true lifesaver in the travel planning journey.

What Are Trip Planner Apps?

Anytime you’re planning a trip, you’ll want to figure out things to do, places to see and activities to experience.

After all, if you’re visiting a new city for the first time, you won’t know everything the city has to offer.

Even if you’re returning to a city because you loved it so much from a previous vacation, maybe you want to try new restaurants and tourist attractions to spice things up.

Trip planner apps help you discover a city and build itineraries. These are especially helpful when planning trips with friends because maybe everyone wants different things.

Good trip-planning tools should enable you to collaborate with travel buddies when planning a trip and offer central repositories where everyone can stay on top of what’s happening.

In short, trip planning apps have become a hit because they make life so much simpler when you're trying to put together your travel plans.

You'll find tons of these apps out there, each with its own special twist that makes trip planning a breeze.

A top-notch trip planning app should be all about making the itinerary planning process a walk in the park. It should help you piece together the details without breaking a sweat, so instead of being buried in organizing, you're actually getting stoked for your journey!

What is the Best Trip Planner for All Travelers?

Every traveler is different, and so are the travel apps.

This is why I've rounded up the best trip planning apps, each catering to a different type of traveler. You no longer have to be stuck with the same old Google Sheet or notes app that isn't making your life easier, especially when planning for a group.

Though not all travel apps help with trip planning when it comes to building activity itineraries. Some of the best travel apps focus more on booking flights or accommodations; other online tools like packing apps are for backpackers to help them prep their gear.

Here, our main focus will be on trip planning apps specifically so you can find the best one for you to build, edit and share travel itineraries using the features they offer.

So presenting the 8 best trip planning apps you'll want to download and try out, each with its own specialties!

8 Best Trip Planning Apps for Stress-Free Travel

1. 🎯 the best social trip planner - pilot.

I admit that I'm a bit biased. But hey! The team wouldn't be building Pilot if we didn't think it was the best or if we were fully satisfied with the other options on the list.

Making travel plans, collaborating and seeing what experiences friends and family have taken or want to take.

Why You’ll Like It:

Pilot is a brand-new social trip planner that helps you discover and build travel itineraries connecting you to resources everywhere.

As a social trip planner, Pilot makes travel planning an immersive experience more than a mere task because you can do it with your favorite travel mate(s) or yourself!

Pilot makes it fun and easy to share and relive your favorite travel memories with many useful features.

Whether it’s brainstorming ideas, seeking inspiration, voting for places, or setting up a budget, Pilot has got you covered.

My personal favorite? The fact that you can set different icons for different type of itinerary items and you can use color-coding!

Its user-friendly interface is a delight for perfectionists who love categorizing events, activities, and attractions in different forms. It'll integrate all the travel ideas you have gathered from the web in one place.

Travelers can also use the app to import essential travel details like flight booking numbers. If you're looking for something more fun than a plain-old Google doc or spreadsheet to plan your trip, but that's just as flexible, you've come to the right place!

Why You Might Not Like It:

If planning trips yourself isn’t your thing, Pilot may not be ideal, but our team does offer assistance for free to work with you on making a personalized trip based on your interest.

Pilot's also in the early stages with tons of cool new features being added every week. While we're still building a lot, including a mobile app coming real soon, you'll already find it super useful!

Top Features:

• Plan trips together in real-time with your travel crew, friends or family!
• Chat with your travel crew & vote on travel itineraries!
• Import and store your travel information for offline access.
• Create notes, reminders, packing lists, and wishlists!
• FlightDeck , Pilot's blog, contains an extensive database of destination guides, things to do, and where to stay for free!
• Totally free!
• On the web and Android (iOS id coming soon!

Alternatives:

• MyLike and Pebblar

2. 🌎 Best Autosync Travel Planner - TripIt

A minimal & old school business travel planner to organize all the essential details for work trips.

TripIt is straightforward in what it does. It gathers and syncs all travel-related booking and confirmation emails related to flights, transportation and accommodation to form an itinerary. This way, you don’t have to spend time searching for them individually.

What's great about TripIt is the ability to automatically import and sync your booking and ticket reservations via email forwarding. This will input your booking or any ticket information onto your planner without you needing to do it manually.

For example, if you have your flight information, Airbnb reservations, and event tickets in your email, all you'll have to do is forward them to TripIt. They'll automatically sync them into a master itinerary for you to use.

If you find yourself setting multiple alarms for the airport, TripIt will automatically remind you when it’s time to leave based on your ticketing information.

TripIt Pro, the premium version, sends important alerts regarding flight status, delays, and gate numbers, improving your experience even more. The app also has a neighborhood safety score which can be really helpful for solo travelers, female backpackers, and anyone.

We think the app is best suited for busy professionals on business tours and last-minute travelers who don’t have the time to sort through their trip details.

If you believe that travel planning should be fun and as exciting as taking the trip, TripIt might not be for you. TripIt doesn’t scream “fun."

It's owned by the enterprise technology company SAP, which means the interface is very formal and stiff, so probably not what you're looking for if your trip is for leisure. But it might be great if you're looking for something more strict and business-like.

If you’re looking for features other than organizing booking details, such as interesting travel content, guides for inspiration, and the ability to add specific attractions, you’re outta luck.

It’s also not a collaborative trip planner. Itineraries can be shared, but it's hard to do much collaboration on them if you're taking a group trip. Best to use this one if you need to travel for work.

• Automatically imports travel details from your inboxes.
• The basic version is free, but…
• You'd probably need TripIt Pro, which costs $49 per year, to get the full value.
• iOS, Android, and web
• Trip Case and Trek Friend

Still unsure if you should use TripIt? Make sure to check out our in-depth review of TripIt if you'd like to learn more about its features + pros & cons!

3. 💡Best Travel Inspiration Tracker - HipHerd

Travelers who want to save their travel inspiration in one place and don't need or want planning functionality.

HipHerd makes sure you don’t lose track of exciting destinations, inspiring travel stories, adventure trips, and other information you come across when surfing the web at random.

Essentially, you can gather and save travel ideas at your own pace using this platform. This way, you'll have a ton of interesting attractions lined up when you start planning an itinerary.

You can also create boards for each destination you plan to visit, categorize relevant details, and share them with others for real-time collaboration. Once you have sorted your itinerary, it will be displayed on a map to picture your trip at a glance.

If you’re looking for a travel planner, HipHerd will not deliver. The travel itinerary extension can help you store inspiration and destinations, but you’ll need another travel planning app to help you with the actual planning.

HipHerd isn't for you if you’re looking for essential features like the ability to store important travel details like flight information and track your budget to give you an idea of expenses.

Top features:

• Curate mood boards for destinations.
• Downloadable Chrome Extension.

4. 🕺 Best Trip Planner for Local Experiences - ViaHero

Travelers hunting for authentic local experiences that don’t care for flexibility.

Some travelers prefer their travel experiences to be a slice of local life without being herded into tourist traps.

ViaHero connects travelers with locals in the destinations they wish to visit. This way, you can access insider information, get tips to navigate around, and find ways to avoid overpaying just because you are a tourist.

The local guide will curate a travel itinerary with your suggestions, taking care of transport, accommodation, and food arrangements. It saves you time planning trips, sorting through attractions, and organizing an itinerary. You get it all done for you, by a local expert!

You can’t use ViaHero to travel anywhere in the world. It have a limited list of destinations to choose from with connections to local guides.

ViaHero also lacks the flexibility a travel planner should have for travelers who want full control over their travel plans.

It’s also expensive and may not be ideal if you love planning trips yourself and only want suggestions and advice from locals on where to go and what to see!

• Connect with local travelers and have authentic experiences from local insider information.
• Guides to local and authentic travel.
• $40 per day for a custom-made itinerary, and more for groups.
• No free version or free trial.
• TravelSherpa

Check out our in-depth ViaHero review if you'd like to learn more about what its features are + pros & cons!

5. 🚗 Best Road Trip Planner - RoadTrippers

Anyone who only wants to plan a road trip.

As the name suggests, the RoadTripper app is specially built for road trip enthusiasts who want to have a heads-up about interesting attractions along the chosen route.

It also shows dining and lodging options that come in handy for people on long journeys. Every interesting stop is pinned on a map so that you can add what’s interesting to your itinerary.

There’s also the ability to search for specific attractions using filters. Once done, the itinerary can be edited, saved, and shared with others who partake in the trip. Talk about useful!

But should you try Roadtrippers Plus? The premium version of Roadtrippers allows you to extend your trip, adding up to 150 waypoints onto your journey. It's also ad-free!

For one, if you don’t plan on taking road trips often, the subscription will cost you a bit, $35.99 annually. While Roadtrippers have the basic version for free, it’s very limited in features.

The app is also not very user-friendly in terms of navigation, so you’ll most likely need to bring your laptop along with you on your trip and use data to access your travel itineraries.

Top Feature:

• Gives you info on lesser-known attractions
• Their paid version costs $35.99 per year
• Google My Maps

Check out our Roadtrippers app review if you'd like to learn more about the features that come with the app + pros & cons!

6. 🔨 Best Itinerary Builder/Planner - GEOVEA

Travelers who are super planners, serious about the time schedules, budgeting, and logistics of the trip down to the fine details.

GEOVEA aims to make itinerary building easy for travelers with its detailed user interface. Once a destination is selected, activities for each day of the trip can be selected and dragged into time slots.

It also allows you to keep track of transportation, accommodation, and other bookings made, including what’s yet to be done. Then, you can estimate costs for each activity and edit them later on. You can share your itineraries with friends and family as well.

