best travel saving apps

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.

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22 Best Travel Apps Every Traveler Should Know About

From tracking flight delays, finding last-minute accommodations, and even locating the nearest public restroom, these are the most helpful travel apps to download before you travel.

Using the right travel apps can help you save both time and money , while making the journey much less stressful . Many of these apps also provide local recommendations and hidden gems tourists don't often get to see — and some are completely free.

Whether you're looking for an app that will give you discounts for popular local events, offer a last-minute booking at a fraction of the price, or help you breeze through the airport , these are the 22 best travel apps to download before your next trip.

Citymapper helps travelers find the speediest route to their destination, providing step-by-step instructions on where to find the nearest bus and train stations. You'll be able to see when the next arrivals are, and real-time routing means you'll get updates every minute. The app also has a chat feature that allows you to update friends and family on your E.T.A. wherever you are.

Available on iOS and Android .

PackPoint takes the hassle out of packing by creating a customized list of what you'll need for your getaway. Enter your destination, travel dates, length of stay, and activities that might require special gear, like hiking or swimming, and the app will create a custom packing list you can save for future use. Besides checking weather conditions for you, the app also allows users to share their packing lists with fellow travelers.

The beauty of Rebtel is you don't need an internet connection to call friends and family back home. The app connects to local phone lines to provide you with cheap calls in 51 countries around the world without having to deal with the hassle of getting a local SIM card or racking up your phone bill.

If you're looking to get outdoors, this app will provide you with the area's best hiking, biking, and running trails. In addition to details on length, starting location, and trail quality, AllTrails includes reviews and photos from a community of hikers and outdoor enthusiasts. You'll find useful information like what to pack, obstacles you'll find along the route, and the best scenic spots to check out.

If you find yourself in the middle of a long layover, Dayuse can get you into a hotel room for a few hours for up to 75 percent less than what the typical overnight rate would be. The app features 5,000 hotels in 23 countries, and allows you to make free cancellations at the last minute, in case you manage to catch an earlier flight.

Selections include everything from business hotels to wellness accommodations, with payments made directly when you arrive. You also get full use of the hotel's amenities for the duration of your stay.

The prices of flights can fluctuate, making it tricky to decide if you should book right away or hold off. That's where Hopper comes in, predicting the best time to find the cheapest fares, saving up to 40 percent. The app also has a price-monitoring feature so that you can select a particular flight and receive alerts if the price drops. Through Hopper, users can also compare the prices and amenities of more than 250 airlines and get alerts about airfare flash sales.

RV Parks & Campgrounds

This camping app helps you locate prime RV parks, campgrounds, rest areas, and gas stations across North America. With more than 40,000 facilities, the app sorts locations based on ratings and includes both privately-owned RV parks and public parks to choose from.

Nike Training Club

Hitting the gym while you're traveling can be tough, but with Nike Training Club , you'll feel like you have a personal trainer right in your pocket. That's because you can access hundreds of free workouts from Nike Master Trainers and celebrities like Kevin Hart, Serena Williams, and Cristiano Ronaldo. Audio and video clips help you make sure you're on top of your technique, while personalized training plans will keep you on track.

If you don't have much time to spare at the airport, Grab allows you to check out what food selections are near your gate, and gives you the option to pre-order your meal so you can pick it up on the way. The app currently operates at over 60 airports worldwide, giving you plenty of bites to choose from on your next trip.

GasBuddy is the app you'll want if you're taking a road trip. GasBuddy tracks down where to find the cheapest gas prices, allowing you to filter by price, location, brand, and amenities. It also provides you with deals at nearby convenience stores and price hike alerts so you can nail down the best prices every time.

Want to know what local events are taking place at your destination? Headout will show you the top attractions, shows, tours, and experiences in popular cities like New York, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Orlando, Hawaii, Dubai, and more.

Activities range from catching a Broadway show, yoga in the hills, or taking a helicopter tour, with exclusive last-minute offers that can be up to 80 percent off.

If you need to access the internet during your travels, chances are you'll have to connect to public Wi-Fi, which can be sketchy. TunnelBear allows you to connect privately and securely by providing you a VPN (virtual private network) that will encrypt your browsing data to keep your information hidden from hackers and advertisers. The app comes with 500MB of free browsing data each month, or you can opt for unlimited data at a low monthly rate.

Hostelworld

Hostelworld is where you'll find more than 17,000 hostels, hotels, B&B's, and communal spaces in 178 countries. The app is great for solo travelers looking to meet fellow vacationers during their trip, including a Noticeboard that highlights events and meetups, and a translator that will help you communicate in up to 43 languages.

WeatherBug provides forecasts for millions of locations around the world, with current, hourly, and even 10-day options. The app also has specific weather maps to track everything from lightning and wind to pressure and humidity, and makes staying on top of changes to the weather easy with instant alerts.

Eatwith allows you to dine with locals, in their homes, all over the world. Menus are posted for you to see, while hosts will typically list what they cook, the languages they speak, and any alcohol pairings they'll be serving. Not only does the app give you a chance to meet locals and get superb dining recommendations, but it also allows you to enjoy a high-quality meal for less than what you'd typically pay at a restaurant.

Available on iOS and Android.

Trying to locate a public restroom can be tricky, especially in a new destination. That's where Flush comes in. The app has a database of more than 200,000 toilets, and quickly provides travelers with nearby bathrooms. You can search without an internet connection, and the app will also notify you if a restroom requires a fee.

While banks may charge you a fee for transferring money abroad, Wise allows you to make a transfer based on real-time currency exchanges, so you can send money at rates the company says are up to eight times cheaper than what you'd find at traditional banks.

TripIt makes it easy to put together a cohesive travel itinerary. Simply forward your confirmation emails, like your hotel and flight reservations, or your rental car reservation, and TripIt will build a full itinerary to help you stay organized with all of your plans.

With real-time alerts, you'll know if your flight is delayed or canceled, while the flight finder can help you book a new option should a cancellation occur.

Another good app for the road, Waze gives you community-based data about traffic jams, and information to locate points of interest like the cheapest gas stations and the fastest routes to your destination. Live maps include voice-guided navigation to easily guide you.

Xe provides live exchange rates and charts to keep you on top of money matters during your travels, easily allowing you to choose between different currencies you'd like to convert. It also has a rate alert so that you can monitor your favorite currencies — and it can be used offline.

Timeshifter

If you're sick of the jet lag battle that inevitably comes with travel, check out Timeshifter , an app that helps you to avoid jet lag long before your flight departs. Thanks to neuroscience research on circadian rhythms and sleep, the app provides personalized recommendations that take into account your age, gender, typical sleep patterns, and specifics about your trip. The app will tell you when you should avoid or seek daylight, and when you should stay awake or take a nap. The result? A gentle jet lag experience, which translates to more time exploring your destination.

FlightAware

If you have a tight connection or are picking up friends or family from the airport, look to FlightAware for help. The app tracks flights in real time, so you can see exactly where the aircraft is at any given moment. In addition to providing arrivals and delays, you can also see if weather will have any affect on certain locations.

Evie Carrick is a writer and editor who’s lived in five countries and visited well over 50. She now splits her time between Colorado and Paris, ensuring she doesn't have to live without skiing or L'As du Fallafel.

Related Articles

7 Useful Apps Every Traveler Should Know About

By Harrison Pierce

All products featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Technology continues to make travel easier for millions of people around the globe. New apps offer travelers fresh ways to research a destination, connect with fellow globetrotters, communicate with locals, and track their flights. As a full-time digital nomad , I’ve learned the importance of having the right tools at your disposal when on the road.

Over the past few years, I’ve visited dozens of countries, flown hundreds of thousands of miles, and tested countless apps to find the ones that prove to be the most helpful. And while tools like Meetup, Google Maps, Google Translate, currency converters, and vacation rental , airline, and hotel–specific apps are in fact indispensable on most trips, I find that many of the best travel apps are still undiscovered by my fellow travelers.

Below, seven travel apps that make life on the go markedly easier (and more fun), from real-time flight trackers to photo-sharing gems—all of these apps are free, but some have paid pro versions worth considering. Don’t think these apps are only for full-time travelers—they prove useful for every type of traveler, whether you're in a brand-new destination or back for a return visit.

Discover the best apps for travelers:

Apps for flying, apps for exploring, apps for photo sharing.

My favorite app on this list is Flighty, a must-have for any frequent flier . The free version is fantastic, but I recommend splurging for the premium version, which gives you even more useful information and comes at a reasonable cost of $48 per year. The functionality it provides more than justifies the price.

The free version allows you to input all future flights plus past journeys you've taken within the last year. It provides updated information if any schedule changes occur to upcoming flights and allows you to track all the miles you’ve flown in one place.

The other main benefit is that it allows you to share your flight information with friends and family members who are also on Flighty. They will receive real-time updates about your flight without you having to text them. My parents love to make sure I’m safe so they appreciate getting detailed information about my travels—even while I’m in the air.

Flightradar24 is a favorite app among fellow aviation geeks. It lets you track almost any aircraft you see in the air throughout the day or night. You can track your own flight, a friend's flight, or any plane you see in real-time. It shares plenty of cool data, like the altitude, speed, arrival and departure airports and times, and tail number.

There are tons of eSIM apps on the market, but Airalo is probably my favorite, with digital SIM cards available for dozens of countries. I find it to be the most reliable and offers the best data packages. It can be a little pricey, but it is the best option if you’re only taking short trips. Holafly is another eSIM app that offers unlimited data and works well, but I find the app to be much more glitchy than Airalo and would recommend using the desktop version.

This one is for the planner of the group. Wanderlog merges the best of a bunch of different apps into one. Imagine an app that lets you plan a trip with ease: collaborate with friends as if you’re on Google Docs, manage expense tracking like Splitwise, and have a central place for your reservations, checklists, and more. Tripit is a similar travel planner app, so you can download both and get a feel for which interface you like better.

Been allows you to track the countries you’ve visited and make a wish list of places you can’t wait to cross off your travel bucket list . It gives you information like the percentage of the globe you’ve been to and shows you a world map of your trips. It’s always fun to add in a new country whenever I reach my destination.

This app was introduced to me by fellow nomads I met at a cafe in Montevideo, Uruguay . It automatically tracks your route across the world, allowing you to quickly upload pictures throughout your travels that can be viewed by anyone who has access to your profile. It’s an excellent way to share important moments with loved ones without needing to send photos to each person individually. Users can also create easily accessible guides filled with up-to-date information to help you plan your own trip.

Steller is another app that a friend recently introduced me to, and I’ve quickly fallen in love with it. It uses a combination of AI and user experiences to help you plan trips around the globe. From recommendations of things to see, like the Recoleta Cemetery in Buenos Aires or the Royal Palace of Naples, to full guidebooks created by users, you can get inspired, book experiences, and discover hidden gems within this app.

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The 12 Best Budgeting Apps for Travelers

Ashley Rossi

Ashley Rossi is always ready for her next trip. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram for travel tips, destination ideas, and off the beaten path spots.

After interning at SmarterTravel, Ashley joined the team full time in 2015. She's lived on three continents, but still never knows where her next adventure will take her. She's always searching for upcoming destination hotspots, secluded retreats, and hidden gems to share with the world.

Ashley's stories have been featured online on USA Today, Business Insider, TripAdvisor, Huffington Post, Jetsetter, and Yahoo! Travel, as well as other publications.

The Handy Item I Always Pack : "A reusable filtered water bottle—it saves you money, keeps you hydrated, and eliminates waste—win-win."

Ultimate Bucket List Experience : "A week in a bamboo beach hut on India's Andaman Islands."

Travel Motto : "Travel light, often, and in good company."

Aisle, Window, or Middle Seat : "Window—best view in the house."

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While you’re stuck daydreaming about your next bucket-list vacation, why don’t you get a hold of your finances and make it a reality by first budgeting out your travel expenses? Whether it’s a road trip or international vacation that you’re planning, easily forgettable items like parking fees can add up. That’s why you should use a travel-specific budgeting app to help streamline your costs on your next trip. Here are 12 budget apps to help you plan your expenses.

PocketGuard

Link all of your financial accounts and cards to this app, and it will automatically update and categorize your spending in real time. It then tells you what spending money you have with the “in my pocket” feature. It also automatically builds you a spending budget based on income, bills, and the goals you set. It even finds ways to lower some of your monthly bills for you … sign us up.

Download: iOS | Google Play

Tripcoin lets you enter in your expenses per day and even works offline. It then processes your spending to give you a spending summary of your trip, which you can export for other uses. This lets you see how much you’re spending on each category of your trip, broken down by day, so you can monitor your vacation expenses in real time.

Download: iOS

9 Sneaky Travel Costs You Might Forget to Budget For

Trip Expense Manager

The Trip Expense Manager app is ideal for large traveling groups that need help planning and monitoring travel expenses. For each trip you take, you can add Google users, a list of places to go, and expenses, and even mark who paid which bill.

Download: Google Play

TravelSpend

I love TravelSpend for its easy-to-use features and simple design. How it works: You add expenses as they happen (the app works offline and even converts foreign currencies) and the app tracks your spending by total and by day. You can even follow your spending on a map throughout your vacation.

Wally connects to your current financial accounts and tracks your spending so you can get a handle on your cash flow and spending by category. Wally is useful because unlike some of the other budgeting apps, it lets you use private groups for managing trip spending or other budgets. You can even add reminders, notes, lists, documents, and comments.

Users love TripMate for its simplicity and easy-to-use features, plus it’s all free. This travel expense tracker app lets you create a trip and then add and remove users as needed. You can add expenses, receive a personalized summary, and even get hotel, and other booking-related information.

Trail Wallet

If you’re looking for a travel-specific budget tool and expense tracker, this is your best bet. Input your expenses into Trail Wallet and the app will split them up based on category so you can get a closer look at your spending. Note that only the first 25 items you enter are free.

11 Budget Travel Lies You Should Stop Believing Right Now

This travel expense app makes splitting costs a breeze. Simply invite your travel partners to the trip you’ve created on the app, and each person can enter in his or her expenses. Once the trip is over (and all expenses have been entered) you can see who owes whom what amount.

Splitwise is another useful cost-tracking platform that easily lets you split group expenses while traveling. You can split by percentage or shares, and it’s even available in offline mode. It’s great for international trips, too, as the app is available in seven languages and over 100 currencies. Plus, it’s integrated with Venmo and PayPal for easy payback.

Mint is so much more than just a travel expense app—it connects with all of your bank accounts to give you an overall summary of your cash flow. You can then easily create a budget for different categories, like saving for a vacation.

30 Essential Non-Travel Apps for Travelers

For those who have been involved in the planning of a bachelor or bachelorette party, you know the trials and tribulations that come with splitting large group expenses. This app was created specifically for those organizing large group trips and includes building an itinerary, polls, and chat features as well as ways to track payments and bar tabs within your group.

YNAB (You Need a Budget) is a popular software used for budgeting. While it’s slightly pricey ($84 annually), the positive reviews are endless. On the app version, you can set savings goals and itemize your vaca expenses. There is a free 34-day trial to get you started.

More from SmarterTravel:

• Single Travel: Essential Tips for Planning a Solo Trip
• 5 Ways to Stay Sane When Planning a Trip with Friends
• The 7 Best Trip Planner Apps for Travelers

Ashley Rossi is always ready for her next trip. Follow her on  Twitter   and  Instagram   for travel tips, destination ideas, and off the beaten path spots.

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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Best travel apps in 2021

Beat the traffic, avoid flight delays and find a place to stay on your next trip

The best travel apps are the ones that take all the stress out of a trip, freeing you up to enjoy the journey. And fortunately, you've got a lot of choices when it comes to finding apps that can help you plan your next getaway. 

You'll find everything from trip planners and itinerary generators to online marketplaces for flights and hotels in both the Play Store and Apple's store for apps. Combine one of the best travel apps with some great travel tech , and your chances for a smooth trip will increase dramatically.

• These are the best Android apps overall
• Get better trip photos with the best Android camera apps

Not sure where to look first? We've found a list of the best travel apps for when you're ready to hit the road again after sticking close to home for more than a year.

1. MyTSA (Free: Android; iOS)

Before you hit the road, make sure you've got MyTSA on your smartphone. The official app of the Transportation Security Administration isn't going to win any beauty contests, but it will let you check wait times at security checkpoints at major airpots. And that can help you plan on how much travel time you need to allow.

The app includes historical wait-time data while also giving you the option of checking crowd-sourced reports of how long security lines are at that moment. The ability to search what you can bring on a plane, get live assistance and find out info on the TSA PreCheck program make this a good app for travelers to keep handy on their smartphone.

