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10 Best Travel TRIP PLANNER APPs To Have in 2024

In a fast-paced world where the stress of work and school is overwhelming, we all need a break to de-stress our minds. Traveling is one good way to take your mind off of stressful things – a breather. And a scheduled vacation gives you something to look forward to.

Whether it’s a local trip alone, a family holiday, or a getaway with your best friends, it just excites you to wish the day would come faster. 

10 Best Trip Planner Apps in 2024

The freeform app.

• TripIt: Travel Planner

Hopper – Flight & Hotel Deals

• Sygic Travel Maps Trip Planner

Roadtrippers: Trip Planner

Tripadvisor, travelspend: track travel expense & trip budget, tripcase – travel organizer app, travel planning apps for your next trip.

The Freeform app is an endless whiteboard that lets users add information from a variety of websites, photos, videos and files.

Because the boards are kept in iCloud, they can be accessed from any device anytime inspiration hits. While you and your travel companions plan your dream trip, the specifics can be shared with several individuals working together on the same whiteboard, making them an ongoing work in progress.

The Freeform app is free to iPhone users on iOS 16.2, iPad users on 16.2, and Mac users on Ventura MacOS Venture 13.1. 

Download the brand-new app here .

Read our full post: Apple Launches New Travel App Freeform – What to Know

Wanderlog Trip Planner App

Wanderlog is your all-in-one destination for planning future trips, sharing travel guides, and blogging past trips.

Its trip planning features are incredibly flexible: you can research destinations and activities, organize reservations by connecting your email, and map out a day itinerary with start/end times. You can also add notes and links all throughout.

Everything is stored offline so you can access your itinerary when traveling abroad. For road trips, it calculates the time and distance between places and exports them to Google Maps (and there are no limits to the number of stops you have on a trip!).

Plus, there’s a fun social component: collaborate with friends on itineraries, write your own travel guide, and blog about past trips. Wanderlog is available on the web and on your smartphone, so you can seamlessly plan while at home and on-the-go.

iOS  /  Android

TripIt: Trip Planner App

If you need any help organizing the dozens of itineraries, TripIt is the app for you. Users simply need to forward your flight, hotel, restaurant, and car rental confirmation emails to [email protected] and the app will create a free master doc for each of your trips. The best thing about this app is that you can get access to your itinerary anywhere, even without an internet connection. 

In addition, the Pro version will find you alternative routes for canceled flights and send out notifications for delayed flights, cancellations, and more from the airlines. 

iOS / Android

Rome2rio is a versatile travel planning app that simplifies the process of finding and booking travel options. It’s a handy tool for travelers seeking to explore various transportation choices between destinations. Rome2rio offers users a comprehensive view of travel options, including flights, trains, buses, ferries, and even driving directions.

Key features of Rome2rio include:

• Route Information: The app provides detailed information on different routes, including estimated travel times, costs, and the number of transfers required.
• Booking Integration: Users can book flights, train tickets, and other transportation options directly through the app, streamlining the booking process.
• Map Integration: Rome2rio integrates with maps, allowing users to visualize their travel routes and explore nearby attractions.
• Multi-Modal Travel: It offers options for combining various modes of transportation, making it easy to plan complex journeys.
• Accurate Pricing: The app provides real-time pricing information, helping users make informed decisions based on their budget.
• Offline Access: Rome2rio offers offline access to previously searched routes, which can be handy when traveling without a data connection.

Hopper is an amazing trip planner app to have on your phone. The app predicts airfares up to 1 year in advance, with 95% accuracy. It analyzes over billions of flight prices and hotels within the day – telling you whether to book your trip now or wait for just a little longer.

Here’s how it works: Key in your destination and a color-coded calendar will display the cheapest and most expensive date to fly. The app will then recommend you to either book the flight now or sit it out and wait for airfare to get cheaper. Also, you can filter predictions to custom-fit your trip – remove long layovers, extra fees, restrictions, and more. 

And if you worry about missing out the cheap flight bookings, don’t be! Hopper will send you a notification when fares have dropped to its lowest point.

SYGIC Travel Maps Trip Planner

Sygic Travel Maps , the new version of Sygic Trip Planner, is the first travel app to display all of the attractions and places a traveler needs to see and visit on a single map.

Sync your trips with the Sygic Travel app and find hidden gems in all cities you visit. The app boast a large database that allows you to find the best hotels, tourist attractions, museums, restaurants, bars, and stores wherever you go.

This mobile app also let you download offline maps and guides, which come in helpful when traveling to remote locations with poor or non-existing Wi-Fi.

It also has a dedicated section to worldwide places of interest for travel business. Get location information for individual cities, countries, continents, or the entire planet.

The app is available in 18 languages.

iOS / Android iOS

Planning on a cross-country road trip ? Roadtrippers is the app for you! Not everyone is fond of waiting long hours at the airport while sitting through your red-eye flight. Hit the road with your friends instead.

Roadtrippers provides everything you need to know on your road trip. Just enter your starting point, destination, and let the app do its work for you! From camping sites to rest stops, outdoor activities, exciting adventures along the way that you didn’t know existed. This app is the perfect buddy for your road trip regardless of your mode of transportation – a sedan, a rental car, or a huge family RV.

Most of us dream of going to places! But planning an amazing trip to places we have not been to is pretty hard as you don’t know where to stay, what to do, places to eat, and adventures to try. We mostly rely on recommendations, most of which are not even right, that we find online. 

TripAdvisor has over millions of travel recommendations on hotels, top dining spots, must-do experiences, and treasured gems to over 8 million destinations at your perusal. It is an all-in-one app that lets you book tables at restaurants and compares low prices on hotels and flights.

You can also follow friends and travel experts for advice that match your interests, watch videos, and read articles. In return, you can share your experiences, reviews, and helpful guides for other users too!

Setting up a budget for your trip is easy, however, sticking to it is hard. TravelSpend will help you with that. It starts with entering your budget and expenses over multiple days so you don’t go overboard. The app helps you in sticking to your budget effectively.

Being in another country is not a problem at all: enter your expenses in any currency and the app will automatically convert it to your home currency.

Track your travel expenses whether going on a solo around-the-world trip or backpacking holiday with your best friends. The app allows you to share your trip with your friends and track your expenses together. Pay debts, split bills, and check your balances – all in the app!

TripCase, a comprehensive travel organizer app, has emerged as a popular choice among travelers seeking a streamlined and efficient way to manage their journey details.

Here’s a breakdown of its key features and functionalities:

Centralized Itinerary Management : TripCase allows users to consolidate all their travel details, including flights, hotels, and car rentals, into a single, easily accessible itinerary.

Real-time Flight Alerts : The app keeps travelers informed with up-to-the-minute notifications on flight statuses, including delays, cancellations, and gate changes.

Itinerary Sharing : TripCase offers a sharing option that enables users to send their travel plans to friends, family, or colleagues.

Travel Directions and Maps : To aid navigation in unfamiliar locations, the app provides directions and maps.

Nearby Recommendations : TripCase offers recommendations for restaurants, attractions, and other services close to the traveler’s location.

Document Storage : For added convenience, the app allows users to store essential travel documents digitally, ensuring that important information like passport details, visas, and insurance policies are readily available.

Customizable Notifications : Users can customize their notification preferences, choosing what types of alerts they receive and how they are notified, tailoring the app to suit individual needs and preferences.

iOS / Android 

Hi, great List. I couldn’t travel without my Apps! I have one App you could check out =) Its called ” ATM Fee Saver” and it gives a list with all ATMs and their fees and limit. I found it super helpful and it really helped me to save some money. Best regards, Charlotte

Thank you for your suggestions! Those apps are very useful and various

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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] .

Travel Smarter! Sign up for our free newsletter.

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.

The Best Sites to Book a Last Minute Vacation

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.

5 Smartphone Essentials You Should Never Travel Without

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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We hand-pick everything we recommend and select items through testing and reviews. Some products are sent to us free of charge with no incentive to offer a favorable review. We offer our unbiased opinions and do not accept compensation to review products. All items are in stock and prices are accurate at the time of publication. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.