If you’re looking for an app, this might not be the travel planner solution for you. GEOVEA’s main drawback is that it’s only a web-based platform, although travel content can be viewed using mobile.

Secondly, it’s not a platform for collaboration to plan trips in groups, although itineraries are sharable.

Third, it's not super flexible. So if you like to plan your trip your way, you might just be better off with some of the other options on this list.

• Intuitive itinerary builder with integrated services like Yelp.
• Easily track expenses, transportation, lodging, etc.
• Sharable to your travel friends and family!
• Standard package is free with a limited number of itineraries.
• Other subscriptions are available for $29.99 and upwards for a year.

7. 💬 Best Forum-Based Travel Planner - TripAdvisor

Travelers that want tips and recommendations from other travelers and book accommodations, flights, and things to do straight from the same platform.

TripAdvisor is one of the largest leaders when it comes to review-based travel bookings.

With their comprehensive public forums, you can find just about any information you’d need for any destination, transportation, attraction, or accommodation. You’ll also be able to book and create your trips straight from their app!

TripAdvisor makes it easy to navigate different activities, explore different options, and compare prices and ratings of different accommodations.

If you want any control over planning your trip, TripAdvisor is certainly not the app for you. The trip planner from TripAdvisor is not very user-friendly and fun to use.

For example, it’s almost impossible to import other bookings or information into your travel planner.

That being said, it's a great way to browse through all the different options out there. You'll likely find a lot of ideas that you hadn't thought of before!

Top feature:

• A platform to share and read public reviews and recommendations and book all without leaving the app.
• Late database of reviews and ratings.
• Trusted platform amongst millions of travelers
• TripAdvisor Plus ($99/year) - discounted rates on over 100,000 flight prices, hotel bookings, experiences, and car rentals.
• WebOS, iOS, and Android

8. 🗺️ Best Map-Based Trip Planner - Sygic Travel

Travelers who want more advanced map functionality when planning their travel itinerary, including the option to access their itineraries on a map even when offline (though this is a paid feature in Sygic Travel).

Formerly Tripomatic, Sygic Travel is a trip planning and itinerary maker that's available on the web and as an app. The best thing this trip planner has going for it is the great GPS capabilities.

It'll allow you to create itineraries for cities, input flight and hotel bookings, add in already programmed attractions as well as custom locations.

The Sygic trip planner has a bit of a clunky interface. It doesn't make it feel as fun as when I use other planners to organize my itineraries.

Other issues you may have with Sygic include that you're unable to make a multi-city trip, you need to pay for useful features like offline capabilities, and there are lots of places missing like restaurants.

Time to Get Planning Your Trip!

So, this is my list of the top trip planner apps.

Make sure you find one that helps you plan a trip with friends so you can have a fun, stress-free vacation.

If you're up to trying out an up-and-coming trip planner, join us on Pilot! We specialize in planning trips with friends so you and your crew can experience the ultimate fun together. Plus, it’s free!

Disclosure : Pilot is supported by our community. We may earn a small commission fee with affiliate links on our website. All reviews and recommendations are independent and do not reflect the official view of Pilot.

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16 Best Travel Planner Apps for planning a trip in 2023

Simplify your travel plans and with the best trip planning app for travelers..

Best Travel planner apps to plan a trip easily

Looking for the best travel planner app to plan a trip but don’t know where to start? With so many options out there, choosing the right trip planner app can be overwhelming. That’s why we’ve taken the guesswork out of it and have gathered up the very best available apps to make your vacation planning smoother than ever!

From budgeting and organizing your itinerary, to booking flights and finding locally recommended attractions, we’ve found the perfect trip planner app for any traveler.

What is a travel planner app and how do they work?

Trip planning apps or travel planner apps are great tools for travelers to use to make their trips easier, stress-free, and more organized. These handy applications allow users to create overall trip plans, detailed itineraries, and search for activities during the excursion. From finding the best flight prices, or hotel deals to discovering points of interest in a destination city or country, tripping planner apps provide a variety of services for travelers. You can also use these apps to plan a road.

Nowadays, most travel planner apps also have features that make trip plans automatically sync with your social networks and offer access to other travelers’ experiences with different locations around the world. They can even provide historical information about any place you may be visiting! Below we will go over some of the best trip planner apps.

What is the best travel planner app?

1. google trips – great for planning a trip from start to finish.

When planning a trip, Google Trips is one of the best trip-planning apps available. It can help you stay organized by giving you access to all your reservation and travel information in one place so it’s easy to find what you need.

You can plan your whole trip from start to finish with activities and guided tours personalized for you and choose from suggested itineraries curated by local experts. Since all of your details are in one spot, you don’t have to worry about lugging around printed documents or paper tickets – just open up the app when needed and go!

2. TripIt – helps you organize all your plans in one place

TripIt is one of the best trip planner apps available for those looking to make their travel plans a breeze. This app lets you organize all of your travel plans in one convenient place, including reservations, trip itinerary, and essential documents like passports or confirmation pages.

It will help you plan your entire trip. It even has features to help make your trips go more smoothly by giving you access to flight statuses, train timetables and more. You can easily check up on your travel details at any time or even share them with friends and family! With TripIt, organizing your trips has become simpler than ever before.

3. Trip advisor – find great hotels, restaurants, and things to do near you

Planning your next trip can be made much simpler with Trip advisor – the best travel planner app. It reveals the top rated hotels, restaurants and attractions near you, so that no matter what kind of travel adventure you seek, Trip advisor will help you find it all.

With this powerful, intuitive trip planning app, you know all the best spots to stay and dine anywhere in the world. Plus with things to do conveniently collected in one place, a whole world of exploration awaits. Whatever your plans are – business or leisure – let Trip advisor be your go-to travel companion!

3. Kayak – compare prices on flights and hotels easily

Planning a trip can often be incredibly stressful, but with apps like Kayak, the experience is much more straightforward. With Kayak’s user-friendly interface, it’s easy to compare flights and hotels so you can always get the best deal.

Whether you’re looking for somewhere within your budget or fancy splurging on something special, Kayak makes it effortless to plan out your trip.

It’s quickly become one of the best trip planner apps out there, allowing travelers of all kinds to swiftly find their perfect holiday destinations while getting great deals in the process.

4. Skyscanner – search hundreds of airlines for the best deals

Skyscanner is an ideal trip planner app for anyone looking for the best flight deals. This convenient app allows you to explore hundreds of airlines and find the perfect itinerary for your next adventure.

Whether you’re planning a simple weekend getaway or a lengthy global journey, Skyscanner can help make it easier than ever to organize your detailed itinerary, car rentals and search for flights that meet your budget and preferences.

All you have to do is enter your destination, dates, and other details, and in seconds you’ll be presented with countless options. So take advantage of this easy-to-use travel planner today, and make booking your next vacation as stress-free as possible.

5. Hopper – get notified when it’s the best time to book a flight

If you’re planning a trip and want to find the best possible deal on a flight, Hopper is the perfect travel planner app for you.

As one of the best trip planner apps available, its features are particularly useful when it comes to finding the right deals.

Hopper notifies users when it’s the best time to book a flight so that they can get their desired results from their trip planning.

With options to track price changes and suggest cheaper alternatives, this travel app will enable you to track expenses, to book smarter and save more money for your dream vacation.

6. Wanderlog Trip planner app – Trip Planning Made Easier

Wanderlog travel planner app is one the best available travel itinerary apps. This popular travel planner app offers travelers an easy and user-friendly way to organize their vacation plans.

With Wanderlog Trip, you can keep track of flights rental car, and accommodation, create itineraries for your trip plan for each day of your trip plans offline on your journey.

you can also track of travel expenses and make notes about activities or other important trip details – all in one convenient location. It also has a built-in currency converter to help you stay on top of costs while abroad.

Wander Log integrates with popular travel websites like Expedia and Kayak to make sure you get the best available prices on flights, hotels and more.

Planning a trip with friends? Make it easy with this helpful app! Invite your tripmates by sharing a link to the itinerary or simply add their email address. It’s like Google Docs but for travel planning, allowing everyone to collaborate in real-time.

Set permissions to let people edit or just view your plans, and stay organized by accessing flights, hotels and attractions all in one app.

Import flight and hotel confirmations directly into your itinerary by forwarding emails, or save time by simply connecting your Gmail account. With features like these, Wander Log Trip App can make any trip easier and more enjoyable than ever before.

5. Pack Point Travel app – Makes packing an easy task

With more and more people venturing around the world, many travelers have quickly realized this also entails a level of planning and organization before departing. One app, Pack point, can make pre-trip packing a breeze.

By utilizing a user’s destination and length of stay, Pack point formulates personalized packing suggestions that include all necessary items for the upcoming journey.

And on top of these suggestions, the app also grants access to weather forecasts at the vacation spot while furnishing an editable checklist so there is no chance of leaving something behind.

With Pack point taking care of details such as what type of attire works best in certain locations, travelers can focus more on the adventure aspect versus stressing about what should be brought along.

So what are you waiting for? Make use of one of the most popular travel planning apps and start packing!

6. The Freeform Travel planning app – Get Inspired to Travel

Whether it’s a dream vacation in the Caribbean or a spur-of-the moment camping trip in the woods, it can be tricky to find the perfect place to travel. With The Freeform app, you’ll never be stuck for ideas again.

This intuitive, easy-to-use travel planning app connects users with relevant travel experts and unique destinations around the world.

Let yourself be inspired by user ratings, vibrant photo galleries and engaging videos that cater specifically to your needs.

Plan a fantastic vacation without all the effort—and take advantage of exclusive discounts when you book through The Freeform!