Download MyTSA: Android , iOS

2. Expedia (Android, iOS: Free)

If you're a frequent traveller, you need a good all-in-one travel app, and Expedia is a tried-and-true option. You can book every aspect of your trip through Expedia, including hotels, flights and rental cars. The app also lets you bundle deals on travel and lodging, look for cruises, and research things to do when you arrive at your destination. 

If you're looking to stretch your travel budget even farther, Expedia promises exclusive deals for mobile users, with members of Expedia's rewards program enjoying additional perks. 

Download Expedia: Android , iOS

3. Flighty (iOS: Free)

There are flight trackers, and then there's Flighty, an iOS app for people who really want to know the location and arrival time of their plane. The free version of the app gives you basic flight-tracking tools, but pay up for a subscription ($8.99 a month or $49.99 per year), and you get access to more sophisticated features such as push notifications, syncing with TripIt or with calendars, and an assistant to help with your flight connections. 

Flighty also claims to be able to predict flight delays by monitoring inbound planes for 25 hours and monitoring FAA-mandated delays. You can check out the portions of the paid app for free during a 14-day trial.

Download Flighty: iOS

4. Hopper (Android, iOS: Free)

Another app bringing big data and predictive algorithms to the world of air travel is Hopper It uses a massive database of airline prices and historical trends to predict when prices to a destination are likely to be lowest, when they're likely to change, and the best time to buy a ticket for a particular date and destination. 

You can watch flights on specific dates or destinations, and the app will advise you whether it's worth it to buy now or to wait, tell you the dates when it's likely cheapest to fly, estimate changes in price, and notify you of price drops or rises. You can also save your payment details within the app for quick booking.

Download Hopper: Android , iOS

5. iExit (Android, iOS: Free)

If your travel plans involve a lot of driving, iExit works as a handy freeway exit guide, listing nearby highway exits, as well as the kind of businesses and amenities there are nearby. Need to gas up or find some good food or a place to stay for the night? iExit’s search tools come to the rescue, showing you nearby gas stations (with price data powered by GasBuddy), motels, and even deals and discounts from nearby businesses.

Download iExit: Android , iOS

6. Waze (Android; iOS)

Nothing gets a vacation off on the wrong foot like getting stuck in traffic. Waze can't eliminate the traffic, but it can help you get around any jams, especially if you're in an unfamiliar city. 

The navigation app feeds your smartphone real-time traffic information, based on reports from other Waze users. That data includes accidents, speed traps and other hazards that might keep you from getting to your destination in a timely fashion. 

Other features sure to impress travelers include automatic rerouting, cheap gas alerts and the ability to send your ETA to anyone waiting at your final stop.

Download Waze: Android , iOS

7. Skiplagged (Android, iOS: Free)

If you're traveling light and looking to save a few bucks, check out Skiplagged. It's a neat app that can keep your travel costs down by taking advantage of "hidden city flights", where flyers get off at a layover, instead of at the final destination. 

Enter your origin and destination, and Skiplagged will show you the cost of a direct flight, as well as any cheaper "hidden city" flights that have your intended destination as a layover. The caveat? Stick to carry-on luggage, as any checked-in bags will go all the way to the flight's final destination. 

Skiplagged also allows you to book hotels, including last-minute deals and special offers.

Download Skiplagged: Android , iOS

8. Flio (Android, iOS: Free)

Flio aims to be the all-in-one companion app for harried travelers making their way through airports worldwide. An official partner of 300 airports, Flio also has info on thousands more. That lets the app feature terminal maps, a boarding pass scanner, a flight tracker and directions to shuttle buses and booking options for everything from parking to lounge access. 

The app's sheer variety of services and features make it a great addition to the app toolkit of frequent fliers and vacationers alike.

Download Flio: Android , iOS

9. AtYourGate (Android, iOS: Free)

AtYourGate is another helpful airport companion that focuses more about retail opportunities while you're killing time waiting at the airport. If you need food, supplies (like say a phone charger to replace the one you forgot to pack), or last-minute gifts, you can browse the AtYourGate app for nearby shops and restaurants instead of having to wander around the airport. 

AtYourGate users can order food or other items, pay through the app, and even arrange for the item to be delivered to them right at their gate, lounge, or other location. AtYourGate currently operates in a select number of major airports, including JFK, La Guardia, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Portland, San Diego, and Newark.

Download AtYourGate: Android , iOS

10. Mobile Passport (Android, iOS: Free)

Mobile Passport is a U.S. Customs and Border Protection-approved app that helps speed you through lengthy immigration lines. It allows anyone with U.S. or Canadian passports to submit their passport control and customs declarations through the app, replacing paper forms and providing faster processing in a number of major US airports where the Mobile Passport service is supported. 

The app will save you a good amount of time in line, but it’s no reason to leave your physical passport at home. Mobile Passport is a companion app, not a replacement.

Download Mobile Passport: Android , iOS

11. TripIt (Android, iOS: Free)

TripIt promises to cut back on the travel hassle by consolidating your travel plans into a simple, convenient itinerary. Viewable online and synced to your cell phone, you can also share itineraries with your contacts. 

You just link your email account to TripIt, and the service will automatically dig through your inbox for reservation confirmations and other forms. Using that data, TripIt builds an organized itinerary of your flight boarding times, hotel check-ins and more. While TripIt is a free download, a $48.99 annual subscription gets you features like real-time flight alerts and updates on how long airport lines are.

Download TripIt: Android , iOS

12. App In The Air (Android, iOS: Free)

App In The Air is designed to help you through the entire process of your airplane flight, serving as a booking assistant that reminds you of your gate, ETA, check-in requirements, baggage tips, and more. 

The app condenses all of this important information so that it's easy to refer to at a glance, while also providing handy extras. You can view a summary of your airline's baggage rules (or even have an augmented reality overlay that you can use to measure your baggage to see if it will fit for carry-on or overhead guidelines). 

Travelers can integrate the app with TripIt, track loyalty rewards, view airplane amenities and even forward their details to their Apple Watch or Android Wear device. A premium subscription ($29.99 per year) includes real-time flight status updates, automated check-ins, and more.

Download App In The Air: Android , iOS

13. GasBuddy (Android, iOS: Free)

If road trips are more your thing, consider GasBuddy, a mobile app that helps users track down the cheapest gas in their region. Users can tap into their GPS location through their phone, or search by address or zip code to find the nearby gas prices.

As many of the prices are based on user reports, GasBuddy rewards users with points for reporting and updating a station's prices, with points making you eligible for regular raffles of prizes like free gas.

Download GasBuddy: Android , iOS

14. Roadtrippers (Android, iOS: Free)

Another handy travel companion when you hit the road is the aptly named Roadtrippers, a trip planning and itinerary app that lets you plot your next road trip, and helps you discover destinations, attractions, and useful stops along the way. 

With Roadtrippers, you can share your route and schedule with friends and family. The app helps users find everything from diners and dives to hotels, restaurants, national parks, roadside attractions and other scenic points of interest. 

If doing that research on a small phone screen stresses you out, you can plan trips in the Roadtrippers web portal if you prefer, saving locations and stops into a trip plan which you can sync across multiple devices for easy reference.

Download Roadtrippers: Android , iOS

15. PackPoint (Android, iOS: Free)

PackPoint is a travel packing wizard that provides a checklist of travel essentials that you'll need to pack, depending on the nature of your trip. 

Simply create a trip profile with your destination, length of stay and purpose of travel. PackPoint then creates a customized packing and luggage checklist that takes into account whether you're traveling for business or pleasure, the type and amount of clothing to pack based on the weather forecast and other factors. 

The app also comes with a variety of premium features, such as TripIt integration for automatic packing list creation.

Download PackPoint: Android , iOS

16. TripAdvisor (Android, iOS: Free)

TripAdvisor is your crowd-sourced guide to hotels, restaurants and attractions worldwide. The app allows you to browse through plenty of reviews, images and videos featuring various establishments worldwide to get a better idea of what awaits you at your destination. 

You can also access contact details; search for nearby establishments; explore restaurants by food type, price range or rating; check out air fares; and even add to the knowledge base by posting your own reviews, images and entries for the places you visit. There are even some handy "Near Me Now" features to alert you of nearby points of interest once you're on the scene.

Download TripAdvisor: Android , iOS

17. Airbnb (Android, iOS: Free)

Airbnb is a marketplace app that allows users to search for and find unique accommodations across the world, from mom-and-pop B&Bs for a night, to a small apartment for a week, or even a castle for a month. There's no shortage of quirky and unique establishments. Airbnb covers a range of prices in more than 34,000 cities across almost 200 countries, which means the adventurous or flexible traveler has some interesting choices for accommodations on their next trip.

Download Airbnb: Android , iOS

18. Vrbo (Android, iOS: Free)

Vrbo's mobile app is another option for finding places to stay on your next trip. At Vrbo, the emphasis is on vacation rentals, and with 2 million unique places to stay in 190-plus countries, you've got plenty of options. 

Use the Vrbo app to search for vacation homes, plan your trip and book your lodging. The app also gives you access to key booking details — what is the Wi-Fi password at your rental property, anyway? — and lets you share your itinerary with friends and family.

Download Vrbo: Android , iOS

19. Hotel Tonight (Android, iOS: Free)

If you unexpectedly need to look for last minute hotel rooms, check out  HotelTonight. It offers last-minute discounts on vacancies and same-night accommodations from top-rated hotels. Users can search by category and quality such as Basic, Hip or Luxe; view information on nearby hotels; and quickly book accommodations from within the app.

Download HotelTonight: Android , iOS

20. GlobeTips (iOS: Free)

How much should you tip? GlobeTips is a handy app that can tell you how much gratuity is customary wherever you are in the world. In addition to global tipping guides, GlobeTips includes a calculator for automatically calculating the tip, splitting the bill, and handling sales tax.

Download GlobeTips: iOS

• Best iPhone apps

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The 9 Best Travel Apps

These days, everyone travels with a smartphone. Beyond the ability to take endless selfies and keep in touch with family back home, they provide us with a never-ending stream of tools and apps to help us plan our travels and deal with any hiccups we encounter on the road.

Unfortunately, while there’s no shortage of travel apps, most of them are terrible.

To help you avoid downloading (and maybe even paying for) apps that aren’t worth your time, I’ve compiled a list of my favorite travel apps. These apps will save you time, money, and help you make the most of your travels. They’re the apps I think every traveler should have on their phone before they leave home.

Table of Contents

1. GetYourGuide

2. loungebuddy, 3. hostelworld, 4. skyscanner, 6. xe currency converter, 7. google translate, 8. happycow, 9. gasbuddy.

Whether you’re in the planning stages and looking for things to fill out your upcoming itinerary or you’re already in a new country and want something to do later that day, GetYourGuide can help. I’ve used them a bunch and always have a great time!

LoungeBuddy takes the pain out of the process. After entering your credit card, airline status, and lounge memberships, the app tells you which lounges you can access at any given airport. It makes even the longest layover tolerable so you can relax and enjoy your travels. And if you don’t have status, you can book lounge access directly through the app. It’s easy to use, and free to download.  

You can also use the app to see who else is staying at the hostel. You can join a group chat for the hostel and connect with travelers to make plans before you arrive. In short, it’s a must-download app for backpackers and solo travelers. The app is free to download.  

The best feature of the app, however, is the ability to search for flights to everywhere . You simply input your departure airport and the dates you want to travel, and it will bring up all the potential options — from cheapest to most expensive — so you can browse for ideas without needing to check each one manually.

If you want to save money on flights, this app is a must. The app is free too.  

The basic version is free while the pro version is $49 USD per year.  

If you have to stay on budget (and don’t want to get ripped off), download this app. It’s free.  

The app can read out your text too so you can hear how it is properly pronounced, and you can also use your camera to take photos of text that it can translate too (which is helpful if you need to read ingredients while shopping, for example). The app is free.  

The app is free but for $9.99 USD per month, you can upgrade to premium, which saves you 20 cents a gallon (up to 50 gallons) and provides 24/7 roadside assistance.

While it’s important to not spend your entire trip on your phone or social media, there are times when using your smartphone can easily improve the quality of your trip, keep you safe, and save you money. By downloading the apps above, you’ll be able to have a much smoother trip, giving you more time, energy, and money to invest in your next adventure.  

Book Your Trip: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner . It’s my favorite search engine because it searches websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is being left unturned.

Book Your Accommodation You can book your hostel with Hostelworld . If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as it consistently returns the cheapest rates for guesthouses and hotels.

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:

• SafetyWing (best for everyone)
• Insure My Trip (for those 70 and over)
• Medjet (for additional evacuation coverage)

Want to Travel for Free? Travel credit cards allow you to earn points that can be redeemed for free flights and accommodation — all without any extra spending. Check out my guide to picking the right card and my current favorites to get started and see the latest best deals.

Need Help Finding Activities for Your Trip? Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace where you can find cool walking tours, fun excursions, skip-the-line tickets, private guides, and more.

Ready to Book Your Trip? Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel. I list all the ones I use when I travel. They are the best in class and you can’t go wrong using them on your trip.

Got a comment on this article? Join the conversation on Facebook , Instagram , or Twitter and share your thoughts!

Disclosure: Please note that some of the links above may be affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you make a purchase. I recommend only products and companies I use and the income goes to keeping the site community supported and ad free.

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If you’re the type of person who can book a flight and head overseas at the drop of a hat with little to no planning, kudos to you. But not everyone can take a vacation without putting in some sort of research or preparation first.

Fortunately, there are plenty of apps available to help streamline your travel plans and experiences. This can range from saving money with flight deals to using an app to navigate a new city or town. Here are 25 of the best travel apps to consider for your next trip.

25 best travel apps

Bottom line, methodology.

We picked a variety of mobile apps (for both Android and iOS devices) to suit different types of travelers and their unique needs. We decided these were the best travel apps through careful consideration of what each app excels in and what it was designed to be used for. We also considered how easy and reliable these apps are for travelers and whether we would personally use them ourselves when traveling.

1. Google Maps: Best for offline navigation

Google Maps works worldwide, making it an effective tool for getting around in other cities, states, and countries. But what if you’re in an area without internet access? With offline maps functionality, simply download map areas through the app when you have an internet connection, and then you can use them offline.

Download Google Maps .

2. Instagram: Best for travel inspiration

Instagram isn’t necessarily going to help you travel the world for free unless you’re an influencer or have a business. But it can still provide you with useful travel inspiration for your next trip. Like the look of a certain destination? Save the photo or video portraying the location and start building your list of places to visit.

Get Instagram .

3. LoungeBuddy: Best for airport lounge research

Airport lounges can turn a dismal and tedious airport experience into one that’s refreshing and relaxing. We’re talking about comfortable seating, free food and drinks, and complimentary Wi-Fi. With LoungeBuddy , you can research all the available lounge options at different airports and even book some of them through the app.

Certain credit cards can also get you into airport lounges for free. Check out these credit cards with airport lounge access .

4. Priority Pass: Best for Priority Pass members

If you compare credit cards , you’ll see many travel cards offer the benefit of a Priority Pass membership. This gives you free access to airport lounges and experiences within the Priority Pass network. Use the Priority Pass app to find what lounges and experiences are available in airports you’re traveling through, including if you have a layover.

Check out these credit cards with Priority Pass .

5. Airbnb: Best for unique accommodations

Airbnb rental properties are everywhere, and they have plenty of variety. Want to stay in a treehouse in Atlanta or a castle in Scotland? Not a problem. You can research and book Airbnbs to your heart’s content through the Airbnb booking app.

Check out the best credit cards for booking an Airbnb .

6. Vrbo: Best for renting entire homes

While Airbnb does offer entire homes as one of its rental categories, Vrbo is the king of entire home rentals. After all, you don’t have any option other than renting an entire home through Vrbo. This makes it easy to find the perfect getaway for the whole family.

Check out the best credit cards for Vrbo .

7. TripIt: Best for trip organization

Wondering how to stay focused and organized when you have to book flights, book hotels, and book car rentals when traveling? Consider using TripIt to keep everything organized for you in one place so you don’t have to worry about searching for your plans in different folders and inboxes.

Download TripIt .

8. HotelTonight: Best for last-minute discounts

Need a hotel room ASAP? Don’t settle for paying top dollar because you’re making a last-minute booking. The HotelTonight app can help you find heavily-discounted rates on hotel stays, whether you have a flexible schedule or you need to book a room quickly.

To help save more money on hotel stays, check out the best hotel credit card options.

