gasbuddy trip planner app

GasBuddy: Find & Pay for Gas 17+

Cheap fuel prices and rewards, gasbuddy organization inc.

• #45 in Travel
• 4.7 • 445.4K Ratings

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Description.

Join the 90 million people already saving! Get the free GasBuddy card and never pay full price at the pump again. See how GasBuddy gives you more ways and more places to save on gas than any other app. Pay at the pump Get the free GasBuddy fuel card and save on every gallon, at any station. No hunting for deals. Just securely link your bank account, swipe, and save up to 25¢/gal. Manage your account right in the app. Find gas Find the best prices with the gas map. Sort by price, location, and the important stuff like restrooms. Track driving habits Drive smarter with tips and tricks to use less gas. Get gas rewards Turn your daily purchases into free gas. Just shop in the app and start earning. Report gas prices Give fellow drivers a heads up on the latest deals. Log your fill ups Track your gas use and export the log for reimbursement and taxes. Stay safe Be the first to know about important recalls for your car. Win gas Complete challenges in the app to earn points. Use points to enter the daily prize draw for a $100 gas card. Disclaimer GasBuddy uses gas price information provided by our users to bring drivers together to support the common goal of saving money on gas. Gas prices only for USA & Canada. Apple Inc. is not a sponsor of the prize draw.

Version 700.97.23138

Continued bug fixes and performance improvements.

Ratings and Reviews

445.4K Ratings

Great app/concept except for one issue

I have been a GasBuddy member since the app first appeared on the AppStore. I also had signed up for the GasBuddy card as one of the pilot customers. I loved it but do not use the card anymore because of issues I had years ago with promos. I never got them so I stopped using the card. This was and is a good idea (to crowdsource gas prices). I loved the addition of other features, especially of keeping up with fill-ups. Every time I fill up at a gas station, I record it in the vehicle section of My Car. My most pressing issue is that it has gotten messy. I only keep records on one car but my car appears 4 or 5 times and the records are spread over the 4 or 5 iterations of “my car.” I see no easy way to combine them but to add and delete them one by one. Since I’m a long time user, this would take too much time and effort. It seems that every time there is an update, it doesn’t recognize the previous entry of “my car” and forces one to add your car once again. Please fix this or have some way to combine everything into the same “car.” It’s a bit annoying when you only have one vehicle recorded but have multiple listed.

Keep up with the times

GasBuddy was and is still a great concept, and I was happy using it once upon a time - when gas was cheaper and they hadn’t “sold out”. Times change. As they became more popular, it seems the discounts became less focused on fuel savings and more focused on cash back to spend in stores (I.e. sponsored advertising). But it came to a head with the record fuel prices and I gave up on them. At this point, saving less than $1 per fill up doesn’t help anyone like me. Maybe if you have a small car and/or don’t drive much, but to me it doesn’t help. The “premium” membership isn’t worth paying $10/month for either, because on average I’d only save about $7.50 in a month with their rate. Not worth it! But the final two nails in the coffin were this: Several times I had fueled up using my Pay with GasBuddy card on deal alerts and didn’t get the deal even acknowledged or applied in the app. CS was less than responsive about this, basically saying they didn’t know why it wasn’t working. Lastly and most importantly, they have a $75 daily spending cap and $300 weekly spending cap. I can’t even get 3/4 of a tank with $75 these days! They claim they can’t and won’t raise the cap for contractual obligations. Well, I’m gone. That does me no good. With the entire nation at $4.50+/gal now, y’all need to get with the times or lose once loyal customers such as myself.

I wish that my card worked

I really wanted to give a better rating. I remember when Gas Buddy launched and the creator did a segment plugging the app. The idea and intentions of the creator are well. I just wish the card worked as well as any debit or credit card works. Sure there are issues here and there with bank cards, but more often than not my gas buddy card doesn’t work. It’s disappointing because I know it doesn’t have to be like this today. I hope it’s only me or just people who have this problem and the card works smoothly for as many users as possible. I did try and contact gas buddy about my problem but I don’t think they understood or I was clear or maybe one of them annoying customer and subscription killing chat bots tried to answer my question because they answered an unrelated question based on some similar words I used. I try not to think about the savings I am missing out on and genuinely disappointed. I gave up even using it and did not want to. I was pulling for gas buddy to be a success. I was even entering gas prices while my card wasn’t working until the last time when I entered the price an hour later when I got home and because i made the decision to share my location with gas buddy and whoever they sell it to, the app knew that I wasn’t anywhere near the gas station and doubted my entry. 😞

App Privacy

The developer, GasBuddy Organization Inc , indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .

Data Used to Track You

The following data may be used to track you across apps and websites owned by other companies:

• Health & Fitness
• Contact Info
• Identifiers

Data Linked to You

The following data may be collected and linked to your identity:

Data Not Linked to You

The following data may be collected but it is not linked to your identity:

• Diagnostics

Privacy practices may vary, for example, based on the features you use or your age. Learn More

Information

• Developer Website
• App Support
• Privacy Policy

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9 Best Road Trip Planner Apps To Install Before Leaving

• Posted by by Logan Smith
• Updated 12/30/2023

So, you’ve got the classic road trip playlist primed, snacks packed, and destinations plotted on the map. But before hitting the road, take a few minutes to download some of these essential road trip apps. Of Course you don’t want to get lost on the roads finding places to eat, fill up your gas tank, restrooms, best routes to explore the spot etc. From on-demand audiobooks and podcasts to games you can play together to location-based apps that recommend cool stops along your route, these road trip planner apps are a must have before leaving home. 

Keep reading for the best apps as your copilot on your next big adventure.

