Here are the apps we found most useful during all our recent travels. We have rigorously road tested each app, and can assure you that THESE APPS ROCK! Here are our 15 best travel apps for 2018, ranked from most useful at the top.
Note: This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy for more information.
Here are our 13 Best Travel Apps for 2018
1. Google Maps
We are huge fans of self-guided foot tours. Not only are they good exercise, but they are also 100% free. And Google Maps is the key to a successful foot tour. Consequently, we use Google Maps for most of our foot tours.
I also use Google Maps in major cities for checking different public transport options. Often there are several different public transportation options, and Google Maps helps to discover them. Google Maps is also useful to explore inter-city options, particularly in countries like Germany where there are multiple train routes available.
Download now for IOS, Android.
2. Tripit
Tripit has become an indispensable travel app in our family. Particularly because I use it for both work and holidays.
We’ve had some rather complicated itineraries traveling around Europe, and with Tripit we never have to think much about when we try to remember what’s next. All our land, sea and air travel are normally pre-booked, and all pre-loaded into Tripit. That means we have instant access to all our future travel plans, down to the minute.
Download now for IOS, Android.
3. XE
I do try to memorize a quick currency conversion rate in each country we visit. However, in Vietnam $1 = 22,701 Vietnamese Dong. Try converting that quickly in your head! Thus it is still incredibly useful to have a currency conversion calculator in your pocket.
XE is also useful when booking accommodation and travel tickets online in foreign currencies. This app is especially useful when traveling through Europe, passing through several countries on a single trip.
Download now for IOS, Android.
If you ever wanna know someone’s upcoming #travel plans, take a look at their @xe app – #wanderlust #summertravels #ttot #adventure #XE pic.twitter.com/Cu2uloKklE
— Hopscotch (@Rayuelando) May 23, 2017
4. Trip Advisor
Trip Advisor is great for figuring out the most popular attractions in any location. Normally if we have just a few days in a city, we check the top 10 attractions on Trip Advisor. Then we try to see at least 3 or 4 of the top attractions.
There is actually so much functionality to Trip Advisor, we only use a small portion of it. Dining, Accommodation, Airfares… Trip Advisor can help with these and more.
We used Trip Advisor to research these major attractions in Paris
Download now for IOS, Android.
5. Agoda
What I love about the Agoda app is that they offer special discounts for mobile app users. We have secured some amazingly cheap luxury hotels through the Agoda mobile App. Often some great last minute deals can be found also.
One other thing we love about Agoda is their rewards system. We currently have $260 in Agoda rewards, credited to us by Agoda for our recent bookings. That means we can now get 2 or 3 nights of Agoda accommodation for FREE. Thanks, Agoda!
Download now for IOS, Android.
Note: We love Agoda so much that we are now partners. Click HERE for more details or to make a booking.
6. Sky Scanner
This is my go-to app for searching and booking airfares. This app does it quickly and effortlessly by comparing dozens of different airlines. It’s great for comparing different options to make up a new itinerary on the go.
Download now for IOS, Android.
7. Get Your Guide
This was my big surprise for the year. Whilst in Prague searching for tours to Karlstejn Castle I booked a random tour online and stumbled upon this app. I was amazed at how easy the whole tour booking process was, and the prices were competitive too. I went on to book several more tours using this app, and now Get Your Guide is my go-to app for booking tours.
Download now for IOS, Android.
Here is a Vlog showing our first ever Get Your Guide Tour:
Note: We are so impressed with GetYourGuide that we’ve become a partner, click HERE for more details or to make a booking.
8. Uber
We love Uber because Uber cars are so easy to book using this app. The cost of the trip is automatically deducted from your credit card, so arriving in a new country is far less stressful. That’s because there’s no need to carry the local currency to catch a regular taxi.
Uber is particularly useful for airport transfers. We found that traveling in a group of 3, Uber is often only slightly more expensive than public transport from the airport to the city center.
Download now for IOS, Android.
9. Grab
Grab is popular in South East Asian countries where Uber has not been established. In Manila or Bangkok for instance, Grab is virtually equivalent to Uber, and a much better option than grabbing a traditional taxi. Even more surprisingly, Uber is not available in some European countries.
Download now for IOS, Android.
thinking: with the Grab discount it’s cheaper than taking public transport!!!
*checks Grab app*
ok time to top up ezLink pic.twitter.com/iAhJ8j4ndA
— せんせい (@AngweeCher) November 11, 2017
10. Public Transport Apps eg. DOT Mobilbilletter
Public transport apps are incredibly useful in non-English speaking countries. Our best success was in Denmark and Switzerland, where we found the train ticket vending machines particularly difficult to use. If you have the local app on your phone, and have your credit card linked, purchasing public transport tickets is child’s play.
Usually, these apps have lots of extra functionality like station maps, timetables, and ticket comparisons. My advice is to install and link your credit card for each city you intend to use public transport.
Download DOT now for IOS, Android.
11. Booking
So you want a hotel and you are too tired to go through all the hassle of booking one? Booking.com is the easiest app I’ve ever used for booking hotels. Searching and booking takes literally seconds. This app has the smoothest user interface you will ever see, and you also get some great bargains thanks to the Genius discount system.
Download now for IOS, Android.
Note: We like Booking.com so much that we’ve become an affiliate, click HERE for more details or to make a booking.
12. World Heritage
This is one of my favorite apps because the UNESCO World Heritage sites is my personal bucket list. I have never visited a World Heritage Site that disappointed me, so I make a point of visiting as many as I can whilst traveling.
This app helps to quickly locate nearby UNESCO World Heritage sites and to learn all about them. It also helps to make a list of World Heritage favorites, and track how many you have visited. I have personally visited 2% of all UNESCO World Heritage sites (32 out of 1073). I have a long way to go!
Download now for IOS, Android.
13. Google Translate
We don’t use Google Translate often, but when we do it’s a great help. What I particularly like is how you can type in some foreign text, and Google Translate will first figure out which language it is. And secondly, it will translate smoothly for you.
Download now for IOS, Android.
14. GPSmyCity
This is a self-guided walking tour app for many cities worldwide. The app is free however to unlock it’s potential you need to pay for the best features. It is basically a map of the city with all of the tourist attractions loaded into it. You can choose one of the many pre-loaded walking tours, or design your own based on your likes and dislikes.
To use the app you follow it similar to how you follow Google Maps. Then at each tourist stop, you can effortlessly read all about history. It’s like having a tour guide in your pocket, and well worth the $5-$7 per city.
Download now for IOS, Android.
15. Big Bus Tours
We love Big Bus Tours and used them in several cities including London, Amsterdam, Vienna, and Budapest. This companion app helps you to quickly locate the nearest Big Bus Tours bus-stop and shows you a live map of where the buses are en-route. It also helps you to find information on each tourist attraction, plus heaps of other useful functionality.
Download now for IOS, Android.
Here is a video of the London Big Bus Tour we enjoyed.
Discover New Apps
So we had some great new travel app discoveries: GetYourGuide, Grab, GPSmyCity, and Big Bus Tours. The beauty of travel apps is that there are many more out there waiting for you to discover them. What awesome travel apps have you discovered lately?
Would you like a free copy of our Ultimate Bucket List?
Not sure where to travel to next? We have created the Ultimate Bucket List to help you plan your next trip. 1170 awesome travel destinations in 167 countries. And we want you to have it for FREE.
