With a free profile, you can use Couchsurfing to meet locals and stay for free in their homes. It can also help you save on food expenses by buying restaurant surplus from your host.
Designed for hikers, AllTrails lets you find trail maps by location and filter them by difficulty, terrain, attractions, and more. You can even use the GPS feature to track your progress on the trail.
TripIt
The app has a variety of features to help keep travelers organized. It allows you to add new bookings manually or automatically, and it can access your email and calendar to make updates for you.
It also provides a range of other helpful information, including airport maps, carbon footprint details, and neighborhood safety scores. Travelers can also download language packs to use offline.
iExit is a great choice for road-trippers as it offers up services at each highway exit, such as restaurants, local accommodations and gas stations. It also has a feature that gives you tips to save money on airfare and hotels.
Waze
Many airlines now offer their own apps for easier check-ins and other features. Likewise, many rental car companies and even some hostels have their own apps.
The community-powered navigation app Waze is one of the best apps for traveling because it shows real-time traffic updates from direct user feedback. It also lets you know what services are available at each highway exit, including restaurants and local accommodations. It also has a useful feature that lets you stay anonymous.
Google Translate
From navigating a new city to making currency conversions, there’s an app for almost every travel need. Some of our favorites include Hotel Tonight for scoring day-of hotel deals and Airbnb for booking home rentals including cabins, igloos and boats!
For those traveling abroad, Google Translate is a must-have. This no-frills app lets you input text into your native language and it will translate it into the local language, and works offline too! It’s also great for finding food or ordering at a restaurant that doesn’t have English menus.
PackPoint
Traveling is infinitely easier thanks to apps that can help you navigate a new city, make currency conversions and pack the perfect suitcase. The most popular apps for travelers also include a social hub for finding things to do on vacation.
PackPoint is the most sophisticated of the packing apps available, starting off by asking your gender and then the type of trip (leisure or business). From there, it asks for the destination, travel dates, length of stay and whether you’ll have access to laundry.
BlaBlaCar
Developed in France, BlaBlaCar’s website and apps connect drivers with passengers who want to share the cost of a journey. It’s a great option for budget travelers, people who don’t like to travel by train or bus and those looking to visit villages, smaller towns or off-the-beaten-track destinations.
The app lets users register their trip so that local embassies and consulates can contact them in the event of an emergency. It also provides handy tips for traveling abroad.
LoungeBuddy
LoungeBuddy is a handy app that lets travelers book airport lounge access. By adding their trip details, credit cards and other elite statuses or memberships, it shows them which lounges they have free access to or can purchase a day pass for.
It also lists amenities such as premium alcohol and food, fast WiFi, showers and business centers. It can even track flight status and alert travelers of any changes. It’s available for iOS and Android devices.
Citymapper
While some travel apps are purely functional, Citymapper adds fun to the experience. The app lets you share your ETA with friends via WhatsApp or Facebook, and it also tracks how many calories or trees you’ve saved using public transport.
The Jetlag Fighter offers customized recommendations based on neuroscience and circadian rhythms to help travelers beat jet lag. PackPoint helps travellers avoid over-packing by creating a customizable packing list. Travelers can easily connect to Wi-Fi on the go with TunnelBear, which secures browsing data and keeps it private from hackers and advertisers.
Hopper
Hopper is one of the best travel apps to help you save time and money by aggregating your trip options in one place. It offers flights, hotels, and rental cars at great prices.
Its price prediction feature can also warn you of upcoming fares, saving you from overpaying. Plus, the app has a loyalty program that rewards you with perks and discounts on future bookings.
Another top travel app is Locationscout, a great tool for photographers or anyone looking for inspiration. It shows you photo spots in a particular city or country and helps you plan your trip accordingly.