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The 7 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 for a much-needed break from the world. 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, planning a holiday or organizing travel itineraries is the starting point of the fun, 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! A well-designed trip planner app is a true lifesaver in the travel-planning journey.

What Are Trip Planner Apps?

Anytime you plan 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 build itineraries and discover fun places to go with friends . 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 putting together your travel plans.

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

A top-notch trip planning app should make the itinerary-planning process a walk in the park and help you piece together details without breaking a sweat. So instead of getting buried in organization, you're actually getting stoked for your journey!

What Is the Best Trip Planner for Group Travel?

Every traveler is different and so are the travel apps. But one thing most people have in common is that travel experiences are best shared with friends and loved ones.

This is why I've rounded up the best trip planning apps, focusing on ones that can be used to plan group trips with friends. You no longer have to be stuck with the same old Google Sheet or notes app that doesn’t make 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 prep gear.

Here, our main focus is 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. 

Here are the 7 best trip planning apps you'll want to download and try out, each with its own specialties!

7 Best Trip Planning Apps for Stress-Free Travel

Pilot is a social trip planner that helps you discover fun things to do in different cities, build travel itineraries and easily collaborate with friends while planning your trip.

By specializing in group travel through its unique collaboration features, Pilot enables you to overcome the challenges of coordinating logistics with friends, accommodating different travel styles and reconciling various travel preferences so you can create memories and have a blast.

Making travel plans with friends and collaborating with others to bring the joy back into building shared travel experiences.

Why You’ll Like It:

As a social trip planner, Pilot makes travel planning an immersive experience and more than a mere task because you can do it with your favorite travelmates (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 to visit or discussing a group budget, Pilot has got you covered.

In Pilot you can manage multiple trips, invite friends to each trip and view which group is attached to each one.

All guests in each trip can access the trip planner and collaborate on discovering activities & accommodations and building itineraries, with a chat tool, voting functionality and group notifications all built in!

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

Its user-friendly interface is a delight for perfectionists who love categorizing events, activities and attractions in different forms. Plus it integrates all your travel ideas into one place.

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

Why You Might Not Like It:

If planning trips yourself isn’t your thing or you’re a solo traveler who doesn’t vibe with itineraries, Pilot may not be ideal—but it does offer some cool AI functionality to help you find places to visit and things to do so you don’t feel left out still, like Quick Start for generative itinerary-building or Discover for automated trip suggestions!

The Pilot trip planning app is also in its early stages with tons of cool new features being added every month. This is also a good thing—it means Pilot values customer feedback more than you might expect. There’s even a “Product Suggestions” feature directly accessible in the support chatbox so you can have your voice heard!

Top Features:

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

People with complex travel plans and lots of bookings made from different sources.

TripIt is a minimal and old-school travel planner to organize all the essential details for trips so you can keep all your documents and logistical details in a central place with reminders, notifications and maps.

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 and backpackers from minority groups; you can also filter neighborhoods to visit by with a personal safety preference.

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.

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 out of luck.

TripIt has a map view to import all your trip details onto a map and an itinerary list that resembles a social media timeline, and it can even autosuggest venues when you’re making plans, but it’s not great for discovering attractions, things to do or places to visit.

It’s also not the best for planning trips with friends. Itineraries can be shared, but it's hard to do much collaboration on them if you're taking a group trip.

If you’re traveling with friends, TripIt is satisfactory if only one person does most or all the planning. Then you can use TripIt to share all the details your travelmates need once you’re ready for your trip to begin.

All in all, TripIt is best if you’re not using it to plan your trip but instead want a tool to help you organize and share trip details that you already planned & booked elsewhere.

• Automatically imports travel details from your inboxes.
• Has neighborhood-safety scores.
• Provides flight information from your bookings, notifications, map views of your activities, etc.
• The basic version is free but you’ll probably need TripIt Pro, which costs $49 per year, to get the full value.
• iOS, Android and web

Still unsure if you should use TripIt? Check out our in-depth TripIt review to learn more about its features and pros & cons!

Travelers who want to save their travel inspiration in one place and don't need or want advanced 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 with lists of places to visits, hotels, aetc. for each destination on your trip, 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.

Perhaps most helpfully, you can browse “travel boards” by other users to get inspiration.

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.

You can discover things to do and places to visit and add them to your board, but it’s not clear how they sort or filter suggestions and how they display boards is more in the style of Pinterest than a helpful travel itinerary.

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.

You can share travel boards with others who can gain editing access, but that’s the extent of any collaboration features, so HipHerd isn’t the best for planning trip with friends.

Top features:

• Curate mood boards for destinations.
• Downloadable Chrome extension.
• TripAdvisor partnership for finding and booking deals for things like hotels.
• Sample trips and travel boards to browse.
• Travel-personality quiz to curate content to your preferences.

4. Wanderlog

Travelers looking for a decent, all-around trip planner for creating & sharing itineraries, tracking expenses, creating checklists and more.

If you want a dependable trip planner app that does a little bit of everything, then Wanderlog can get the job done.

Wanderlog is an all-purpose trip planner for building and mapping trip itineraries all in one place. You can share your trips with friends and have them contribute to the planning process as well!

It also has AI functionality to help you create trip itineraires if you’re looking for ideas. Plus you can import details form flight & hotel bookings and track costs to manage budgets.

What makes Wanderlog stand out is that you can build your own travel guides for certain types of trips, share them with the public for inspiration and receive likes or you could like & upvote other people’s guides too.

Wanderlog is a go-to safe option for planning trips that does most things you need it to well enough and in a relatively clean & easy-to-use dashboard, but it’s not the best in any one category.

You can share trips with friends and have them collaborate with real-time editing, but it doesn’t have any advanced chat or communication tools to help facilitate the collaboration.

Its AI features for creating travel itineraries are nice but they suggest basic daily itinerary items and can’t edit or interact with what you might already have.

Discovering things to do and places to visit requires some manual work and even then automated imports from the internet require the Chrome extension, which isn’t free lest you upgrade to Wanderlog’s premium version, which also isn’t free.

And of course, the premium version is also a little pricey for budget travelers. There are other things you can’t do without it as well, such as exporting trip details, gaining offline access, unlimited AI assistance and more.

• AI tool for itinerary suggestions.
• Expense-tracking and cost-splitting features.
• Guides to local and authentic travel.
• Free or $59.99/year for the Pro version.

5. 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 their 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!

The premium version comes with its AI tools that help you plan your road trip for you, with suggestions for stops along the way.

For one, if you don’t plan on taking road trips often, the subscription will cost you a bit, $59.99 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.

You can share your itinerary with friends if you have any road-trip buddies, but the collaboration features for trip planning are limited.

• Gives you info on lesser-known attractions.
• AI tool that helps you plan your road trip.
• Features for RV travelers such as suggestions for RV parking spots.
• Paid upgrades for roadside assistance.
• Their paid version costs $55.99 per year, with a 7-day free trial.

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

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 shareable.

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.

Lastly, although its user interface is detailed, it can be a little clunky and not very appealing.

• Intuitive itinerary builder with integrated services like Yelp.
• Easily track expenses, transportation, lodging, etc.
• Shareable to your travel friends and family!
• Standard package is free with a limited number of itineraries.
• Other subscriptions are available at $20 for six months, $50 for one year and $80 for one year with additional premium features.

7. Tripadvisor

Travelers who 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, from hotels to excursions & activities!

Its “Destination Forums” are akin to Reddit and offer user-generated suggestions. And it offers a “Digital Passport” so you can cross off places you’ve been.

And of course it has AI tools to help you plan your trip with automated suggestions.

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.

You can share your trips with friends and let them help you plan your trips but the collaboration features aren’t very advanced.

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!

• A platform to share and read public reviews and recommendations and book all without leaving the app.
• Database of attractions and things to do with 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.
• iOS, and Android and web

Alternatives:

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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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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Best Travel planner apps to plan a trip easily

Looking for the best travel planner app for planning trips but don’t know where to start? Choosing the right trip planner app can be overwhelming with so many options. That’s why we’ve taken the guesswork out of it and gathered the 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 does it work?