7. Roadtrippers – Best Road trip planning app

Roadtrippers is an app created to change the way you plan your road trips. It is designed to be a comprehensive and user-friendly road that takes the hassle out of planning your next road trip.

Quickly find the best road trips across the country, and customize any trip with drag-and-drop tools. You can easily see all attractions located along any route, including historic sites, roadside oddities, eateries, lodging, local culture and more.

Each browsable layer is interactive, so you can easily view what attractions are located near each other or plot multiple stops for your excursions. With Roadtrippers you can start planning custom road trips today!

8. Road trip Planner App

Exploring the open road just got better with Road Trip App! It’s the perfect travel companion for anyone planning a road trip – whether you’re going on an a cross-country adventure or just want to get away for the weekend.

This app offers detailed features, user-friendly visuals and turn-by-turn navigation to help plan trips quickly and easily. You can plot destinations on maps to get an overview of your journey.

Create multiple stops along the way, find scenic spots, attractions and other points of interest, and share your route with friends and family—all in one place! Road Trip Planner is one of the best trip planning apps for road a trip

9. Roadie Road trip and RV

. Roadie is the best trip planner app out there to help make your road trip tri[ adventure. It makes route and group travel planning simpler, faster and more interactive than ever before.

With reliable online and offline maps both, the ability to save points of interests in an organized list, and a search function for tourist attractions such, hiking trails and national parks. This app ensures that all of your needs for the perfect road trip are taken care of. Start your engines and hit the open road with confidence knowing you have Roadie on board guiding you through your epic journey!

10. Hotel Tonight – Last Minute Hotel Deals

Planning for a trip can be stressful – there are so many different elements to juggle and keep track of! But with Hotel Tonight, the task just got a lot easier. This app is designed to make last minute hotel deals more accessible and convenient than ever before.

With its fast booking process and seamless integration into your travel itinerary, you can book quality accommodation up to seven days in advance as well as score exclusive discounts. So stop stressing about where you’re going to stay on your next getaway and let Hotel Tonight take care of it for you!

11. Polarsteps – Keep Track of Your Journeys

Polarsteps is a trip planning app that lets you easily stay organized and on-track while travelling around the world. Whether you’re on a road trip or visiting multiple countries, this app provides the perfect platform to document and keep track of your journey.

Allowing you to share your experiences with friends and family along the way. It allows you to create interactive maps, share photos, plan trips and even calculate the distance traveled. With Polar Steps, every step is just a little bit easier, making it one of the best travel planning apps available today.

12. Rome2 Rio – Best Trip planner app for Complex Trips

Rome 2 Rio is a trip planning that helps managing all the moving parts of an upcoming trip plan anywhere in the world. Tour any destination around the world or cities in the united states. Not only can Rome2Rio provide the best route options for whatever mode of transportation. – buses, trains, flights, driving – but they also give you an exact cost estimation.

By knowing your cost, there are no surprises at checkout time. In addition to calculating your route, Rome2Rio gives detailed information about each stage of your trip duration of your journey and even reviews from other users who have taken the same trip, so you know exactly what to expect. It is great to plan an international trips. When I visited London , Paris , Amsterdam ; it made it easy to plan my multi city European Trip. Start planning with confidence knowing that Rome2Rio has you covered and ready for your next adventure!

13. SYGIC Travel – Best Trip planner app to explore the World

SYGIC Travel is the perfect travel companion for wanderlust seekers, offering a comprehensive set of innovative features to help plan and make the most of every trip.

It takes the hassle out of organizing an itinerary, allowing travelers to easily discover destinations, find places to visit and explore exciting attractions while on the go.

From mapping routes and saving favorite spots, to providing up-to-date information about points of interest and personalized recommendations.

SYGIC Travel provides all the tools needed to plan an amazing journey around the world. Enjoy a stress-free traveling experience with SYGIC Travel as your guide.

14. Google maps

Google Maps is one of the best travel planner apps for any traveler. With a comprehensive maps and accurate navigation, it can help you find your way anywhere in the world. It also provides turn-by-turn directions so that you don’t get lost on the road or in a new city.

Through satellite imagery and street view, you can explore a destination before even visiting it. Most importantly, Google Maps can help you avoid traffic jams and other problems, allowing you to get to your destination faster.

Whether you’re planning your own trip, a road trip or just visiting somewhere nearby, Google Maps is an essential tool for finding your way around and staying safe when on the go.

15. Travel spend-Best budget planning app

Travel Spend is the ultimate trip-planning app. With budgeting tools and helpful visuals, it gives travelers peace of mind by helping them stay within their budgets. Users can set a budget before leaving home and log individual expenses.

It also includes the date, type of purchase, merchant, amount spent and currency used. For an accurate overview of their spending habits. Plus, Travel Spend App also includes instant notifications when certain thresholds are met.

If exceeded so travelers can make quick adjustments without going over-budget. This way it helps travelers stay withing budget.

It is no surprise Travels pend is one of the best travel planning apps for budgeting. Travel Spend is the perfect for any traveler who wants to manage their finances and trip budget on the go!

16. Via Hero- Best Travel planner apps for solo Travelers

If you’re looking for the best travel planning app to help you get the most out of your vacation, look no further than Via Hero. Via Hero connects you to expert local trip planners who will craft a personalized itinerary based on your preferences and needs.

As part of this service, they provide a guidebook with all the essential information and insider knowledge, making it easy to explore the most interesting places. For those who want more support while traveling.

They offer an additional service for only $10 per day where travelers can reach out to that local via text or phone and get helpful advice throughout their journey. This app is also great for solo travelers looking to connect with locals. Use this travel planning app for exploring new cities or just seeking a fun beach vacation. Via Hero works with any trip.

Planning a trip can be overwhelming, but thankfully there are plenty of great apps to help you. From Google Trips, a one-stop shop for all your planning needs, to TripIt, an app that helps keep everything organized.

Skyscanner searches hundreds of airlines for the best deals – there’s an app out there that fits everyone’s needs.

Find best Hotels and restaurants near you with Trip advisor or comparing prices on flights and hotels easily with Kayak.

Use Hopper is a deal finder that notifies you when it’s the best time to make flight bookings – these trip planner apps provide the tools needed to plan a successful trip! So which is your favorite?

Comment below and subscribe to our mailing list to stay up-to-date on more helpful tips and tricks. Happy traveling!

What is the best trip itinerary planner?

Top travel plans apps for for 2023. Hopper flights & hotel bookings. Tripit: Travel Planners. Sygic maps travel planners. Packaging. Skyscanners. Road trips: Travel planning tool. Location Finder website. b.

Is Wanderlog or TripIt better?

Trips to the pros can be incredibly costly. Travel Planner software offers many more free features than ever. So paying 49 for the tripit pro service is expensive. The free version isn’t too bad. Wandering provides a number of advantages free of charge, such as itinerary design and activities suggestions.

Is there an app that will plan a trip for you?

Unlike other travel apps, TripIt organizes travel plans for you regardless of what you booked. Send the confirmation emails to [email protected]. In minutes TripIt creates a detailed itinerary for each of the trips. I travel 100 times a year, and TripIt is my favorite application.

Which map tool is best for trip planning?

Google Maps – Best in easy to navigate directions. The biggest route plan application is Google Maps. Almost anyone can use this program to travel to another city, but they haven’t even discovered it has the ability to plan routes for several stops.

Is Wanderlog worth it?

Wander Log is a travel planner’s favorite application. From solo travelers to groups and from well planned to those that just want to have one place to find out and offer activities. Wander log also offers an excellent interface that can be easily adapted for all your travel needs!

How do I plan a trip with friends app?

Wanderlog is the app that helps travelers plan trips on the fly or by plane, organized access flights and hotel reservations and show them the places to explore. Share a travel guide with others for inspiration before you leave.

Grace Ashi is the founder and Editor of Metropolitan Girl.

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45+ best free travel apps you want to download for your next trip

Does this have an app? This is me, every time I find out about some helpful resource I can use for my trips. After traveling around the world for more than 8 years now and writing an eBook about ways to travel on a low budget , I think I have tried and tested almost all the apps out there.

The best free travel apps will help you navigate an unfamiliar place with ease, manage to travel without speaking all languages, find better flight deals, join the cool activities you want, and even find a public toilet around. If there’s a need for it, there’s an app for it, this is what I always say. Check them out below and see which ones you prefer!

Yes, it’s true guys, there might be affiliate links in this awesome, free post. This means that if you decide to buy something that you find here, and you use one of my links to do so, I will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I plan to use this money on ice cream, chocolate, and to travel more so I can write these useful guides for you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Table of Contents

Best free navigation apps.

With so many options available when it comes to navigation, it can be overwhelming to choose the best one. Luckily, there are several free navigation apps available that can help you navigate your way through unfamiliar territories. When it comes to choosing a navigation app for travel, there are several features that you should consider. So, before you hit the road, be sure to download one of these top-rated navigation apps.

Google Maps

Google Maps is undoubtedly one of the best free travel apps out there. It’s like having ALL of your father’s maps in your pocket! Not only does it provide accurate and detailed maps of any location you’re interested in, but it also offers real-time traffic updates, public transportation schedules, and even restaurant reviews.

Whether you’re exploring a new city or trying to navigate your way through an unfamiliar neighborhood, Google Maps has got you covered. Plus, with the ability to download offline maps, you can access them even when you don’t have an internet connection. You can also use Google MyMaps to save your desired locations in one go. I even have map collections to sell in my shop , this is how useful I find them.

If you’re buying any JR Pass product with my affiliate link, whether it is a train pass , a portable Wi-Fi , or the Meet & Greet package, send me a copy of your receipt at [email protected] and you’ll get my Japan Map Collection entirely for free!