Roadtrippers App

Gasbuddy app, roadside america app, guide along, google maps.

The Roadtrippers app is your new best friend for any road trip lover. This app lets you map your route, find points of interest, and guide you turn-by-turn so you never get lost.

Enter your starting point and destination, and the Roadtrippers app will map out the fastest or most scenic route. You can then customize the route by adding or removing stops. The app provides estimated drive times and distances for each leg of your trip so you know exactly what to expect.

The best part of road trips is stumbling upon unexpected little gems. Roadtrippers app helps you uncover quirky roadside attractions, tasty diners, scenic overlooks, and more. Just scroll through the map to see hundreds of highly-rated stops within a few miles of your route.

Once you’ve mapped your adventure, tap “Start Trip,” and the Roadtrippers, the road trip planner app will provide turn-by-turn directions to guide you down the road. The directions are spoken aloud so you can keep your eyes on the scenery instead of a map. If you miss a turn, the app will automatically recalculate to get you back on track.

For Ex: If you want to look for a California road trip itinerary , then you just have to open the app and enter your destination i.e. California in the search term. The app will show the route to the destination with all the useful and important spots enroute. 

You can try for a specific destination and even start from your location to any spot you want to end your trip.

Roadtrippers app save all your routes, stops, and favorites so you can easily pick up where you left off, planning your next getaway. You can also share your road trips with friends or use trips others have created for inspiration.

With Roadtrippers as your copilot, you’ll discover hidden gems and make memories in no time. So pack your bags, cue up your road trip playlist, and hit the open road – adventure awaits!

With my exclusive partnership with RoadTrippers App, you will get a $5 discount if you sign up using my code mentioned below.

Subscription Price:- $35.99/year Website Link:- Click Here Discount Code : BTR5QTP

GasBuddy is the second road trip planner app which uses your phone’s GPS to show gas stations close to your current location or along your intended route. It gives you the prices for regular unleaded, midgrade, premium, and diesel at each station so you can compare and save.

You simply enter your vehicle info for fuel type recommendations, like make, model, and year. The app shows you a list of stations sorted by price or distance. Tap on a station to get directions and see detailed price info for all fuel types, hours of operation, and amenities like restrooms, ATMs, or convenience stores.

GasBuddy app also offers price alerts to notify you when gas prices drop in your area. You can save your favorite stations to quickly check their latest prices. Check gas price heat maps for longer road trips to see the cheapest areas to fill up along your route.

This road trip planner app provides useful tools like a gas calculator to estimate fuel costs for your trip. You’ll find gas price trend information to know if prices are rising or dropping. For RVs and vehicles with lower gas mileage, this insight helps in planning the budget for a road adventure.

If you notice a station with inaccurate price info, you can report it to the GasBuddy app to help keep their data up to date. You can also read reviews from other drivers on the app to find the best gas stations, not just the cheapest ones.

Whether on a cross-country road trip or driving around town, GasBuddy takes the guesswork out of finding affordable fuel.

Subscription Price:- $9.99 per month or $99 per year

Website Link:- GasBuddy

The Roadside America app is your road trip guide app to the weird, wacky, and downright bizarre roadside attractions across the U.S. and Canada. Whether you’re looking to stop by the World’s Largest Ball of Twine or pose with the giant Paul Bunyan statue, this app will point you to over 10,000 offbeat attractions.

Simply enter your starting point and destination, and Roadside America will map your route and pinpoint any quirky roadside attractions along the way. You can then browse the listings for each stop to see photos, read descriptions, and check hours of operation. Some spots are always open, while others have more limited access. The app will even provide directions to get you there.

As you browse the many amusing options, tap the heart icon next to any must-see attractions you want to visit. Your favorites will be saved to your profile so you can access them again on your road trip. You can also read reviews from other roadside fans to determine which spots might be worth a detour.

So before you hit the open road, download the top road trip planner Roadside America app. It’s the perfect companion for an unforgettable adventure filled with Americana kitsch and roadside wonder. Turn a long drive into an amusing escape by stopping at a few absurd attractions. You’ll return home with lots of laughs and even more stories. Road trips don’t get much weirder or wackier than this!

Subscription Price:- $1.99/region or all remaining regions ($6.99 more)

Website Link:- Click Here

The iExit app is designed to make road trips more enjoyable and less stressful. This handy app provides information for upcoming highway exits so you can easily find gas stations, restaurants, hotels, and points of interest along your route.

There’s nothing worse than running out of gas or dealing with a “hangry” crew. The iExit app displays the brands, locations, and distances of gas stations, charging stations, and places to eat at exits along your journey. You can filter by the amenities you need, like diesel fuel, EV charging, restaurants, fast food, or convenience stores. The app provides information like hours of operation, user reviews, and price ranges to help you choose wisely without wasting time or backtracking.

For longer drives, you’ll want to stop for the night to rest. The iExit app shows available hotels, motels, and campgrounds at each exit, price ranges, and amenities. You can filter specifically for pet-friendly lodging or RV accommodations if needed. Check current rates and vacancies so you can book your overnight stay on the road and not worry about finding acceptable lodging late at night.

Make your road trip more memorable by discovering unique attractions along the way. The iExit app highlights points of interest like national parks, museums, amusement parks, golf courses, wineries, and more. Learn which exits will lead to must-see roadside oddities or bucket list destinations.

The iExit app takes the guesswork out of road trip planning and helps ensure you have everything you need at each stop. Use it to map out your next family adventure or impromptu getaway and transform an ordinary drive into an unforgettable journey.

Subscription Price:- $99 for iOS

Other Helpful Apps for Your Road Trips

Once you’ve got your route mapped out and a playlist queued up, don’t forget all the other handy apps that can make your road trip even more enjoyable. Here are a few more favorites to download before hitting the open road.

