This post may contain affiliate links. If you click one and make a purchase, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It helps support the site so I can continue to offer great content to you!
Last updated September 15, 2023
Staying up-to-date with the latest technology can be challenging, especially with new travel apps being developed almost every day. But don’t feel overwhelmed. The trick is to find travel apps that simplify your life and that you’re comfortable using. Our family travels quite a bit, and in this article, we will share the best travel apps that we have used. Because travel is expensive, the base usage of all the apps below is free at the moment this article is written.
Tripit
If you want to keep track of all your travel bookings in one place, try using the Tripit app. It’s phenomenal! All you need to do is forward your reservation emails to the app, and it will organize your itinerary for you. With Tripit, you can rest assured that you won’t miss a flight, hotel reservation, or car rental again.
Best free communication apps
If you’re planning to travel to a foreign country, it’s important to be well-prepared and have a clear understanding of how you’ll stay connected and communicate with others. Staying in touch with family and utilizing the internet to find restaurants, activities, and routes are common practices while traveling abroad. However, it’s possible that your phone and data plan won’t cover you or will charge you at high rates. To make things easier for you, we’ve compiled a list of apps that we have personally used and recommend. Ultimately, you want to find apps for travel that will make your life easier and that you are comfortable using.
WhatsApp is a communication app that uses wifi as opposed to cellular data. You can use the app for text, image, video, and audio messaging. As long as you are not roaming, the app will use wifi, and you should not encounter any additional fees. However, to be safe, I recommend contacting your data provider before you depart on your trip.
TunnelBear
TunnelBear offers you a secure VPN & wifi connection when using public wifi. If you are traveling abroad, you will likely disable your cellular data and rely on public wifi a great deal.
The free app offers 2GB of browsing data each month. The app encrypts your web browsing and data making it more difficult for websites to track your real-time physical location.
Google translate
When traveling to a foreign country with a different language, it’s crucial to have a reliable translation app. Google translate won’t disappoint. The app allows for text, images, and voice translation. Some useful applications include telling a taxi driver where you are going or translating a menu at a restaurant.
Best free discovery apps
There are so many things you will want to search for while on vacation. You will have many needs, from things to visit, food options, and the best routes to get somewhere. Good well-rated apps that serve your purpose will save you time and frustration. Let’s dive into the best travel apps in this category.
Citymapper
This app offers an outstanding navigation experience in over 80 cities. The app greatly improves the experience of navigating an unfamiliar city by providing the best route and transportation mode.
Visit A City
Visitacity is your personal travel guide creating the perfect itinerary. You can customize the app to fit your travel plans and preferences. This phenomenal app eliminates the need for independent research and planning.
OpenTable
The OpenTable app has saved my sanity more times than I wish to admit. When on vacation, we tend to forget to take breaks and end up going non-stop. This often leads to us being famished and searching for a restaurant can be quite frustrating. Luckily, with OpenTable, you can easily plan ahead and not only find restaurants but also make reservations in advance. This helps to eliminate any last-minute dinner stress and allows you to fully enjoy your vacation.
RoadTrippers
As the name eludes, Roadtrippers is your go-to app when heading out on a road trip. You can plan your route, find food and lodging, and discover unique attractions for an amazing trip with your family while monitoring traffic.
Eatwith
I have not tried this genius app. However, when I discovered it, I could not leave it off of this list. Eatwith is an app that allows you to discover unforgettable culinary experiences in the city you are visiting. With this app, you have the opportunity to discover and reserve exclusive cooking classes or uncover hidden local food gems to experience. However, the most thrilling aspect of this app is the ability to book a reservation for a homemade meal at a local host’s residence! The menu, meal time, number of available seats, and additional pertinent information are provided to you via the app. Isn’t this concept simply incredible?
Other important free apps
There are several other apps I cannot and would not travel without.
First, if traveling by plane, make sure to download the airline app. You will be able to view immediate changes to flight information, including gate changes, as well as any available in-flight entertainment options.
I also recommend the app Loungebuddy. This app helps you determine what lounge you might have access to based on your airline ticket and travel status. If you do not have free access to any lounge, you have the option to purchase access to increase your comfort during a long layover
Make sure you have Uber or Lyft on your phone. Shared rides are extremely convenient. You don’t want to be dealing with trying to download and sign up for the app when you are ready to get a ride somewhere. If traveling outside of the US, I’d recommend researching if they have other shared-ride alternatives. For example, Europe has its version called Free Now (previously MyTaxi).
Lastly, many cities have apps for a variety of purposes. Many have parking apps, allowing you to find the closest parking along with the prices. Furthermore, many large cities have public transportation such as subway apps that make navigating the city much easier. Speaking of navigating, I love my good old Google Maps whether I’m traveling or just going places around our city.
In conclusion…
I think that travel has gotten easier with all of the technology we have access to. However, too much can sometimes be worse than not enough. Do your research, download a few apps, try them for yourself, and stick to one app per utility or purpose. I hope you discovered a few new best travel apps while reading this article, and that they will help make your next travel experience more enjoyable.
Bon voyage!
Cat xx