Google Maps also has great coverage, with maps available for most parts of the world. You can easily search for your destination and get directions, even if you’re in a foreign country. Additionally, it provides information about nearby places such as restaurants, gas stations, and hotels, making it easy to plan your trip.

What’s cool about this app is that it’s useful to you as a driver and as a pedestrian. It gives you reliable driving information like traffic data and alternative routes, but also walkable areas and information about various places of interest like restaurants, museums, and businesses.

Waze is a free navigation app that uses real-time data to provide users with the best traffic information. It is a community-driven app that relies on user-generated data to provide accurate and up-to-date information about traffic conditions, road closures, accidents, and more.

With Waze, you can get turn-by-turn directions to your destination and receive alerts about traffic conditions along the way. The app also allows you to customize your route based on your preferences, such as avoiding toll roads or highways. As a user, you can voluntarily provide information to help other traffic participants, thus ensuring a nice environment for everyone around.

One of the best features of Waze is its ability to provide real-time information about traffic conditions. The app uses data from other users to provide accurate information about traffic congestion, accidents, and road closures. This means that you can avoid traffic jams and get to your destination faster.

A cool feature of this app that I use all the time is the notification when you are above the speed limit. It’s not 100% accurate as it cannot know the temporary limitations that appear, but for the most part, you’ll be notified if you’re above the limit. Raise your hand if you have never missed a speed limit sign before! No one? Yeah, I thought so!

If public transportation is your thing, then Moovit is one of the best all-in-one options available. This app is available across the world, making it a great choice for travelers who need to navigate unfamiliar cities. Moovit offers real-time public transit information, including bus and train schedules, as well as alerts for delays and other service disruptions. The app also provides step-by-step directions that are tailored to your specific route, so you can easily get from point A to point B.

One of the standout features of Moovit is its ability to integrate with other transportation options, such as ride-sharing services and bike-sharing programs. This means that you can easily plan a multi-modal trip that combines different forms of transportation to get you where you need to go.

In addition to its navigation features, Moovit also includes several helpful tools for public transit riders. For example, you can use the app to track your bus or train in real time, so you know exactly when it will arrive at your stop. You can also use Moovit to find nearby transit stops and stations, as well as to view maps of transit routes in your area.

While most big cities have their app that is the single source of truth, not all of them are translated into English. Having a free universal app when traveling is better than trying to understand directions in Japanese , believe me!

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Trainline is another fantastic free travel app that every traveler should have on their phone, especially if traveling within Europe. It’s the perfect tool for booking train tickets, checking train schedules, and even tracking your train in real time. With Trainline, you can easily compare prices from different train companies and find the best deals for your journey.

The cool thing about this free travel app is that it can combine tickets from multiple providers, thus giving you the best cost-effective way to travel. Whether you’re a frequent train traveler or just planning a one-time trip, Trainline is a must-have app that will make your travel experience a breeze. So next time you’re planning a train journey, make sure to download Trainline and enjoy the convenience it brings.

DiscoverCars

DiscoverCars is one of the best free travel apps if you’re looking to rent a car. With this app, you can easily compare prices from different car rental companies and find the best deals for your dates and needs. DiscoverCars also offers a wide range of car options, from economy cars to luxury vehicles, so you can choose the one that best suits your needs and budget.

What’s more, the app also provides a 24/7 customer support service, ensuring that you always have someone to turn to in case of any issues. Whether you’re planning a road trip or just need a car for a few days, DiscoverCars has got you covered. Stop manually comparing rental companies and prices and get all of your information in one place.

If you’re a hiking enthusiast, Alltrails is the perfect app for you. With over 400,000 trails in its database, Alltrails allows you to discover hiking trails near you and around the world. The app provides detailed information on each trail, including distance, difficulty level, and elevation gain.

One of the best features of Alltrails is the trail maps. The app provides detailed maps of each trail, so you can easily navigate your way through the hike. The maps also show the elevation gain and loss, so you can prepare yourself for the difficulty of the hike. While it also has a paid plan, the free one is just enough for most people, especially when beginning their hiking journey.

Alltrails allows you to save your favorite trails and create your hiking routes. The app also allows you to record your hikes and share them with your friends. You can even download the trail maps for offline use, so you don’t have to worry about losing signal while you’re out on the trail.

Best free apps for finding cheap flights

Dollar flight club & jack’s flight club.

Dollar Flight Club is a fantastic free travel app that helps you find the best deals on flights. With this app, you can get alerts for discounted flights to destinations all around the world. It’s perfect for anyone who loves to travel but doesn’t want to break the bank.

Jack’s Flight Club is another great free travel app that helps you find cheap flights to your favorite destinations. With this app, you can get alerts for flight deals from your home airport and even book flights directly through the app. It’s a must-have for anyone who wants to save money on flights.

When it comes to choosing between Dollar Flight Club and Jack’s Flight Club, it comes down to personal preference. Both apps offer similar services, but Jack’s Flight Club tends to focus more on flights starting in Europe while Dollar Flight Club is more geared towards the USA market. Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide which app best suits your travel needs and budget.

Both of them offer a free plan and 2 paid plans, and you can decide later if you want to upgrade. If I had to choose between the two free plans, I’d choose the one from DFC , as it sends you better deals than Jack’s Flight Club . This is, of course, my personal preference, feel free to try them both and let me know how it works for you. You can also check my recommended travel items to see what else I use for myself.

Skyscanner & Kiwi

Skyscanner is an amazing free travel app that helps you find the cheapest flights to your desired destination. With this app, you can compare prices from different airlines and even set up price alerts for specific flights. My favorite feature is the ability to leave the destination open, so your budget can actually guide your destination, but I also love the ability to choose the dates based on prices. It’s perfect for budget-conscious travelers who want to save money on airfare.

Kiwi is another great free travel app that offers similar features to Skyscanner. What I particularly like about it is the map feature that’s giving you a good overview of the options you have available.

When it comes to choosing between Skyscanner and Kiwi, it depends on your travel style. Skyscanner is great for finding the cheapest direct flights while Kiwi is perfect for those who want to explore multiple destinations on a single trip. Both apps offer unique features and benefits, so it’s up to you to decide which one best suits your travel needs and preferences.

If you’re looking for a free travel app that can help you plan your next trip, then Hopper is worth checking out. This app uses advanced algorithms to analyze flight prices and predict when they will be at their lowest. You can set up price alerts for specific flights and even book your flights directly through the app.

Hopper also offers a feature called Carrot Cash which allows you to gather rewards and unlock discounts. This is perfect for traveling a lot, as you can use your rewards on any future trips. This can be applied to anything from flights to accommodation to rental cars. Now, who doesn’t want rewards?

Best free apps to book accommodation

After you booked your flights, let’s assume you don’t plan on staying on the streets. While accommodation can rarely be free, finding it doesn’t have to cost you a dime. While you might already know some of these free travel apps, I’m sure you don’t know all of them, and I’m sure there’s something helpful you can find in this section as well. Check them out below!

Booking & Agoda

Booking and Agoda are two of the best free travel apps for booking accommodations. Booking offers a wide range of options, from budget-friendly hostels to luxury hotels, and even vacation rentals. You can easily filter your search by price, location, and amenities to find the perfect place to stay.

Agoda, on the other hand, specializes in booking accommodations in Asia, and this is what I prefer it for. It offers a large selection of hotels, resorts, and guesthouses in popular destinations like Thailand, Bali, and Japan . Some accommodation options are not even available anywhere else, and when comparing prices in Asia, Agoda often comes at a better price than Booking.

When it comes to choosing between the two, it depends on your travel destination and accommodation preferences. If you’re traveling to Asia, Agoda is a great option, while Booking is perfect for finding accommodations all around the world. Ultimately, both apps offer great features and benefits, so it’s up to you to decide which one best suits your travel needs.

Secret Escapes

If you’re looking for a free travel app that offers exclusive deals on luxury hotels and vacation packages, then Secret Escapes is the perfect app for you. This app provides access to hand-picked hotels and resorts around the world, with discounts of up to 60% off the regular price. You can browse through a wide range of destinations and find the perfect accommodation for your next trip. S

Secret Escapes is offering you the last available rooms at luxury locations, this being the reason they’re so heavily discounted. Believe it or not, even top hotels hate empty rooms, so they’d rather give them for a lower price than have them empty. With this app, you can enjoy a luxurious vacation without breaking the bank. So, if you’re looking for a great deal on a luxury hotel or resort , be sure to check out Secret Escapes and start planning your dream vacation today.

While most apps will offer you various rooms available at various hotels, the Roomer travel app is different. This app allows you to buy and sell non-refundable hotel reservations that you can no longer use, often at a discounted price. You can browse through a wide range of hotel reservations and find great deals on luxurious accommodations.

Roomer also offers a feature called “Explore,” which allows you to find a hotel room without specifying exact dates or destination specifics. This is perfect for anyone who has some flexibility in their travel plans and wants to find the best deals. So, if you’re looking for a way to sell your non-refundable rooms or buy one from someone else, check out this app and enjoy their portfolio.

HotelTonight

If you’re someone who loves to book last-minute trips (I know I am!), then Hotel Tonight is the perfect free travel app for you. This app offers exclusive deals on hotel rooms that are available for booking on the same day or up to a week in advance. You can browse through a wide range of hotels and find great deals on luxurious accommodations.

What’s nice about this service is their very helpful app. If you’re booking something last minute, you rarely have time to stay at a computer and book the room online. With this app, you can enjoy a spontaneous trip without worrying about finding a place to stay. So, if you’re someone who loves to travel on a whim, be sure to have HotelTonight readily available for your next trip.

