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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 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’ prices. To find cheap flights, enter your departure airport, destination, and date. 

You can filter results based on stops, duration, and airline. The’ everywhere’ option allows you to 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 finding cheap car hire and hotels. 

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 for reserving 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. Using this app has helped us reach Genius Level 3, 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 Is Discovering eSIMs that cover up to 130+ countries on one eSIM! Choose from a Data-Only eSIM or a Data, Call, and 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 calling 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.

Access to a wifi signal makes the possibilities 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 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 for saving 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 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 plan to travel long-term.

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

Our Favourite Feature is that 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 for communicating 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, our 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 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 anytime and quickly source the information we needed. 

Believe me, you need this in your life! TripIt is free and one of the best travel apps for staying organised and stress-free on the road.

Our Favourite Feature:  You can also sync your plans with your calendar—no copying or pasting is necessary.

9. Surfshark VPN 

A VPN (Virtual Private Network) is a must-have tool for protecting your privacy and increasing 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 like China that bans many social media networks, such as Facebook, you can still access Facebook by turning on Surfshark VPN if you’re travelling there.

Download Surfshark VPN to put your mind at ease while travelling. 

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 . It’s beneficial for those 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 for booking 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 launch, but now there are many fantastic apps that can make your life so much easier on the road.

Depending on what country or region of the world you plan to travel to, we recommend downloading 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, 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 and reliable, and most importantly, Omio offers the best deals. 

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

More Travel Tips

We have so many tips to help you travel more!

These 21 cheapest countries to visit will help you stretch your hard-earned dollars further.

Read our top 6 travel hacks to save money and the  20 best travel apps to make travel easier! 

For food lovers, don’t miss our top 10 best countries for foodies. And, if history is your thing, these 30 amazing historical places worldwide will fascinate you!

We have many tips to save money for travel and consider these 20 jobs that PAY YOU to travel the world to help you travel longer.

If you become a trusted housesitter , you can also get FREE accommodation worldwide. Read more about how this works .

Check out our ultimate packing list for travellers , and remember to pack travel insurance! We recommend these two travel insurance companies for excellent coverage.

Our  12 essential tips for safe travel in any country are worth a read. 

You’ll need to stay connected while travelling the world. We recommend eSIM. It’s easy, reliable and affordable. View eSIMs for individual countries , or consider  a Global eSIM if you travel to multiple countries or regions. This eSIM connects you in 124 countries , offering data-only eSIM and data/call/text eSIM .

The Global eSIM has been a game-changer; we couldn’t imagine travelling without it now.

If you want to travel with like-minded travellers, consider joining a group tour. Get the best deals on worldwide group tours with Tourradar .

Check out our best-ever travel tips compiled from more than twenty years of experience.

Travel Planning Resources

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

🏨 Accommodation :  Booking.com is our preferred platform for booking hotels and accommodation. We use Vrbo to book apartments and long-term stays.

🏥 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 .

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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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."

Travel Smarter! Sign up for our free newsletter.

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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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 17 Best Travel Apps to Help You Make the Most of Your Travels

After using hundreds—maybe even thousands—of travel apps, I’ve figured out a workflow that’s simple and straightforward. It uses the fewest number of travel apps possible and it will help you to stay on top of where you’re going and what’s happening around you.

Traveling can be a complicated endeavor.

From keeping track of bookings and finding local sights, to currency conversions and translations, staying on top of what’s going on, where you’re going, and what you’re supposed to be doing can be tricky.

Especially with a constant onslaught of new travel apps, it can be hard to cut through the noise and figure out which are not only the best travel apps but the easiest to use.

After five years of travel on six different continents , and hundreds of tools and travel apps later (maybe even thousands), I’ve trimmed the fat, uninstalled the apps that claim to be the best (but aren’t), and learned what the best travel apps truly are—the ones that are tried and true, and have withheld the test of time.

These travel apps will help you to stay organized and on top of where you’re going and what’s happening around you.

