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Travel apps are the absolute best thing you can bring on your travels and they won’t add any extra weight to your suitcase. Read on to find out the top 15 essentials travel apps and download your favorites today!
Best Travel Apps
Written By: Sarah Talty
How many times does our phone save us when we’re abroad?
Whether it’s Google translating the description of a suspicious looking dish in a new restaurant or helping you to book flights, our phones and apps are amazing.
But as much as we all use our phones to help us when we’re abroad, there might be a few apps you haven’t heard of.
Here are 10 apps that are essential to have when traveling:
Trip Advisor
Trip Advisor is amazing if you’re somewhere new and want to check out reviews on a restaurant before going or hotel or tourist attraction.
One reader says, “You can even download cities to navigate offline and make itineraries of what you plan to see each day. Always the latest reviews and advice. Especially love choosing restaurants as people upload what they ordered so you get s better idea. I’ve found some real hole in the wall places there.”
WhatsApp Messenger is a free messaging app that uses your phone’s Internet connection to let you message and call friends and family. You can switch from SMS to WhatsApp to send and receive messages, calls, photos, videos, and Voice Messages.
One reader says, “It’s great for keeping in touch with family and friends. You can also send photos to a couple of select groups rather than posting on Facebook.”
Netflix
Going to new countries is amazing for the different cultures and experiences we gain but new countries also means new movies and TV shows on Netflix!
Each country has their own specific Netflix, which applies to the countries the shows and movies are contracted to be shown in, which means by just going somewhere new you have a whole new library to explore.
Your Netfix will update automatically so there’s no hassle about changing your VPN. For example they don’t have the TV show Friends in Ireland, but do in Spain. Just remember there’s a whole new place to explore and don’t spend all your time watching new shows.
Kayak
The Kayak app lets you organize all of your travel plans in one place including free flight status updates, airport terminal maps and security wait times. You can also book flights, hotels or rental cars and save money with mobile-only rates and private deals.
One reader says, “I have it set up to automatically upload my trip confirmations so I can go way back and see what I paid for everything and can use same flights, hotels, train connections, etc. and pass those ideas on to others.”
Airbnb
Airbnb is a fantastic service by where you can rent a room or home over the internet. You can view and book rooms/houses on the app and it’s really easy to find your dream accommodation within an affordable budget.
But just be careful it’s legit, its usually a good sign if the listing has a load of positive reviews. It’s also a great way to find beautiful accommodation in the city center or in a location that suits you that might be outside of the usual tourist hotel chain areas.
Sign up here for a free $40 credit. Read these Airbnb tips for more info!
Instagram is a necessity for sharing all your best travel photos with your friends and family. It’s likely you already have Instagram but you can also download amazing Insta-related apps to take your photos and videos to the next level, like Instasize and Boomerang.
As you head on your next trip, follow our tips for taking the perfect travel photos on Instagram!
Skyscanner
This app lets you compare flights from a variety of different airlines, really handy if you want to shop around a bit before buying your flights. Handy for people who would rather spend less money getting places and more money when they arrive.
LaLaLab
Pick your best holiday pics on this app straight from your phone, no uploading needed and LaLaLab will print them for you and sent to your house, you can also get them in polaroid style, if you’re so inclined and want to be a bit artsy.
You can use my referral code to get €5 off your first purchase: PGC57MSU
Google Translate
Google Translate is a lifesaver, especially when you’re standing in the supermarket and want to know what food you’re looking at but being too embarrassed to ask someone.
It also comes in handy for translating directions, menus, signs, anything really. It’s the one app you shouldn’t leave home without if you don’t speak the language.
One reader says, “This app is great for menus and signs. Just aim your phone for instant translation.”
Rick Steves Audio Europe
The Rick Steves Audio Europe™ app organizes Rick’s vast library of self-guided walking tours and radio interviews into geographic playlists covering Europe’s top sights, travel tips, and cultural insights.
One reader says of this app, “The Rick Steves Audio Europe (for the City Walks) is like having your own tour guide. I used it in Italy last year!”
Rome2rio
Rome2rio is a comprehensive global trip planner that helps you get anywhere around the world. Just enter any town, address or landmark as your destination and Rome2rio will instantly display flight, train, bus, ferry and driving options with estimated travel times and fares.
One reader recommends this app “for all your destination directional needs,” while another says, “love this app!”
TripIt
TripIt® instantly organizes all your travel plans in one place. Just forward your travel confirmation emails to plans@tripit.com and TripIt will create a master itinerary for each of your trips. You can then access your plans anytime, anywhere.
Several of our readers love TripIt. One says, “Tripit is awesome to easily upload your plans!” while another adds, “It keeps all my info in one place by trip. It even reminds you if you haven’t booked a hotel for part of your trip.”
Guides by Lonely Planet
Lonely Planet is every traveler’s go to guide, they’re super informative, with amazing pictures to excite and inspire you. The app features offline maps, must-see sights, neighborhood guides and audio phrasebooks.
With a currency converter, neighborhood guides, transport info, and ‘near me’ functionality, this app is a trustworthy travel companion that will help you make the most of your experience.
Day One
Day One is a journaling app that lets you record life as you live it. From once-in-a-lifetime events to everyday moments, Day One’s elegant interface makes journaling your life a simple pleasure.
This is a great app for travel so you can document your journey. One reader adds, “Day One is journal that allow you to put pictures, and maps the places where you take the pictures.”
Genius Scan
Turn your important travel documents into PDFs with this easy to use app. You just take a photo of the page and your phone transfers it into a pdf that is stored on your phone and can be sent through email.
This app is great because it means you have a backup to easily print out in case anything happens to your documents.
If you have any travel apps that you think would also come in handy, please share them with us in the comments below! What’s your favorite travel apps?
For more packing tips, please read:
- 10 Step Packing Guide to Stop Overpacking
- 10 Step Guide to Packing in One Bag for Any Trip
- 6 Unintentional Packing Tips to Help You Travel Light
- Car Travel Tips: Don’t Let this Packing Pitfall Happen to You
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Hope you liked these 10 essentials travel apps. Please share with your friends on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. Thanks for reading!
Author’s Bio: From the beautiful island of Ireland, Sarah Talty is a full time college student and part time blogger, explorer and Netflix lover. Currently in an endless love affair with travel, you can read about her adventures on her travel and lifestyle blog Killed My Cactus.
CityMaps2Go is a MUST! You download the map ahead of time then you can use it without needing wifi or data. It’s great!
Hi Rachel, thank you so much for sharing your recommendation for a travel app!! 🙂
My friends and I use Splitwise for any group travel. It’s excellent to help keep track of shared expenses and you can use different currencies.
Hi Jen, thank you so much for sharing your travel app recommendation with us, sounds really helpful!! 🙂