Trip planning or travel planner apps are great tools for travelers to make their trips easier, stress-free, and more organized. These handy applications streamline the travel planning process, allowing users to create overall trip plans and 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 various services for travelers. You can also use these apps to plan a road.

Nowadays, most travel planner apps also have features that automatically sync trip plans 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.

Google Trips is one of the best trip-planning apps available for planning a trip. Additionally, Google Trips integrates with Google Flights to help you quickly research and compare flight options. 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, or 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. TripIt is a free app that lets you organize your travel plans in one convenient place, including reservations, trip itineraries, and essential documents like passports or confirmation pages.

It will help you plan your entire trip. It even has features to help your trips go more smoothly by giving you access to flight statuses, train timetables, and more. You can quickly 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 more straightforward with Trip advisor – the best travel planner app. Whether planning a leisure vacation or a business trip, TripAdvisor will help you find the best options. 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 business or leisure plans, 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 the experience is much more straightforward with apps like Kayak. You can compare flights and hotels with just a few taps to find the best deal. With Kayak’s user-friendly interface, comparing flights and hotels is easy, 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 planning your trip effortless.

It’s quickly become one of the best trip planner apps, allowing travelers of all kinds to swiftly find their perfect holiday destinations and get 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. In addition to flights, Skyscanner also helps you find the best deals on rental cars. 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

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

As one of the best trip planner apps available, its features are particularly useful for finding the right deals.

Hopper notifies users when it’s the best time to book a flight so that they can get the 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

The wanderlog travel planner app is one of the best available travel itinerary apps. Wanderlog is a free app that offers travelers an easy and user-friendly way to organize their vacation plans.

With  Wanderlog  Trip, you can keep track of flights, rentals, cars, and accommodations and create itineraries for your trip plan for each day of your trip offline on your journey.

You can also track 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 abroad.

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

Are you planning a trip with friends? This helpful app makes it easy! Invite your tripmates by sharing a link to the itinerary or simply adding their email addresses. It’s like Google Docs for travel planning, allowing everyone to collaborate in real-time.

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

Import flight and hotel confirmations directly into your itinerary by forwarding emails, or save time by connecting your Gmail account. With features like these, WanderLog Trip App can make any trip more accessible 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 to help make your road trip a trip [ adventure. It makes route and group travel planning simpler, faster and more interactive.

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 and score exclusive discounts. So stop stressing about where you will 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 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 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 the 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 excellent to plan international trips. When I visited  London ,  Paris ,  and Amsterdam,  planning my multi-city European Trip made it easy. 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 discover destinations quickly, find places to visit and explore exciting attractions while on the go.

From mapping routes, we save favorite spots and provide up-to-date information about points of interest and personalized recommendations.

SYGIC Travel provides all the tools needed to plan a fantastic journey worldwide. 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 comprehensive maps and accurate navigation, it can help you find your way anywhere in the world. It also provides turn-by-turn directions so you don’t get lost on the road or in a new city.

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

Suppose exceeded so travelers can make quick adjustments without going over budget. This way, it helps travelers stay within 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 app 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. This is 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 to explore new cities or seek a fun beach vacation. Via Hero works with any trip.

Planning a trip can be overwhelming, but 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 2024. Hopper flights & hotel bookings. Tripit: Travel Planners. Sygic maps travel planners. Packaging. Skyscanner. 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 activity 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 for easy-to-navigate directions. Google Maps is the biggest route-plan application. Almost anyone can use this program to travel to another city, but they haven’t even discovered that it can 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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10 of Our Favorite Road Trip Planner Apps in 2024

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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.

Start-to-finish routes.

App might drain your device's battery quickly.

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.

Limitations with customizing some day trips.

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.

Possible to get one night free after 10 bookings.

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.

Gorgeous, high-quality images of menu items.

Informative reviews from other users.

Reported problems with built-in reward system.

Searching for specific restaurants can be difficult.

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

Detailed summaries of what's at next exit.

Information on gas prices at nearby gas stations.

Search for the next 100 exits from your location.

Can only be used on major U.S. exit-based highways.

No offline access, so you'll use your data.

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.

Save five cents per gallon on every fill-up after.

The app can take up a lot of data and battery life.

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

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

Includes street parking and meter rates,

Also shows 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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A road trip planner that plans your trip for you

Roadtrippers Autopilot™ creates your itinerary based on what we’ve learned from over 38 million trips. You’re never more than a few clicks away from your next great adventure.

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Let Autopilot take the wheel planning your next road trip, scenic drive, RV journey and everything in between. Then enjoy the ride while uncovering hidden gems along the way.

Get real-time traffic updates and access to wildfire smoke maps to stay informed and connected throughout your journey.

Collaborate

Share your itinerary with your copilots so they can help with the finishing touches.

Let Roadtrippers be your guide, navigating the twists and turns as you roam the open roads with confidence and ease.

Exclusive Access To Autopilot

Roadtrippers offers an automated road trip planner. Let us do the planning for you! Enter in a few key details and we’ll craft a custom tailored trip just for you.

Choose the right plan for you—and try it free for 7 days

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Then $35.99 (that's only $2.99/month), then $49.99 (that's only $4.17/month), then $59.99 (that's only $4.99/month).

† RV-Friendly routing features (including routing warnings for vehicle hazards and propane restrictions) are available in the U.S. only.

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30 essential travel apps every traveler needs before their next trip

When it comes to planning and taking a vacation, travelers rely on their phones now more than ever.

Travel apps are a source of inspiration and are extremely useful for booking and managing logistics — even making restaurant reservations or finding a great fitness class wherever in the world you're flying next.

From apps that help with everything from day-of hotel bookings and last-minute flight changes to those that serve as guidebooks and foreign-language dictionaries, travel is infinitely easier thanks to technology.

Apps can help you navigate a new city, make currency conversions, pack a perfect suitcase and even provide on-the-ground local expertise. Whatever you need when you hit the road, there's an app for that.

We've rounded up the most-loved apps here at TPG. Some may be obvious, and others more obscure, but either way, get ready to download.

Best apps for researching and booking trips

In addition to the apps for the airlines you fly most frequently and your favorite hotel brands, these apps can help you save money on flights and accommodations.

Hopper has changed in recent years from just offering a price prediction tool for flights to being a true online travel agency. The app helps travelers find the cheapest flights, hotels and rental cars.

Of course, Hopper also still offers its signature price prediction technology to help you plan out when to book, as well as travel protection options and a price freeze to help you lock in the lowest possible price on hotels and flights.

Kiwi is used mainly to book flights, but it also helps you book hotels (using its partnership with Booking.com) and car rentals (using its partnership with RentalCars.com).

Some of the app's most interesting features include the "Deals" section, which pulls in discounted flights, and the "Travel hacks" section, which includes options for hidden city ticketing, throwaway ticketing (making one-way flights more affordable) and free price alerts.

Hotel Tonight

A dream for last-minute travelers, Hotel Tonight ( now owned by Airbnb ) lets you book stays for the same evening up to a few months in advance in thousands of cities worldwide. Available hotel rooms are categorized into sections like basic, luxe, hip, charming and solid, so you can select what works for your vibe. Take advantage of the daily drop feature, where you swipe to find a personalized deal with a special price only valid for 15 minutes after unlocked.

At TPG, we love a good loyalty program, and HT Perks, the app's nine-level reward program, is extensive. Not unlike a video game, you "level up" by reaching specific spending thresholds on the app, and you'll gain access to perks like discounts, VIP customer support and credits. Also, your levels never expire, so you can only continue to move up.

To book home rentals instead of hotels, use the Airbnb app. After entering your destination and dates, you can filter results based on the home type, price, requisite amenities and more. If you find something you like, you can book directly through the app.