9. MyTSA: Best for navigating airport lines

Put your airport security worries behind you with the MyTSA app. This app can tell you what items are allowed through security checkpoints and give you information about delays at different airports. You can also check forecasts to see how busy the airport is likely to be on specific days according to past data.

Get the MyTSA app .

10. Citymapper: Best for public transportation

Using public transportation while traveling is an excellent way to get to know the area while also saving money. In fact, taking public transportation instead of renting a vehicle could go a long way in helping fund your world travels . With the Citymapper app, you can route your way across cities with available public transportation options.

Download Citymapper .

11. PackPoint: Best for packing lists

What should you pack for your trip? If you tell the PackPoint app about your trip — such as where you’re going, how long the trip is, and what activities you plan on doing — it’ll generate a checklist of items you won’t want to forget. This might not be a comprehensive list for every situation, but it can help you remember some of the necessities.

Check out PackPoint .

12. Tripadvisor: Best for travel research

Tripadvisor is a great app for researching where to stay, where to eat, and what to do in an area. Reviews for lodging, restaurants, and activities are gathered from other travelers. It can be a great resource for travel tips and finding must-see attractions in areas you’re visiting.

Get Tripadvisor .

13. GasBuddy: Best for finding cheap gas

Planning a road trip in the U.S., Canada, or Australia? The GasBuddy app can help you find the cheapest gas based on your location. You can calculate how much gas will cost on a road trip and log your fuel purchases from the app.

For additional ways to save at gas stations, check out options for the best gas credit card .

14. XE: Best for currency conversions

Wondering how far your U.S. dollar will stretch in another country? Use the XE currency app for quick and easy currency conversions to make sure you’re getting good exchange rates. This currency converter is most useful while you’re traveling abroad, but it can be helpful for doing research before a trip as well.

Learn more about XE .

15. Roadtrippers: Best for planning epic road trips

Planning a road trip and don’t want to miss out on any epic stops along the way? The Roadtrippers app can help you with trip planning and point you in the right direction for cool stops during your drive. Share your created trips with friends and family so they can see what your plan is.

Download Roadtrippers .

16. WhatsApp: Best for communicating when you’re outside the U.S.

Texting might be your go-to method of communication in the U.S., but you might need to consider other options when traveling abroad. WhatsApp is a popular messaging app that’s used worldwide. You can use it to send messages and make calls over Wi-Fi, which is helpful if you don’t have an international data plan.

Get WhatsApp .

17. Yelp: Best for restaurant recommendations

If you’re a foodie traveler, Yelp can be your best friend. It’s an app that collects user reviews for different businesses, including restaurants. So if you’re on the lookout for somewhere to eat, pull up Yelp to check out the local food scene. Yelp is currently available in over 200 cities worldwide, including in Europe and Asia, though it’s mostly used in North America.

To help save on eating out, check out the best credit cards for dining .

18. Uber: Best for quick transportation

Sometimes you don’t have the luxury of waiting for the public bus to arrive, or maybe public transportation doesn’t travel where you’re headed. In these and other cases, a rideshare app like Uber can come in handy for quick rides around town.

To save on your Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, check out the best credit cards for Uber .

19. AllTrails: Best for outdoor activities

Travel isn’t always about traversing different cities — sometimes doing an activity outdoors is one of the best ways to explore an area. With AllTrails, you get to see a slew of available trails to walk, hike, and run worldwide. Looking for gorgeous views and pristine scenery? This is how you’ll find them.

Download AllTrails .

20. Secret Flying: Best for flight deals

You have your pick of apps for flight deals, including Skyscanner and Hopper . But Secret Flying is a standout because it’s simple and constantly sends you notifications for flight deals according to your specifications. It’s also free to use, which your wallet will thank you for.

To help save money on airfare, check out the best airline credit card choices.

21. Waze: Best for traffic updates

Do you need both Google Maps and Waze? Possibly, depending on where you travel. In some cases, one navigation app could work better than the other. And with Waze, the focus is always getting you to your destination with as little hassle as possible. Google Maps works similarly, but Waze users actively report traffic delays and other issues, which can help you get to your destination easily.

22. FlightAware: Best for flight tracking

Wondering if you’re going to make that connecting flight? Look up real-time flight traffic with the FlightAware app and see where a specific flight is at any given time. Having this sort of updated information can help you make informed decisions concerning flight delays, cancellations, and rebookings.

Download FlightAware .

23. Netflix: Best for entertainment

Is Netflix a travel app? It can be. Netflix lets you download shows and movies to your phone, making it easy to access entertainment even if you don’t have access to the internet. And it’s also interesting to see what’s available on Netflix in other countries.

Want to save money on your Netflix subscription? Check out the best credit cards for streaming services .

24. Google Translate: Best for language translation

Unsurprisingly, not everyone speaks English. This becomes apparent almost immediately when stepping foot into other countries. To help you navigate a new language, use the Google Translate app. It offers loads of useful features, including using your camera to translate, voice translations, text translations, and more.

Learn more about Google Translate .

25. CyberGhost: Best for security and privacy

If you’re worried about cybersecurity and privacy while traveling, use a VPN. CyberGhost is a highly-rated option that can help keep your information safe and secure. It’s also user-friendly and reasonably priced.

Check out CyberGhost .

What do travel apps do?

Travel apps can serve a variety of purposes, including helping you navigate local roads or notifying you of discounted flights or hotel stays. Many travel apps can be downloaded to your phone for free, so you can plan without adding to your travel costs.

What is the best travel app?

There isn’t an overall best travel app. Rather, there are a number of excellent apps for different scenarios. For example, Google Maps is helpful because it can download maps for offline use if you know you won’t have internet access. But an app like Airbnb serves a different purpose, allowing you to book rental properties in various locations worldwide. Other helpful travel apps include WhatsApp , LoungeBuddy , Uber , and Yelp .

What is the best travel app for flights?

Some of the best travel apps for flights include Secret Flying , Skyscanner , Hopper , Going , and Kayak . These apps, along with Google Flights , can be used to find deals on flights. If you find a good deal, it’s often best to book directly with an airline rather than a third-party organization to help avoid any mishaps.

Travel can be a big commitment, which is why it’s important to be as prepared as possible for an upcoming trip. With the right travel apps by your side, you should feel ready to embark on your journeys, whether it’s in the U.S. or abroad. The best apps are available on both the App Store and Google Play, so it shouldn’t matter if you’re using an Apple iPhone, a Samsung Galaxy, or another device.

If you want to prepare further, consider getting a travel credit card. Many travel cards offer valuable perks and benefits, and they can help offset some of your biggest travel expenses, such as flights, hotel stays, and rental cars. For more information, check out our list of the best travel credit cards .

To choose the best travel apps, we identified apps that offer various travel benefits or features. We looked for apps that represent a variety of features, including navigation, accommodations, airport lounge access, and entertainment. We did not include all possible options.

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8 of the best travel apps that travel editors can't live without

By Charlotte Davey

The best travel apps, when used to your advantage, can be the most indispensable companion for a trip. Not only can they save you time and money, but they can also reduce any journey-induced stress. Need to work out costs on a group trip , translate a menu, or get from A to B when you don’t speak the language? There’s an App for that. But just as you don’t need a suitcase laden with unworn clothing, no one needs a phone clogged with gimmicky or useless apps. We asked our jet-setting editors to share the apps they genuinely use while travelling and the lesser-known gems that have saved a holiday. So while the BA App, Rome2Rio, or Monzo might be stalwarts of the frequent flyer’s home screen, here are the clever, hardworking Apps our travel insiders swear by.

Cost: Free to use (Wanderlog Pro includes additional features and costs around £40 per year)

USP: One of the best travel apps for planning every kind of trip, including road trips and group travel: create a trip itinerary, budget costs, organise flights and hotel reservations, and collaborate with friends. After your trip, share a travel guide to inspire other travellers.

Wanderlog brings everything you need to plan your trips into one seamless app experience. Its user-friendly, web-scanning database contains a huge wealth of information about sights, attractions and places to eat and drink. Not only can you find recommended hotspots through the app and add these to a map view, but you can also import reservation and flight details from your emails. Wanderlog is especially ideal for group trips. Your customised itineraries and lists can be edited by multiple people in real time, and users can leave notes for fellow travellers – such as a reminder of the must-have dish or dress code at a restaurant. Smart AI functionality means that the app can offer (editable) auto-generated itineraries as well. And if that isn’t enough, you can track expenses and cost-splitting too, indispensable for larger groups and squabble-prone families. Toyo Odetunde

Cost: Free to download.

USP: Request a chauffeur-driven, class-leading car on-demand or in advance for yourself or on behalf of others.

Wheely is a seriously plush chauffeur service within an easy-to-use app, currently operating in London, Paris , Dubai, and Moscow. What makes this ideal for the frequent flyer is that you can add in your flight details when booking an airport pick-up, so the driver knows exactly what time you’ll be landing (so no risk of them driving off if you’ve been delayed), and they’ll be ready and waiting for you (with your name on a sign) at arrivals. For any other queries, you can live chat with a real person (no bot responses here) – for example, if they can provide a baby seat (which they happily did for a recent family holiday ). Cars come with water and chargers as standard, and drivers are friendly, professional and knowledgeable. Peace of mind at the click of a button. Charlotte Davey

Hong Kong Taxi Cards

Cost: £1.99

USP: With over 9,000 Hong Kong addresses translated into written Chinese and Cantonese, equipped with a function to request additional addresses and get feedback quickly, this is not an ordinary dictionary-type translator app.

This is indispensable for travelling around Hong Kong if you’re not fluent in Cantonese. The App has pretty much every address ready in Chinese and Cantonese, so you can show your taxi driver where you want to go without getting lost in translation. It also has a speaking option which delivers the address fluently, which is really helpful if you have zero grasp of the language. Another handy feature is that the App will show you the journey time and estimate fare – something to remember is that not all taxis have card machines so you’ll need to make sure you have enough cash on you before you hail a cab. Matt Buck

Cost: Free to download (Splitwise Pro costs £2.79)

Shannon McMahon

CNT Editors

Sarah James

Alex Postman

USP: Splitwise is the easiest way to share expenses with friends and family and stop stressing about “who owes who”.

This is a game changer for working out costs on group trips. Everyone in the party signs up, and then you simply enter your expenses as you go – with a description of what it was (flights, accommodation, food, etc) and who it needs to be split between (i.e. the whole group or just those who were in the taxi, for example). It’s a great way to stay on top of costs, from larger expenses to smaller spending, like a round at the bar. At the end of the trip, click ‘simplify debts’, and you should be left with just one transaction each to ensure everyone has paid the same amount. You can label each trip and see who has settled up, and if someone doesn’t pay the App will send them helpful reminders (saving pennies and friendships). Charlotte Davey

Google Translate

USP: Translate between up to 133 languages with instant camera translation.

Google Translate is nothing new, but if you download the app, you can use the camera on your phone to upload signs, labels, or menus for an instant translation. This is a lifesaver for travelling in a country that doesn’t use the English alphabet or a language you’re unsure how to pronounce. The platform is currently proficient in 133 languages, so this is a great one wherever you are in the world. The App also works offline so you don’t need to worry about data roaming charges. Another function that is noteworthy is the speaker option – not only can you point your phone at a sign for a translation, but it will then speak in your chosen language, which is particularly helpful for those who are visually impaired. Charlotte Davey

USP: Find wheelchair-accessible restaurants, cafes, toilets, shops, cinemas, parking lots, bus stops and much more.

Developed by a not-for-profit company based in Germany , this is a great app for wheelchair users, families travelling with prams, or even for those with heavy suitcases navigating public transport. Operating in over 30 countries, a vast number of restaurants, stations, shops, and more are shown on an interactive map with a traffic light system for whether it is fully accessible (green), part accessible (yellow), or not accessible (red). The App replies to users rating places they have visited, so less touristy areas won’t have as much information. Charlotte Davey

Cost: Free to download

USP: Stay connected in over 200 countries and regions. Install an eSIM and get online in minutes with no roaming fees.

Especially handy if you’re travelling through different countries, Airalo allows you to use different eSim cards to keep your data roaming costs down. The App is free to download, and then simply choose the country you’re in, and select a data plan depending on how long you're there and how much you’ll be using your phone. You can often save around £10 for a week's holiday which is worth it if you’re a frequent flyer or watching the pennies while travelling. Sophie Knight

Cost: Free to use. In-app purchases.

USP: Whering is the digital wardrobe and styling app where you can curate, organise, style and plan your outfits.

Whering is essentially a portable digital wardrobe – a ‘Clueless’ style outfit planner on your mobile phone. Fill your in-app wardrobe by uploading photos of your clothes, or by importing images from the app’s cosmic database or your favourite online retailers. Whering will then process these images into sleek, combinable ‘cut-outs’, allowing you to put together countless outfits, looks and mood boards, which can also be organised by occasion. If you’re short on time, or feeling either uninspired or spontaneous, Whering’s AI can deliver outfit suggestions in seconds – even taking into account the weather forecast, ideal when travelling a country you’re not familiar with (or just braving London’s erratic climes). The Planner function is especially great for trips, storing your outfit ideas for specific dates and events. Also great for travel planning is the packing list feature; you can add items to a packing list for a particular destination, and Whering can suggest items you may have forgotten. Toyo Odetunde

The Top 8 Travel Apps That'll Help You Save Money

Traveling doesn't need to be expensive. Find out how you can plan a vacation for less, with these money-saving travel apps.

People love to travel and people love to save money. But often these two don’t go hand in hand. Budgeting for travel can be tricky as you often tend to underestimate or overestimate the travel expenses and in both cases, you could lose money.

Thankfully, digital innovations in the travel industry gave rise to thousands of travel apps that not only ease your stress in planning the travel, but also help you save money.

Here are some of the top travel apps to consider on your next trip.

Whether you know exactly where you’re going and need a ticket, or you’re just looking to escape to a random destination , KAYAK is one of the most robust flight comparison tools. In addition to flights, you can also book hotels and car rentals at the best available price.

Keep an eye on the Price Forecast tool of KAYAK uses data from over a billion annual queries to anticipate whether airfares will rise or fall in the coming week. It also suggests package deals where you can save up to 32 percent by choosing a flight and hotel package together versus booking them separately.

You can also set price alerts on your desired route and let KAYAK do the grunt work for you by finding the best deal for you. If you are not connected to the internet it notifies you via text or email as soon as the hotel prices or airfares change.

Download: KAYAK for Android | iOS (Free, in-app purchases available)

2. GasBuddy

If you want to find the cheapest fuel prices in your vicinity, GasBuddy is the go-to app.

When travelers use the app to pay for gas at stations that accept payment using GasBuddy, they get a discount of $0.10 per gallon for the first fill-up and $0.05 for every gallon pumped after.

Another cool feature is the Gas Price Chart , which you can customize by destination to see the fluctuation of gas prices in the past 18 months, as well as the Trip Cost Calculator , which shows you how much you will spend on gas by entering in specific details, like your car's year, fuel type, tank, and more.

Keep an eye out for additional seasonal and station-specific promotions throughout the year to save even more at the pump.

Download: GasBuddy for Android | iOS (Free, in-app purchases available)

3. Getaround

Getaround is a car-sharing application that lets you rent out your car whenever you’re not using it. Simply put, Getaround is like Airbnb for cars.

Getaround claims that car owners can earn up to $10,000 a year through this app, depending on the type of car they own and how often people rent it. Check out the process of enrolling your car for rent in their owner's manual .

Getaround rental rates start from as low as $4 per hour which is one of the cheapest options available when it comes to short trips. Checkout the renter's manual for more information on renting.

Using Getaround is a win-win for both the car owner and the renter in terms of saving money!

Download: Getaround for Android | iOS (Free)

4. HotelTonight

If you’re one for spontaneous adventures and saving money, then HotelTonight offers the perfect solution by loading up last-minute deals of hotel rooms that are still available.

Every time you see a hotel that has a GEO RATE or HT PERKS badge, you get an extra discount to use on that booking. Or you can exchange it for credit to put toward a future stay at participating hotels.

For example, say you decide not to use the $40 discount on your next booking and save it for a future booking–do that five times and you'll have $200 in Save for Later Credits added to your account to use for a fun future stay. Also, Save for Later Credits never expire.

HotelTonight is available in 1,700 cities and with a database of more than 50,000 properties so you can always get the best deal for an entry-level room or a suite.

Download: HotelTonight for Android | iOS (Free)

Hopper is a flight-watching app that tells you roughly how much flights will cost in a nicely laid-out calendar view. You can set alerts and watch flights for when the price goes down.

You can also use Hopper to gauge how much a trip will cost and when they predict prices to rise or fall. Hopper's calendar view makes it easy to see when flight prices are generally higher and lower for your destination.