The Best Travel Apps for Booking Flights

Booking a flight is the first step to any trip, and though most people will only check the major sites like Expedia, Priceline, and Travelocity, it’s well worth doing your due diligence, especially for the sake of saving money.

What’s often even more important, though, is user experience. Some apps are clunky and confusing and don’t make finding and booking flights very easy.

There are a lot of booking apps, but I steer clear of most of them, usually relying on my core group of three. With these travel apps, I know that 90% of the time, I’m finding the best deal on flights.

Skyscanner lets you search from city to city, and from country to country, to find the best deals on flights. Got some free time, want a getaway, but not too concerned about where you go? Use the flexible search to search for flights from a particular destination to anywhere.

As well as being able to search for specific dates, you can check the prices across a whole month. Skyscanner can find some of the best deals by combining carriers for different legs of a journey. This may mean, however, that you need to book separate flights, use a travel agency, and/or collect your bags and check-in again between flights.

Momondo is similar to Skyscanner, in that it compares numerous airlines and travel agencies on a variety of routes to get you from A to B. There is also the option to search for flights to anywhere, and you can opt to also search for airports near your original choice (if a final destination is specified).

Google Flights

Google Flights is another top comparison site for flight tickets. As well as performing basic searches, it also offers a wide range of features to make planning your travels easy. If you’re not yet ready to commit to making a booking, you can monitor different flights.

You can get notifications when prices are likely to increase on a particular route, letting you get in there and book a flight before the price jumps. You can see prices across a region, be shows which flight combinations offer the best value for money (taking into account layovers and so on) and can automatically see alternatives, such as date or time changes, that will give you a saving.

Google Flights doesn’t have a downloadable mobile app but the website does have a fantastic mobile interface, which is just as good.

The Best Travel Apps for Booking Accommodation

I’m a terrible planner, so when it comes to accommodation, I don’t often book in advance. Depending on the type of accommodation I’m looking for, I use one of the following options:

Booking.com

Booking.com has properties to suit most budgets and travel styles, with accommodations located all around the world. There are numerous filters, allowing you to find exactly what you’re looking for. Some properties do not require a deposit or advance payment, with flexible cancellation terms. Do check, however, as the booking terms are not the same for all. If you become a member there are more potential savings to be made.

Hostelworld

A top choice for budget travelers, Hostelworld is ideal for finding beds in dorm rooms. If you love the social aspect of staying in a hostel, but prefer to have some privacy at bedtime, you can also search for private rooms in hostels.

HotelTonight

If you’re taking an impromptu trip or have left booking a place to stay to quite late in the day, HotelTonight is great for finding last-minute deals. No property wants empty rooms for a night, so unsold rooms are advertised, often with savings, on Hotel Tonight. While there may not be so many options to choose between, you can be assured that any listings are at top-notch places. All participant accommodations are screened by HotelTonight. You can search for somewhere to stay in a variety of global cities, searching as far as a week in advance.

If you’re traveling in a larger group, want a home-away-from-home feeling, or are planning a longer stay, Airbnb could be just what you are looking for. It connects private property owners with travelers.

While some hotels and guesthouses use the service to advertise rooms, many of the listings are for regular houses and apartments. They may not be available all of the time; people can make places available when they aren’t actually using them themselves. It’s also, therefore, a great way for home-owning travelers to make some money by renting their own place out when they are on the road. Properties may be vacant or you may share with the owner.

A wide range of facilities may be available; each listing is unique. Airbnb offers an alternative to staying in a traditional accommodation when traveling. There are often discounts for longer stays too.

• 15 Airbnb Alternatives You Should Know About
• Airbnb vs. Hotels: Which is Cheaper?
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The Best Travel App for Tracking Bookings

Using confirmation emails to keep track of booking times, dates, and directions is nearly impossible. Having information in one centralized place in a travel app can make an itinerary much easier to understand. I always use  TripIt  for an at-a-glance view of all upcoming bookings, including flights, accommodation, and transportation.

Depending on who you’re flying with, use the airline’s native app during the check-in process (or Wallet on iOS) to keep track of boarding times and gate changes. Using third-party travel apps for flight and gate tracking can sometimes be cumbersome and they’re not always up to date. That being said, TripIt is usually on the ball!