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Best budgeting apps for iphone or android.

Worried about overspending? I’ve got you covered! In this section, we’ll be exploring the best budgeting apps for iPhone or Android that can help you keep track of your expenses and stick to your travel budget. These apps are easy to use and will help you stay on top of your finances while on the road. So, whether you’re a budget-conscious traveler or just want to keep track of your expenses, be sure to check them out and start planning your next adventure without breaking the bank.

If you’re someone who loves to travel but hates dealing with foreign currency and high exchange rates, then Revolut is the perfect free travel app for you. This app provides a range of financial services, including a multi-currency account, a prepaid debit card, and the ability to exchange currency at one of the best exchange rates out there.

With Revolut, you can easily manage your money while on the road and avoid costly fees. The app also offers a range of other features, including budget tracking and the ability to split bills with friends. I use this app so much, I have created a special blog post all about ways to use Revolut for your travel needs . And yes, it does have a paid plan as well, but most people are absolutely fine with the free one for a long time.

If you’re traveling with a group of friends or family, keeping track of expenses can be a challenge. That’s where Tricount comes in – this free travel app makes it easy to split expenses and keep track of who owes what. With Tricount, you can create a shared expense list and add expenses as you go, whether it’s for accommodation, meals, or activities.

The app will automatically calculate how much each person owes and keep a running total, and it gives you the best option to settle everything, without you having to calculate what you have to pay and to whom. Tricount also allows you to settle up directly within the app, making it easy to split the bill and avoid any awkward conversations. So, if you’re traveling with a group and want to avoid any financial headaches, be sure to download Tricount and start enjoying your trip without any worries.

TravelSpend

If you’re someone who wants (or needs) to keep track of your travel expenses in real-time, then TravelSpend is the perfect free travel app for you. This app allows you to track your expenses, create budgets, and get a clear overview of your spending while on the road. With Travel Spend, you can easily add expenses as you go, whether it’s for transportation, accommodation, or meals.

The app will automatically categorize your expenses and provide you with insights into your spending habits. Travel Spend also allows you to set a daily budget and receive notifications when you’re close to reaching your limit. So, if you’re someone who wants to stay on top of your finances while traveling, be sure to download TravelSpend and start enjoying your trip without any financial worries.

Xe currency converter

Xe currency converter is the perfect free travel app for you when traveling to a foreign country. This app allows you to easily convert currencies and get up-to-date exchange rates for over 180 currencies. With this currency converter, you can quickly calculate how much your money is worth in the local currency and avoid any confusion or surprises when making purchases.

The app also offers a range of other features, including the ability to track your favorite currencies and set alerts for when exchange rates reach a certain level. So, whether you’re traveling for business or pleasure, be sure to download the Xe currency converter and start exploring the world without worrying about exchange rates.

Best free travel planning apps

When it comes to travel planning, I’m such a huge nerd I highly suspect this is why no one is coming on vacation with us (anymore). So sharing the absolute best free travel apps to help you plan your trip is like the holy grail for me! Let’s explore the best free apps for travel planning, from itinerary creation to sightseeing recommendations. These apps will help you plan your trip with ease and make the most of your time on the road. So, whether you’re a seasoned traveler or planning your first trip, be sure to check them out and start planning your dream adventure today!

While Trello is not a travel-specific app, it can be an incredibly useful tool for organizing your travel plans. This is a free project management app that allows you to create boards, lists, and cards to keep track of tasks and ideas. You can use Trello to create a travel itinerary, track your packing list, and even keep track of your expenses.

The app allows you to collaborate with others, making it perfect for group trips or family vacations. With Trello, you can stay organized and on top of your travel plans, ensuring that you don’t miss a thing. I particularly like the fact that you can use it on any device and you can customize it for your needs. And once you have a template ready, you can reuse it forever.

The app is free to use. They have a few premium features you might be interested in, but I have managed to use it only with the free version until now. You can either create your template or use a pre-defined one like the one I created , and you can re-use it for each trip by customizing each board per your needs.

If you’re an over-planner like myself but a more visual person than a spreadsheet one, then Trello is for you!

Visit A City

If you’re someone who loves to explore new cities but hates the hassle of planning an itinerary, then Visit A City is the perfect free travel app for you. This app provides pre-made itineraries for over 1,000 cities around the world, making it easy to plan your trip and make the most of your time on the road. While it’s not perfect, and it won’t cover things that only first-hand experienced travelers can share with you, it’s a great starting point for any travel planner.

With Visit a City, you can customize your itinerary based on your interests and preferences, whether it’s sightseeing, food, or culture. The app also provides useful information about each destination, including maps, restaurants, and transportation options. So, if you’re looking for a hassle-free way to plan your next city adventure, be sure to download Visit A City and start exploring the world without any stress.

Wanderlog & TripIt & TripCase

Wanderlog is a free travel app that allows you to create a digital travel journal and share your adventures with friends and family. You can easily add photos, notes, and locations to your journal, making it the perfect way to document your trip and relive your memories. This app makes your life easy as you keep everything in one place: that random thing you read about in this blog post will be in the same app as your flight reservation number and accommodation confirmation document.

TripIt is another free travel app that allows you to organize your travel plans in one place. Simply forward your confirmation emails to TripIt, and the app will create a master itinerary for your trip. Its special feature is the integration with SAP Concur, so if you’re traveling often for business purposes, this is the app for you!

TripCase is a similar app that allows you to organize your travel plans, including flight information, hotel reservations, and rental car bookings, but it also caters to travel management companies, so you can share some of your tasks with a travel agency, for example. Getting more information about this app is quite hard without an account though, so first decide if it’s really useful to you before you sign up for it.

When it comes to choosing between Wanderlog, TripIt, and TripCase, it depends on your travel needs. If you’re someone who just needs to organize their collected data and share it with others, then WanderLog is the perfect app for you. If you’re looking for a way to organize your travel plans and keep everything in one place, then TripIt and TripCase are both great options. TripIt is perfect for business travelers who need to keep track of multiple itineraries, while TripCase is great for leisure travelers who want to stay on top of their travel plans. Ultimately, all three apps offer great features and benefits, so it’s up to you to decide which one best suits your travel needs.

Roadtrippers

If you’re someone who loves to hit the open road and explore new destinations, then Roadtrippers is the perfect free travel app for you. This app allows you to plan your road trip, find the best routes, and discover new destinations along the way. With Roadtrippers, you can easily add stops to your itinerary, whether it’s for sightseeing, food, or just a place to refuel and rest.

The app also provides useful information about each destination, including photos, reviews, and ratings. Roadtrippers also offers a feature specifically for RV-ers, so your trips will be curated for your needs and special requirements. So, if you’re looking for a way to plan your next road trip and discover new destinations, be sure to download Roadtrippers and start exploring the world on four wheels. And if you’re interested in their paid plans, use code “ BTR5QTP ” to get $5 off!

Google sheets

I know, I know, this is just too basic, it’s not even a real app! But if you’re the sort of person that visualizes things better in tables rather than a nice UI, hear me out. While Google Sheets is not a travel-specific app, it can be an incredibly useful tool for organizing your travel plans. This free spreadsheet app allows you to create and customize spreadsheets to keep track of your travel expenses, itinerary, and packing lists.

With Google Sheets, you can easily share your spreadsheet with others, making it perfect for group trips or family vacations. The app also allows you to access your spreadsheet from any device, making it easy to update your plans on the go. And if you’re a bit savvy with these things, you can even implement formulas and calculations to help you plan with ease. With Google Sheets, you can stay organized and on top of your travel plans, ensuring that you don’t miss a thing.

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Top free travel apps for flights, apple or android wallet.

This might seem like such an easy thing, but I’m amazed at least once a month that not everyone knows about it already. Apple or Android Wallet is the perfect free travel app for any traveler. This app allows you to store your credit cards, boarding passes, and other travel documents conveniently on your phone.

With Apple or Android Wallet, you can easily access your travel documents and make purchases without having to fumble through your wallet or purse. The app also offers a range of other features, including the ability to store loyalty cards and gift cards. So, if you’re looking for a hassle-free way to store your travel documents and make purchases on the go, be sure to use Apple or Android Wallet on your next adventure.

Miles apps from airlines

Miles & More and similar free apps allow you to earn and redeem miles for flights and use them to get free flights, upgrades, and lounge access. These apps are perfect for frequent travelers who want to earn rewards for their travels, especially if you mostly use the same airline or airlines within the same alliance.

Miles & More is just one example of a loyalty program app, as many airlines and alliances have their loyalty programs with similar apps. These apps allow you to earn and redeem rewards, track your progress, and access exclusive offers and promotions. While your miles can technically be tracked without the app, it’s easier for you to check your status if you have this handy tool available.

Airline apps

Airlines apps are a must-have for any traveler, as they allow you to access important information about your flight, including flight status, gate changes, and boarding times. These apps also allow you to check in for your flight and access your boarding pass directly on your phone, making the airport experience much smoother and more efficient.

Many airlines also offer additional features on their apps, such as the ability to track your baggage, book flights, and access exclusive offers and promotions. I can go even further and tell you that gate changes and delays are sometimes found easier in the app than in the airport, so your app might tell you what the check-in employee doesn’t even know yet. And if you have to rebook your flight because of a cancelation, you’ll have an easy way to do so. Check out below my helpful PDF with ways to avoid delayed and missed flights and learn more handy tips like this one!

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FlightRadar24

For those situations when you need to track flights and stay up-to-date on flight information, the FlightRadar24 app is the perfect free travel app for you. This app allows you to track flights in real-time, see flight paths, and get up-to-date information on flight status, delays, and cancellations. With FlightRadar24, you can easily search for flights by flight number, airline, or airport, making it easy to find the information you need.