Related: Essential Mobile Apps for Digital Nomads

The app has a nice extra feature called Fair Bear , which clearly explains all the restrictions of the airfare you are about to buy (cancellation fees, baggage fees, and so on). Give it a spin before your next trip; you could end up saving more than you expected!

Download: Hopper for Android | iOS (Free, in-app purchases available)

6. Rome2rio

Rome2rio is a multimodal transport planner with worldwide coverage. This means that you can plan local and long-distance trips. The best part is you can use this platform to plan your trips by public transport or by car.

Rome2rio searches any city, town, landmark, attraction, or address around the world. With access to thousands of multi-modal routes, it will tell you how to get from A to B in the cheapest or fastest way possible.

The search engine even knows how to surprise seasoned travelers sometimes by flying to alternative airports or using alternative transport options where you might be able to save some extra money.

Download: Rome2rio for Android | iOS (Free)

7. TravelSpend

TravelSpend is an app to track your spending while traveling the world. It's perfect for you if you're planning your next group vacation with friends or you're already on a vacation. If you travel in a group you can share expenses with friends and family to see who owes who.

It's quick and easy to use and works offline. You can add photos and spread expenses over multiple days. The app will help you to keep track of your travel budget and to save money. Add expenses in any currency; they automatically convert to your home currency.

Split bills, check your balances, and settle debts all within TravelSpend. See your spending data visualized. You'll be able to analyze your spending so you can avoid overspending and eventually save more.

Download: TravelSpend for Android | iOS (Free, in-app purchases available)

Klook offers a simple way to discover activities, attractions, and things to do wherever you travel. You can use it to discover and book in-destination services at the best prices.

Klook offers discounts through partnerships with some of the top attractions and operators worldwide. It ensures all their offerings are at the best price; if you find a better deal you’ll get the difference as a refund.

It also works offline to find discounts whenever the prices drop and send them to your inbox. Finally, you can earn credits whenever you complete a Klook activity, which you can redeem as discounts in your next booking, letting you save even more!

Download: Klook for Android | iOS (Free)

Explore and Save

Traveling is expensive and planning it out can be tough. But with the help of these apps, everything you need to have a fantastic, organized vacation on a budget is available at your fingertips.

Choose the best app depending on the nature of your travel and you are all set for a stress-free and money-saving trip!

20 Best Travel Apps in 2024 (Plus They’re Free)

We frequently search for the best travel apps to make travel easier. We’ve tested hundreds of travel apps over the years, and we’re often asked to recommend the travel apps we can’t live without.

So, we wrote this post on the 20 best travel apps that helped us to visit every country in the world!

Hi, we’re Rach & Marty!

We’ve visited every country in the world and want to help you get the most out of your travels!

Whether you need an expertly planned itinerary , some experienced hints and tips , or just craving a delicious food adventure , we’ve got you covered!

We may earn affiliate commissions from websites we link to, at no cost to you. Click here for details.

These travel apps were essential to navigating our way through some remote places, saving money, and communicating with locals to experience unforgettable encounters and find unique places to stay.

Whether you’re looking to reserve a hotel room, dorm bed or apartment, book cheap flights, bus or train tickets on the go, translate a restaurant menu, ride local transport or chat with a local in a foreign language, we’ve compiled a list of the best travel apps you should have!

Let’s Dive In! 20 Best Travel Apps To Make Travel Easy

Table of Contents

1. Skyscanner

Skyscanner is the best travel flight app out there! It’s so easy to use and the prices are unbeatable!

Skyscanner is a metasearch engine that compares multiple airlines for the best prices. Just enter your departure airport, destination, and date to find cheap flights. 

You can filter results based on stops, duration, and airline. With the ‘everywhere’ option, discover the cheapest flights from your departure airport. 

Don’t miss out on this one, it’s hands down one of the best travel apps for nabbing cheap flights! It’s worth mentioning here that the Skyscanner app is also a metasearch engine for searching cheap car hire and hotels too. 

Our Favourite Feature: Skyscanner  allows you to compare multiple airlines, flight times, and prices. 

2. Booking.com

No travel app comes close to beating Booking.com to reserve your accommodation for your trip. From budget dorm beds in hostels and affordable hotels in great locations to luxury accommodations, including villas, apartments and everything in between, Booking.com is hands down one of the best travel apps for reserving a place to stay.

Once you’ve made several reservations on Booking.com, you can reclaim awards and discounts on accommodation too. We’ve reached Genius Level 3 from using this app, saving us up to 15% on future reservations.

The Booking.com app makes it easy to keep all your bookings in one place, and you can impress taxi drivers with the app’s handy hotel address feature, translated into the local language.

Download this must-have travel app before you leave on your adventures!

Our Favourite Feature: Booking.com has i n-app only deals and discounts

3. Airalo eSIM

Nowadays, the best way to stay connected on your travels is with Airalo eSIM . 

The Airalo travel app has been essential for us to stay connected in multiple regions and countries as we traverse the globe. 

This travel app allows you to download an eSIM for 190+ countries effortlessly. It’s so easy, and it’s affordable too! Just download, activate and go! 

We LOVE this product. Read more about why we choose eSIM for International Travel.

Our Favourite Feature: Discover eSIMs that cover up to 130+ countries on one eSIM! Choose from Data Only eSIM or Data, Call & Text eSIM to save you   huge $$$. View ALL Discover eSIM Packs here . 

Skype is an excellent means to stay connected with loved ones back home while you’re away.

We use the Skype app when we need to call a business or private number that isn’t on Whatsapp. 

One of the best things about the Skype app is the ability to make free video calls globally, provided that both parties use Skype.

Additionally, you can place calls to landlines or mobile phones for a fee. 

Keeping your Skype credit topped up with $10-20 allows seamless calling from your mobile or landline, making it a cost-effective way to communicate worldwide.

With access to a wifi signal, the possibilities are endless; you can reach any number globally with super affordable bills.

For digital nomads and business owners who are constantly on the move, Skype proves to be an indispensable app. It lets you quickly jump on work calls, making it an ideal tool. 

  Best feature:  Make free calls/video calls to any country worldwide.

5. Google Maps

Google Maps is an essential app for every traveller. It’s one of our phones’ most frequently used travel apps. We especially love that you can save cafes, hotels or places you want to visit and mark that spot with selected labels. 

We use the ‘heart’ label to add our favourite places to eat, and in the notes section, we just add what dish we’d like to eat there.

We like to use the ‘green flag’ label for places we’d like to visit, including attractions and landmarks. There’s a ‘blue bag’ label to pin accommodation options too, this is handy to save our hotel or apartment address and you can customise the label and add notes here too.

Our Favourite Feature:  The option to download and save offline maps. 

6. WISE 

WISE is an online account that lets you send money, get paid, and spend money internationally.

This service has saved us loads of money in international transactions & ATM fees. With a Wise account, you can get paid in other currencies and send money overseas. The app is lightning-fast and super savvy.

This is a must-have travel app for every traveller, especially if you’re planning to travel long-term.

Sign up for a WISE account here  and send your first International transfer for FREE!

Our Favourite Feature:  Fees are transparent and generally low, with no markup on exchange rates. Leave the big fees to the big banks and switch your banking needs to Wise!

7. Google Translate

What a savvy travel app this is! Google Translate is the best travel language app to help you communicate with the people you meet.

The app translates languages incredibly fast! With 100+ languages to access, you’ll breeze through interactions with locals.

From ordering the best meal, asking for directions or purchasing the correct train ticket or bus route, Google Translate has you covered. 

This app was an absolute gem to help us travel in China, that fantastic trip to Taiwan and decode menu items in Japan and Central Asia. 

Our Favourite Feature: Save particular words or phrases so you can access them quickly when needed.

Imagine checking just one place for ALL your travel details and getting notifications if things happen that may affect your trip. TripIt app is your personal travel organiser, and it will make your travelling life a breeze!

TripIt can organise 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.

We used TripIt to keep our flights, accommodation, bus & train tickets and even reservations for day tours organised so we could access the app at any time and quickly source the information we needed. 

Believe me, you need this in your life! TripIt is free and it’s one of the best travel apps to help you stay organised and stress-free when you’re on the road.

Our Favourite Feature:  You can also sync your plans with your calendar—no copy and pasting necessary.

9. Surfshark VPN 

A VPN (Virtual Private Network) is a must-have tool to protect your privacy and increase your internet security.

Surfshark VPN  safeguards your connection with military-grade encryption, so you can log into your accounts, make bank transfers, and shop online without worrying that your data may be compromised or hacked.

It works by encrypting communications so you’ll have an anonymous IP address. Surf Shark (or other good VPNs) allows you to access websites that are inaccessible in other countries. 

If you’re in a country such as China that bans many social media networks such as Facebook, by turning on Surfshark VPN, you can still access Facebook if you’re travelling here.

Download Surfshark VPN to put your mind at ease on your travels. 

Our Favourite Feature:  Fast connection, easy-to-use app

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10. Trainline

Trainline  is an international rail and coach booking platform. The user-friendly app allows you to buy instant train tickets and railcards and gain free access to live train times and railway station information. 

It’s so handy; we use the Trainline app to book all our train tickets on the go. It’s especially helpful for those of you wishing to travel around Europe by train .

Our Favourite Feature:  The app has a section called ‘my tickets’, which is helpful for quick access to your already purchased train reservations.

RELATED POST –  7 Best Tips for Traveling to Europe

11. Rome2Rio

This app is excellent for comparing transportation options between destinations. 

Once you enter your origin and destination, the Rome2Rio app searches for train, flight, bus, and ferry options between locations. Cleverly, it also shows the driving distance for trips by car so you can quickly and easily see which option is best for your timing and budget.

We use this app frequently to get a quick idea of the options available to get from A to B anywhere in the world. 

Our Favourite Feature:  If you see a journey you’d like to book there and then, the Rome2Rio app connects you with transportation providers to make a reservation.

12. GetYourGuide

Travel with ease! GetYourGuide is great for discovering excellent experiences and tours. Just enter your city, and the app does the rest! 

Find the best food tours, city tours, cruises, wildlife safaris, island hopping adventures, private transfers, skip-the-line entrance tickets and more! 

GetYourGuide offers city passes like the ‘Vatican City & Rome’ Pass . This sightseeing pass provides free entry to Rome’s most popular attractions and museums, saving you up to 55%!

They’ve got everything from thrilling motorcycle tours in Vietnam to invigorating 14-day hikes in Nepal; reserve your spot here .

Book excellent activities, compare prices and read past guest reviews for peace of mind.

The best part is their flexible cancellation policy, no hidden fees, and mobile-friendly tickets.

Our Favourite Feature:  GetYourGuide offers a flexible free cancellation policy.

The ultimate activity and tour booking companion! Viator is a top-notch travel app with a stellar reputation.

Like GetYourGuide, Viator is one of the best travel apps to book day tours, multi-day adventures, local experiences, entrance tickets and more!

Viator offers excellent customer service, free cancellation, flexible payment options, and an overall excellent product.

Explore 300,000+ experiences across the globe – USA, Asia, Europe, Australia, and beyond! 

Need travel inspiration about where to travel next? Our guide on the cheapest countries to visit this year will help you decide. 

Our Favourite Feature:  Viator app offers 24/7 customer service & support.

Moovit provides travellers with a one-stop-shop journey experience to help them get from point A to B most quickly and efficiently. 

You may be surprised at how savvy this travel app is; a game-changer in my opinion.

Get train, metro and bus times, maps, and real-time arrival information in cities and destinations worldwide to plan your trip confidently and get mooving!! 

Our Favourite Feature:  The app allows you to add a line (frequent journey) to your ‘favourites’ section for quick access and instant information.

15. Grab (and other ride-sharing apps)

Ride-sharing apps have been a saviour for us as we’ve made our way around the world. 

As I understand, Uber was the first ride-sharing app to start the ball rolling, but now there are many fantastic ride-sharing apps that can make your life so much easier out there on the road.

Depending on what country or region of the world you are planning to travel to, we recommend you download the ride-sharing apps below.

• Grab – For travel in Southeast Asia.
• Bolt – For travel in Europe, Tunisia (read these 10 Best Tips for Independent Travel in Tunisia ) and other nations in Africa too. 
• Uber – For travel in the USA, Canada, Europe & Australia
• FreeNow – Travel in Europe (up to 150+ cities)
• BiTaksi – For travel in Turkey.

And there are many more!

Most ride-sharing apps allow you to add your bank card to your profile to take care of the payment. We like this feature because you don’t need any local currency, and it cancels the chance of getting scammed by a taxi driver. Unfortunately, scams do happen.

Read our post about how to avoid 6 common tourist scams in China .

Our Favourite Feature:  Seeing the estimated price and journey time before you make a booking.

16. WhatsApp

Looking for a reliable way to stay connected with friends and family? Look no further than WhatsApp!

This is one of the best travel apps out there, and it’s used worldwide to keep people connected. 

WhatsApp offers a range of features, allowing you to send messages, make calls, and even video call other WhatsApp users for free, as long as you have a wifi connection.

Not only is WhatsApp perfect for keeping in touch with friends and family, but it also comes in handy while travelling. Nations worldwide communicate easily with WhatsApp, so it’s our top choice for the best travel apps to download to your device.

WhatsApp helps you to easily stay in contact with locals, tour operators, hotels, and companies, as many of them are readily available on WhatsApp. 

WhatsApp pairs perfectly with an international eSIM . An easy, reliable and affordable way to help you stay connected with the world.

Stay connected and travel easier out there – choose WhatsApp!

Our Favourite Feature:  The ability to video call, voice call or message other numbers for free, providing you’ve got a wifi connection (or an Airalo eSIM ) 

17. Xe Currency Converter

Use the Xe Currency Converter app to instantly check live market rates for every world currency on your Smartphone or device. 

That’s 170+ currencies that you can convert on the go. If you need to check the conversion of what 1 USD will give you in AUD, you can get your answer on this app within seconds.

We use this app to quickly check the latest exchange rates handing over any currency in an exchange office or even to a money changer on the street. We frequently used this during our overland travels across Central & West Africa . 

If you’ve ever wondered about what it’s like to travel in this region of the world, here are 17 ESSENTIAL Things to Know Before Travelling to West Africa from our experience.

18. Maps.me

Maps.me app is similar to Google Maps in some ways, but it’s much better for navigating rugged terrains!

Whenever we go hiking, we ensure we’ve got our map downloaded on Maps.me; it rarely lets us down. It does a great job of showing the small trails that Google Maps doesn’t usually pick up. 

It covers six continents, making it essential for unexplored or remote spots.

This travel app was handy in Africa, particularly when directing a taxi driver to our nominated address. Maps.me allows you to set up the navigation and press speak on the app, a voice will then guide you in the selected language. You should see the look on the taxi drivers’ faces when we do this; it’s pure amazement.

Maps.me is a must-have travel app for all travellers, especially those hoping to take off-the-beaten-track adventures.

Our Favourite Feature:  Maps.me offers a bookmark collection that allows you to build your ultimate trip!

19. Trusted Housesitters

If you’re planning to travel long-term, Trusted Housesitters is one of the best travel apps I’d recommend you download right now.

Every traveller finds out that accommodation is one of the most significant expenses on the road, and this app can help cancel that out entirely! 

Being a housesitter means free accommodation for you in return for looking after different homes around the globe. Choosing to join Trusted Housesitters was one of the best things we ever did!

Trusted Housesitters  is a fantastic website for saving money and house-sitting worldwide. 

Join now with our invitation  and receive a massive 25% off your membership!

Our Favourite Feature:  Use the filters on the app to set alerts for preferred cities or countries you know you’ll be visiting in the coming months. 

Omio  is the best travel app and booking platform for travellers on the go.

The Omio easy-to-use app is seamless for booking tickets for trains, buses, flights, ferries, and airport transfers so you can focus on the journey.

They’ve got 1,000+ trusted travel partners listed across the platform, giving you many choices and options to book the most direct route at the best price.

It’s quick, reliable and most importantly, Omio offers the best deals too. 

Our Favourite Feature:  The Omio app keeps your list of ‘upcoming journeys’, which is helpful to ensure your travel plans are organised.

Travel Tips & Inspiration

We love to share our knowledge of travelling, and you may enjoy reading our best-ever travel tips and our  ultimate packing list for travellers .

For food lovers, don’t miss our  top 10 best countries for foodies!  And, if you’re more interested in history, these  30 amazing historical places in the world  will fascinate you!

Perhaps you’re travelling on a budget? These  10 cheapest countries in Europe to visit  may be just the tool you need to start planning an epic trip.