This crowdsourced app provides a map of free WiFi hotspots along your route so you can stay connected on the go. See signal strength and check recent comments from other users before deciding where to stop. You’ll find WiFi at restaurants, hotels, campgrounds and more. Never go off the grid unless you want to!

Are you vegan, vegetarian, or just want healthy food options on your trip? This app lists veggie-friendly restaurants, food stores, and farmers’ markets in your area. Filter by cuisine type like vegan, gluten-free, or organic. Read reviews, see photos, and hours of operation to find somewhere delicious for your next meal.

This popular app organizes all your travel plans in one place. Forward confirmation emails from hotels, rental cars, flights, and activities, and TripIt will automatically build an itinerary for your trip. Get real-time flight updates, gate changes, and delays. Check hotel addresses and see points of interest around your destinations. The TripIt app makes staying on schedule and adapting to changes easy.

Turn your road trip into an audio tour with this app featuring guided walking tours for destinations across the U.S. and Canada. Download tours for national parks, historical sites, food scenes, and more. Then, listen as you drive to learn about attractions you’ll want to explore along your route. The app uses your GPS to automatically pause and restart the audio at points of interest. Who knew learning could be so fun on the road?

Find the location wherever your adventures take you. This popular app lets you search for locations along your trip route or at your destination. This app is completely free for any kind of user. You just need a gadget and internet connectivity.

These useful apps will equip you for an epic road trip adventure. Drive safe, have fun, and don’t forget to make lots of stops along the way!

Now, you’re all set for your next road trip adventure which you’ve been waiting for so long. Those long hours behind the wheel will breeze by with the right apps in your arsenal. Crank up the tunes, find cheap gas and tasty snacks, get turn-by-turn directions to your destination, play car games with your passengers, and capture memories that will last long after you return home. Technology has transformed road travel and even travel gear we carry. So charge your devices, pack your bags, round up your favorite people, and hit the open road. The perfect road trip is calling your name!

Logan Smith

I'm a wanderer rooted in California, USA. My love for traversing the globe fuels my mission: crafting travel guides and tips that empower fellow explorers. Drawing from my personal escapades, I aim to equip readers with practical advice for seamless journeys. Let's embark on transformative adventures together.

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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 .

How to use GasBuddy to get ahead of summer's fuel price surge

For the last couple of months, gas prices have been at a steady high . Although fuel prices have stabilized in certain parts of the country, the national average is still far from what it used to be — making commutes and road trips more expensive.

Thankfully, you can save money on gas by enrolling in loyalty programs offered by major gas companies. Generally, your discount is calculated per gallon pumped. That said, frequent drivers have to manage accounts with each gas company and remember to enter a loyalty number at the pump.

That's where GasBuddy comes in.

GasBuddy is a service that shows where to find the cheapest gas near you. Even better, the program's Pay with GasBuddy feature can save you up to 40 cents per gallon when you pay with its prepaid gas card. There are no codes or other frills to deal with — just pay with your GasBuddy card.

Here, I'll show you everything you need to know about saving money on gas with GasBuddy. I'll start with an overview of the app and then dive into a few ways to maximize your savings.

For more TPG news delivered each morning to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter .

How to save money on gas with GasBuddy

There are a few ways you can save on gas with the GasBuddy app. Here are three of them.

1. Find the best gas prices near you

The GasBuddy app shows gas prices at all stations nearby to help you find the best deal on gas. Just download the mobile app and let it see your current location. All nearby gas stations will appear in a list at the center of the screen alongside prices. You can use the filtering options at the top of the screen to choose which fuel type you'd like to buy and how far away you're willing to drive for gas.

There's also a map view you can use to find gas stations near you, as well as their respective pricing.

Tap on a gas station to see its pricing for each type of gas. GasBuddy relies on crowdsourcing for pricing data, so prices may not always be accurate. However, I've found that most stations are updated at least once per day and you can see the last time it was updated below the price.

With a little bit of planning, you can save real money on long trips when you're gassing up frequently. So, use GasBuddy when planning road trips to find the best deals on gas.

Related: Route 66 road trip planner: The best stops along the way

2. Using Pay with GasBuddy to save on every gallon

You can save even more using Pay with GasBuddy. When you sign up for this service, you'll get a prepaid gas card that can be used at many gas stations around the country. This card is linked to your checking account and will pull funds to cover your purchase every time you pump gas.

You'll save per gallon of gas you pump, and savings vary based on where you pump. Free members can save up to 25 cents per gallon, like in the screenshot above.

You can save up to 40 cents per gallon when you enroll in GasBuddy Premium. This service costs $9.99 per month and guarantees that you save at least 20 cents per gallon (up to 50 gallons per month). Furthermore, you have access to 24-hour roadside assistance from Allstate and exclusive GasBack offers (more on that soon).

Register for Pay with GasBuddy on the app or GasBuddy's website. Create an account and apply for the card, and it should come in the mail in a week or so. You're required to provide information like your address, date of birth and full name. You'll also need to link a bank account.

To find participating gas stations and see how much you'll save with Pay with GasBuddy, open the app and scroll through the list of gas stations. You'll see "Deal Alerts" in red above stations that support Pay with GasBuddy and offer a discount. The discount is listed next to the label as you can see in the case of the 76 station in the first screenshot.

To activate the discount, tap on the station's name and tap the "Activate Discount" button at the bottom of the screen (as shown in the second screenshot).

When you get to the station, swipe your GasBuddy card. Your checking account will be charged for your gas purchase minus the discount reflected in the app.