The Best Travel App for Tracking Rewards Points

Awardwallet.

Staying on top of points, rewards, and miles can be daunting, too, especially with the plethora of rewards programs out there nowadays. Though not a perfect system, AwardWallet is the most comprehensive way to view all your rewards balances in one spot. Their web interface is a little clunky, but their mobile app is pretty great.

The Best Apps to Use While You're Actually Traveling

The first set of apps I recommend for daily use come from Google. Unfortunately, there’s no such thing as Google Travel (yet?), but they do have a suite of tools which are perfect when you’re traveling. And they all work seamlessly with one another.

The original Google app is the first one I check when I arrive in a new city, and usually every morning. They have smart “cards” that dynamically update with various types of location-based information, including local weather, local attractions and photo spots, currency conversions, time back home, updates from your favorite sports teams, and more.

Google Maps

When I find a new place that I want to remember, I switch over to Google Maps and save the location. I also make sure to save the location of my accommodation, local bus or train stations, and other points of interest. Google places a star on each place that you save, so one look at your map shows you where everything you need is located.

Google Maps has also proven to be very accurate when it comes to public transportation schedules. From New York to Melbourne to Athens, Google Maps has proven to be a reliable and up-to-date tool for finding subway and bus stops and knowing what lines are running, and to where.

Google Translate

If I’m having a particularly hard time communicating with locals, Google Translate has become a staple in my app toolkit. With their recent acquisition of WordLens, not only can you translate words and phrases, but you can automatically translate a sign, box label, or menu by taking a photo of it.

Finding local places to eat and go out is never a problem using the crowdsourced Foursquare app. It finds where you are and recommends restaurants, cafes, and nightlife based on your preferences. So, if I like sandwiches and whiskey (which I do), it automatically shows me the best sandwich shops and whiskey bars in my new city, and provides me with tips for what to order when I get there.

Trail Wallet

The only way I’ve been able to keep track of my expenses in places like Thailand is by using the Trail Wallet app. I set a daily and monthly budget and categorically keep track of my expenses throughout the day. It allows me to manage multiple currencies and switch between them seamlessly, automatically updating to my home currency based on the current conversion rate. I can also see what my major expenses are in list form or in a pie chart, and make adjustments to my spending habits based on my track record.

XE Currency

XE Currency provides the most up-to-date and accurate conversion rates. I always check XE before exchanging cash (which I try not to do because exchange booths generally provide the worst rates). It also shows conversion charts so you can keep on top of exchange rates and cash in by withdrawing a larger amount when a currency from an upcoming location drops.

Travel Apps for Keeping Records of Travel Documents

Before going anywhere, take a picture of your important documents and keep scanned copies of your passport and health insurance policies in a folder in Dropbox .

Whenever you find an interesting piece of information about an upcoming destination, paste it into Evernote , alongside the rest of your notes and information that you keep on hand. Evernote allows you to clip emails and web pages so you can hold onto copies of flight tickets, itineraries, visas, directions, or anything else that matters.

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Travel App FAQs

What is the best travel app to use.

Booking.com is our recommended travel app. It’s easy to use and lets you reserve flights, hotels, rental cars, and more around the globe.

Which app is best for travel bookings?

If you want an app for travel bookings, Booking.com is our top choice.

What is the most downloaded travel app?

Google Maps is the most downloaded travel app, followed by Uber and then Booking.com.

What is the best app to make an itinerary for travel?

The best apps for travel itineraries include Booking.com, Expedia, and Priceline.

What travel app has the best deals?

Priceline has one of the best apps out there for finding deals on flights, accommodations, and rental cars.

Jeremy Scott Foster

This is a great list and we use most of these apps too. Thanks for including Trail Wallet and I’m glad you’ve found it useful!

Of course! Trail Wallet is one of my favorite apps! 🙂

Great list of travel apps. Some of them I was using already, but at least I discovered a few new apps that will be very useful while travelling. Evernote will come in handy among others 🙂

Great! I’m glad you found some new ones. I don’t know what I’d do without Evernote. It helps me keep both my travels and my life organized!