But, here are  8 things to know about traveling to Eastern Europe  and it’s good to know these  7 misconceptions about Eastern Europe  too.

Or, perhaps these  21 Cheapest Countries to Visit Right Now  is just the thing you’ve been searching for.

We’ve got a bunch of  tips for how you can save money to travel the world , and even when you’re out there travelling, maybe these  20 jobs that PAY YOU to travel the world  will help you travel longer. It worked for us, and we bet it can work for you too.

Finally, these  top 6 travel hacks to save you money  are great to read when planning your travels.

And, if you’re planning a new trip, whether it’s for a week, a month, or even a few years, consider  buying an eSIM to stay connected . This is our favorite travel product, and you can read more about what is in eSIM and  why eSIM is so convenient for International Travel .

Check out the  travel gear we use on the road, and for the products and websites we use to plan new trips, head to our Travel Resources Page .

Travel Planning Resources

✈️ Flights : We use Skyscanner to book cheap flights worldwide.

🏨 Accommodation :  Booking.com is our preferred platform for booking hotels and accommodation.

🏥 Travel Insurance : We recommend Heymondo ( Get 5% off Heymondo)  & SafetyWing

🚌 Transportation : Trainline is the best website to reserve trains. We use Omio to book transport worldwide. For travel in Asia, we use 12Go.  

🚘 Car Rental : We use DiscoverCars to book rental cars worldwide.

👫 Group Tours :  G Adventures OR compare multi-day tours worldwide with Tourradar .

📸 Day Tours & Trips :  GetYourGuide  & Viator are the only two platforms you need.

📚 Lonely Planet: The Best Range of Travel Guides & Ebooks , and FREE Shipping! (use code RACHELDAVEY10 for a 10% discount)

🎒 Luggage :  Osprey Farpoint 40L Backpack  or  Samsonite Luggage Range.

🛄 What to Pack:  Don’t forget your Universal charger and a good  power bank .  To help you pack the essentials, here is our ULTIMATE Packing List for all Travellers .

🐶 Become a House Sitter:  Join Trusted Housesitters and enjoy FREE accommodation worldwide. Use our invite to receive 25% off your new membership.

💰 Send Money Anywhere: WISE  &  Revolut  are the best online accounts that let you send money, get paid, and spend money internationally. Both are so easy to use and way cheaper than any bank transfer.

📶  Stay Connected: Airalo eSIM allows you to get connected the moment you land at your destination, and you can avoid those expensive data roaming charges. We LOVE this product! Use promo code NOMAD15 for 15% off ALL eSIMs (new Airalo users only) OR use NOMAD10 for 10% off ALL eSIMs (for existing Airalo users)

✅ Check out our Travel Gear  and  Travel Resources for more valuable tips to save you money!

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1 Comment . Leave new

Heyy, very useful article, thanks! Perhaps to add on your list might also be this super useful app – ATM Fee Saver – gives ATM fees and withdrawal limits in many countries, really needed needed these days as atms abroad can become so expensive. Never seen anything like this before – it us sure to help lots of other international travellers like me!!!

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25 Travel Apps That'll Help You Save Money

And, they're all free!

Best for Finding Cheap Flights: Hopper

One of the best travel apps for flights, Hopper analyzes billions of airfare and hotel prices a day—as well as its vast archive of historical data—to tell you whether to wait or book your trip.

Here’s how it works: Type in your destination and a color-coded calendar will show you the cheapest (and most expensive) dates to fly. Hopper will then recommend whether you should go ahead and buy now, or hold off until the rates get better.

If it tells you to stay tuned, you can set up a price watch and put your phone away. When the fare has dropped to its lowest point and it’s time for you to swipe, Hopper will send you a notification.

Best Travel Planner App: TripIt

TripIt organizes all of your itineraries in one place. Available for both iPhone and Android , users simply forward confirmation emails to [email protected], and the app will create you a *free* master doc for each trip. You can access the itinerary anywhere, even without an internet connection.

Their premium service, TripIt Pro ($49/year) boosts your organizing power with additional features. These include real-time flight alerts, refund notifications, and the ability to track reward points and miles as well as a currency converter, a list of socket and plug requirements, and tipping advice for 180 countries.

Download Now

Best for Road Trips: Roadtrippers

You have a considerable amount of flexibility on a road trip , but planning them requires effort. Try Roadtrippers the next time you're inspired to grab a car and go. The app allows you to map your route with up to 7 waypoints free of charge. After that, there's an option to upgrade to Roadtrippers Plus.

Along your route, the app will recommend local food options , roadside attractions, scenic stops and more. They even have pre-made guides for popular road trips.

Best for Finding Unexpected Destinations: Skyscanner

Skyscanner's "everywhere" feature allows you to look for surprising destinations simply by sorting by your budget and your travel timeframe. For example, you may think Europe will be out of your price-range, but this feature could make the trip possible. Like Hopper and Kayak, it also helps you find the best airfare rates by alerting you when prices dip.

Best Travel Weather App for Road Trips: Drive Weather

The last thing you want is to get caught in a nasty, vision-obscuring storm when you're on a long stretch of highway with your family or friends. DriveWeather was designed to help road travelers avoid the worst weather conditions. The app lets you track your best (read: sunniest) departure time, providing radar views and routes from one point to another—with rain, freezing rain, ice, and snow icons that let you know when there's slippery roads ahead.

The free version offers 2 days of forecasts, city-to-city routing, and a 900-mile trip limit; the ad-free $9.99 a year version offers 7 days of forecasts, wind direction info, specific address-to-address routing, and no cap on trip length.

Best Last-Minute Hotel Deals: HotelTonight

Booked that spontaneous flight, and now you're trying to figure out where you're going to sleep at night? In the middle of a road adventure and need to find lodging ASAP? Don't panic, there's an app for that. HotelTonight finds last-minute deals on hotels near your location, ranging from "basic" to "luxe" options, including unique boutique hotels.

The app allows you to filter for location, dates, the number of guests, pet-friendly options, and amenities like a gym.

Best for Navigating Traffic: Waze

Waze makes it easy for you to avoid congestion, blocked roads, police, accidents or other hazards that might increase your driving time—because starting off vacation by sitting in traffic is a major mood killer.

The app has a speedometer to help you make sure you're staying within the speed limit, and it updates your arrival time based on live traffic data.

Best for Filtering Airlines and Hotels: Kayak

The beauty of KAYAK is that it aggregates the best fares from most airlines, allowing you to filter flight options based on your airline preference and departure times, while easily changing dates and destinations. You can also find deals on car rentals and hotels.

Once you've booked, the app, available on iOS and Google Play, keeps your plans organized and updates you on flight status, airport terminals, and security wait times.

Best for Non-Hotel Lodgers: Airbnb

Whether you're looking to rent a room, a house, or an entire hacienda, you can search for accommodations in your desired location. The app (free on Google Play and iTunes) lets you filter through photos and reviews, as well as sort by amenities—like a pool or washing machine. Plus, a local host can provide insight about great dining spots.

Best for Preventing Jet Lag: Timeshifter

If you have an international trip in the works and you're hoping to fend off jet lag, give Timeshifter a try. The app was developed by scientists who used sleep and circadian neuroscience to help inform the personalized jet lag plans they craft for you. According to the app's website , even astronauts and elite athletes have used it to arrive at their destinations in tip-top shape.

The first "jet lag plan" is free, so try it out on your next adventure across the world.

Best for Connecting With Locals: Meetup

One way to fully immerse yourself in your travel destination is to meet and talk with locals. Meetup can help you connect with people who are interested in the same things as you, even while on vacation. Whether it's cooking, tech, sports, music, or photography, the app will help you make new friends all over the world.

Best Voice Controlled App: Hound From SoundHound

Free on iOS devices and Android, Hound from SoundHound is a voice assistant app that you can chat with like you would a travel agent. For instance, say, "Okay, Hound. Show me hotels in Chicago for this weekend that cost less than $300 and are pet-friendly.”

Best App for International Travel: Rome2rio

With data from over 160 countries, Rome2rio is one of the best international travel apps. Simply enter any address, landmark, or city as your destination and the app displays info about accommodations and things to do.

Free on iOs and Android, Rome2rio also shows you how to get around, and compares costs, if, for example, you're debating flying from Florence to Rome versus taking the train.

Best for Frequent Flier Travel: App In The Air

This one's been placed on Apple’s coveted “Best App” list because it not only keeps track of itineraries, boarding passes, and frequent-flier programs, but it also tracks boarding and landing times, along with current waits for check-in, security and customs. Through augmented reality, it even helps you figure out if your carry-on is the right fit for your next flight.

For the best place to grab airport coffee, or where you can get a mimosa before 7 a.m. in a specific terminal, the app also pulls tips from fellow travelers. And, if you're the competitive type, you can keep "score" of all of the places you've been on the worldwide leaderboard.

The app is free on iOS and Google Play but also offers a paid upgraded version.

Best for Finding Recommendations: TripAdvisor

For the unacquainted, TripAdvisor has over 700 million reviews of 8 million destinations to peruse before booking your hotel, dinner reservation, or even planning a day at the museum. Free on both iOS and Google Play, the comprehensive app is available in 28 languages.

You can also follow friends and travel experts for advice that matches your interests, view travel videos, read articles for inspo— and write your own reviews, if you're so inclined.

Best for Budgeting: Trabee Pocket

Perfect for the business traveler who needs to track spending and receipts—or anyone who likes to stay on top of budgets—this app also boasts a helpful exchange rate calculator. It's free on iOS and Android with option to upgrade.

Best for Remembering Items: PackPoint

"Never Forget Your ______ Again!" is the slogan for PackPoint , which helps you build a packing list based on your trip. Input the dates, location, the type of travel, and the activities you plan on doing, and the app will conveniently generate a list of items you should bring. It even checks the weather to make sure you bring an umbrella or a heavier jacket depending on your destination.

Best for Refueling On Road Trips: GasBuddy

Despite the cost-saving benefits of a road trip, gas money can really start to add up if you're driving for days. Enter GasBuddy , which helps you find the best gas prices near you. With at 4.7/5 rating and over 300,000 reviews on Apple, the app has helpful features like a gas price map, outage tracker during natural disasters, a trip cost calculator, and useful search filters like brand, price location, available restrooms, and more.

Bonus, you can save 5¢/gal on every gallon if you use the app's free "Pay with GasBuddy" card.

Best For Nature Lovers: AllTrails

If you're like Oprah and think "hiking is so fun," you need to download this app. AllTrails is for nature lovers, hiking enthusiasts, and even those who just want to fit in a cardio workout while on vacation. The app has over 100,000 curated trails—which all but guarantee you'll find one near you—and lets you create and share custom maps with friends.

Best For Bathroom Breaks: Flush

When you gotta go, you gotta go, but finding a public toilet when you're traveling can be quite the task. The Flush Toilet Finder saves you time and helps you avoid an accident with the over 190,000 public bathrooms in its database. Flush will tell you which ones are free, accessible for the disabled, or require a key—and users can even rate and report a toilet.

The Flush app is available for free on iOS and Google Play.

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Home » Travel Tips

The 21 Best Travel Apps to Download for Your Next Adventure

As much fun as it is to travel, some aspects of traveling can prove to be an absolute headache. From planning your trip to navigating your destination, much more is involved than you want to think about. So, don’t. The power of stress-free travel sits right in the palm of your hand with some of the best travel apps for organizing your itinerary, packing your bags, getting through security, and so much more. If you’re ready for the stress-free adventure of a lifetime, then get ready to download your new favorite travel companions.

Table of Contents

The best travel apps for planning and organizing, the best travel apps for navigating the airport, the best travel apps for your destination.

• The Best Travel Apps for Staying Safe 

The Best Travel Apps for Saving Money

The best travel app for cheap flight deals isn’t an app: it’s next vacay.

Find the perfect flight, plan the perfect route, and pack the perfect bag. Here are the best travel apps to add to your trip planning and organizing for a stress-free travel experience.

Google Travel

Google is a one-stop shop for all your most important search needs, so why shouldn’t that extend to travel, too? Lucky for us, it does. With Google Travel, you can explore flight prices, compare hotel rates, and even check out exciting sights and excursions at your destination.

If you easily get app fatigue, Google Travel keeps things simple by having all your travel needs in one convenient location. You can toggle between the different pages with ease and track hotel and flight price changes with their tracking features. For those just dipping their toes into the world of travel planning, Google Travel puts the world within reach. Even better, because it’s not technically an app, you don’t have to worry about downloading it to use. Just type Google Travel into the search and get right to work.

Feature Highlight: Get the best flight price guaranteed with Google’s price guarantee badge. (If the price drops, Google will pay back the difference.) 

If you’re a disorganized traveler—or even better, if you love staying organized—say hello to your new best friend. TripIt was designed for both the organized and unorganized traveler, helping you build comprehensive itineraries out of all your messy bookings. 

For those who hate doing anything beyond clicking “Book Now,” TripIt makes organization easy by allowing you to forward all your booking confirmations to the app. Or, if you’re particularly fussy about every little detail, you can manually enter them yourself. TripIt then compiles all your bookings into a handy-dandy itinerary that sends out reminders and alerts, letting you know where you need to be and when you need to be there for the most relaxed trip of your life every time.

Feature Highlight: Share your itinerary with friends and family quickly and easily through TripIt’s sharing feature.

IOS | Android

Roadtrippers

While Roadtrippers is specific to road travel, we couldn’t leave it off the list of best travel apps simply because of how stellar it is at what it does. With stops available in the US, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia, plotting out your autoroutes has never been easier. 

The map lets you explore everything from national parks to hidden gems and plan everything from what to eat to where to stop for fuel and even rest your head at night, all along your route. When you add a site, Roadtrippers automatically adjusts your itinerary, or you can choose to plot your course from one of the pre-made trip guides.  

The free version allows you to plan short trips of three stops or less, while the Premium version costs $59.99/year and allows you to add up to 150 stops. 

Feature Highlight: Get estimated gas prices along your route so you can put away the right amount for your gas budget.  

Packing often isn’t the worst part about your travel—it’s making packing lists. So, skip it. 

Instead of stressing over what to pack for a beach vacation or a winter getaway, you can let PackPoint do it for you. The app works by creating custom packing lists for your trip. All you have to do is fill out the important bits: 

• Where you’re going
• When you’re going
• How long you’ll be gone
• Any special activities

From there, PackPoint goes to work to create a custom-fitted packing list for your travels. All that’s left for you to do is pack—and maybe share it with a friend, so they don’t have to suffer the joyless task of creating their own packing list.

Feature Highlight: Connect to TripIt to auto-create packing lists from your trip itinerary. (Only available with PackPoint Premium.)

Get Secret Flight Deals

Is the airport stress stressing you out? Rest assured, you don’t have to dread the airport. With the right apps, you can become an airport pro. Make getting through security a breeze and make your time at the airport your favorite part of travel—or at least, your most relaxed.

MyTSA App 

Ever had a last-minute question about what you can bring in your carry-on? Ever argued with your travel buddies about how early is too early to get to the airport? For the answers to your burning questions, there’s the MyTSA App. Before even stepping foot in the building, you can check out how busy the airport typically is and the projected wait times for TSA checkpoints. Consult the app for delays and double-check how to properly store your food and liquid items so you can all but breeze through security. Next to TSA PreCheck, the MyTSA App is your ticket to an easy and stress-free security check.

Feature Highlight: Use the “Can I Bring” search function to check that those last-minute items you’re packing will clear security. 

LoungebBuddy

Long layovers, hard steel chairs, outlets that don’t work—there’s a lot to dread about your airport experience. So skip the endless hours in uncomfortable seats and make the most of your time on the ground with LoungeBuddy. 

LoungeBuddy is the perfect companion for frequent flyers who spend a fair amount of time waiting for their next flight. With the app, travelers can access over 2,000 airport lounges worldwide, allowing them to see which lounges are available at their airports and what amenities they offer. Don’t already have access through your travel credit card, lounge memberships, or booked ticket? Fear not; LoungeBuddy lets users book access directly through the app. So, no matter where you go, if you’re flying first class or economy, you can always look forward to a premium airport experience every time.

Feature Highlight: Reserve an entrance pass to your lounge months in advance, so you have peace of mind you can enjoy a peaceful escape on the go. 

Airline App

When navigating the airport, from tracking your flight to hunting down your luggage, there’s no better app to have than your airline’s mobile app. While you may not necessarily want to download the app for every airline you use, if you’re a frequent flyer with one airline or flying with a new airline for the first time, it can be especially helpful for managing your account and getting to know the ins and outs of your airport experience with the airline.