The app also offers a range of other features, including the ability to view airport information and weather conditions. So, if you’re looking for a way to stay on top of your flight information and avoid any surprises at the airport, be sure to download FlightRadar24 and check out all the cool information it provides.

Have you ever thought you had a great seat for a long-haul flight, but then arrived on the aircraft and you were next to the restroom, and your seat was not reclining? If you would have known about SeatGuru, your life would have been much better. This app provides detailed seating charts for over 1,000 airlines, allowing you to find the best seats on your flight.

With SeatGuru, you can easily search for your flight and view the seating chart, which includes information about legroom, seat width, and other amenities. The app also provides useful information about each airline, including baggage fees, in-flight entertainment, and food options. So, if you’re looking for a way to ensure a comfortable and enjoyable flight, be sure to download SeatGuru and find the best seats on your next flight.

If you have ever experienced flight delays, cancellations, or overbooking, then AirHelp is the perfect free(mium) travel app for you. This app helps you claim compensation for flight disruptions, such as delayed or canceled flights. With Airhelp, you can quickly check if you’re eligible for compensation, file a claim, and track the progress of your case. The app also provides useful information about your rights as a passenger, including compensation amounts and airline regulations.

Yes, they do take a commission if they get you the compensation, but this is paid only in case of success so you’re not paying unless you’re compensated. They also have a yearly subscription you can buy that gets you the full amount in case of disputes, so you might want to check this out as well. Otherwise, the freemium version is good as well. No matter what, if you’ve experienced a flight disruption, even in the last 3 years, and want to claim compensation, be sure to download Airhelp and get the compensation you deserve.

Sandeman Tours

Are you a history buff like myself? Are you passionate about history and culture? If so, then Sandemans Tours is the perfect free travel app for you. This app offers a range of free walking tours in cities around the world, led by local guides who are passionate about sharing their knowledge and insights. With Sandemans Tours, you can easily book your tour, meet your guide, and explore the city’s top landmarks and hidden gems.

The app also offers a range of other features, including the ability to access your tour information offline and receive instant confirmation. While the tours are not exactly free, as you usually offer the guide a small tip at the end, you decide how much you pay based on the quality of the tour, and the guides are usually really helpful and nice.

Want a scratch map but have nowhere to display it? While this is one of the coolest ways to display travel souvenirs, sometimes your situation doesn’t allow for this creative outlet. Well, let me introduce Skratch, your online scratch map! This cool little app allows you to save various maps, from the places you’ve already seen to the ones you’d like to add to your bucket list.

With unlocking features that allow a bit of fun gamification and ways to organize your travel memories like photos and video, Skratch might just become your cute way of keeping up with all of your trips like it’s a long-forgotten photo album. Check it out when you have a chance!

Top useful travel apps

Aren’t all these apps useful? Well, yes, but this is the section where I put all the apps that didn’t fit anywhere else, but are still important. Because no matter how well you plan everything, and how organized you are with your documents and your flight information, you’ll need the following travel apps as well.

Instabridge

Please raise your hand if you have ever depended on the free Wi-Fi from Starbucks while on a trip. Yeah, me too! Instabridge is an app created for people like us. This app allows you to easily find and connect to free Wi-Fi networks in your destination, making it easy to stay connected without using your data plan. With Instabridge, you can easily search for Wi-Fi networks by location, view Wi-Fi maps, and connect to the networks directly through the app.

The app also offers a range of other features, including the ability to save your favorite networks and receive notifications when you’re near a Wi-Fi hotspot, plus you can choose to buy an eSIM from them if you’re really in need of internet on the go (although I recommend AirAlo for this service). Please keep in mind though that these types of networks are not the safest in the world, so don’t share any sensitive information while using this feature. Check out my other ways to keep your valuables safe while traveling here to know more.

Excuse me, do you know where the toilet is? This is me literally every time I’m out. And to not have to learn this phrase in too many languages, I have found an online solution for it: the Flush app, for both Apple and Android . Because you know what? I cannot be the only one doing all sorts of less-than-healthy things to avoid needing to use the restroom while away. So this app might sound stupid, but it’s OMG so useful!

Timeshifter

Picture this: you’re in Japan, you finally arrived after a 12-hour flight, and you’re scrolling aimlessly on your phone at 3 AM. I don’t have to picture it, I have lived it! And it’s about as bad as it sounds. And you’ll find all sorts of information on how to handle jet lag, but keeping track of which direction you’re flying to and what time you’re landing and all of that may be way too much work for what’s supposed to be a vacation.

So, enter Timeshifter! This cool app will tell you exactly what you need to do to minimize the jet lag impact on your body. It’ll tell you when to go to sleep, when to stay exposed to plenty of sunshine, when to avoid caffeine and it can even help you choose if you want to use melatonin or not. Especially if you’re traveling a lot for work, check out this app to help you enjoy your trips more.

Google Translate & DeepL

A classic, of course, but it has to be mentioned. Google Translate is an app you want for any international trip, as it can help you get around a foreign country. It has cool features like using the camera to “read” a text, translating live conversations, and being able to save the languages offline, so you can access them even when you don’t have internet available.

DeepL is my favorite translation app, but this is just a matter of preference. Their solution is more accurate than Google Translate, but it covers fewer languages and they don’t offer the offline language option. I would say DeepL is better if you need high-precision information like if you’re reading a contract, but if you just want to translate a menu at a restaurant (and you don’t have allergies), you can go by Google Translate.

Headed to Paris and you want to order your coffee in French? Then start practicing with Duolingo and be bullied daily into doing your 5 minutes of exercise. I’m not joking, the gamification features of this app are borderline bullying, but hey, there’s nothing like a shaming owl to make you practice your French now, isn’t it?

The app is pretty basic, so don’t expect to be able to read Moliere after using it for a week (for more advanced language classes you can check out Babbel+ , even though this is not free), but you’ll learn enough to get by for a short while, and at least you can prove that you tried. In the end, no one expects a traveler to speak the language of the country they’re visiting, so any effort from your side is appreciated.

When going on vacation, take half of the things and double the money, they say. But sometimes, that’s just wasteful to choose to buy new stuff when you have perfectly good stuff at home. So, to keep your packing lists in order, and to get helpful information on what to pack for various destinations and occasions, check out Packpoint.

While you can mostly get away with a Notes app for your packing list, PackPoint is also providing you with helpful recommendations based on the information you provide, like the destination, season, and occasion you are going to. It’s very simple to use and it simplifies your life a lot, especially if you’re packing for more than one person.

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Tunnelbear vpn.

Especially if traveling in “exotic” places. where you know information is either censored or influenced, it’s better to use a VPN to protect your data. I give more details about this in my travel safety post, but the short story is: use a VPN as much as possible when away.

While there are many paid options available everywhere (like NordVPN , for example), there’s also a free version called TunnelBear VPN. It’s free for the first 500 Mb, so don’t get excited, but hey, free is free! And it might just be enough for your needs really, so check it out when you have a chance.

To tip or not to tip? This is the real question! I don’t know about you, but where I come from, you tip most people from the service industry at a rate of about 10% of the bill. Where I live now, you can leave a few euro as a tip for your waiter, but it’s not mandatory, and you rarely tip another service provider. In Japan, you don’t have to tip, and they’ll even follow you on the street to give you the money you “forgot” on the table. And in the US, well, we all know how that goes. So, how do you decide?

So you don’t have to panic about this, you can use GlobeTips. It not only calculates how much you own so you don’t have to do the mental gymnastics yourself, but you can also scan the bill using your camera and calculate how much each person from the table should add when paying. This is a lifesaver after you’ve had a couple of beers in Germany, you know?

Metric conversions

Yes, the world indeed would be a better place if we would all use the same units, for example, the metric system and Celsius for the temperature. USA-ers, please don’t throw tomatoes at me, you guys know that comparing things with football fields is not a good use of your time and energy. But it’s not my place to change the world so, maybe use an app instead?

This simple app will help you with all of your conversion needs. No matter if you need to calculate how long that 300 km trip will take or if you want to understand how to dress tomorrow based on the temperature, this app will help you without judging.

What’s one of the best parts about a trip? Eating all the food, am I right? If you’re one of the people that like to book tables to ensure they will att at the best restaurants around, TheFork is the app for you. The app offers not only reviews but also the option to book a table and discounts for certain restaurants around the world. It is majorly used in Europe, but hey, if we use it long enough, it will spread to other parts of the world as well.

SmartTraveler & Emergency app

Developed by public organizations, safety apps are a must for any international traveler. While most of them are developed with US Americans in mind, I think most countries have developed their app for their citizens, with important information like alerts and embassy information. I cannot realistically link to all of them so you’ll have to check them out yourself, based on where you’re from and where you’re going to.

Also, keep in mind that sometimes you should also download local safety apps from your destination. Japan is one of the countries where you should be aware of earthquakes and tsunamis, so downloading their app is a good way to be prepared. A short Google search for “best apps for ” will bring you this information for sure.

Global Blue

One of my favorite budget tips (by the way, did you know I wrote an eBook with tips to travel on a low budget ?) is to get a tax refund when shopping abroad if you have the option to do so. While some stores will do this on their own, plenty of them will use Global Blue for this.

And yes, Global Blue is keeping a part of your refunded money for the trouble, but in some situations, you would never get a refund if they wouldn’t exist. It’s usually the store’s choice how they want to handle this so realistically, you cannot influence it. But less money is better than no money, you know?