Related: Hitting the road? These are the 3 best cards for fueling up right now

3. Earn more savings with GasBack

You can also save on gas by earning GasBack in the GasBuddy app. In short, GasBack is the company's shopping portal that awards you gas credit when you shop with participating merchants. Each merchant awards a different percentage of GasBack based on the total cost of your purchase. For example, Old Navy awards 3% GasBack on purchases. You can redeem GasBack toward gas purchases made with Pay with GasBuddy.

To earn rewards, open the GasBuddy app before making a purchase online and go to the Savings tab. Then, search for your merchant and tap on it. Tap the Shop Now button at the bottom of the screen and make your online purchase as usual. GasBack will appear in your account after the merchant confirms the purchase.

Always cross-compare GasBack earnings with the cash back or points you'd earn with a different shopping portal. For example, it may make sense to earn with Rakuten if it's offering more cash back (or American Express Membership Rewards points ) than the GasBack portal. You can compare shopping portal earnings rates with an aggregator like Cash Back Monitor.

Related: The beginner's guide to airline shopping portals

Maximizing Pay with Gasbuddy

The savings don't stop there, though. There are a few ways you can maximize your GasBuddy savings by stacking with other rewards programs or by subscribing to GasBuddy Premium. Let's take a closer look.

Earn Shop Your Way rewards points

One easy way to maximize your GasBuddy savings is earning Shop Your Way points with Pay with GasBuddy. You'll no longer get instant savings at the pump. Instead, you'll earn a set number of Shop Your Way points every time you fuel up. These can be redeemed for discounts on merchandise at Sears and Kmart or for gift cards at select merchants like American Airlines and Hotels.com.

You'll earn Shop Your Way points at the following rates:

• $0.30 per gallon in points for paid fill-ups for the first 60 days after pairing your account with Shop Your Way, equal to 30 points per gallon.
• $0.15 per gallon in points for every paid fill-up thereafter, equal to 15 points per gallon.

Since the amount you'll save with instant savings is variable, you could come out ahead by earning at a flat rate of 15 points per gallon with GasBuddy. This effectively locks in a 15 cents per gallon savings rate that you can use toward gift cards at a merchant of your choice.

Check out our full guide to earning Shop Your Way points with GasBuddy for an in-depth analysis of this partnership.

Enroll in GasBuddy Premium if you drive a lot

If you have a long commute or are about to embark on a long road trip, you may want to enroll in GasBuddy Premium. As discussed, this subscription service costs $9.99 per month but lets you get up to 40 cents off per gallon. It also guarantees a minimum of 20 cents per gallon in savings at all gas stations that support Pay with GasBuddy.

It may be worth enrolling in the program if you know you're going to drive a lot in a given month. Do the math beforehand to ensure you get enough value from the program to offset the monthly cost. The program also has other perks like roadside assistance and exclusive GasBack offers.

Stack with gas loyalty programs

One nice thing about Pay with GasBuddy is that you can stack it with other fuel rewards programs. For example, you can still enter your Shell FuelRewards number at the pump when you use your Pay with GasBuddy account. FuelRewards Gold members earn 5 cents per gallon at Shell stations, meaning GasBuddy Premium members can theoretically save 45 cents per gallon at some gas stations.

Related: Here are the top 5 ways to save on gas this summer

Is it worth using Pay with GasBuddy over a credit card?

One downside to Pay with GasBuddy is that you won't earn credit card points at the pump. This is because — like a debit card — your checking account is debited the amount of your gas purchase. Depending on the cards you have in your wallet, it can make sense to use GasBuddy despite not earning points, especially if you're earning Shop Your Way points.

As of writing this article, the AAA national average gas price is $4.14 per gallon. If you pump 5 gallons of gas and pay $20.70, you'll earn 100 Shop Your Way points (equal to $1.00 toward gift cards). This is essentially a 5% return on your purchase when you redeem points for gift cards. Alternatively, if the station offers 10 cents off per gallon, you'd earn $0.50 in instant savings.

Alternatively, you can put the $20.70 purchase on a Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi . This card earns 4% back at U.S. gas stations up to $7,000 per year. You'd earn roughly $0.82 in cash back on this purchase, which is less than GasBuddy.

Or, you can put the purchase on a Citi Premier® Card (see rates and fees ) since this card earns three ThankYou points per dollar spent at gas stations. TPG values these points at 1.8 cents apiece, giving you $1.08 worth of points. Of course, you can make these points worth more depending on how you redeem them. In this case, I'd rather put the charge on my Citi card since I plan on redeeming Citi ThankYou points this summer.

I keep my Pay with GasBuddy and Citi Premier card in my wallet and quickly do the math to see which offers the best deal. If gas is cheap and Pay with GasBuddy offers 6 cents or more per gallon, I'll swipe my GasBuddy card at the pump. Otherwise, I'll charge more expensive gas purchases to my Citi Premier as this presents a higher 5.1% return with the three times the earning rate.

Related: Best credit cards for gas purchases

Bottom line

GasBuddy can be a great way to save on gas this summer. Download it and request a Pay with GasBuddy card before your next big road trip, and don't forget to stack it with other fuel rewards programs. After all, every bit of savings counts during a gas shortage when prices are high.

Additional reporting by Kyle Olsen.

Feature photo by Everyonephoto Studio/Shutterstock.com.

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Home » Blog » 12 Best Road Trip Planner Apps to Help You Find Free Campsites, Cheap Gas, Hiking Trails, and more

12 Best Road Trip Planner Apps to Help You Find Free Campsites, Cheap Gas, Hiking Trails, and more

There are so many apps out there for you to use for travel planning but it can get a bit overwhelming when trying to find the right ones to use. In this trip planning guide, I’m sharing the 12 BEST road trip planner apps so that you don’t have to do any unnecessary research! With these apps you can find free campsites, cheap gas, hiking trails, better signal, and so much more.