Perhaps best of all, these travel apps are always free.

Feature Highlight: Use the navigation maps to scope out where to grab food, where to shop, and, most importantly, where to find your gate.

AA | Delta | United | JetBlue | Southwest

Mobile Passport Control

Operated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Mobile Passport Control is a free app that lets you sail through customs upon return to the US. Whereas lengthier programs like TSA PreCheck or Global Entry require a background check, interview, and preapproval, all you need for MPC is proof of citizenship or permanent residence. 

With ID in hand, simply download the app and fill out your info. When you touchdown in the US, start your entry process. All it takes is a few clicks, and you get access to an expedited entry that helps you skip the long lines you’ve come to dread and makes returning to the US even easier than it was to leave.

Feature Highlight: Select up to 12 members of your family to include on one submission form. 

Never fear getting lost or turned around again—or finding yourself in need of a public restroom with none in sight. Run, don’t walk, to these apps that will make navigating your destination and staying connected truly effortless.  

Google Maps

Google Maps is hard to beat for getting around your destination. Offering a bird’s eye view of where you are, Google Maps breaks down how best to get to where you want to go, whether traveling by foot, car, public transit, or even bicycle. 

Travelers can easily find what’s around them, from bars and restaurants to shops and attractions. You don’t even have to leave the app to get more details for most places. Google Maps provides descriptions, pictures, hours of operation, and even reviews from other patrons. The real clincher is the ability to save maps offline so you can access them on the go, whether your cell service is spotty at best or entirely nonexistent. 

Feature Highlight: Use saved “Lists” to curate a map of pinned locations—your favorite attractions, restaurants, bars, and more.

Sometimes, you don’t need all the extra frills; you just need an app that gets you where you need to go. For that, there’s Citymapper. 

While its scope is limited to cities—and major cities at that—Citymapper makes navigating big and confusing cities, including those hardest to navigate , a breeze—or as close as the directionally challenged are likely to get. With real-time public transportation information, detailed breakdowns of routes by bus, train, tube, car, bike, or scooter, and detailed directions for things like which subway station entrance is best, Citymapper makes the big city feel just that teensy bit smaller.

Feature Highlight : Check out your Trip Stats to see fun details like how many calories you burned and how much money you saved on your journey.

XE Currency Converter

Want to know the exchange rate while you’re traveling around Sweden? Japan? New Zealand? With Xe, you can always stay on top of your money and know exactly how far your money will go wherever you are. The app also works without Wi-Fi, so you don’t have to worry about losing this information, either. It stays at your fingertips whether online in a cafe or offline and on the go. 

Feature Highlight: Save and monitor up to 10 currencies at once to quickly and easily check the exchange rate while shopping, dining, or booking that last-minute excursion on-site.

WhatsApp, for the uninitiated, is a lot like iMessage: It lets you text and make calls over Wi-Fi no matter where you are in the world or what device your friends or family use. In addition, the app offers a few other helpful features. WhatsApp Statuses let you keep your family and friends up-to-date on what you’re doing. The group texting feature lets you share polls to vote on what you want to do next. And sharing features allow you to attach documents like travel itineraries and bookings without having to email them. While there’s no best messaging app in the world, WhatsApp is a great start to connecting with everyone anywhere you travel.

Not only is the app free, but it also helps you save money on international messaging fees by letting you avoid them altogether.

Feature Highlight: Share daily moments from your travels with your family on Status. 

Google Translate

At this point, it shouldn’t be a surprise to see another Google app eking out a top spot among the best travel apps. As if getting around in a new country wasn’t hard enough, not knowing the local language can make something as simple as reading street signs confusing. That’s not a problem with Google Translate. 

Manually enter text into the translator to convert it to your native language, or snap a photo and have it translated that way. You can even have the text read to you so you know how to pronounce it correctly. And, of course, if you’re trying to communicate with someone, you can switch the languages to know what to say and how to say it. This makes understanding the world easy, no matter how confusing the street signs get.

Feature Highlight: Download your favorite languages to use offline.

In the immortal words of Jeff Goldblum in Jurassic Park: “When you gotta go, you gotta go.” When you need a restroom while you’re on the go, knowing where to find the closest toilet can be a lifesaver. Flush offers a database of over 200,000 public toilets worldwide. The app lets you know how to get to the closest one, whether there’s a fee, and if the restroom is ADA-accessible. When it comes down to the wire, this app may just save your day, if not your whole trip!

The Best Travel Apps for Staying Safe

Staying safe on the go is just as important as staying safe at home, whether you’re a female traveler going it solo or another in a group of travelers. Be sure to put downloading these travel apps at the top of your to-do list for the best travel experience and a worry-free trip. 

Smart Traveler

Every smart traveler knows that the best way to stay safe while traveling is to do your due diligence beforehand. For that, there’s the Smart Traveler App. Overseen by the U.S. State Department, the app allows travelers to check travel advisories, entry and exit requirements, health and safety warnings, and more before you even start booking your trip. 

Once you settle on your destination, you can register your trip with local embassies through the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) and stay one step ahead of emergencies. Become a smart traveler and give yourself some much-needed peace of mind while traveling abroad. 

In the US, 911 is the standard number to call for emergencies. But as any international traveler will know, that’s not always the case abroad. Emergency numbers can differ from country to country and even service to service. And the last thing you want in an emergency is to realize you don’t know who to call. That’s why you download EchoSOS. 

With emergency numbers in over 128 countries, you can quickly and easily access the right number to get help when you need it. Calls can be made directly from the app and show your location, so even if you don’t know where you are, emergency services will. Travel safely and stress-free, with help just a call away.

Feature Highlight: Find nearby emergency rooms and check out their wait times to get help fast on the go.

You might wonder just how safe an app can keep you on your travels. It is only an app after all. But bSafe isn’t just any app. While others might also show where you are in real-time, bSafe takes it a step further with live streaming, so friends and family (added as guardians) can see and hear everything that’s happening. If you find yourself in an unsafe situation, you can activate the SOS alarm. This will immediately start video and audio recording, and send a notification to your guardians. They can then open the alert to see your location, local time, and emergency livestream. Once the danger has passed, you can confirm you’re safe, and the app will again notify your guardians.

With voice activation, a Follow me feature, and a timer alarm, you’ll truly never have to make a journey alone again.

Feature Highlight: Schedule a fake phone call to escape uncomfortable or unsafe situations.

The only thing simpler than getting help with a phone call is getting help with the press of a button. Touted as America’s number one safety app, Noonlight helps you get from point A to point B safely by acting as your personal panic button. If you encounter an unsafe situation or even one that makes you feel uneasy, just open the Noonlight app and hold the button. Once you release it, help will be on the way shortly. But, if there’s no danger, or you reach safety, you can release the button, enter a 4-digit PIN, and be on your way. 

Feature Highlight: Use Timeline to note relevant details, like meeting someone new or an encounter with a suspicious person, to have it shared with authorities if you trigger an alarm.

Always looking for ways to cut down on your travel budget? Say hello to your new favorite cost-conscious travel buddies who can help you find the best deals and the cheapest prices no matter where you are in the world.

Obi: Rideshare

Every traveler, at some point, has wondered if they’re overpaying to get from point A to point B. But outside of downloading every app and comparing prices, there’s not much to do about it—except maybe download just one app. 

With Obi, travelers can compare prices between rideshares like Uber, Lyft, and taxi services to save money. Simply choose a destination, compare prices between available transportation companies, and book. Enjoy the cheapest ride every time with Obi in your pocket.

ATM Fee Saver

Don’t have a handy travel card that reimburses your ATM fees? You don’t have to consider yourself unlucky, just consider downloading the ATM Fee Saver as your budget-conscious travel companion. The ATM Fee Saver helps you find free and low-fee ATMs near you so you can get the cash you need in a hurry without paying a fortune to access your own money. Users can get tips on using ATMs in over 45 countries and chart a course for the closest and cheapest ATM to get money fast while on the go.

Feature Highlight: Use the calculator to estimate any fees for your ATM withdrawal amount.

Ready to hit the road? GasBuddy makes it easier and cheaper than ever. With the app, travelers can search for the cheapest gas prices along their route, get tips on using less gas, and even score free gas rewards from shopping at favorite retailers. With GasBuddy, you can stop worrying about running out of gas or paying more at the pump and simply enjoy the ride.

Feature Highlight: Track your driving habits to make future trips more fuel-efficient and save at the pump.

Want to get the cheapest flight deals to destinations all over the world? Try out Next Vacay. It’s as easy as downloading your favorite app without taking up more precious phone storage. Just enter your email, select your airport, and you can get deals delivered right to your inbox. Never miss an incredible deal or a life-changing trip ever again. So sign up and discover the best way to save time, money, and stress—because the best travel app isn’t an app at all; it’s Next Vacay .

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The 9 Best Travel Apps for 2024

Plan. Book. Pack. Go!

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A great travel app can help you get organized. From booking reservations to managing them, from packing to planning, from eating to paying to communicating to getting around, these are our picks for the best travel apps to help you plan your next adventure.

Best for Travel Planning: Kayak

Researching prices is fast and easy.

Finds independent hotels and short term rentals you may not see otherwise.

Book almost any travel method.

App is user-friendly.

Can't take advantage of loyalty programs you may belong to.

The award-winning travel app Kayak allows you to search for flights, hotels, and car rentals. The clean interface gives you a full list of possible options, including reduced hacker fares, where you book outgoing and returning flights with two separate airlines. Set filters to find exactly what you want quickly and easily.

Not sure if now's the right time to pull the trigger? The app answers that question by indicating when prices will go up.

Not a fan of Kayak? Here are our other favorite travel planning apps .

Download For:

Best for Packing Help: PackPoint

Configure trip lists according to your specific plans.

Simple, easy-to-navigate interface.

Hide irrelevant items and add new items to your list.

Must upgrade to Premium to create custom packing lists.

A delight for anyone who hates packing, PackPoint tells you exactly what to bring. First, enter where you're going, when, and for how long. Choose business or leisure, then select the activities you'll be doing. The app develops a list based on your information and expected weather. Check items off as you pack, or swipe to remove ones you don't need.

The paid-for premium version ($2.99) removes ads, gives you custom activities and packing templates, and integrates TripIt and Evernote.

Best for Last-Minute Hotel Deals: HotelTonight

Book last-minute rooms at great prices.

Browse photos and ratings to get a feel for the hotel.

Can't select your room type.

Prices don't include taxes and fees.

Whether you're a seat-of-your-pants type traveler or want a backup plan in case your reservations don't work out, try HotelTonight. Tell the app where you want to stay and watch the deals appear on your screen. Tap one to get additional details. A few more taps to pay, and you have a room for the night.

You can make reservations further in advance, but the longer you wait, the better the deals are.

Best for Navigating: Citymapper

Find out which method is fastest (for example, train vs. Lyft).

Know the cost of your chosen route ahead of time.

See preferred routes to avoid the rain.

Not all transportation services offer updates through Citymapper.

Not all cities are in the app's coverage area.

Navigating a new city can be maddening if you don't know how to use the local transportation systems. With Citymapper, you'll get around like a local in no time, exploring and enjoying your new surroundings.

Pick your city, then choose a location or your preferred mode of transportation. Citymapper gives you complete, clear instructions on how to reach your destination hassle-free, whether walking, taking an Uber, or traveling by train.

Be sure to switch to the right city before downloading the app.

Best for Travel Tips: Foursquare City Guide

Find great places to eat and drink.

Tips and advice from members of a global community.

Keep a history of the places you've been.

Use of GPS can deplete your battery.

This app makes finding somewhere to eat or a fun activity easy. Enter the area you want to search and what you're looking for, such as breakfast, nightlife, or things to do. Use the flexible filters (distance, price, open now, and places you've been) to narrow your search. Tap your selection to see additional details, including ratings and photos. If you like the location, add it to a custom list.

Best for Finding Your Way Around: Google Maps

Maps for over 220 countries and territories.

Information on hundreds of millions of businesses.

Real-time updates help you beat traffic.

Search and navigate with offline maps.

Some features aren't available in all countries.

Google Maps is great for finding your way around in your city or anywhere in the world. Get the best route with automatic rerouting based on live traffic updates and road closures. Find information about businesses, such as if a restaurant is open. If you're somewhere with spotty internet, download an area map in advance and use it to navigate.

Best Currency Converter: XE Currency

Reliable exchange rates and charts.

Monitor up to 10 currencies.

Access live rates for every world currency and precious metal, including Bitcoin.

Perform global money transfers.

Need the Pro version if you want to monitor more than 10 currencies.

This currency converter and money-transfer tool allows you to determine exchange rates quickly and easily. Type an amount in one denomination and see the results in as many other denominations as you want. To add another currency, tap the editing icon and search for the one that corresponds to the place you'll be visiting.

Use the charts function to see how currency rates fluctuate throughout the day. The app's global transfer function allows you to send and receive money worldwide.

Best Language Translator: iTranslate

Translations are available in more than 100 languages.

Phrasebook has more than 250 predefined phrases.

Switch between dialects and voices.

Must subscribe to the Pro version to unlock some of the most useful features, such as offline translation mode.

Gone are the days of fumbling with a paper dictionary as you try to assemble sentences in a language you don't know. Use this app to type or speak your sentence and get the translation in your chosen language. A handy expansion feature lets you display the result on your screen to show to locals you're trying to communicate with. The iTranslate Phrasebook is a convenient way of looking up and learning common expressions and questions.

Best Food Finder: Zomato

Search by restaurant, cuisine, or dish.

Browse restaurant menus, photos, user ratings, and reviews.

Book a table through the app.

Find restaurants around you in Map View.

The service is not available in most areas.

Perfect for traveling foodies, this app has it all, including recommendations for a nice lunch out, trending restaurants, nightlife picks, delivery services, and where to get food to go—looking for something specific? Search for a dish or ingredient. When you find something yummy, tap it for a map, menu, reviews, and photos. When you're finished, bookmark, share, and review your experience.

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7 best travel budget apps for your next vacation

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The summer travel season is picking up, and with this increase in demand comes higher prices on everything from airfare to hotel rooms and more.

At the same time, high inflation continues to impact travel , making budgeting more important than ever. Even if you’re using travel credit cards to offset some of the costs, it’s important to have a budget for all other expenses.

Whether you’re traveling alone or with a group, it can be challenging to track costs and avoid overspending. Luckily, you don’t have to do this entirely on your own. There are lots of great trip budget planner apps that will help you plan travel and track your budget. Some of them even make it easy to coordinate with a large group and split expenses evenly.

If that sounds right up your alley, you’ll want to review our seven best apps to help you travel on a budget:

Best travel budget apps

With so many great travel budget apps on the market, you might be wondering which one to get. It really comes down to your travel style and needs. Are you traveling solo or with a group? Do you need a simple budget tracker or do you want planning tools? There’s something out there for everyone, but here are the best options:

Managing your expenses when you’re traveling for work can be challenging. Expensify lets you track your travel expenses easily. This app lets you upload and share receipts with your accounting team for reimbursement.

If you’re merely tracking expenses for tax purposes, Expensify offers several handy tools. The GPS calculator automatically tracks your eligible mileage for you, so you don’t have to enter it manually. The app also lets you create expense reports by scanning receipts or entering time worked, for billing purposes.

Sign-up is super easy. All you have to do is provide your email address to set up an Expensify account. You can start using the app immediately, which is free for most users. A “Collect” account, which includes accounting and payroll tools, costs $5 per month. Meanwhile, a “Control” account costs $9 per month and allows for multiple approvers, setting expense policies and custom reporting tools.

When you sign up for Expensify, you can get a seven-day free trial of the Collect and Control memberships.

PocketGuard

PocketGuard markets itself as the “#1 budgeting app for college students and overspenders,” but it’s actually a great vacation budget planner as well. That’s because the app uses the “in my pocket” feature to calculate how much disposable income you have available. You can then allocate this towards your travel budget.

All you have to do is provide your income and spending information. PocketGuard will calculate your disposable income accordingly. Vacation planning may not be a priority for you if you’re in debt, but PocketGuard will recommend a strategy for paying it off in the most efficient way. You can use PocketGuard to set financial goals, save money and plan for future travel as a reward.

If you’re a seasoned business traveler, you may already be familiar with the Concur suite (and in some cases, you may be required by your employer to use it). If you aren’t, get ready to meet one of the most robust, full-featured business travel solutions available today.

Within the SAP Concur suite, you’ll find separate modules for managing travel plans and submitting reimbursement requests for travel-related expenses. Concur Expense’s ExpenseIt app for travel expenses makes it easy to take pictures of your paper receipts and automatically categorize them to submit as expense reports. Meanwhile, Concur Travel lets you book your own business travel or make arrangements with your company’s preselected carriers, hotels, and other providers.