Want to travel more without increasing your budget? Check out my eBook on ways to travel on a low budget and make it happen!

Yes, it’s called that. I mean, you can choose any weather app really, or you can use the default one most phones have already, but why not make a boring subject like the weather a bit more fun? With this app, you’ll find out the weather and the latest burns in one go. Now, isn’t that something you need on a rainy day?

The best free travel apps – The takeaway

I hope you found this post useful as much as I loved writing it. Having the best free travel apps nicely explained like this will be helpful for all of my future trips, and I hope they will for you as well. From finding a room for a very good price to being sure you are safe at all times, these apps will make your life easier and your trips better, and I’d be happy to know I helped with that.

And you know what else would help you on your future trips? These little-known tips to help you avoid delayed and missed flights and reduce your chances of lost luggage. Because there are things you can do to avoid it, and you want to be the one to know.

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The Best Road Trip Apps That Help You Find Cheap Gas, Avoid Traffic, and More

Download these before you hit the highway.

Elizabeth Rhodes is a special projects editor at Travel + Leisure , covering everything from luxury hotels to theme parks to must-pack travel products. Originally from South Carolina, Elizabeth moved to New York City from London, where she started her career as a travel blogger and writer.

Carmen Martínez Torrón/Getty Images

Technology has revolutionized the way we travel in countless ways. Paper maps and GPS navigation systems have been replaced by Google and Apple Maps, old-school CDs by music streaming services, and guidebooks by apps that can notify road-trippers of roadside attractions in real time. One thing is certain: the smartphone has made road trips infinitely easier and, arguably, cheaper.

Whether you need a digital road trip planner to map out your next journey or something to help you avoid traffic jams, here are 11 of the best road trip apps to download ahead of your next adventure.

Roadtrippers

Roadtrippers is one of the most practical and popular road trip planning apps out there. Maybe you want to see national parks or the quirkiest roadside attractions. Perhaps you want to stop for the night at an iconic or underrated hotel. You can plan your stops right in the app, adding up to three waypoints for free or 150 with a Roadtrippers Premium account. There are also Basic and Pro memberships that allot you 20 and 50 waypoints per trip, respectively. The higher-tier memberships allow you to collaborate with friends and family and use navigation. The app features lodging, sights, outdoorsy destinations, restaurants, activities, shopping, fuel, and more all around the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

The app is free, but you have to upgrade to a membership plan to enjoy all the bells and whistles. The Basic plan costs $40 a year, the Pro plan $50 a year, and the Premium $60 a year. It's available on iOS and Android .

Google Maps

Every road-tripper needs a trusty navigation app in their arsenal, and Google Maps is consistently one of the most — if not the most — downloaded in the U.S. every year. Its dominance can be attributed to how comprehensive its data is, which allows it to generate the very best directions based on distance, road conditions, and traffic patterns.

Google Maps gives you route options and provides accurate estimates of how long it takes to get from A to B. Plus, you can plot several waypoints along your route — be it a mid-morning coffee stop or a hotel for overnighting (you can see reviews right in the app).

Google Maps is free and available on iOS and Android .

Waze is another one of the top navigation apps. With real-time updates that help you avoid traffic jams, construction, and more, it will have you navigating new cities and unfamiliar streets like a seasoned local. It's perhaps a little more proactive than Google Maps in changing up a route when problems arise, and that means Waze users should prepare for their drive to be a little unpredictable.

No one wants to spend hours sitting in traffic instead of exploring, so the fact that Waze collects data from other drivers to streamline the driving experience is a huge help. The app is free and available on iOS and Android .

Paying for fuel can eat up a good chunk of your road trip budget, but GasBuddy can save you a few bucks. The app crowdsources up-to-date fuel prices for more than 150,000 gas stations around the U.S. and Canada. The app also tells you how recent the submission is so you know whether it's outdated.

GasBuddy is not just helpful for finding cheap gas but also for finding gas stations in general (and parking), which can be difficult in foreign territory. The app is free and can be downloaded on iOS and Android . While using it, be a good road-tripper and submit gas prices you see as you travel.

Roadside America

Barry Winiker/Getty Images

The offbeat and kitschy roadside attractions you can find throughout the U.S. are often some of the most delightful parts of a road trip. The Roadside America app helps you find the most unique attractions worth stopping for, like the large sculpture of a cartoon mouse holding a cheese platter in Plain, Wisconsin — where else? — or the decidedly odd larger-than-life-sized three-way electrical plug that rests on a lawn in Philadelphia. The app features museums, murals, tours, quirky restaurants, and photo ops.

Roadside America costs $3 to download, which gets you access to one region in the app. You can purchase more regions for $2 or get access to all of the U.S. and Canada for an extra $7. The app is available only on iOS .

iExit Interstate Exit Guide

Knowing where to stop for road trip snacks, a drive-through latte, or a public restroom can be challenging with all the exit signs whizzing by at 70 mph, but iExit Interstate Exit Guide takes the guesswork out of it. The app will list which exits are coming up on your route, what's there, and what they offer — including food, lodging, fuel, and even hospitals. It pulls fuel prices from OPIS (the Oil Price Information Service) and displays Yelp reviews for businesses.

The app is free to download. Find it on both iOS and Android .

HotelTonight

Even if you've planned out all your stops ahead of time, you might find that you need to pull over for a night unexpectedly. Driving is tiring, and unplanned naps can be life-saving. HotelTonight can help you find accommodations in a pinch. The app offers day-of deals on unsold rooms, and the user-friendly interface means you can book a discounted room in minutes. There are well over 1,000 properties to choose from in cities all over the world, from Mexico City to Jakarta (in case you happen to take your road-tripping global).

It's free to download and available on iOS and Android .

If staying in a tucked-away A-frame cabin, a yurt, or a private guest house in someone's garden is more your travel style than bouncing between hotels, then Airbnb is the ticket. On the Airbnb app, you can search properties (millions in the U.S. alone) on a map and read reviews before you book, which you can do in advance or at the last minute.

The app features not just vacation homes but also activities, so if you're keen to experience a city like a local you can do so via a pottery class or a guided walking tour, for example.

The Airbnb app is free. You can download it on iOS or Android .

Patchareeporn Sakoolchai/Getty Images

Travelers who dream of camping out under the stars should download The Dyrt , a free app that helps you find tent, RV, and cabin sites across the U.S. One of the top camping apps on iOS and Android , it has more than a million registered users who submit reviews, pictures, and tips. On The Dyrt, you get real intel on campsites and a built-in community that makes camping on a road trip especially fun and safe. You can even book some of the campsites right on app.

The app is free, but there's a premium version for $36 a year that allows you to plan trips and search campsites while offline — convenient for remote regions.

What is a road trip without a perfect playlist? Whether you're keen to create a soundtrack of nostalgic singalongs, modern pop songs, or music inspired by your destination, you'll find even the most obscure tunes on Spotify , a catalog of more than 100 million tracks. When you tire of Taylor Swift, you can turn to podcasts or an audiobook to keep you company. Road trips are a great opportunity to delve into a docuseries like "Serial," an all-time favorite.

Spotify is free to download and listen to, but the ad breaks are annoying and streaming can chew through your phone data. A better option is to purchase a premium membership for $11 a month. It's ad-free and you can download music to listen to offline. The Spotify app is available on iOS and Android .

Electric vehicles are increasingly commonplace and great for more environmentally friendly road-tripping. The problem is often finding charging stations, as most EVs can go 100 to 300 miles before they need to be plugged in. PlugShare lists 700,000 charging stations across North America, Europe, and beyond. Users share their reviews of the stations, helping to guide EV drivers to the best, fastest, and most reliable charging spots.

PlugShare is free and available to download on iOS and Android .

Wander With Alex

Hit the Road with Ease: 10 Helpful Road Trip Planning Apps

Posted: August 6, 2023 | Last updated: August 6, 2023

Road trips are “in” this year. Whether you need a travel packing list, the cheapest gas price, or a toilet finder, there’s “an app for that!” Using a road trip planner app is a convenient way to store all your essential travel plans all in one place. Below we’ll explore ten useful apps that can help you stay organized, budget, and find your way around.

1. Roadtrippers (Route Planning)

Roadtrippers is a robust road trip planner app with many useful features. Not only can you plan out your entire trip, but you can also use the app to navigate. The app allows you to mark your planned stops easily and suggests things for you to do along the way. You can estimate how much you’ll spend on gas, book hotels and tours, and get traffic updates. Roadtrippers Plus has even more features, allowing you to create itineraries and download pre-made trip guides.

2. PackPoint (Packing List)

A road trip packing list can help you keep track of your belongings before, during, and after travel. It’s the best way to ensure you haven’t forgotten anything essential. But rather than keep track of a paper checklist, why not use an app? PackPoint is a travel packing list app that allows you to create custom packing lists for free. You can categorize your list and even see what the weather is like at your destination. The premium version also allows you to link to your TripIt itinerary! 

3. TripIt (Itineraries)

TripIt is a mobile itinerary app that allows you to compile your road trip or travel plans all in one place. You can send your travel confirmation emails to the app, add things like photos and PDFs, email your itinerary to someone else, and even sync your trip to your calendar. TripIt Pro has additional features such as trip reminders, a rewards program tracker, “go now” reminders, and a host of flight-related tools. If you love itineraries, you’ll love this road trip planner app!

4. Waze (Traffic & Directions)

Waze is a GPS navigation and live traffic app that helps you get where you need to go. Not only does it help you get to your destination, but it allows users to input information such as road hazards, construction sites, and police sightings.