Disclaimer : This blog post may feature some affiliate links, which means I get a small commission if you make a purchase (at no extra cost to you). It’s one of the ways I can keep producing free guides and resources for my readers. Learn more about my affiliate policy  here . Thank you for the support!

12 Best Road Trip Planner Apps

It is important to be prepared and to plan ahead when traveling. Nowadays, this includes having the right apps on your phone to make your trip go smoothly. Whether that means having a phone app that lets you download maps in case you lose signal or apps to help you find something that you need such as a free campsite, toilets, or cheap gas, it is important to know how to use them so that you can make the most of them during your trip!

In this guide, I’m sharing the road trip planner apps that I personally use for my travels. Many of them are free but some do have additional membership plans to unlock more features. After you have found the apps you want to use, I recommend you take the time to familiarize yourself with them so it won’t be a learning experience while on the road. Ok, let’s jump into my favorite trip planner apps!

1. road trip planner app: iOverlander

iOverlander is an app that helps you find campsites, hotels, hostels, fuel, water, and much more. It essentially covers all of your basics for traveling on the road. Just open the app and adjust the filters to what you are looking for and search on their interactive map on the location you want. You can also use the list option to view a list of all the locations close by and in order by closest to furthest distance from your location. This app is free to use and I frequently refer to it when traveling on road trips.

• Cost : FREE
• Download : Android / iOS

2. road trip planner app: GasBuddy

Gas prices can quickly add up to be a substantial cost on a road trip! GasBuddy helps you find gas stations close to you, along with their prices. All you have to do is click Find Gas, and see where the best gas prices are near you. You can also join their premium membership to save even more money on gas by redeeming deals and offers. 

• Cost : FREE and Premium ($9.99 per month) 

Looking to save money while traveling? Click here for my top tips to taking road trips on a budget!

3. road trip planner app: The Dyrt

The Dyrt is a great app to plan camping road trips. You can search for campsites by the style of camping (tent, trailer, RV, cabin), access to the campsite, campground features, and more. You can search for a campsite quickly on the go or use it to plan ahead along your road trip route. You can also join their PRO membership to unlock everything that this app has to offer such as map layers, offline downloads, discounts, trip planner, and more. 

• Cost : FREE and PRO ($35.99 per year, use code reneeroaming  to get a 30-day free trial!)

4. road trip planner app: Google Maps

Google Maps is a must-have road trip planning app and probably the one I use most frequently. In my opinion, it’s the best app to use for driving navigation. While driving it will warn you of delays, accidents, and even speed traps. You can also search for gas stations, hotels, groceries, or even a restaurant on your route while on the go. I always look up restaurants and cafes to check they have good reviews, and to see photos!

Another thing that I like to do is create my own maps on the app and save locations that I would like to visit. I will find restaurants, hiking trails, hotels, and even attractions and save them all in a private map for that location making it easy to make the most of my visit there.

5. road trip planner app: Maps.Me

Maps.Me is an alternative to Google Maps for when you don’t have cell service. With this app you can download offline maps to help you continue to travel worry free. On the app you can search the same things as on Google Maps like where to eat, hotels, gas, and more. You can even plan a route on the map and add stops to make your road trip easier when navigating.

I will say though, Maps.Me isn’t always 100% accurate when it predicts distances and times, so use Google Maps whenever you have service. Another thing to note is that you need to download the maps before you go offline and they can take up quite a bit of storage on your phone if you have numerous downloaded at a time.

6. road trip planner app: Gaia GPS

If you’re looking to do some hiking on your road trip then Gaia GPS is the app for you. The best thing about Gaia is that you can view their topographic maps and trails in great detail, including elevation changes, water sources, etc. You can also use the app to find hikes, plan ahead, and even track/record hikes on your road trip.

The premium membership allows you to download maps for offline use so you can go hiking without worrying about losing cell service (you can also print their maps). I also love that Gaia GPS has cell phone coverage maps, so you can check where you will have phone service during your trip.

• Cost : FREE and Premium ($39.99 per year). Click here to get 20% off your membership .

7. road trip planner app: OpenSignal Internet Speed Test

If you are traveling for work then staying connected is a must. The OpenSignal app allows you to test the internet speed for your mobile data or wifi connection ensuring you have good upload and download speeds. It also allows you to see where the best mobile data towers are located and the stats of the different cell phone carriers in that area.

8. road trip planner app: TripAdvisor

TripAdvisor is a very popular travel planning website and app. It allows you to see what attractions, restaurants, things to do, and hotels are near your location or the location you are planning to visit. The app also allows you to read reviews from other visitors making it easier to plan your trip accordingly. I always check reviews on TripAdvisor before booking a hotel.

9. road trip planner app: Waze

Waze Navigation & Live Traffic is a GPS navigation app similar to Google Maps. One difference between Google Maps and Waze is that you can control your music without switching to another app. You can also find the best routes with real-time alerts for traffic, police, accidents, closures, and more. It makes it easy to find parking and gas stations as well while driving. If you know you’ll be traveling through a destination with a lot of traffic, Waze would be a handy app to use!

10. road trip planner app: Flush Toilet Finder

The Flush Toilet Finder app is perfect for long road trips. Sometimes you drive for a long time without finding a gas station or even a restaurant to stop at to use the bathroom. Well not anymore! This app will help you find all the places where you can use the bathroom. It even gives you details about the restroom such as disabled access, key entry required, or even a bathroom fee.

