Best Travel Apps to Download for a Smooth Journey

Sam Burden
Apr 28, 2025
3 min read

Solo traveller using a smartphone at night with city lights in the background, browsing the best travel apps for getting around abroad

Packing the right gear is one thing, but having the right apps on your phone can make just as much difference to how smoothly a trip runs. Whether you're navigating an unfamiliar city, booking a last-minute activity, or just trying to work out how much that coffee actually cost in pounds, the right app can save you time, money, and a fair bit of stress.

Here's my round-up of the best travel apps I actually rely on, organised by what they help with.

Best travel apps for getting around

Google Maps is the obvious starting point; reliable directions for walking, driving, and public transport, plus the option to download maps offline so you're not relying on data the moment you land somewhere new.
Citymapper is brilliant in cities where it's supported (it covers dozens worldwide), giving you real-time public transport routes with a clean, easy-to-follow interface, genuinely useful for working out the fastest way across an unfamiliar city.
Rome2Rio is my go-to when I'm planning multi-city trips. It compares trains, buses, ferries and flights between two points, which is great for working out whether it's actually cheaper (or faster) to take a train instead of flying.

Best travel apps for booking activities and tours

GetYourGuide and Viator both connect you with bookable tours, activities and experiences, from city walking tours to more adventurous excursions. Both let you read reviews before booking and offer flexible cancellation, which is handy if your plans change.
Airbnb Experiences is worth a look too, particularly for things that feel a bit more local and personal; cooking classes, guided walks, and similar experiences hosted by people who actually live there.

Best travel apps for planning and information

TripIt pulls together your flight confirmations, hotel bookings and other reservations into one itinerary; handy if, like most of us, your inbox is a mess of separate confirmation emails.
XE Currency is essential for anywhere using a different currency. Real-time conversion rates, with offline access too, so you're not caught out without signal when you're trying to work out if something's a bargain or a rip-off.
Google Translate earns its place for the camera translation feature alone; point it at a menu or sign and get an instant translation, which has saved me more than once.

Best travel apps for accommodation

Booking.com and Airbnb cover most bases between them. Booking.com tends to be stronger for hotels and hostels with free cancellation, while Airbnb is better for more local, unique stays.
Hostelworld is worth a specific mention for solo travellers; beyond just listings, it's a good way to find hostels with social spaces, which can make a real difference if you're travelling alone and want to meet people.

Best travel apps for staying safe

Life360 lets you share your location with trusted people back home; useful for solo trips, particularly if you want family or friends to have peace of mind without constant check-in messages.
Find My iPhone / Find My Device is worth double-checking is switched on before you travel, if your phone goes missing, being able to locate or lock it remotely is genuinely reassuring.
A first-aid app (the Red Cross First Aid app is a solid free option) is also worth having downloaded in advance, especially if you're heading somewhere remote or doing outdoor activities.

Staying connected and secure abroad

This is the bit that ties everything else together, none of the apps above are much use without a reliable way to get online.

For working out whether to use roaming, a local SIM, a travel SIM, or an eSIM, I've put together a full breakdown in International SIM Card vs Roaming vs eSIM: Which Should You Use Abroad? . It's worth a read before you travel so you're not caught out by data charges.

Whichever option you go for, it's worth pairing it with a VPN, especially if you'll be using public WiFi in cafés, hotels or airports. A VPN encrypts your connection, which matters if you're doing anything sensitive (online banking, logging into accounts) on a network you don't control. NordVPN and ExpressVPN are two of the most established options, both with apps that are simple enough to set up before you leave home. (Affiliate links - see disclosure below.)

Affiliate disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products and services I'd genuinely use myself.