I tried TripIt once and it was a good thing to have – but only because I had a lot of connections (from trains, through coaches, taxis and planes) during my trip so it helped me to keep the record of my journey. Otherwise I don´t use any apps (sometimes google maps but rarely when I am actually on road). But I think I am an exception because I´m not a friend with my smartphone! 😀 I will definitely use Dropbox on my travels out of Europe but so far I haven´t felt the need…thanks for the useful tips anyway 🙂

Google Maps is great when you’re on the road, because it shows you exactly where you are! I never get lost, all thanks to Google 🙂

Simply Decalre is an app to help you organize your receipts for customs declarations, it has real time currency, many other features like snapping a picture for your records. We have used it on the last couple of foreign trips, and it just makes life a whole lot easier. Simple to use. Another great app for your readers.

Fantastic resource man! Ive spent a good chunk of time traveling and I’m always looking for ways to make life on the road easier. Cheers!

That said, I have some thoughts with regards to the prolific use of tech on the road that I thought I’d share. Tech, as wonderful and as convenient as it is, has the ability to withdraw you from the present moment of travel, and all the exciting lessons on offer.

The world is becoming smaller, tech is largely to thank for this, and I appreciate that people nowadays feel the compulsive desire to ‘stay connected’ to current events, homeland, relationships etc. (or sometimes to gloat to those who decided not to join in on the adventure – not recommended). I think for many travelers, especially the younger generation, clinging to tech and searching for the nearest free WiFi is an attempt to bring familiarity with them on their journey. Connection with their familiar life back home provides a level of comfort and security – knowing that people back home care, are informed, and are supporting your ‘crazy’ decisions along the way (even if in reality, they aren’t).

Speaking from experience, this connection to familiarity is useful when you reach a low spot on your travel journey (which all of us will at some point), and it is also a hinderance when it comes to building authentic, genuine connections with the place, the people, and the culture you find yourself amongst.

It is truly a pet annoyance of mine to see people clinging to their smartphones, huddling around the nearest free WiFi zone, and checking facebook / instagram / twitter updates, when there is a wondrous world of activity happening right in front of them.

Tech makes life on the road easier, yes. But it takes away the intimacy of connection with people, places, and cultures that encompass travel. I’m not saying tech is taboo, however I feel that it’s use in the travel society is becoming so prevalent that good old face-to-face relationships are becoming endangered, and a forgotten shade of the travel canvas.

Maybe if people had a better appreciation of self, were more certain of their destiny, and were courageous enough to embrace a new world without the constant desire to cling to their beliefs back home, we would see more genuine connections on the road?

Just some thoughts. Indeed, your apps may in fact reduce the need to be constantly on our smartphones attempting to track the necessities of life. I’ll let you know on that one!

Jason Townsend – www.kickstartacause.com

Thanks so much for your insightful comment. I believe that, in today’s world, with the advent of technology, the most important thing we can do is limit it. I do rely on technology on a daily basis, especially since I work and travel at the same time, but yes, finding the right balance can be hard.

To frame things differently, perhaps staying connected to home allows people who wouldn’t otherwise go travel to feel more comfortable going out into the world. And sometimes, especially when we are constantly surrounded by new people and places, it can be nice to have something comfortable to lean back on.

I think we’re on the same page here. Technology is extremely accessible, and too much of a good thing can definitely be bad. As for me, I make efforts, whenever I can, to put the phone down and just enjoy 🙂

Great reframe Jeremy. That’s an excellent point.I can relate to this in my early traveller days…

Enjoyment comes from the simplest things. Life happens outside the ‘idiot box’ (a.k.a television) 😉

Jason Townsend

I would add diveadvisor to that list for Scuba Diver centric travellers.

It shows you articles on best places to dive, list of dive centres by country etc.

Also, airbnb imo should definitely be on there.