11. road trip planner app: MapOut

MapOut is an amazing app to calculate exact distances for hiking, cycling, or even driving. You create different waypoints on a map and then it calculates the distance between them. My favorite feature is that you can draw a line along a particular section of trail to see how long it is until your next turn, how long a detour might be, or how much further to go. I also use it to draw different route options and then work out which one is less distance. I use MapOut alongside the Gaia App when hiking, as I find they provide different functions.

• Cost : $4.99 one-time payment
• Download : iOS

12. road trip planner app: Freecampsites

Freecampsites is a great website and app to have when looking for free campsites near you. It allows you to search for campsites around your location or your travel destination. You can also learn more about the campground, the type of campsite it is, the exact GPS coordinates, and see reviews that other campers have left about that location. I use Freecampsites in conjunction to iOverlander and The Dyrt . I find that between the three of them I can nearly always find free camping options!

• Download : Android

Note: This app is currently available only on Android but you can use their website version for free here . 

Want to learn more about free camping. Check out my travel guide here on  how to find free campsites across the US .

More Helpful Road Trip Planning Resources

Looking for more resources to plan an epic road trip? We have you covered! Check out these guides:

• How To Take a Road Trip on a Budget
• Top Tips for Sleeping in Your Car on Road Trips
• How To Find Free Campsites Across the USA
• Car Camping Essentials List: Ultimate Printable Checklist!
• Exactly How To Avoid Crowds in National Parks

Final Thoughts on the Best Road Trip Planner Apps

I hope that this guide was helpful and that you can use these apps for your next trip. Remember to always be prepared. Before going on your trip, plan ahead, create a tentative itinerary, and learn how to work the different apps. It is always good to familiarize yourself with the apps before getting on the road. Happy travels!

PIN for later planning

Related guides.

Ultimate Guide to Winter Hiking and Camping

Arctic Expedition on the Seabourn Venture – Greenland and Canada

9 Luxury Backpacking Items That Are Worth The Extra Weight

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Best road trip planner apps: 5 apps to map out your adventure

How to plan your roadtrip with apps in the driver's seat

Regardless of your destination, planning your trip is an integral part of the adventure. Otherwise, you’ll spend way more than you need to and, chances are, you won’t get to see everything on your wishlist. 

We live in a golden age of technology that we often take for granted. But, in all the time we spend playing our ‘Spin Addicts’ and our ‘Cat Quests’, very rarely do we think about the utility that our smart devices can provide on the open road. 

As such, we’ve gone out of our way to do the thinking for you.

That’s right, to help you out with your next big outing we’ve assimilated five of the best road trip planner apps for your lengthy expedition below. Above all else, we imagine you’ll be enticed by the fact that they’re all free to download, even if you may or may not be tempted later on to shell out some cash for a monthly subscription fee. (You’ll know what we mean when you see it.)

1. Roadtrippers 

As its name and slogan suggests, this is the only map built for travelers. Okay, maybe that’s a bit of hyperbole, but this app will help you find virtually everything you could ever need along the way. 

Open Roadtrippers and you’ll find millions of locations, including local diners and roadside attractions that, admittedly, Google Maps is prone to miss. Then, once you’ve outlined your road trip plan, you can share it with your travel buddies so that they can make suggestions. 

Download it now on iOS | Download it now on Android

2. Waze 

Like Roadtrippers, Waze hones in on social interaction, but it does so by letting the community decide which routes are the best to take. Users can report nearby collisions, police radar and traffic jams so that you can safely avoid those routes in favor of arriving on time. What’s more, you’ll find the cheapest gas prices around, as gathered by the community. Regardless of whether you set out to save time or money, Waze is the best way to do both.

3. GasBuddy 

Unlike our previous mentions which can potentially save time or money, GasBuddy promises a specific amount of money you’ll save by using it.

Similar to Waze, GasBuddy is a community-driven platform that helps you locate the most affordable gas prices around so that you never have to pay full price for fossil fuels again. The difference is that, with this app, you can subscribe to GasBuddy Pay for additional savings of 15 cents per gallon on your first fill-up and 5 cents per gallon on every fill-up after that. 

Download it now on iOS | Download it now on Android  

4. Hotel Tonight 

We’ve all been in that position. The one where we get too tired to continue driving and we need to find a hotel quickly and cheaply, else suffer the wrath of sleepy driving with the windows rolled down and the music turned all the way up. (Pro tip: don't do that, ever. It's super dangerous.) 

But if that sounds like a horror story that you’ve experienced before, Hotel Tonight is the app for you. Specializing in last-minute hotel deals, Hotel Tonight makes it possible to book a room in three easy taps and one seamless swipe. 

5. Spotify  

Close your eyes. Now imagine you can listen to any song you want, including but not limited to “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” by The Proclaimers. Now open them. 

Though it seems jokingly obvious now, Spotify would have been a dream come true in the days when top 40 radio hits triumphed over all else. Finally, you don’t have to listen to the same handful of songs on repeat. 

Instead, you can hand-pick your own playlists, choosing between over 30 million songs in the Spotify catalog. Of course, if Spotify isn't your music scene, both Apple Music and Google's own Play Music streaming service are also good travel companions.

  TechRadar’s The Road to the Show 2018 sees our intrepid writers braving a cross-country trip across the US, using the best gadgets to bring you their daily travel blog and offering the best tips for a tech-based roadtrip. The journey is brought to you in association with ZTE and the ZTE Axon M, with car transportation provided by Genesis.  

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GasBuddy Review: Helpful Tool for RoadTrips, or nah? [2024]

It can be hard to find the cheapest gas while you're on a road trip, especially when you're unfamiliar with the area. GasBuddy claims to help you with that, but I'm skeptical. I dug deep into the app to find out whether the app's actually worth traveler's download, or if it's just a gimmick. Find out now!