SAP Concur offers travel management solutions for organizations of all sizes — from small businesses to enterprise leaders. Business owners and managers can try Concur Expense and Concur Travel for free; individual users who have access to these tools through their employer can download the iOS or Google Play app to get started.

If you’re traveling with a group, it’s not always practical for each person to pay for their own expenses. Pulling out multiple credit cards to cover the group dinner bill is possible, but booking group tours and even airfare can be a hassle when done individually. That’s where Splitwise comes in. The app lets users track shared expenses and the balance owed by each person. This transparency can make it much easier to determine who owes what at the end of a group trip.

Simply download the free app, add group members and each of you can enter shared expenses as they occur. The app will divide up the total equally among all group members. PayPal and Venmo are both integrated into the app, allowing you to seamlessly settle up at the end of the trip.

Bachelorette parties can be challenging in so many ways, but the BACH app simplifies things with budgeting and planning tools designed to make bachelorette parties less stressful. Users can budget, plan and book all activities associated with their bachelorette party. You can even add your friends to the app to communicate and make planning decisions easier, as well as divide up expenses in the app.

While BACH is marketed around bachelorette parties, you can use it to book any type of group activity in participating cities. Use it to plan your girls’ getaway, Friendsgiving, reunion or virtually any other excuse to gather close friends. The BACH app is free to use, though there is a processing fee when you make a booking.

Trabee Pocket

The Trabee Pocket app provides both budget and expense tracking in a user-friendly interface. Trabee lets you set a budget and then enter your expenses to track how much you’re spending in different categories. The app also provides currency conversion, so you can get an accurate sense of your spending.

At the end of your trip, you can even export your expense data to a PDF or CSV file for future budgeting and tax purposes. Overall, this is a solid app if you want a free spending tracker app. Trabee is available on iOS and the Google Play store.

The great thing about Tripcoin is that you can use it without an internet connection, which is especially important if you’re traveling through remote areas. The app’s Dropbox integration also makes it possible to back up your data in case you lose your phone.

Tripcoin’s user-friendly interface makes it easy to set up a trip and break down your spending each day by expense category. You can find out how much you’re spending on transportation, meals, activities and other travel expenses, making it a great way to stay accountable and on top of your budget at each destination.

Tripcoin supports over 150 currencies, converging your spending automatically based on current exchange rates. This ensures accuracy in your budget tracking and ensures you don’t have to perform this tedious task yourself.

The bottom line

With the summer travel season on the upswing, having a travel budget tracker is more important than ever. Planning a vacation on a budget is one thing, but sticking to it can be very challenging. By utilizing some of these apps, you can stay on budget, cut down on unnecessary expenses and plan your travels more efficiently .

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Android Police

8 best apps for cheap travel and vacations.

Save some cash with these great travel apps

Getting a good deal always feels great, especially when saving on personal getaways and long-distance travel. You can certainly rely on the Play Stores' best travel apps for planning a getaway on your favorite Android phone , but there are also services designed to help users map out a quality holiday while also saving a hefty chunk of change, making for some of the best Android apps around . We'd like to share our favorites in this roundup of cheap getaway apps, perfect for finding great deals on flights and accommodations. Enjoy these services that trivialize international travel for a weekend away.

One of Google's top free travel & local apps, Skyscanner helps users connect with great deals for prospective flights, hotel stays, and automobile hires. The app employs useful filters for locating the price that's right for you, with flight alerts to let users know when ticket prices change. Skyscanner also compares hotel and rented car fees with other services, so users can be sure they're getting a good deal. With tons of great cost-saving features and zero booking fees, Skyscanner should be a high contender to plan your next cheap trip.

Kayak is a holiday planning app with features for comparing ticket and hotel prices, while it also provides tools for simplifying your journey. Use this one app to sift through listings of cheap flights and accommodations, track your luggage, and explore potential holiday locations. Users can enjoy a versatile service that prioritizes flexibility with reservations and cancelations, which is ideal for a change of plan while traveling. Kayak is perfect for mobile users who are looking for exclusive deals and special prices, and its all-in-one presentation helps to keep things simple.

Skiplagged is an all-in-one travel app that presents some out-of-the-box ideas for saving users money. Book and organize your plane tickets and accommodations within the app, complete with filters to find the best prices. The app offers a story feature, showing interesting locations, landmarks, and events in specific holiday locations; also useful for exploring where you live now. Save money with the hidden city feature, where the app informs users when disembarking at a more extended trip's layover will yield a better price than a traditional flight. Everything you need to save on a trip is here, with some quirky features designed with reasonable prices in mind.

lastminute.com - Travel Deals

Lastminute.com - Travel Deals provides a high-quality travel companion service. Search filters allow users to locate the best deals for plane tickets and hotel rooms, keeping all the details within the app; safe and sound and accessible at any time. The interface is intuitive and easy to navigate, with a handy assumption that plane journeys and hotels often go together. No need to worry about lost boarding passes, lastminute.com - Travel Deals conveniently stores all of them, along with any other important travel information.

Travelzoo gives Android users access to quick and easy deals for holiday packages, with bargains specific to the user's country. Travel deal categories are prominent in this app, with multiple tabs on the home page for local deals, last-minute deals, and specific holiday types. Travelzoo also works great for local trips, listing popular locations and events in the user's area, perfect for a short-notice day trip. With detailed destination descriptions, beautiful location images, and substantial deals, Travelzoo makes smaller getaways feel far less daunting.

Trivago is an app exclusively for finding great deals on hotels for your holidays or business retreats, with features for locating and booking quality hotel stays in your chosen location. Filter your search results by price and booking length to get exactly what you need at the best value. The app also allows users to compare venues near local attractions, providing customer reviews and rankings of the facilities, food, and rooms. Locating a good hotel before setting off is essential for one's peace of mind, and Trivago's filters and features make finding the right establishment quick and simple.

Getting a good deal on your flight is awesome, but Citymapper looks after you once you get off the plane. Gain access to a comprehensive map of cities around the world, with detailed information about bus routes, train schedules, cycle lanes, and even delay warnings to save time. Get detailed maps of the subway systems of any city you find yourself in, from Boston to Atlanta to Paris. Citymapper also provides a reliable journey feature, ideal for navigating days out and sightseeing trips. This app is pretty amazing, giving users the perfect means to plan a day's travel, all on your Android device.

Language barriers can make traveling internationally an intimidating prospect; nobody wants to be left speechless in that way. Memrise is a powerful tool for learning simple phrases in almost any language; enter your desired native tongue and go from "hello" to "I need to use the bathroom" in no time flat. The app tests users on the grammar and pronunciation of the entered language, ingraining basic terms in a headphone-friendly manner, so it's perfect for practicing on the flight over! A range of conversation topics can be found via filters, such as food, travel, and sightseeing. Memrise is a great app for learning a new language in general, but it's pretty invaluable for a short-notice trip, especially if you plan on haggling over souvenirs.

Escape today with these great apps

There is a lot to take in when planning a cheap getaway, so getting started can feel like a monolithic task, given how many places there are to go. It can be stressful enough planning all the details for even a short holiday without sweating over a foot-long bill. Smaller trips should be simple and affordable to organize, and travel apps built around finding deals help take the pressure off. So get packed with some of the best apps on the Play Store and enjoy the ride, and don't forget your favorite Android tablet to keep you occupied on the road.

Why the best high-yield savings account may not come from a bank with a local branch

Looking for a high-yield savings account?

According to Motley Fool’s The Ascent , your best option right now might be SoFi , an online bank founded by Stanford business students. In The Ascent’s May report on high-yield savings, SoFi offers annual interest rates up to 4.6% .

WalletHub’s top pick is My Banking Direct , an online subsidiary of the recently embattled New York Community Bancorp . The personal finance site says My Banking Direct offers 5.55% interest.

In an era of historically high interest on savings accounts, many of the best rates come from banks that do not have a branch at the local strip mall.

Interest rates of 4% to 5% have become the norm on “high-yield” savings accounts in the past two years in response to the Fed’s dramatic campaign of interest-rate hikes to curb inflation. Those lofty rates should persist for the foreseeable future after the central bank left its key rate unchanged at a 23-year high on Wednesday.

Protect your assets: Best high-yield savings accounts of 2023

That said, not all savings accounts pay such high interest. As of April, the average national yield on such accounts was 0.57% , according to an institutional survey by Bankrate.

To cash in on those historically high rates, a consumer has to do some hunting.

Many of the best high-yield savings rates come from online banks

Many of the best rates are from online banks, institutions that operate online, with few or no brick-and-mortar branches.

My Banking Direct, a New York Community Bancorp subsidiary, offered the highest rate on Bankrate’s table of high-yield savings accounts last week, according to Ted Rossman , senior industry analyst at the personal finance site.

“Is that an online bank or a brick-and-mortar bank? It’s kind of both,” he said, “but it has a much bigger reach online.”

The second-highest interest rate on the Bankrate list, 5.35%, came from BrioDirect .

“That’s actually the online version of Webster Bank,” a brick-and-mortar bank in Connecticut, Rossman said.

Online banks can offer some of the highest interest rates in the industry because they have lower overhead costs than big brick-and-mortar banks, industry experts say. Banks with lobbies and tellers cost money to operate.

Online banks have lower overhead costs

Many online banks can afford to pay high interest to depositors because they are collecting even higher rates from borrowers.

“Online banks generally specialize in higher-yielding loan products,” said Matt Frankel , a certified financial planner with The Motley Fool.

Ally Bank, an online bank with competitive rates on savings accounts, is largely an auto lender, Frankel said, with loans that fetch double-digit interest.

“If they’re paying 5% on deposits,” he said, “that’s still a really big margin.”

Some of the nation’s largest brick-and-mortar banks offer competitive rates on savings accounts. CapitalOne, for example, offers high-yield savings at 4.25% interest.

But many other big banks do not.

“They just don’t feel the need to be competitive, is the simple answer,” said Odysseas Papadimitriou, CEO of WalletHub.

Big banks enjoy one big advantage over their smaller online rivals: They already have your business.

People bank where their parents banked

Many consumers stay with the same large bank for decades. They often bank where their parents banked.

Changing banks is tricky: Direct deposit, online bill-pay and other routines go out the window when you switch banks. And customers count on those bank branches, even if they don’t visit them often.

“Consumers often will just stay with the bank they’ve been at their whole life and not shop around,” said Kimberly Palmer , a personal finance expert at NerdWallet, the personal finance site.

Consumers might think their money is inherently safer in a big bank if it's FDIC-insured, "which is not true," Papadimitriou said. "Your money is not any more secure there than it is at any other bank that is FDIC-insured in the United States, period."

Two-thirds of Americans with savings accounts earn less than 4% interest , Bankrate found in a February survey, which suggests many people either don’t know higher rates exist, or don’t want the hassle of changing banks.

Even so, many big banks are seeing deposits decline , which could signal that customers are moving their money to banks with better rates, Frankel said.  

Wherever they bank, consumers are doing more banking online. More than 2,500 bank branches closed in 2023 , according to Bankrate.

Okay, we’ve talked about the upsides to high-yield savings at online banks. Now, the downsides.

Those high interest rates aren’t fixed

Whatever gaudy interest rate a high-yield savings account might offer right now, there’s no guarantee it will stay that high forever.

Savings rates “are liquid,” Rossman said, “so they can change at any time,” although forecasters don't expect big changes any time soon.

Banking experts predict savings-account yields will eventually go down, especially after the Federal Reserve begins to lower its benchmark interest rate.

But when will that be? It’s hard to say following Wednesday's Fed announcement, which offered no hint of when cuts would come.

“These rates are here to stay, but I cannot predict whether they’re going to stay for a year or two,” Papadimitriou said.

Even if the high yields aren’t fixed, experts say, the banks that offer them have an incentive to remain competitive.

“Banks are competing for your money, and they want to make it appealing,” NerdWallet's Palmer said.

Do I really need one more bank?

There’s no question: Opening a savings account at a bank where you don’t have a checking account is not ideal, if only for the sheer convenience of banking in one place.

Big banks are “banking on convenience,” Frankel said. They can offer the consumer a full plate of banking services on one platform, within easy reach of a neighborhood branch.

On the other hand, a consumer who opens a “sidecar” savings account at an online bank can link it to a checking account at another bank with minimal effort.

Once the accounts are linked, “if you need to move money back and forth, it takes a day or two,” Rossman said.

And perhaps that is a good thing. Personal finance experts say it is wise to keep a savings account partitioned off from your other accounts that you cannot easily tap.

"I actually think that can be useful,” Rossman said.

'Child care desert': In this state, parents pay one-third of their income on child care

Don’t count on high-yield customer service

Big banks compete on customer service. At online banks, experts say, your results may vary.

An online bank may not offer the same level of telephone support as the national brands. ATM locations may be scarce. And one cannot simply walk into a local branch.

Frankel, from Motley Fool, nearly lost a house when his online bank struggled to wire the funds to close the purchase.  

“Some online banks,” he said, “just aren’t set up to handle the banking conveniences you expect.”

To revisit this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories .

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Pete Cottell

Why Loopy Pro Is the Best iPad Recording Software Around

Since its debut in 2010, the iPad has been a divisive entrant in the music gear space. The 2011 iPadOS port of GarageBand, Apple’s popular entry-level digital audio workstation (DAW), triggered an avalanche of iPad apps marketed to musicians on the move, and an endless stream of digital gadgets like virtual synths and drum machines have flooded the App Store in the years since.

The tactile flourish of a touchscreen gave Luddites the tools to chop samples and program drum beats with an efficiency that would’ve made J Dilla blush, but the novelty of such pursuits became a substantial roadblock to ever being taken seriously by those with pro studio bona fides.

With the 2011 freebie Gorillaz record The Fall serving as a more famous exception, iPads were rarely the hub of creation for notable records in the 2010s. Half-cooked DAWs and underwhelming soft synths were the norm, and none of this added up to an experience that could replace a popular desktop DAW like Pro Tools, Ableton Live, or Logic. Pair that with the lack of a standout audio interface that played nice with Apple’s proprietary Lightning connector, and you were left with an oversize iPhone that was fine for chord charts, Wi-Fi-controlled mixers, corny backing tracks for airport lounge pianists, and very little else.

For years, we all knew iPads could offer more than these one-and-done musical experiences. As of last year, thanks to an app called Loopy Pro , I have finally found portable audio nirvana. Here's why it's my favorite iPad DAW, and why you should give it a shot.

Taking iPad Music Seriously

Everything changed for iPad recording in late 2022, when Apple ditched the Lightning port for USB-C, which finally allowed any class-compliant USB-C audio interface to join the party. In May 2023, it upped the ante with an iOS version of its pro-grade DAW, Logic. A day later, through sheer coincidence, an upstart developer from Australia called A Tasty Pixel released Loopy Pro. At that specific moment the iPad became a serious music-making device.

As the name connotes, Loopy Pro is a DAW that’s marketed primarily as an iPad-based alternative to a loop pedal. A generation of guitarists have utilized stomp boxes to record a phrase, play it back in a loop, then continue playing additional parts over it. It’s an essential songwriting tool that encourages musicians to workshop arrangements on their own, but it really shines in a live setting when a capable musician employs a looper to conjure a towering wall of sound with minimal assistance.

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Anyone who’s seen Ed Sheeran (who has his own signature looper ) is familiar with the gimmick, and foppish coffee shop minstrels have beaten the format to a meme-ified death. Cooler musicians like Minus the Bear, Deerhunter, and Andrew Bird prefer the Line 6 DL-4 for their glitchy microsamples and intricately-layered tapestries of melody, and in 2018 the ubiquitous snot-green pedal was anointed by Pitchfork as “the most important guitar pedal of the past 20 years.” Sheeran’s pedal has done nothing to advance the artform, but Loopy Pro is an affordable and approachable piece of tech that is on pace to change the game entirely.

Getting Loopy

After plunking down $29.99 in the App Store (it’s iOS/iPad OS-only for now, with a 7-day free trial), you’re greeted with a black surface that houses a handful of color-coded rings, or “donuts,” as Loopy Pro loyalists call them. Press any donut, then release it to start recording. Press it again to stop recording and start an infinite loop, and a master BPM for the session is automatically computed by the length of that loop. All other loops are then quantized to this tempo. Press a donut with one finger while it’s playing to stop audio playback. Press it with two fingers during playback to start overdubbing.