Otherwise cool list 🙂

Oh cool! I hadn’t heard of DiveAdvisor. Going to check it out 🙂

Although Jason rightly pointed out the hindrance that staying connected brings, I do enjoy its conveniences and the help that comes from the apps you listed. In fact, I just re-downloaded the Google App to take advantage of the cards. I forgot how awesome they were and appreciate you mentioning them.

One thing I’d like to add is instagram, and its usefulness when traveling. One time, my wife and I were in Gyeongju in Korea and drunkenly doing a photo search of instagram to see if there was anything we could see one night. This really beautiful pagoda came up and after piecing together enough pigeon Korean to ask a person about it, off we were to a previously unknown place.

Other than that, I like using instagram to see the perspectives that others are employing when taking shots of famous places. Just thought I’d that but besides that, this is a wonderful list. I actually played on the Google app for about ten minutes after reading this, haha. Thanks for sharing, Eric!

I do love Instagram, and these days, especially with the more enhanced location features, it’s increasingly more easy to find people and places nearby. I read an article recently about whether the recent advance in technology has stripped travel of its magic, and though I do think it has to an extent, I also really appreciate the conveniences that it provides.

But ultimately, it’s up to the user to decide how much they use it, and how much they want to get out of the real world vs. the online world.

I agree that keeping track of awards programs/points can be a pain. I am definitely going to look into the AwardWallet. The Foursquare also looks interesting.Thanks for the great tips/suggestions.

I was so optimistic when I saw this list just when I was trying to find how to get to my closest train station in Yongin, but alas, google maps tells me I can’t walk to either one when I walked to the furthest one, has none of the major landmarks I recognize to help orient me, and has no transit directions for the new train line here.

2gis was a GREAT app for this kind of thing, but other than randomly Santiago, Chile, 2 cities in Italy and 1 in Czech Republic, they’re ALL Russian cities. So disheartening!

Great list. Hopefully this can be great for us! Cheers and Thanks for this.

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Best Money Apps for Travel

Whether you’re great at budgeting or wonder where your money went each month, managing expenses on the road can be a nuisance. Every little thing adds up, and it’s easy to overspend without even realizing it. Here are some of the best money apps for travel, including those that help you save on flights and accommodation.

XE Currency Converter

Keeping track of currency value can save you lots of money. XE Currency Converter is one of the best apps out there allowing you to track currency values in real time and get alerts when prices of your desired currency drop.

Trail Wallet

Voted as one of the best money apps for travel out there and created by long-term travelers, Trail Wallet is a great app to track spending, quickly figure out and convert currencies and set budgets. This app is free to use and can help get your spending on track as well as avoid overspending on currency exchange.

Spendee is a great app if you want to set several budgets and savings plans. You can have separate budgets for food, fuel, and lodging as an example, which will help stay within your means and even save. Spendee can manage your expenses in multiple currencies.

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• Articles /  Best Travel Apps for ADV

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From Our Forum

Essentials & Unexpecteds: 25+ Of The Best Apps For Traveling In Europe

Planning to travel to europe make sure to download these apps before you go.

Whether you’re a first-time traveler or a frequent visitor, travel in Europe can be an amazing experience. But having the right apps can make your trip so much easier…and even help you save a ton of money. Knowing which ones are the best apps for traveling in Europe can be overwhelming, so here’s a list of the apps I end up using nearly every time I travel to Europe.

About Jason Robinson // The Nomad Experiment

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And get ready…there are apps on here you won’t see on other lists! Like an app perfect for finding local-led tours and adventures!

Whether you’re looking to speak the language, save money on accommodations, eat like a foodie, or just be a more conscious traveler, there’s an app on this list that can help. Enjoy!

Mapping Apps for Europe

Maps.me can make navigating Europe a breeze and many travelers swear by it. It can be used offline, meaning you don’t need to worry about finding yourself in a remote area with no phone signal or wifi access.

The app uses OpenStreetMap data, updated daily by its community of contributors, to help you find your way around foreign cities or rural areas without relying on Google Maps or similar applications. 