Another popular feature of the app is its rerouting tool. When the app notices traffic back up ahead, it will notify you of the situation and offer alternative routes. Waze has also added features such as a speedometer, a gas finder, a parking garage/lot finder, and it will even sync with your music and podcast apps.

5. Google Maps (Destination Finder)

Suppose you’re directionally changed, like me. Using Google Maps to get around a new city is a game changer. The app isn’t just for driving navigation and can be used when getting around on foot or by bike. And if your location history has been enabled, the app will even give you destination recommendations based on places you’ve previously visited. In addition, Google Maps will let you share your location and download maps offline if you know you’ll have spotty service.

6. GasBuddy (Best Gas Prices)

GasBuddy is a fuel savings app that uses your location to help you locate cheap gas. You can also sign up for a free Pay with GasBuddy card to save even more at the pump. Here’s how it works.

Once you receive the card in the mail, you will connect it to your bank account. Next, you’ll use the app to unlock deals. Then, when you are ready to fill up, you use your GasBuddy card instead of your debit card. When you do this, you’ll receive up to 25 cents off per gallon, and if you upgrade to their premium account, you can get up to 40 cents off per gallon. The GasBuddy card works at 95% of gas stations in the U.S.

Additionally, if you want to save even more on gas, you can participate in their Shop Your Way program. Use the app to shop for their retailers, and they will apply more gas discounts to your card.

7. Flush (Toilet Finder)

The Flush restroom finder app is genius! All you have to do is open the app, and it will display public restroom options near you. The app also tells you if the bathroom is handicap accessible, if there is a fee, and even lets you know if a key is required. And this app isn’t just for those in the U.S.; it helps you find toilets worldwide!

8. Trabee Pocket (Budget Tracker)

The Trabee Pocket app was designed specifically for tracking your spending while traveling. The app allows you to enter pre-trip costs, add on-the-go costs, categorize your purchases, and show you how much you’ve spent via a pie graph. And if you don’t want to hold on to your paper receipt, you can take photos and upload them to the app.

When your road trip is over, you can export your expense detail to a PDF or even a CSV file that you can open in Microsoft Excel. This simple-to-use expense tracker is great for budget-conscious road-trippers looking to watch their spending!

9. HotelTonight (Last-Minute Stays)

If you’re looking for last-minute hotel deals, HotelTonight is your app. Perfect for road trips, this app is ideal for those who decide, unplanned, that they want to stay the night in town before moving on to their next destination. So how does it work?

HotelTonight partners with hotels to help them fill up their unreserved rooms. In return, they can offer deep discounts to get those rooms filled. And although the app advertises last-minute accommodations, you can also book stays up to 100 days in advance. Be careful, though! Because these are great deals, you likely won’t get a refund for a cancellation or the ability to request a different type of room.

10. Guide Along (Audio Tours)

Guide Along , formerly known as GyPsy Guide, is a GPS-narrated audio tour app that will give you information about your current location. While driving or walking, the app will suggest local tips and tell you about all the things there are to do and see around you. It’s a personal tour guide at your fingertips! The app lets you download and play tours offline if you know you’ll have bad cell service in an area.

Final Thoughts

There are tons of road trip planner apps, so be sure to research and find the apps that best fit your needs. It’s always a good idea to test out your apps before your trip so you’re not fumbling around while driving. Enjoy your vacation, and be safe out there!

This article originally appeared on Wander With Alex . Photo Credit: [@scanrail/DepositPhotos]

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11 Best RV Trip Planning Apps for 2024

There are more RV travel apps than ever before. Here are the 10 best ones that you should use to plan your 2024 RV adventures.

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Setting out for unfamiliar territory on an RV trip is exhilarating and tons of fun, but it does require some advanced planning and preparation.  How will you find the right campground for you and your rig? How can you find good stops along the way and places to refuel or pick up necessary supplies? While the best road trips do require a bit of homework, there are many great apps that can help make trip planning a breeze.

There are more tools than ever before that make it easy to access all of the information you need to plan your stays and stops. You can even make campground reservations right from the road–but not while driving, of course! Here are 10 of the best trip-planning apps for RVing.

The Dyrt has developed an extensive database of private and public campgrounds and RV parks across the United States, and has become a favorite of RVers that appreciate user reviews and photographs. The filters help you search for exactly the type of campground you prefer, and the paid subscription will give you access to map layers that show Bureau of Land Management and National Forest Service camping options. There is also a trip planning tool, and campground discounts are offered through the paid membership program.

Hipcamp stands out from the crowded campground search space by offering a wide range of camping options, including traditional campsites, RV spots, and glamping spots. What sets Hipcamp apart is its focus on connecting campers with private landowners, thereby unlocking access to exclusive, often secluded natural spaces that aren't available through standard campground booking websites or apps. The app is simple to use, making it easy to search and book from a diverse selection of outdoor stays. User reviews and photos will help you find a spot truly worthy of parking your RV.

AdventureGenie

Interested in putting AI to the RV trip-planning test? Check out AdventureGenie if you would rather leave all the research and planning to someone–or something–else. AdventureGenie asks you a series of questions about where you are going, your preferred style of camping, and the types of activities you enjoy. Then its algorithm gets to work, constructing the ideal RV trip for you

A standout feature of Campspot is its search feature, which allows users to easily find campgrounds based on location, availability, amenities, and types of accommodations. Campspot offers real-time availability and an in-app reservation system, ensuring that users can see up-to-date information and secure their spot instantly. This is a great option if you are making last minute reservations or trying to book during a holiday weekend. The app also offers a feature called "Grid View," which displays availability across multiple campgrounds over chosen dates, making it easier for you to plan your trips around available spaces at a variety of locations.

The RV Parky app is a favorite for new RVers in particular because it’s easy to use, has extensive RV park and campground listings, and also provides a ton of reviews from other RVers. The database includes private parks, public parks, and even free parking spots for quick overnight stays along your route. The filters allow you to search according to amenities, park types, or location. If you want a robust campground search without a lot of bells and whistles, the free version will suit you just fine. Upgrade to a paid subscription for trip planning and route planning tools.

KOA Camping App

With over 500 campgrounds across the U.S. and Canada, KOA Kampgrounds is North America’s most prolific campground chain. In addition to great parks located near popular destinations, KOA also has a network of roadside parks, perfect for convenient overnight stays. The KOA camping app makes it easy to find both. Search by name or by location, or use the handy map feature. Park profiles include pertinent details about the amenities. Plus, you can book directly from the app or easily call the campground. In addition to trip planning features, the KOA app makes it easy to keep track of your Value Kard rewards.

Jellystone Park App

Like KOA, the Jellystone Park chain has locations across the U.S. and Canada, with over 75 locations dedicated to family fun. The Jellystone Park app helps you find campgrounds and explore which recreational opportunities are featured at each. In addition to finding parks, the Jellystone Park app is useful while you are onsite, offering campground maps, as well as activity and character appearance notifications, ensuring you don’t miss out on a moment of the fun. It also allows you to track your Club Yogi rewards and includes fun games to keep kids busy on long rides to the campground.

Campendium bills itself as being “created by campers for campers.” Campendium specializes in helping RVers find great boondocking locations, especially in western states like Colorado, Arizona, and California. In addition to listing amenities, each campground profile also includes information about cell signal availability, something today’s travelers will appreciate, especially those working or schooling from the road. Readers contribute reviews and photos, helping you get a full picture of each campground.

Roadside America

No road trip is complete without a stop at some quirky roadside attraction, like the World’s Largest Ball of Twine or the Cadillac Ranch. To find the best, check out the Roadside America app, which makes it easy to search for unique stops along your route. Even if you don’t make it to every recommendation, you can find hours of entertainment just by reading the humorous descriptions. Only one travel region is included in the initial download; in-app purchases are required for additional regions.

Roadtrippers

Roadtrippers has long been a favorite for travelers looking for amazing roadside attractions. The website has cultivated a collection of the best cultural, historic, and natural sites, each with colorful descriptions. The app offers navigation and allows you to also search for campgrounds and a variety of RV service locations. Upgrading to the Pro version gets you extra features, including the ability to save maps offline, collaboratively plan trips and avoid ad pop ups.

The RV LIFE app was designed by RVers for RVers. This app will help you research trips and plan trips and its navigation feature can be customized for your RV's height, length, and weight. The maintenance tracker is also handy and easy to use. This app's specialized RV park database is packed with all of the information you need to find your next favorite campground.

Most RVers agree that planning trips is almost as fun as actually taking them. So pour yourself a cup of coffee, download a few of these great apps, and start mapping out your next great adventure. Then make sure to check out our recommendations for RV routing apps once you're ready to hit the road.

Author and co-host of the RV Atlas podcast

Jeremy Puglisi is the co-host of the RV Atlas podcast and the co-author of See You at the Campground: A Guide to Discovering Community, Connection, and a Happier Family in the Great Outdoors , and Where Should We Camp Next: A 50 State Guide to Amazing Campgrounds and other Unique Outdoor Accommodations. He loves nothing more than hitching up and heading out to the next campground with his family.

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Travel Plan Generator 4+

Travel itinerary, ashen ishanka costha, designed for ipad, screenshots, description.

Plan your travels with ease! Our intuitive travel itinerary app helps you organize your trips effortlessly Discover the joy of hassle-free travel planning with our intuitive travel itinerary app. Whether you're jet-setting across the globe or embarking on a weekend getaway, our app makes it easy to organize and manage your trips. Simply enter your destinations, travel dates, and duration, and watch as our app generates detailed travel plans tailored to your preferences. From sightseeing activities to dining options, everything you need for a memorable journey is at your fingertips. Say goodbye to travel stress and hello to seamless adventures! Download now and start planning your next trip with ease.

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