The app is ideal for managing your trips while on the road — you can access all your bookings under the "Trips" tab, where you can view your reservation (and the address or directions), contact the host or change your reservation. Once you have a booking, you can also explore and book local experiences in your destination, such as wine tastings, kayak tours, hikes, shows and concerts.

We can't talk about travel apps without mentioning the TPG App. Use it to track your credit card, airline and hotel points balances; earn points and miles efficiently through using the right credit card ; and research how many points or miles you'll need to book your dream getaway. You can even curate your own news feed so you see the news and advice that matters most to you first.

The TPG App is available for download on iOS . Android users can join the waitlist here .

Related: The TPG App has arrived — here's why you should download it now

Best apps for organizing a trip

From keeping all your documents in order to perfectly packing your suitcase without forgetting a thing, these are the best apps for organizing travel plans.

TripIt declutters your itineraries and documents by keeping them organized in one place. You can set your reservations to automatically send to TripIt, which lets you view travel confirmations, flight itineraries, tickets, hotel and Airbnb booking information, rental car reservations, ferry tickets and driving directions without ever leaving the app.

TripIt also makes it simple to share your trip plans with whoever picks you up from the airport or train station or anyone else who may need to coordinate with you. TripIt Pro subscriptions cost $49 per year and include extras like real-time flight alerts, security wait times, baggage claim information and updates on your loyalty reward programs.

Roadtrippers

Perfect for organizing that epic road trip you've always wanted to take, Roadtrippers plans out your driving route and lets you book hotels and activities along the way. The app is especially useful for finding interesting and off-the-beaten-path roadside attractions, cool restaurants and can't-miss landmarks you can bookmark.

A Roadtrippers Premium membership includes offline maps, live traffic information, overnight RV parking and more for $59.99 per year. For those looking to only venture on a few road trips per year, the app also offers a Pro ($49.99 per year) and Basic ($35.99 per year) membership.

PackPoint takes all the stress out of packing . The app shows you what to bring based on the length of your trip, the weather in your destination and any activities you're planning along the way. If you have access to laundry facilities at your destination, PackPoint even allows you to account for washing your clothes and wearing them multiple times.

Just download and install the app, type in the city you're visiting and plug in your travel details. So, stop waiting until the day before your trip — or the hours before you have to leave for the airport — and start packing now.

Best apps for navigating the airport and flights

Track flights, navigate airports and find airport lounges with these apps.

LoungeBuddy

LoungeBuddy offers access to premium airport lounges around the world, regardless of the airline or class you're flying. When you create a trip in the app and type in the credit cards you currently hold, it will tell you which lounges you have access to based on the airports you'll be transiting through and how to purchase access if you don't already have it.

You can purchase access on the day you're traveling or up to two months in advance if you're the plan-ahead type. If you prefer to search by lounge or lounge program, the app will tell you exactly what is needed to use them.

Priority Pass

Priority Pass offers access to more than 1,300 lounges worldwide and provides meal vouchers at select airport restaurants across the world for an annual fee starting at $99.

Several cards, including The Platinum Card® from American Express , the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve , offer Priority Pass memberships for all cardholders (enrollment required). Otherwise, you'll have to pay an annual fee to be a member and, depending on your membership tier, a fee to enter each lounge on top of the annual fee.

To use the Priority Pass app, enter the name or code of the airport you're in, and Priority Pass will pull up the lounges or restaurants that you have access to, including photos, hours, amenities and specific location information. For more information on the Priority Pass Program and how to gain lounge access, click here . Enrollment is required for select benefits.

Related: The best credit cards for Priority Pass lounge access

FlightAware

The FlightAware app allows you to track flights online, see a live map of a flight and check on delays, cancellations and gate changes. This app is especially helpful if you have a tight connection or want to track your flight.

It's also useful when picking up friends and family at the airport, as you can track their flight and see updated landing times or delays. AvGeeks will enjoy digging into flight statistics, flight maps and community aviation discussions on the app.

Best apps to use during your flight

Timeshifter.

What better way to cure jet lag than with an app? Timeshifter actually helps you avoid jet lag long before your flight takes off and also offers inflight and post-flight suggestions. The app relies on neuroscience research about sleep and circadian rhythms to provide personalized recommendations, taking into consideration your age, gender and normal sleep patterns — as well as specifics about your trip and travel plans. Timeshifter maps out when you should avoid or seek light, take a nap or try to stay awake. It even tells you if you should consider supplementing with melatonin or caffeine.

Your first jet lag plan is free, then $9.99 per plan, or you can enjoy unlimited plans for a year for $24.99.

Flying can cause anxiety — or provide a welcome relief from constant contact with our digital devices. Either way, use travel as an opportunity to relax, meditate or listen to soothing sounds that will lull you to sleep or a deep, relaxed state. Or, perhaps, you'll simply find it helps pass the time during a long flight.

Calm offers meditations on topics such as self-awareness, calming anxiety, breathing, lowering stress levels and happiness, among others. The app also has music options for focusing, relaxing and sleeping, as well as stories for adults and content for kids.

A limited selection of meditations and music is available for free (which you can download to use when you're offline or in flight). The premium version of the app costs $14.99 per month or $69.99 annually.

OK, so Netflix isn't really a travel app, but it can be a lifesaver during a long flight on an aircraft without seatback inflight entertainment or at the airport during an unexpected flight delay or boring layover. If you have a Netflix account, the app allows you to download your favorite shows onto your device to watch offline.

Just make sure to download your shows while connected to Wi-Fi before flying and check them again preflight to make sure they haven't expired (you can usually renew any expired downloads, but you must be connected to Wi-Fi or data to do so). Monthly prices vary depending on the plan.

Another app that's not really a travel app, Spotify can still be incredibly useful during tedious travel moments — just pop in those noise-canceling headphones and listen to your favorite music, meditations, podcasts and more.

The app's Premium plans (prices vary) allow you to download all your content offline on your phone, so you'll have it during long flights or when you don't have data or Wi-Fi access. Whether you want to take a morning jog in Bali to your favorite tunes or pass the time with a podcast on the metro in Barcelona, Spotify has it all.

Best apps to use in your destination

From exchanging money and sightseeing to communicating and knowing all the local tips and tricks, you don't want to land in a foreign city for the first time without these key apps.

XE Currency Converter

The XE Currency Converter app quickly provides live, up-to-the-minute currency rates, then allows you to store and view them even when you're offline. You'll never need to wonder if you're really getting a good deal in another country if you have this app.

Google Translate

Google Translate is a translation app that allows you to do it all — translate into more than 100 languages by typing, access 59 languages offline, translate via photo, translate bilingual conversations and even use the handwriting tool to translate.

The app is simple to use, too, with icons at the top you can click on to draw, take a photo, speak or type.

Not quite sure how much to tip when traveling internationally? GlobeTips will advise you on how to tip appropriately in more than 200 countries. It also offers a tip calculator for easy math. Globe also has apps for currency conversion, unit conversion and more that may be useful for travelers.

Related: The ultimate guide to tipping while traveling

For travelers globe-trotting with friends and family members or simply splitting the cost between groups, Tricount calculates shared costs and splits bills so you don't have to think twice about who owes what. Just enter your trip and currency and invite your travel mates to join your trip.

Each time someone pays for something, you enter the amount in Tricount, and the app splits everything up. You can also snap and store photos of receipts in the app. At the end of your trip, it will show the balances of who owes who what, making it easy to settle up.

Metric Conversions

Never be baffled by Celsius temperatures or suitcase weight in kilograms again with the Metric Conversions app . Whether you're measuring flour to cook at your Airbnb, figuring out distances for your Europe road trip or deciding whether to take a sweatshirt with you during your walking tour of the Great Wall of China, this app has you covered with easy conversions in volume, weight, temperature, area and more.

Google Maps

Google Maps is essential when visiting a new city (or even for getting around your hometown). You can map locations, get directions (walking, driving, public transportation, ride-hailing services and beyond) and see how crowded your subway will be in select cities .

You can make restaurant reservations, save your favorite spots and read and write reviews of attractions, eateries, shops and more. Make sure to download specific city or area maps ahead of time for offline access if you know you'll be without internet at your destination. For obvious reasons, the app works best when your GPS is turned on.