These behaviors can be adjusted on the fly or in the program's default settings, and it’s incredibly easy to trim samples and mess with the playback speed and direction of loops with just a few buttons. For most casual users the fun will start and stop there, yielding a tactile and instantly gratifying music-making experience. Throw in a USB-C audio interface—try the PreSonus AudioBox GO ($80) if you’re on a budget, or the Universal Audio Volt 2 ($189) for a luxe option—and a Bluetooth MIDI pedal like the M-VAVE Chocolate ($42) and you’ll be ready in no time to spend 10 minutes reassembling “Wonderwall” piece by piece outside a nearby train station for change.

For pros and power users who nerd out about things like MIDI mapping, sequencing, and automation, Loopy Pro is a wonderland of customization and inspiration that will serve as the central control hub of your studio after a bit of careful tinkering.

Click the pencil icon at the bottom of the page to view the array of widgets that can join (or replace) your donuts in the session view, which can be divided into a near-infinite number of pages that are accessible via tabs or custom mappings. One-shot loops are great for percussive sounds, while the clip slicer can point to an existing loop and automatically map each of its buttons to a specific “slice” of the loop, allowing easy glitched-out goodness that fans of IDM heroes like Aphex Twin and Autechre will immediately love.

An X-Y pad mimics the functionality of a Korg Kaoss Pad , with each axis being freely assignable to any combination of knobs, buttons, or faders within the session, as well as external MIDI devices that are connected via the 5-pin MIDI ins and outs of your interface, or MIDI over Bluetooth (BLE) if you’re allergic to cables. The latter takes about a minute to set up, and Loopy Pro’s MIDI mapping mode uses a standard “learn” method that can be as simple or complicated as you’d like it to be. Map one incoming MIDI message to as many widgets as you’d like, or do the inverse to make a single button-press in the session view adjust an infinite number of parameters on your outboard gear on the fly.

Just Bring Sounds

Loopy Pro doesn’t come loaded with any sounds of its own, so you’ll need third-party plug-ins to supplement your audio recordings with things like drums, synths, and effects. The AUV3 format is the gold standard for plug-ins that work seamlessly within iOS DAWs, and the amount of high-quality options available for free or just a few dollars in the App Store is staggering.

To create a track, simply open the mixer section of LP, click the + icon in the lower right-hand corner, select “Add Audio Unit Input,” select your plug-in, and a new channel automatically populates with your selected plug-in as the audio source. A similar workflow is utilized for external audio sources from an interface, Bluetooth MIDI sources, and MIDI plug-ins, which are essential if you’re into sequencing or manipulating MIDI messages in weird and creative ways before they’re routed to internal or external devices.

The mixer uses color-coded groups in lieu of channels, which is the one facet of Loopy Pro that takes a bit of getting used to. Assigning different colors to things like drums, bass, vocals, and guitar helps keep things tidy, and the eye-catching contrast of the neon-color donuts and widgets against the black background makes LP easy to keep track of in any environment. Hardware inputs and color groups can be routed to the master bus or an infinite number of buses via discrete send knobs that are either pre- or post-fader, or other color groups that can resample separate audio sources that are merged into a single color group and loop.

While it’s a breeze to cultivate a collection of loops in just a few minutes, one area in which the DAW lags behind is in the tools, or lack of, that are on hand to convert these loops into an actual song. A pancake-shaped icon toggles between the session view and the sequencer view, which opens what looks like a fairly standard arrangement window. The record button presents two options: “Record Audio” or “Record Sequence.” The former records whichever audio loops are playing to a master track, while the latter records actions such as button presses, knob turns, and loop activations to the track sequencer.

Fans of Ableton and Logic will miss an easy workflow for drawing in sequences and automations by hand; however, A Tasty Pixel is well aware of this limitation and has promised to add a more robust arrangement-focused sequencer, along with live MIDI looping and a handful of other tweaks, to the next major update of the program. For now it might be easiest to export your loops for external arrangement, either in bulk with the “Export” button located in the file menu, or one at a time within each loops clip editor screen.

In practice, the utility of Loopy Pro is limited only by your imagination and the CPU power of your iPad. It’s remarkably stable, and the program's official Facebook group is constantly abuzz with posts from users across the globe who are giddy about gigging solo with Loopy Pro as their backing band, or flexing with screenshots and videos of their elaborate multipage setups that control a mountain of hardware with just a few buttons.

After a week of tinkering with the program, I’ve mapped every last button and knob on all 10 MIDI-enabled guitar pedals on my board, all of which are controlled from across the room thanks to the software’s easy pairing with a CME WIDI jack, which receives MIDI messages from Loopy Pro via Bluetooth and converts them to standard 5-pin MIDI that’s routed to the pedals. A single X-Y pad in Loopy controls the mix and feedback on five different reverb and delay pedals, while another controls the clock and length settings on a Chase Bliss Mood MKII in real time for jittery, glitched-out bliss. Prior to this approach, the Mood was a baffling “happy accidents” generator. With the help of Loopy Pro I’ve turned this erratic piece of kit into a more predictable supplement to the conventional effects on my board.

If you’re a normie Apple user with plans to upgrade your iPhone in the near future, you’ll end up with a device that can capture audio via a USB-C interface without even going out of your way to add another iPad to your arsenal. The simplicity of a standard loop pedal like a Boss Loop Station ($120) or a TC Electronic Ditto ($139) might seem like a more affordable and immediate option, but you’ll hit a ceiling in no time once you move beyond the basic use case of stacking a few guitar tracks on top of one another. Loopy Pro, on the other hand, is fully customizable and nearly infinite in its recording time and customization. A few users even created and shared templates that replicate the Ed Sheeran Looper X, if milquetoast arena folk is your goal but $1,999 is too hefty a price tag.

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Best Overall

Best for beginners, best for advanced users, best mobile bitcoin wallet, best defi wallet.

• Why You Should Trust Us

Best Crypto Wallets of May 2024: Guide to Hot and Cold Storage

Paid non-client promotion: Affiliate links for the products on this page are from partners that compensate us (see our advertiser disclosure with our list of partners for more details). However, our opinions are our own. See how we rate investing products to write unbiased product reviews.

The best cryptocurrency wallets offer secure storage for all types of crypto investors, accessible user interfaces, mobile access, low trading fees, and more.

If you're looking to invest in bitcoin or another cryptocurrency like ether or litecoin, you'll need to pick an exchange (e.g., Coinbase or Kraken) that offers such assets, as well as a "crypto wallet" to store and secure your private key code for accessing your assets.

What are the best crypto wallets?

• Exodus : Best overall 
• BitBox: Best for beginners
• Electrum crypto wallet : Best for advanced users
• BlueWallet: Best mobile bitcoin wallet
• Crypto.com: Best DeFi wallet

Compare the Top Cryptocurrency Wallets

Here are the best crypto wallets as picked by Business Insider Editors in 2024.

None (Exodus receives 2-5% spread on asset exchanges)

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. More than 150 cryptocurrencies
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Exodus partnership with Trezor creates additional security option for crypto assets
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Desktop and mobile access
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. 24/7 customer service
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Not the best option for those who strictly prefer hardware wallets
• Features: Desktop and mobile wallet, Trezor hardware access; Exodus crypto apps, live charts, 150+ crypto assets, and 24/7 support

Exodus is a multichain web3 wallet offering desktop, mobile, and more cryptocurrency exchange services. Exodus' account features include live charts and portfolio data, 24/7 customer support, a built-in exchange, and trading between thousands of digital assets, including NFTs.

The hot wallet offers commission-free cryptocurrencies like bitcoin, solana, and others with USD, EUR, and GBP. You can manage your assets using Exodus and Trezor, another popular bitcoin wallet. You don't need to use multiple wallets, but some users might prefer having them as an additional security measure for their assets. 

Exodus and Trezor's partnership caters to those who prefer hardware security since you can securely manage your assets offline while simultaneously using the Exodus platform.   

Exodus mainly caters to hot wallet (software) users. It may not be suitable for the hardware-minded traders, unless you plan to use a Trezor device with the app. 

Warm wallet

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. No minimum or fees
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. BitBox02 wallet supports more than 1,500 cryptocurrencies
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Bitcoin-only edition of the wallet is compatible with Electrum, Specter, Sparrow, and the BitBoxApp
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Mobile app is only available for Android users
• Features: Bitcoin-only hardware storage, 1500+ cryptocurrencies, and BitBoxApp.

With BitBox's BitBox02 hardware wallet, you can store your crypto private key and manage any assets offline through an external chip. It offers interactive touch features and an OLED screen for transaction details. The wallet supports bitcoin, ether, litecoin, and more.

But BitBox also provides a bitcoin-only edition. This version could be a great fit for you if you only want to store bitcoin. It relies on bitcoin-only firmware and offers compatibility with the BitBoxApp, Electrum, Specter, Sparrow, and Wasabi. 

The BitBoxApp also gives you desktop access. 

If you're a fan of mobile access, you'll only be able to use BitBox on Android devices. 

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Exportable private key
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Multisig feature lets you spend between multiple crypto wallets
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Support available for other wallets, including Ledger, Trezor, and Keepkey
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. No phone customer support
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Only accepts bitcoin transactions
• Features: Cold storage, add-ons supported, exportable private key; compatible with Ledger, Trezor, and Keepkey.

Launched just two years after bitcoin was created, Electrum specializes in private key encryption and two-factor authentication. Like Exodus, Electrum is a hot wallet that gives you online encryption for your crypto information. 

Electrum verifies that all of your crypto transactions are in the bitcoin blockchain , and its Multisig feature allows you to spend bitcoin between multiple wallets. Electrum also supports other wallets, including Ledger, Trezor, and Keepkey. 

In addition, Electrum says it offers several interfaces that you can use on mobile, desktop, or with its command line interface. However, with its cold storage offering, you can sign transactions from an offline computer, according to its website.

Electrum doesn't offer traditional phone customer support. However, the company provides helpful information in its documentation and FAQ sections, offers a Reddit support page, and allows you to ask questions on bitcointalk.org. Another thing to note is that while Electrum supports other wallets, it only allows for bitcoin transactions. This may be a downside for those interested in exploring other cryptocurrencies.

BlueWallet is a robust, mobile Bitcoin wallet offering a user-friendly interface offering straightforward integrations with the Lightning Network. Using an open-source code, BlueWallet is accessible to virtually anyone. 

Both beginner and advanced bitcoin traders can use BlueWallet's simplified batch storing, sending, and receiving features. BlueWallet is a self-custodial wallet that provides private keys to individual investors in addition to multi-signature security measures. You can even set up a decoy pin. 

This cold wallet storage is similar to Electrum in that it's bitcoin-focused. So, BlueWallet isn't a good option if you're looking to store other cryptocurrencies. Also, it should be noted that you can't buy or sell bitcoin assets with Blue Wallet. 

Maker fees 0.0750% - 0% and taker fees are 0.0750% - 0.0500%; 0% credit/debit card purchases for first 30 days of opening account

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. 250+ cryptocurrencies; support for more than 20 fiat currencies
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. No fees to send crypto to other users through mobile app; separate NFT platform
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Earn up to 5% cash back on purchases with Crypto.com Visa Card
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. You can set up price alerts and price movement alerts to stay updated on more than 200 assets
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. No fees to deposit crypto in mobile app or exchange crypto-to-crypto
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Earn up to 14.5% per year on certain crypto assets
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Pay more for lower balances
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Crypto.com isn't available to residents of New York
• Promotion: Get up to $2,000 for every friend you refer and 50% of their trading fees.

Crypto.com is a global cryptocurrency exchange headquartered in Hong Kong, offering over 250 coins and tokens, in addition to it's powerful crypto wallet storage that is the best DeFi crypto wallet. Crypto.com DeFi wallet can be opened as either a custodial or non-custodial wallet. 

Beginner crypto-investors can benefit from a Crypto.com crypto wallet for accessible trading and an easy sign-up process. Moreover, it offers decentralized finance tools like day-to-day crypto activities, connecting to other decentralized apps, and one-to-one crypto swap features. 

Crypto.com DeFi wallet also allows you to deposit view, share, and deposit NFTs across multiple blockchains. Another feature is that you can swap more then 1000 tokens over multiple blockchains, such as Ethereum, Cosmos, Cronos, etc.  Security features include two-factor authentication, Secure Enclave technology, and biometric authentication. 

However, you won't be able to recover your funds if you lose your private key with Crypto.com and there are relatively high fees.

Best Bitcoin Wallets Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Bitcoin wallets are worth it if the crypto exchange or investment platform doesn't offer in-built storage. Crypto wallets were created to protect your private key and crypto assets against security breaches. While most wallets give you complete custody of your assets, not all exchanges and investment platforms do.

You don't necessarily have to set up your own wallet to store your assets. Some exchanges — like Coinbase and CEX.IO — offer their own wallets to users. The differences between these and the bitcoin wallets mentioned above are mainly security and custody. If you want complete custody or control over your money, you'll probably need a non-custodial bitcoin wallet. 

How a Bitcoin Wallet Works

Cryptocurrencies like bitcoin have been around for over a decade, but in the past few years, they've moved beyond a niche investment to the mainstream. Companies such as Microsoft, Amazon, Starbucks, Whole Foods, Paypal, and countless others now accept bitcoin and other digital currencies as forms of payment.

Some of the best investment apps also offer cryptocurrency trading and market access to the crypto market. Many of the best cryptocurrency exchanges offer an internal crypto wallet to store your digital assets, including bitcoin. But if your platform doesn't provide secure storage, or you prefer to keep your crypto separate, you can open an external wallet. 

If you're interested in securing your cryptocurrencies with a bitcoin wallet, you must create an account with your desired platform first. Most non-custodial wallets (wallets that you hold complete custody over) offer downloadable software that you can use to secure your private key and crypto assets.

However, if you're using a hardware wallet, you'll likely need a USB cable to connect to your platform's external storage chip. Once you've created your account, connected the necessary devices or downloaded any required software, you can transfer over any existing crypto assets.

Other Bitcoin and Crypto Wallets We Considered

• Coinbase Wallet: Coinbase Wallet is a self-custody wallet through the popular cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase. It stores and manages thousands of crypto, NFTs, and multiple wallets. The wallet also allows you to access the decentralized web. Coinbase wallet earns yield, uses DeFi liquidity pool to supply/borrow crypto, and more. 
• Ledger:  Ledger is a popular hardware wallet that launched in 2014. The company offers two different types of Ledger wallets — Ledger Nano S Plus and Ledger Nano X — and a software, Ledger Live, that lets you set up any devices, trade and manage crypto, and access all of Ledger's services in one place. But be prepared to pay a fee for each hardware chip.
• Metamask:  Metamask is available both on mobile devices and as a browser extension. The company offers private key storage, a secure login, a token wallet, and a token exchange that allows you to buy, send, or swap tokens. However, Metamask mainly supports ether (ETH) and ERC tokens; you can add bitcoin to the wallet if you swap it with an ERC 20 token. 
• Trezor: Trezor is considered a cold wallet since it primarily offers offline storage through an external USB-like device. As with Ledger, Trezor offers two storage options: Trezor One and Trezor Model T. Both options offer bitcoin-only firmware and well over 1,000 cryptocurrencies. However, some of Trezor's advanced products can be pricey.
• Trust Wallet:  Unlike the other wallets mentioned above, Trust is solely for mobile storage. If you've got a smartphone, you can download the wallet on iOS or Android devices. While Trust lets you store, purchase and exchange crypto, it also allows you to earn up to 11% APR through crypto staking. But the wallet may not be the best choice for desktop-minded users.
• Blockchain:  Blockchain is a hot wallet that offers online encryption and gives you complete custody over your crypto assets. The wallet also provides a Blockchain data API, crypto data charts, interest-bearing accounts, and real-time crypto prices. You can hold or exchange bitcoin, ether, and others, but the company's total number of tradeable assets is limited. 
• Edge:  Edge allows client-side encryption, meaning your data and information are completely encrypted on your end, and Edge doesn't have access to any of it, according to its website. Along with the fact that it lets you buy, store, or trade bitcoin, ether, and other coins, Edge says it relies on a zero-knowledge security architecture. When creating an account, the company doesn't ask for your email, phone number, or other personal info. Similar to Trust, Edge is primarily for mobile users.

Why You Should Trust Us: How We Reviewed The Best Bitcoin Wallets

Business Insider rating methodology for investing platforms is based on several factors, including customer support access, bitcoin features, wallet custody, educational resources, and wallet compatibility. Some crypto wallets are compatible with other storage platforms. For instance, Mycelium currently supports Trezor, Ledger, and KeepKey hardware wallets. Investment platforms are given a rating between 0 and 5.

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