In a nutshell
- Apps are super helpful for trip planning — you can use them to organize your itinerary and compare and book deals all in one place.
- That said, there’s no single perfect travel app. We always use different apps for different things: Booking for accommodation, Google Maps to save places and get around, and so on.
- In this article, we share the free travel planning apps we actually use — so you can hit the ground running. Let’s go!
Google Maps
What do we use the app for? Pretty much everything. When it comes to travel planning apps, Google Maps is our go-to. We save places, map out routes, and navigate public transportation in unfamiliar cities — all in one app.
How does the app work? You search for places and get directions straight to them. You can choose whether you want to walk, drive, or take public transit, and save spots to lists for later. But Google Maps can do a whole lot more than that. We break down exactly how we use all the features in our tips for trip planning with Google Maps.
What are the alternatives? Apple Maps
Google Maps app on the App Store
Google Maps app on the Play Store
Booking
What do we use the app for? We use Booking to find, compare, and book accommodation when planning a trip.
How does the app work? Search for your destination and you’ll get every place to stay in the area. You can filter results by specific criteria — like ratings above 9 — and book directly through the app.
What are the alternatives? Airbnb for vacation rentals
Skyscanner
What do we use the app for? We use Skyscanner to compare flights and find the best deal.
How does the app work? Just enter your departure city, destination, and travel dates, and you’ll see all available flights at a glance. You can narrow things down with filters like Direct flights only. You can also keep it flexible — enter a whole month instead of specific dates — to find the cheapest option available.
What are the alternatives? Sky Explore
Skyscanner app on the App Store
Skyscanner app on the Play Store
GetYourGuide
What do we use the app for? GetYourGuide is our favorite app for tickets and tours. Most activities we book go through this one.
How does the app work? You can either search your destination and scroll through what’s available, or look for something specific — like a boat tour in Paris. Just like other comparison apps, you can filter results to match your preferences and book activities directly in the app.
What are the alternatives? Tiqets and Viator
GetYourGuide app on the App Store
GetYourGuide app on the Play Store
Check24
What do we use the app for? We mainly use Discovercars to find and compare rental car deals. You can also search for hotels, vacation rentals, and flights through the app.
How does the app work? Select a category — in our case Rental cars — then enter your details, apply filters, and sort the results. You can book the rental car directly through the app, too.
What are the alternatives? Rentalcars.com
Google Translate
What do we use the app for? Not too hard to guess, right? We use Google Translate to communicate with locals or get text translated on the fly. You can have Japanese street signs translated in seconds, or have a conversation with someone who speaks very little English.
How does the app work? Choose the languages you want to translate between, then type in text, speak into the microphone, or point your camera at a sign. Google Translate gives you the translation instantly — you can read it yourself or have it read aloud.
What are the alternatives? DeepL
Google Translate app on the App Store
Google Translate app on the Play Store
Calculator App
What do we use the app for? We use the Calculator app to convert foreign currencies on the go.
How does the app work? Tap the calculator icon in the bottom left and switch on Convert. Then select the currencies you want to convert between and enter the amount. Heads up — this feature is only available on iPhone, not on Android.
What are the alternatives? Splitwise for splitting costs, or just a quick Google search
Uber
What do we use the app for? We use Uber when we don’t feel like figuring out public transit and just want to sit back and be driven to our destination.
How does the app work? Enter your starting point and destination, and you’ll see several ride options — including the price, how far away the driver is, and any special features of the car. Once you pick one, it’s on its way, and you get the license plate number and a photo of the driver.
What are the alternatives? Grab and Gojek (especially in Asia)
Saily
What do we use the app for? We use Saily for eSIM cards. An eSIM is a seriously convenient alternative to a physical SIM card — especially when traveling outside the EU where roaming costs can add up fast.
How does the app work? Select your destination country, choose a plan that fits your needs, and the eSIM installs automatically when you tap the install button. It activates as soon as you arrive at your destination. Super easy.
What are the alternatives? Holafly, Airalo, Nomad
Use the discount code 22places to get 10% off your eSIM.
All our tips on eSIM cards can be found here:
Extra tip: Notion
What do we use the app for? We use Notion to pull our entire trip planning together in one place. You can integrate your saved spots from Google Maps, build to-do lists and packing lists, and link your accommodation — all in one page.
How does the app work? Create a page in Notion for your trip and organize everything using flexible building blocks. There are also tons of ready-made trip planning templates you can use as a starting point. Bonus: you can share the page with travel companions so everyone can collaborate on the planning in real time.
What are the alternatives? Lambus
Frequently Asked Questions About Travel Planning Apps
What is the best travel planning app?
Honestly, there isn’t one single best travel app — we always use several apps for different purposes.
If we had to pick just one, it’d be Google Maps. It has so many useful features for both planning and being on the road. That said, we really can’t imagine traveling without apps like Booking and GetYourGuide either.
Which app can I use to plan my itinerary?
You can plan your itinerary really easily with Google Maps. Just save all the places you want to visit and plan your route around those locations — it’s super straightforward.
What apps are good for travel inspiration?
We love getting inspired for trips on social media.
The best platforms for that are Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest.
Which app can I use to create packing lists?
You can create packing lists in Notion, for example. There are also dedicated apps for this — one of the best is Packr.
Packr uses info you provide — like trip duration and destination — to generate a personalized packing list that you can customize afterward.
How can you use ChatGPT for travel planning?
ChatGPT is great for inspiration — especially at the start of your planning when you’re looking for ideas that match your travel style.
For the details, though, you’re better off turning to travel blogs, vlogs, or guidebooks written by real travelers. That’s where you’ll find personal experiences, honest photos, and genuine insider tips that ChatGPT simply can’t give you.
Which apps are best for tracking expenses while traveling?
It depends on what you need. We use Splitwise to split costs when traveling with friends — at the end of the trip, the app tells you exactly who owes what to whom.
If you want to track your own spending, Trexpense is a great pick. You’ll always have a clear overview of your daily costs and total expenses.
Which app is best for finding cheap flights?
We always use Skyscanner for flights. It’s the easiest way to compare options and find the right deal for your trip.
Which apps are useful for hikers?
If you’re planning to hike on your travels, check out Outdooractive, Komoot, or Bergfex.
All three let you search for trails and view elevation profiles and route maps before you set off.