WhatsApp is a handy messaging service for travelers abroad as it uses an internet connection to avoid SMS fees.

It works like most other messaging apps: You start by creating an account, then add your friends and family members to contact and voila! You're able to call, video chat and send messages, images, voice memos, gifs and files just as you would in, say, iMessage (but with Android users too). You can also download WhatsApp on your Windows or Mac computer.

Best apps for planning activities

Traveling is about more than just getting from point A to point B. If you're looking for activities to add to your itinerary, check out these apps.

Meetup is an app designed for interacting with locals and other travelers who have mutual interests or shared hobbies. Whether you're traveling or at home, take what you love and do more of it with Meetup.

The app shows you groups that are formed around particular interests in your city, including yoga, photography, cooking, wine tasting, hiking, cinema and other activities. You can join groups to get updates on particular events you may want to participate in. The app can even help with networking, as there are many groups dedicated to business and technology. You might even be able to join a coworking group. Travelers with kids can participate in family-friendly meetups, and it's a great way for solo travelers to make friends and connect with others.

TheFork is one of the most useful resources for making restaurant reservations in Europe. Similar to OpenTable or Resy, the app lets you browse different restaurants by category and make reservations. TheFork features more than 60,000 restaurants in cities like London, Madrid and Geneva, as well as spots outside of Europe like Sydney, Australia.

The biggest perk is that many restaurant reservations come with discounts — in some cases, you can get up to 50% off your meal just by reserving a table through TheFork. Since we here at TPG are always down for earning rewards, make sure to monitor your YUMS — TheFork's reward system. You'll earn YUMS with each reservation, and when you hit 1,000, you receive a discount on your bill. Foodie travelers should also consider downloading these apps , too.

Happy Cow helps vegan and vegetarian eaters locate more than 180,000 restaurants, coffee shops, bakeries, farmers markets and grocery stores in over 180 countries around the world. The app allows you to filter by not only vegan and vegetarian but also gluten-free and cuisine types. You can also read reviews and get recipes on the app as well.

The app does cost $3.99, but it's a one-time expense.

TripAdvisor

Besides reading reviews of restaurants, hotels and attractions, you can book almost anything on TripAdvisor, from vacation rentals and restaurant reservations to tours and tickets.

The app has grown to include almost all things travel, allowing you to search by destination or interest (like the outdoors, food and drink, family or by the water, for example), which can give you inspiration for a trip or help you get your activities, meals and accommodations organized before traveling or on the fly.

With over 400,000 curated trails, AllTrails can help you find the hike or walk perfect for you and your group. It's not just mountain trails — AllTrails offers city walks, too, like easy meanders through the Marais district in Paris or peaceful strolls through Bangkok's Lumpini Park in Thailand.

See photos, updated weather predictions and key information about each route and connect with other travelers through reviews and forums. Access to AllTrails+ is $35.99 per year, which offers perks like offline maps and wrong turn alerts.

Best apps for staying safe

Use these apps to stay safe when traveling.

Smart Traveler

Smart Traveler is a free service that offers tips and information specifically for U.S. travelers. You can see what visas and vaccines you'll need before traveling and where to find help if you need it during your trip.

Register your trip on the app, which gives your information to local embassies and consulates in your destination. If there's any kind of disaster or tragedy, the local embassy can contact you to see if you need help.

TripWhistle

Another app dedicated to keeping you safe, TripWhistle maps your location and allows you to easily text or send your GPS coordinates or location. It also provides emergency numbers for firefighters, medical personnel and police in nearly 200 countries. After all, 911 is only for U.S.-based emergencies: Each country has its own specific emergency number.

Yes, Uber (or any local ride-hailing service app) is convenient, but it may also keep you safe. Using this app when traveling means you'll never get stuck wandering around in an unfamiliar area late at night or have to deal with unscrupulous taxi drivers trying to scam you. Uber also has in-app safety features such as an emergency assistance button which will allow you to call local emergency services right in the app.

TripIt: Travel Planner 4+

Trip itinerary & alerts.

• #108 in Travel
• 4.8 • 265.4K Ratings
• Offers In-App Purchases

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Description.

Join nearly 20 million travelers on the world's highest-rated travel planner app for trip and itinerary organization! TRAVEL ITINERARY As soon as you book a flight, hotel, rental car or other travel plan, simply forward it to [email protected] and we’ll automatically add it to your comprehensive itinerary. Seamlessly sync travel plans to your calendar or share them with anyone you choose. RESERVATION DETAILS No more frantically searching through your inbox for important details about your travel plans, like when your flight gets in or the confirmation number for your hotel. Find them in a flash with TripIt — even when you’re offline. Access this information hands-free with Siri shortcuts! Upload PDFs, photos, boarding passes, digital passport QR codes and more to your travel itinerary, so you can track everything in one place. MAPS AND DIRECTIONS The TripIt app includes all the map-related tools you’ll need on-the-go (it’s great for road trips). - Plot out your entire trip on Google Maps or Apple Maps - Quickly pull up transportation options and driving directions between two points (powered by Rome2Rio) - Easily locate the closest restaurants, parking, ATMs and more TRIPIT PRO For roughly the price of checking your bags, upgrade to TripIt Pro to access exclusive travel perks all year long. When you upgrade, TripIt Pro will do all this for you (and more!): • Share real-time flight status alerts and check in reminders • Notify you if you're eligible for a refund if your fare price drops after booking • Track your reward programs and alert you if points are expiring • Navigate you through the airport with interactive maps • Keep you informed when a potential disruption may impact your trip Your iTunes account will be charged when the purchase is confirmed. Your TripIt Pro subscription will be good for 1 year, and automatically renew each year at $48.99 unless you turn off auto-renew at least 24 hours before your term ends. To manage your subscription, including auto-renew, visit iTunes Account Settings. FREE TRIPIT PRO FOR SAP CONCUR USERS If your company uses SAP Concur, you may receive complimentary TripIt Pro benefits that most travelers have to pay for. Make sure you’re connected to TripIt to get itineraries created for you as soon as you book, and receive a complimentary subscription to TripIt Pro, if you’re eligible. For more information, see the TripIt User Agreement (https://www.tripit.com/uhp/userAgreement) and Privacy Policy (https://www.tripit.com/uhp/privacyPolicy).

Version 18.7.3

• You asked for it, we made it! Now you can customize your trip image right from the app. Choose a photo from your library or snap a picture with your camera, then upload it. Change the image to a landmark, personal pic from a past visit, or activity in your itinerary, and start getting excited about your upcoming trip. • We revamped Go Now so that we can more accurately notify you when to leave for the airport based on current traffic conditions. (TripIt Pro) • We fixed a variety of pesky bugs: The Show All button for upcoming trips, views of shared travel plans within the app for iMessage, a broken toggle to turn on Terminal and Gate Reminders (TripIt Pro), searching for Türkiye in International Travel Tools (TripIt Pro), and more.

Ratings and Reviews

265.4K Ratings

Favorite App

I travel often both for business and with my big family. This has been a game changer. Not to have to print out anything and have everything in order with added details on telephone numbers, weather, directions links. besides the ease of just forwarding play tickets, car rentals, hotel and flights, it takes a cruise itinerary and put some in the correct day saying where you’re going and when you get off to the ports and when you have to be back on the ship etc. So excellent. A side benefit I found now that I’ve been using it for 10 years is I have a whole travel journal right here in the app. Can look up previous hotels, miscellaneous companies used for transportation and whatever. Request for the developers: when I have a listing of flights etc. (particularly for more than one person), the apps at-a-glance screen does not have the name listed. So you have to go into that plan and scroll down and Click under passengers and in that page it’ll show you who the reservation is for. It would be much more convenient to have the name on the first or second line for a quick reference.

Freakishly frustrating and sometimes great.