Looking for a way to save more than five times the amount you would with a debit or gas credit card? That's a question on all traveler's mind, especially when you're going on a road trip.

GasBuddy offers a range of features that make it an attractive option for everyone, particularly those new to an area or in urgent need of gas. These features include a quick sign-up process that requires no credit check, no bills, and no hassles.

If you want to make the  best of your travel  or road trips, you're not alone. But is GasBuddy actually worth it? In this review, I’ll take a closer look at the features that make this app so popular. This includes how it works, the cost, the pros and cons, and everything in between.

Life is easier if you have the right app handy the next time you hit the road. Let’s dive in, shall we? 

What Is GasBuddy?

GasBuddy  is a popular  travel mobile app  designed to help travelers like yourself find the cheapest gas prices in your area. It uses prediction and historical data to locate the cheapest nearby gas stations and compare their prices, making it easy to save money on fuel. 

In addition to finding the cheapest gas, GasBuddy helps you locate gas stations with better amenities. I’m talking about clean restrooms and good food. 

The app is free on Android and iOS devices. It has become a go-to tool for drivers looking to save money and time on their daily commutes or road trips. 

With millions of downloads, GasBuddy has established itself as a leading fuel price and information resource.

GasBuddy Features

Best gas prices.

At GasBuddy, you can find one of the cheapest gas prices for more than 150,000 gas stations across North America. This means you can easily compare prices and find the best deals in your area. 

Plus, GasBuddy’s gas prices are updated frequently, so you can trust that the information you see is accurate and up-to-date.

Gas Stations Sorted by Distance or Price

One of the great things about GasBuddy is that it allows you to sort gas stations by either distance or price. This means you can find the gas station closest to you or the one that offers the best price for the fuel you need.

With the app’s intuitive interface, you can sort and filter your search results in just a few clicks. 

Gas Station Map View

If you like to see where gas stations are located visually, you’ll love GasBuddy’s map app view and how it works. You can view all the gas stations in your area on a map, and it helps you identify which one is closest to you or offers the best price. 

And if you’re traveling to a new area, the map view can be especially helpful in finding gas stations along your route. With a glance, you can plan your stops and ensure you never run out of gas.

Reviews and Ratings 

Have you ever visited a gas station with dirty bathrooms or broken gas pumps? It can be frustrating and even ruin your day. 

With GasBuddy, you can avoid those unpleasant experiences. GasBuddy allows users to leave reviews and ratings for gas stations based on their experiences. 

This means you can see what other users think about a particular gas station before you decide to visit. So, GasBuddy’s user reviews and ratings provide valuable insights to help you choose where to fill your tank.

How Does GasBuddy Work? 

Below is all that’s required: 

• Download the GasBuddy app or visit its website.
• Search for gas stations in your area using the search bar or GPS.
• Sort gas stations by distance or price, and filter your search results as needed.
• Use GasBuddy’s map view to see precisely where gas stations are located.
• Explore additional features like user reviews and ratings, cashback rewards, and the Pay with GasBuddy payment card.

What is the Cancellation Policy? 

When an item is returned, canceled, or exchanged, the corresponding GasBack amount will be reversed. This entails deducting the amount you earned from your GasBack balance. 

If the reversed GasBack amount exceeds your current balance, your GasBack balance could turn negative. 

Do note that a negative GasBack balance renders you unable to redeem GasBack. Nonetheless, you can still earn more GasBack to return your balance to a positive and redeemable status.

GasBuddy's Recent Controversy with Data Collection

When I initially approached the app, I was taken aback by the amount of information GasBuddy is collecting from me. While it was very suspicious, I had an iPhone and was able to deny access to to app gathering data to a certain extent.

Upon further look, it seems like the GasBuddy app isn't as pure as trying to help you save money on gas and earn points based on gas purchases. It has a dark side.

While the app remains free, it collects a mountain of information on users using the app. According to its privacy policy and lawsuit reports that have came out, GasBuddy collects and sells location data to location-data brokers in the industry. It's apparently making up to 9.5$ per 1000 users for the location data it was selling.

Gas Buddy also sells your driving habits (if you have Drive feature enabled) to Arity, an Allstate owned company that shares these information to insurance companies to more accurately and unethically collect information that may help them predict the level of driver riskiness.

I've uninstalled the app since then, but if you're okay with the huge amounts of data collection brokerage GasBuddy is conducting, there are ways to limit its ability to collect data based on what phone OS you're on.

Is GasBuddy Worth It?

One of the main benefits of using GasBuddy is that it locates the cheapest gas stations near you. This can be particularly helpful for those who drive frequently or for long distances. 

The app can search for gas prices based on fuel type, brand, and location. This level of flexibility can help you find the gas station that suits your needs.

Another benefit I’d like to point out is its  rewards program . You earn points for reporting gas prices and redeeming them for free gas, and this can be an excellent incentive if you’re looking to save even more on gas.

However, based on the huge amounts of data breach and brokerage GasBuddy has been doing, I'd stay away from the app. Next thing you know your insurance company increase your premiums because of "additional risk assessment factors".

My Rating: 2.1/5

• Source cheap gas prices
• Offers a rewards program 
• Flexible search option 
• Required account creation
• Cluttered interface/navigation
• Collects huge amount of data
• Known to sell your data

Let Pilot Help You Go Further!

If you plan to hit the road, go camping, or fish at a far destination, an app like GasBuddy can be handy for gas refills.  

It makes no sense to spend heavily on gas when you could save a few bucks when you know where to look. 

Now that you’ve got GasBuddy, why not take things further and let Pilot help you plan your trip?