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The Citymapper App

The Citymapper app has won both App Of The Year awards and Editor’s Choice awards on Apple and Android platforms. It provides an easy-to-use platform that allows users to plan their journey in advance, get real-time updates on route changes and find the best way to get to their destination. The app also tracks estimated arrival times and provides warnings of delays or congestion.

The Citymapper app is available across all major US cities and major cities in Europe including London, Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam, Barcelona and more.

Lonely Planet Western Europe 15 (Travel Guide) Up-to-date information –  All businesses were rechecked before publication to ensure they are still open after the 2020’s COVID-19 outbreak… check price

Google Maps

Google Maps is one of the most popular navigation apps out there. And Google has recently released some incredible updates that will make using Google Maps even easier.

Plus, there’s the option to save favorite places so you’ll never forget where you parked or what restaurant you had dinner in. And if you’re really OK with giving them all your data and details, you can even search for places you ate at months or years in the past.

Also, the Google Map app does a great job for the intricate subway/metro systems in major cities around Europe. Just make sure you download offline maps to make sure you have access to navigation when you’re traveling where you might not have a cell signal!

READ NEXT: Step-By-Step: How To Fuel Your Wanderlust With Google Maps Saved Lists

Phone & Texting Apps for Europe

Google Fi Cellular

I’ve used Google fi for cellular both in the US and while traveling internationally since I went nomadic years ago. The biggest reason is that my bill throttles down if I don’t use data (but caps on the high end), so my monthly average bill is around $50 throughout the year.

But the bigger reason is that having a Google fi native phone means that I don’t have to deal with buying and using SIM cards when I go to a new country. That’s a huge pain in the ass that I get to avoid!

Add to that simple Wi-Fi calling (which saves on data) and Google Fi is a no brainer unless you have super deep pockets to pay for expensive, all-in international calling plans.

READ NEXT: UPDATED: 18 Safe Traveling Tips For Newbies—Stay Safe & Reduce Anxiety

WhatsApp has pretty much taken over the game sofar as texting while in Europe, and around the world, since it’s used by over 2 billion people in over 180 countries across the globe.

What makes WhatsApp so unique is its use of end-to-end encryption that ensures only authorized parties can view the content being sent. This feature provides users with a high level of security when it comes to their conversations and media exchanges, different than other providers.

You can add groups, make video calls and phone calls over Wi-Fi…and all for free. And they have a desktop app so you can jump seamlessly back and forth from your phone.

Join the email list to stay in the loop on new releases!

Translation& language apps for europe.

Google Translate

Google Translate is definitely “old reliable” as far as free apps for translating go. While English is often fairly easy to use in touristy cities when traveling in Europe, you’re just being a more friendly traveler when you try to use a little of the local language.

You can save favorite phrases and quickly switch from language to language, since the app supports 100+ languages, and that is expanding all the time.

One of the best features I use all the time is using the camera to capture text in Google Translate, which instantly translates it into whatever language I choose. Especially useful for understanding signs or menus!

Simply type what you want to say or copy and paste it into the iTranslate app, then select your target language. The iTranslate app will then automatically translate it for you. And if you don’t know how to pronounce something, it has an audio feature that reads out translations in different languages. Another great travel app alternative to the Google ecosphere.

Currency & Money Apps for Europe

Currency Plus

Did you know that there are 29 different currencies used throughout the 50 European countries? Yeah, if you think you’ll be able to get by with just one conversion, you’re sadly mistaken.

I would use GlobeConvert app (below), but I run an android phone, so I use Currency Plus. I love that I can actually see multiple conversations at once, since this can help in the now, but also help me decide where to go next when I see a great conversion rate for USD! 

READ NEXT: Gifts For Diabetic Travelers—Essential Travel Items & Unexpected Gifts

GlobeConvert Currency & Units (iOS only)

This beautiful app allows you to quickly convert between different currencies and units of measure from all around the world since it supports over 160 different currencies.

The user interface is incredibly simple and straightforward and it’s one of the most beautiful currency converter apps available. The app also works offline, meaning that you don’t need an internet connection to access its features! With GlobeConvert’s Currency & Units app, navigating through Europe has never been simpler!