User interface is inadequate from iPad and iPhone. No ability to copy(duplicate) an event. No drag and drop. No ability to have overlapping vacation schedules and keep the entries separated between two users. Unable to add some details for some events, for example, an end time not available for some activities. Notes not available to add in some events. Unclear interface caused me to accidentally merge two different vacations into one “trip”, losing duplicate records which had extensive comments added. Under a cruise ship port (e.g. The port for Athens) overwrites all port notes for other ports on the same cruise. Look, if you are going to another port, why would you want to a) loose your comments regarding transportation in Venice and b) what use would Athens transportation have on the day you are in Venice. I have loved this software. I’ve used it for a half dozen trips or more. The software successfully imports most airline tickets, train tickets, and hotel reservations, etc. via a simple forwarded email. This part is very elegant in creating a calendar of a trip. It is really useful. Just travel alone or have the exact same itinerary as anyone you travel with. With this combined trip, I want to pull out my hair.

I adore TripIt - Sharing Trips with others needs work

I adore TripIt — I’ve been using it In some form or another since way back in 2008 - yikes I’m old! It really is effective in getting itinerary into one app and then integration into my device’s calendar is also great! I really like the auto import via a gmail account (usually the app has been focused on flying but I’m thrilled that the train itineraries are a bit better - especially Amtrak) I will say one area that really needs to be streamlined is sharing plans with non-TripIt users. In the app there are a few options, all of them not great. In the app, sharing a plan results in a mumbojumbo of unformatted texts, the iMessage feature doesn’t seem to be accessible to non TripIt users although they can see the thumbnail. I know inner circle can see plans but I think there needs to be a more streamlined process. What I do when sharing plans as a work around? I simply screenshot and message. Perhaps that’s all that needed in a future update! Anyway like the product some areas could’ve streamlined but this is definitely one of top three apps I use for travel!

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The developer, TripIt , 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 Linked to You

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

• Contact Info
• User Content
• Identifiers

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

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• TripIt Pro (1 Year) $48.99
• Developer Website
• App Support
• Privacy Policy

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Imagine checking one place for your travel details and getting a heads up as things happen throughout your trip. See why life without TripIt is a distant memory for millions of travelers.

You handle the booking, we'll take it from there

Unlike other travel apps, TripIt can organize your travel plans no matter where you book. Simply forward your confirmation emails to [email protected] and in a matter of seconds, TripIt will create a comprehensive itinerary for every trip.

“I’m on the road 100 days a year and TripIt is my go-to-app. It’s such a powerful tool in the hands of a traveler. There’s simply nothing like it on the planet.”

Helpful reminders and alerts so you don't miss a beat

Packed with features that give you a leg up on changes and help you make the most of all your trips, TripIt Pro is where the magic happens.

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Know where to be and when

Need a reminder when it's time to leave for the airport? Not sure where to eat in the airport or near your hotel? TripIt has you covered.

“My favorite business travel app so far is TripIt. Carrying all of my itineraries, it saves me during my ‘Where am I, what do I do next?’ panic attacks.”

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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 .

Related Articles

16 Best Road Trip Apps to Plan Your Adventures 2024

F rom before you go to when you’re on the road, there are tons of road trip planning tools to help you get the most out of your adventure.

The number of tools can be overwhelming, so I’ve narrowed it down to the best road trip apps.

These are the best apps that I personally use to plan road trips, to save money, to book hotels, to find trails and activities, and more.

I’m an Android user, and I’ve only included the best road trip planner apps available on both Apple’s app store and Android’s Google Play.

Visit the respective stores to download these apps to your device.

If you’re ready to plan your next road trip, check out these amazing tools.

Want more road trip tips? Download Planning Your Perfect Road Trip, a Step-by-Step Guide to Hittin’ the Road

16 Best Road Trip Apps

1. alltrails, 3. gasbuddy, 4. google maps, 5. hoteltonight, 7. nps (national park service) app, 8. priceline, 9. rainy days, 10. recreation.gov, 11. restaurant.com, 12. roadtrippers.com, 13. tollguru.com, 14. triptik by aaa.

Like to hike? Bike? Go for a walk? AllTrails is a great app to help you discover hiking and biking trails based on where you’re located.

You can read reviews, store trails you’d like to explore, and record the hikes you do take. You can choose to make your hikes public, or keep them private.

The basic app is free. Upgrade to the pro version for access to these premium features:

• Download offline maps to stay on track without service
• Never miss a turn with off-route notifications
• Keep friends and family informed with Lifeline
• Know what to expect with real-time map overlays
• Offset your environmental impact; 1% of every subscription goes back to the planet.

Expedia is an aggregator app that makes it easy to search for and compare prices on rental cars, hotels, and activities along your route. Rates are often discounted, and you have the opportunity to earn rewards.

When you sign up for an Expedia Rewards account, which is free, you also get access to member prices.

Their hotel search function is robust, making it easy to find a hotel that fits your budget and preferences.

You can filter your search by location and price, of course, but you can also search specifically for places that include breakfast, which is a way to save money on your road trip.

Related: how to budget a road trip

You can also search for pet friendly accommodations, hotels with hot tubs, and places where parking is included.

One of my personal favorites is the ability to search for places that “pledge to make all guests feel safe, welcome, and respected.”

If you’re a member of travel loyalty programs, add your account numbers to your Expedia account, and not only can you earn rewards with Expedia, you can also earn them with the other travel companies.

You can also purchase tickets to attractions directly through the app. For example, in San Diego you can book a hop-on, hop-off trolley tour, a harbor cruise, and get tickets to the San Diego Zoo .

Booking in advance can be especially useful if you’re planning a road trip to a popular tourist destination and want to make sure you don’t miss out on any must-see sights or experiences.

The app is easy to use and keeps an itinerary with your confirmation numbers.

Until electric cars have battery life that will take you through the country’s most remote stretches, gas is a necessary evil of the road trip.

It’s a big expense. On one of our epic road trips, we spent more than $600 filling up a vehicle that averaged 27MPG. Fortunately, we had GasBuddy or we would have spent even more.

GasBuddy uses crowd-sourced data to provide real-time information on gas prices at different stations.

With GasBuddy, you can easily find the cheapest gas prices near you, as well as see which gas stations have the best deals on certain days of the week or at certain times of the day.

The prices are updated by users and in the years I’ve been using it I’ve come across incorrect information infrequently (which I promptly correct).

Seeing prices means you can skip the station by the interstate that’s charging fifteen cents more than its counterpart a quarter mile away.

You can search for the best gas prices by location by entering your current location or a specific address and see a list of gas stations near you, along with their current prices for regular, mid-grade, and premium gas.

You can also filter your search results by brand or location type.

One of the ways GasBuddy is particularly useful for road trips is that it allows you to see the location of rest areas, truck stops, and other services, such as restaurants and parking areas, on the map.

This can be particularly useful if you’re driving on a long trip and need to take a break or find a place to refuel.

In addition to displaying fuel prices, you can also save when you sign up for Pay with GasBuddy.

To do this, you’ll add your bank account information to your GasBuddy account. They’ll mail you a card for use at the pump.

Swipe it and enter your access code, and you’ll save a few cents per gallon.

Pay with GasBuddy also gives you access to Deal Alerts, which knock the price down even more. Pay with GasBuddy doesn’t work at warehouse clubs or stations on reservation land.

But, it works with most major brands and we save an average of five cents a gallon by using our card.

I’m such a fan I’ve written a full guide on how to use GasBuddy .

I almost feel like this goes without saying—but I’ll say it anyway (obviously): if you have just one road trip app, make it Google maps.

There are many, many reasons it’s the most popular navigation app.

Not only can you get directions, but because it’s tied into Google you can find anything around you, too.

With Google Maps, you can easily plan the best route, get turn-by-turn directions, and see real-time traffic updates.

The map will also show you the location of gas stations, rest areas, and other points of interest along your route, so you can plan for pit stops or find things to do.

The real-time traffic updates are a life-saver. If you’re about to run into some heavy traffic, the app will offer to reroute you, if a faster route is available.

If you prefer two-lanes, you can set it to avoid Highways. You can also choose to avoid tolls, but if that’s unavoidable, Google Maps will show you how much those tolls are.