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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The 5 Best Gas Apps to Help You Save at the Pump

Find the cheapest prices and even get money back

• Shoreline Community College

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If you have a long commute, or you’re on an extended road trip, how are you supposed to know if a better price lurks just beyond the horizon? Gas apps can answer that question by finding the best prices in your area or along your route, either from crowdsourced information or data from an industry group.

All of these apps are free, and they all work with both Android and iOS . Some require you to set up a free account, and others have premium features that you can pay for, but they’re all free to download and use. Links are provided for both Android and iOS versions of each app, or you can find them in the app store on your phone.

Best for Finding Stations on Road Trips: Gas Buddy

Automatically show cheap gas along your route.

Identifies good places to stop based on gas prices.

Payment feature can save you some money too.

Advanced trip planner is only on the website.

Gathers lots of private data.

Gas Buddy is a feature-rich gas app, but its route feature is indispensable when planning a road trip. This feature lets you plug in your current location and your destination, verify your route, and then it shows you the best gas prices all along the way. The GasBuddy website takes this a step further, allowing you to enter the year, make, and model of your vehicle, along with your starting point and destination, to automatically generate an itinerary based on gas prices along your route.

In addition to the awesome trip planning feature, Gas Buddy also has a gas station and price finder, outage tracker, and a payment feature that may save you money. The app is completely free to download and use, but premium members get some extra perks like higher savings on fuel purchases and free roadside assistance, which could also come in handy on a long road trip.

Download For:

Best for Finding Local Stations Quick: Google Maps

Quick and easy to find local stations and prices.

You probably already have it.

Excellent for creating routes and navigation.

No advanced sorting features.

Won’t show stations out of your area unless you run a new search.

Google Maps is a map and route planning app , not a dedicated gas app, but it does an excellent job showing you the local gas prices fast. It lacks a lot of the advanced features you’ll find in dedicated gas apps, but its big advantages are that it’s fast, easy to use, and there’s a good chance you already have it on your phone. It comes pre-installed on Android devices, and you can also grab it from the iOS App Store for free.

This app is great for quickly scanning the local gas prices because all you have to do is open the app and tap the gas icon. This automatically brings up a map of the closest gas stations along with prices. The downside is that while it’s quick and easy, it doesn’t show premium or diesel prices, and the sorting options are limited.

Best for Cash Back: Upside

Provides money back within days.

Receive funds via PayPal, check, or gift card.

Sometimes has cash back offers for restaurants and groceries.

Doesn’t work everywhere.

Only shows gas prices for participating stations.

You have to pay full price then wait to be reimbursed.

Gas apps are designed to help you find the lowest price at the pump, but Upside takes it a step further and provides money back on your purchases. The way this money-saving app works is you use it to check for local discounts, accept an offer, then fuel up. You have to pay full price initially, then either check-in via the app (if the location supports it), or send a picture of your receipt to Upside through the app. After you’ve accumulated $10 worth of rewards, you can cash out through PayPal, a gift card, or a physical check.

This app is great if you’re looking to earn some cash back on your gas purchases, and it can save you a lot of money if you spend a lot of time behind the wheel. It’s best used in conjunction with a traditional gas app though, as it only shows local Upside offers, not prices from every gas station.

Best for Contactless Payment: Waze

Automatically alerts you when contactless payment is available.

Launches the right app for your location.

Works with multiple gas station chains.

Payment isn’t handled in-app.

Requires the installation of additional apps.

Waze is one of the best all-around navigation apps on the market, and it can find the best prices on gas in addition to best-in-class route planning, crowdsourced traffic data, and even a rideshare feature. If you choose this as your go-to route planning and gas app, it will automatically alert you whenever you arrive at a gas station that supports contactless payment. It then gives you the option to launch the corresponding gas station app if you have it installed.

The obvious downside is contactless payment isn’t handled from within the Waze app itself, so you have to install the individual gas station apps for it to work. The benefit is you don’t have to fiddle around with locating and launching the right app when it’s time to buy gas, as Waze will do that for you when you pull up to the pump.

Best for Accurate Prices: Geico Mobile

Up to date gas prices from OPIS.

Don’t need to have Geico to use it.

Lacks some advanced features.

Geico policyholders will get more utility out of it.

Geico Mobile is a must-have if you have Geico insurance, as it lets you pull up your policy information anywhere. This free app is available to everyone though, and it’s worth checking out due to its accurate and up-to-date pricing information. Unlike a lot of apps that use crowd-sourced data that may be either fresh or outdated, Geico Mobile uses data from the Oil Price Information Service (OPIS) that’s updated regularly.

Even if you primarily use a crowdsourced app like GasBuddy, it’s good to have an OPIS-based app like this to compare. There are other apps that give access to OPIS data, but Geico Mobile is remarkably fast and easy to use. You don’t need an account, and you don’t need to have Geico insurance. If you do have Geico, you can also use the app to view your insurance policy info, request roadside assistance, file and check on claims, and manage your policy.

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10 Helpful Road Trip Planning Apps For Your Next Adventure

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 planning app is a convenient way to store all your essential travel plans in one place.

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 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 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 various 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, which 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 details 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 probably 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 things 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 lousy cell service in an area.

Final Thoughts

There are many road trip planning apps, so research and find the apps that best fit your needs. It’s always a good idea to test 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]

Alexandrea Sumuel is a nationally syndicated travel writer and founder of the Wander With Alex travel blog. Her work has appeared on MSN, YAHOO!, Euronews, and FOX, ABC, and NBC affiliates across the United States. 

Alex travels to experience, eat, explore, and occasionally escape! She collaborates with destinations, vacation property management companies, and hospitality technology firms to provide her readers with exclusive insights and information.