And if you’ve got a toll pass, it’ll display those prices, which are often discounted from cash.

One of the route options you can choose is which is most fuel-efficient, and you can even select the type of fuel: Gas, Diesel, Electric, and Hybrid.

Another great feature of Google Maps is the ability to download maps for offline use. This is particularly useful if you’re planning a road trip to a rural area or somewhere with limited cell service.

By downloading the maps in advance, you can still access them and navigate even if you don’t have an internet connection.

Google Maps can also be used as a road trip trip planner .

When you find great places and quirky roadside attractions that look interesting or you know you want to include on your itinerary, you can save them.

For example, search for Rocky Mountain National Park. Then tap the “Save” icon. From there, you can add it to Favorites, Want to go, Travel plans, or Starred places.

You can also create your own lists, which will make it easier to plan a whole trip.

Once you add these amazing places to a list, you can add a note. Maybe Aunt Sue recommended the peach pie at a diner. Write it down in the notes. Then when you’re planning your itinerary, you’ll know why you added that diner to your list.

You can keep your list Private or you can choose to share it. This comes in handy when there are multiple people planning the trip.

BONUS: Google Maps shows you how much tolls will cost.

If you’re looking for a last minute hotel room, HotelTonight wants to help. Primarily in larger towns and cities, the website and app can help you find same-day and next-day hotel stays at discounted rates.

The app will find accommodations near you, and you can also search for hotels by location. You can filter your search by price, star rating, and neighborhood.

Frequent users can take advantage of HT Perks, HotelTonight’s rewards system. The more you spend, the more you save. HT Perks are available only from participating hotels.

One cool feature is if you see a deal but don’t want to use it immediately, you can choose to save it for later credit. You’ll then have a year to use it.

Taking the interstates? iExit is a free travel app that shows you what’s available at each exit, including dining, shopping, restrooms, and attractions. It also pulls up gas stations and gas prices.

The app uses real-time data to provide information on the services and amenities available at upcoming exits on the highway, making it an ideal tool for planning rest stops, gas fill-ups and meals.

You’ll see a list of services such as restaurants, hotels, gas stations and rest areas along with their distance from the exit. You can also filter your search results by categories such as fast food, lodging, and gas stations.

iExit also allows you to search for specific chain of restaurants or hotels, which can be helpful if you have a loyalty program with a particular brand.

It also provides pricing information on gas prices so that you can plan your fill-ups to save money. Fuel prices are updated in real-time by OPIS.

Another feature that makes iExit a useful app for road trips is that it allows you to see the location of rest areas, truck stops, and other services, such as parking areas and restrooms, on the map.

One more feature that iExit offers is the ability to save your favorite exits, so you can quickly access them later. This can be especially useful if you frequently travel the same route and want to quickly find your favorite rest stop or gas station.

With its real-time information on services and amenities, search filters, and other helpful features, iExit can help you plan your route more efficiently and find the services you need while on the road.

It also displays gas stations, and a premium version includes gas prices. Don’t let the word premium fool you: it’s only $1.99.

Not only does the official app of the National Park Service show you where to find National Parks, it helps you discover every site in their system.

It’s free to use and you can explore by topic, by activity, by state, or near your location.

The app provides information on park hours, fees, and regulations, as well as maps, trail guides, and other resources to help you make the most of your visit.

You can save sites to your favorites and make the information available offline. That way when you’re in Yellowstone National Park and you’re blissfully disconnected, you can still access the information.

It’s downloaded to your phone, so make sure you have storage space.

Features of the NPS App include:

• Interactive maps
• Amenities, like food, shopping, and restrooms
• Accessibility, including audio descriptions
• Things to do
• News, alerts, and events

You can also keep a list of all the National Park Service sites you’ve visited.

Related: Don’t miss these National Park tips and printable checklist .

If I had a dime for every dollar Priceline has saved me I could start booking three- and four-star hotels.

The commercials ain’t lyin’—their Express Deals are amazing. What’s the catch? You have no idea where you’ll end up. You can see a general area and a star level, but that’s it.

When a glitch caused our camping plans to fall through (nobody wants to set up camp at 8:30 at night—I’ve done it, and it’s not fun), I found an Express Deal in Jamestown, ND, for $41.

Once the transaction completed, I learned what hotel we’d booked. It was clean and offered free Wi-Fi. We had a refrigerator and microwave, breakfast was included, and I could even register the stay with my rewards account.

While they no longer give you the option to Name Your Own Price, in addition to Express Deals, they also have pricebreakers. They pick from one of three different hotels.

While you won’t know which one you’re getting until you pay for it, you’ll be able to see in advance what your options are.

Like Expedia, you can search for hotels by location, price, and amenities. You can also search by brand and star level, making it easy to find a hotel that fits your budget and preferences.

Priceline VIP is a rewards program that provides discounts, add-on deals, and Express Deal coupons after your trip is complete.

The app will show you deals on hotels near your location. You can also book rental cars, flights, and cruises.

TLTip: If you use Priceline to book your hotel rooms, it is very important to read the reviews. Sometimes there’s a reason that hotel with free breakfast is only $40.

Related: how to save money on a road trip .

Knowing what’s happening weather-wise is kind of important when you’re on a road trip. My favorite way to see whether I’ll stay dry or will need to break out the slicker is Rainy Days.

This free app has helped my anxiety level frequently, especially while driving in North Central Nebraska. It was good to know we were driving the opposite direction of an intense storm.

Another time, a tornado warning popped up on the navigation system… in Montana. If you’ve never driven through central Montana, let me tell you, this is the reason jerry cans were invented.

Related: unique things to do in Montana

It’s big and beautiful and feels like you’re the only one for miles – and you probably are. The rest area near Musselshell was so quiet I could hear a cow call in the distance.

There were no bridges to hide under, no gullies, no shelter.

Just us, the road, and ominous clouds.

Incredibly, we had cell service, so I pulled up Rainy Days and discovered that the storm and its potential funnel clouds and golf-ball-sized hail were behind us and moving slower than we were. Whew!

Besides, it’s cool to see those weather formations.

Rainy Days doesn’t provide weather forecast. For that, I use the Weather.com app that came pre-installed on my phone.

Recreation.gov is definitely one of the best road trip apps. It’s the official website and app for making reservations for recreational activities and facilities managed by the U.S. federal government.

You can find campgrounds and lodging, tours and activities, sign up for lotteries for the most popular things to do, and find information on what permits are required near you.

Once you do make reservations, they’re stored in the app.

This is the site and app to use when you plan to visit parks that require vehicle registration, like Glacier National Park, or want a permit to hike Angels Landing in Zion National Park .

You can reserve campsites on the website and app. We did, while sitting at the entrance to a campground in Mississippi.

We didn’t realize the park was a NPS site when we drove up, and the kindly gent in the booth directed us to make our reservations through the app.

There’s also a trip planner. Plug in your dates, number of people, your starting location, and your potential destinations.

You can then see all the available options on a map, add them to your itinerary, and then make any necessary reservations.

Eating where the locals eat is a great way to get a real “taste” for a town. If you want to save some dough on your dining, sign up for restaurant.com .

This app provides discounted certificates, and I’ve found participating restaurants in towns with fewer than 10,000 residents.

You’ll have to spend a minimum amount to use your certificate, and it’s usually double the face value. For example, if you get a $10 certificate for $4, you’ll have to spend at least $20 and you’ll save $6.

You can search for restaurants in your current location and by zip code. You can also choose larger cities, including Chicago, Seattle, and Austin.

Once you’ve narrowed down the location, look at the menu and the ratings. I’ve found several real gems using this app, and they’ve been places I never would have known about or tried without it.

The mobile app has been acting pretty wonky lately, and there seem to be fewer selections than in years past. I suggest trying it out at home before taking it on the road.

Roadtrippers.com is one of the best road trip planning tools . It allows you to plug points into a map, but it’s so much more than that.

Once you’ve added your starting point and your destination, the Roadtrippers app displays attractions along your route. The more you zoom in, the more attractions you’ll see.

When you’re on the road, the app will show nearby points of interest, restaurants, and gas stations.

You can add the type of vehicle you’re driving and its estimated fuel efficiency and Roadtrippers will calculate your approximate expenses.

Besides plotting the route itself, there’s a ton of user-generated content offering recommendations for attractions, restaurants, places to stay, and great photo ops. There are also pre-made trip guides.

Previously you could specify whether you wanted to drive interstates or not per segment of your trip. That’s no longer the case, and to choose any routing options you’ll need to upgrade.

Check out our full guide on how to use Roadtrippers .

However, upgrading enables you to collaborate with other users and increases the number of waypoints from three in the free version to up to 150.

There are three levels of membership: Basic, Pro, and Premium with Premium getting you the most benefits with downloadable maps, live traffic, and special discounts.

At time of publication, Roadtrippers membership ranges from $35.99 to $59.99 per year, and there’s a seven day free trial. If you upgrade, you can save $5 off your first year with code BTR5QTP.

I’m an affiliate with Roadtrippers, so any purchase through that link gives me a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Driving highways or in urban areas? Download TollGuru.

This road trip app has detailed information, including pricing, methods of payment accepted at tolls, and which transponders (E-ZPass, SunPass, FasTrak, TxTag, etc.) are accepted.

It will also give you an estimated fuel cost if you include the type of vehicle you drive and the average gas prices.

While Google Maps now provides toll price information, TollGuru gives you more detail.

One of the best road trip planning apps is AAA’s TripTik .

These have come a long way since the spiral-bound guides of my youth. Today, you can plan your road trip routes online or on your phone.

If you want to plan your perfect road trip , plug in your starting and ending points and add up to 25 stops. Specify how often you’d like to stop and it’ll build breaks into your turn-by-turn directions.

You can choose to display gas stations, attractions, campgrounds, hotels, restaurants, AAA savings, and rest areas.

This road trip planning app is free to use, even if you’re not a AAA member. Joining is recommended, though. Not only do you get roadside assistance, you also get special discounts on hotel rooms and restaurants, as well as paper maps.

Upside is a free app that gives you cash back on gas, groceries, and restaurants. Brands include most of the big fuel chains (Shell, Marathon, Valero, BP, etc.)

Upside works similarly to Pay with GasBuddy in that you get cents off per gallon, but you get it in the form of cash back.

For example, at the Casey’s near me I can get eight cents per gallon cash back. To get the discount, I claim the offer, pay with a credit card, and then check in or take a photo of my receipt to upload it.

Once the cash back processes, which is usually within a couple days, I can transfer it to my bank account or use it to buy gift cards for places like Domino’s, H&M, and Starbucks.

Upside also offers cash back at restaurants and grocery stores. The offers vary, and when you first sign up there’s an increased discount.

The app saves you a few cents here and there, but they add up, especially when you’re on long road trips, making this one of my essential road trip apps.

Sign up for Upside here .

Download Waze for an alternative to Google Maps. One of the key features of Waze is its crowd-sourced traffic information, which allows users to report accidents, road closures, and other incidents in real time.

This helps you stay updated on the latest traffic conditions and avoid any delays on your route.

You can set your type of vehicle for preferred routes, including Motorcycle, Electric, and Taxi. You can also add your Toll and HOV passes, and you can tell it to skip unpaved roads.

(I can think of a few trips I’ve taken where that option would have come in handy.)

In addition to its routing and traffic features, Waze also offers a number of other useful tools for road trips. For example, the app allows you to find the cheapest gas prices along your route, restaurants, and parking at your destination.

If you connect your calendar, the app will tell you when it’s time to leave.

While there are definitely more road trip apps out there, these are the ones I consider essential. If you’re planning a road trip, don’t forget to get my book, Planning Your Perfect Road Trip !

AAA Travel Information:

Aaa triptik travel planner - more than maps & directions.

Everything You Need to Make Trip Planning Simpler

Plan a road trip online with AAA TripTik Travel Planner, and save your trips for use with the AAA Mobile app . Along with trip planning maps and traveling directions, you can find AAA Approved and Diamond Rated places to stay and dine . Use the booking feature to make hotel reservations. Find nearby gas stations and get updated fuel prices . Locate electric vehicle charging stations. Calculate your driving distance and save your trips for use with the AAA Mobile app. Learn More

Accompanying Maps You Can Print

Complete your AAA travel package with printable maps from AAA Map Gallery on AAA.com. Map Gallery has full-color maps of more than 400 popular destination areas across North America from Miami Beach to British Columbia. If you're a member, stop by your local AAA office. AAA's team of knowledgeable travel professionals will create a TripTik Travel Planner routing for you, provide information on vacation packages, help you find the best travel deals and even help you rent a car for the trip.

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Sell my car, car research, sign in, how to plan an ev road trip.

If you're yearning to hit the open road in your EV, a little planning and vehicle prep can go a long way.

QuickTakes:

• Use apps for your next EV road trip
• How far and where you can travel in an EV
• Other considerations when planning an EV road trip

Thanks to longer driving ranges and a vast increase in charging opportunities — even in rural communities — electric-vehicle range anxiety  gives way to a "go for it" attitude regarding EV road-tripping. EV owners can comfortably plan longer journeys by using route-planning apps and fast-charging stations, and by adjusting their driving habits.

Use Apps for Your Next EV Road Trip

The latest EVs, such as the Lucid Air luxury sedan, can offer more than 500 miles of range, making an extended voyage feasible. Tesla's proprietary Supercharger network  can also assist with long-distance trips.

If you own a non-Tesla EV, you may have a preferential arrangement or subscription with one of the major charging networks, such as ChargePoint , Electrify America , EVgo , and others. Their respective apps may help determine the availability of charging stations along your road trip route.

Today's EV charging network is somewhat scattered across the country. To accurately measure how far you can travel before recharging, enter your destination on a trip-planning app, such as A Better Routeplanner or ChargeHub , and get a detailed overview of where to stop and charge and for how long.

Alternatively, EVHotels lists accommodations that also feature overnight charging stations.

Another favorite crowd-sourced app is PlugShare , which will allow you to plan a trip and see every charger along your route.

Google Maps is also gradually improving its capabilities to help with EV road trips, highlighting routes with faster chargers.

How Far and Where I Can Travel in My EV

Once you've picked a route, the fundamental limitations are the range of your vehicle and the availability of higher-speed charging opportunities. You'll have to contend with the issues related to the increasing popularity of EVs, starting with busy charging stations. There may be other challenges, too, such as the unreliable nature of more than a half-dozen competing EV charging companies and various still-emerging technologies.

When driving in remote areas, be aware that charging stations sometimes require cell phone service to activate those apps and initiate a charge.

While Tesla owners can benefit from access to the company's widespread Supercharger and Destination Chargers network, the automaker has begun to offer limited charging access to owners of non-Tesla EVs.

Other Considerations When Planning an EV Road Trip

New EV hardware and technologies, such as heat pumps and ever-improving batteries , are helping to make longer road trips more reliable and convenient year-round. But weather can still be a major factor in how far you may or may not be able to drive your EV.

If you head out in the middle of a freezing winter, colder temperatures can decrease the total range of your EV by as much as 30% or more. Running your EV's heater and accessories to stay comfortable during your trip can drastically reduce your total range. Similarly, high temperatures can strain your EV's systems and charging capabilities in the summer. See if you can charge in a shaded area and run your air conditioner.

You'll also achieve a more extended driving range in an EV or a traditional gas-powered car by properly inflating your tires , as lower tire pressures can reduce driving ranges.

Written by humans. Edited by humans.

Andy Stonehouse literally fell into the world of auto writing while working as a ski-town journalist, and has not looked back since. A childhood spent dealing with the eccentricities of a 1976 MG Midget has made any subsequent auto experience a more safe and reliable drive. He has been blessed with nearby mountain trails and snowy roads in Colorado to do TV-adventure-styled test drives on a weekly basis.

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