Lonely Planet Experience Ireland 1 (Travel Guide) Up-to-date information –  All businesses were rechecked before publication to ensure they are still open after the 2020’s COVID-19 outbreak… check price

Do you use apps like Venmo to transfer money between friends or family around the US? Well, you’re likely to be out of luck with doing the same thing with money in Europe, as they seem to be overwhelmingly using the Revolut app. That alone easily makes it one of the best travel apps for Europe.

You can transfer some good ol’ USD into your account, then convert and transfer to other people in different currencies while you travel through Europe.

Budgeting Apps for Europe

Trail Wallet

This is one of the OG apps that I swore by back when I was just a baby nomad. Unfortunately, it’s only available on iOS. But if that’s you, I highly recommend checking it out. Trail Wallet helps travelers organize spending while they’re on the road while giving some fun, positive reinforcement.

The interface is lighthearted and easy to use, but the depth of details is solid so you can stay on budget or at least know where you went wrong and where you need to tighten up.

READ NEXT: Staying On Budget…Travel? You Need The “Trail Wallet” App!

Trabee Pocket

If you follow The Nomad Experiment on Instagram, you probably know that I currently use the Trabee Pocket app for budgeting literally every day of my life…going on 4 years now.

Setting up categories and creating budgets is simple, and adding an item when you spend literally takes less than 10 seconds, so it’s really easy to stay on top of spending. You can even track in multiple currencies that all iron out to your home currency in your final number overviews.

The graphs and breakdowns of categories are really where the Trabee Pocket app shines though, since you can deep dive each one for really granular understandings of your spending.

The Splitwise App is one of the best travel apps out there, period. It makes organizing and splitting expenses with friends so much easier. Splitwise allows users to record expenses from multiple trips, group them together by date or destination, and split them evenly or according to individual contributions.

It even allows for different percentages of splits. You can even use it for shared bills like rent or utilities.

We used the Splitwise app when I had 3 friends meet me for different stints in Portugal. After everyone was done, we hit the “settle up” button and it automagically money transfer the right amounts to the right people. Super easy!

Explore Portugal Travel Guides

Porto Travel Guide | Sintra Travel Guide | Guimaraes Travel Guide | Aveiro Travel Guide

Transportation: Buses, Trains, & Flight Apps for Europe

The Rome2Rio app is almost always where I start my transportation searches, then I may jump over to some of the other apps listed below. Whether you’re looking for flights, trains, buses, or ferries, Rome2Rio has it all for pretty much any destination in Europe you could look for.

Enter your starting point and destination into the search bar and the Rome2Rio app will present you with a range of possible travel routes, from many different modes of transportation.

You can then compare fares and journey times so you can choose the option that fits your plans. In addition to offering great prices on travel tickets, Rome2Rio also provides detailed maps of each route.

This app is great for simply getting an idea of how to get from one place to the next and any and all modes of transportation you could take. When you’re ready, you can even click through to buy the actual tickets for your chosen route!

READ NEXT: What The Heck Is The Schengen Zone? How U.S. Passport Holders Travel Europe For Months On End

Flixbus is one of the fastest-growing bus networks in Europe, and as of this writing, they operate in over two dozen countries. The Flixbus app makes it easy to find and book affordable bus rides, keeping your tickets digitally.

Most buses say that they come with free Wi-Fi so you can stay connected along the way.

Of course, this is almost always a crap shoot, and you should never depend on Wi-Fi actually being available on any budget bus line!

BlaBlaCar (& Bus)

BlaBlaCar & Bus offers bus routes around over 20 countries across Europe—predominantly in western Europe—and the app allows you to compare prices, check timetables, and book tickets for bus travel throughout their many routes.

Travelers have access to thousands of destinations all accessible through the app. Keep reading to see how BlaBlaCar shook up the ride-sharing industry and became a great ride-sharing option for getting around major European cities.

The Omio app is a one-stop shop for booking your European train tickets since it is an aggregator for the many different train operators throughout Europe.

Not only does the Omio app allow you to search for the best deals on trains in over 30 countries in Europe, but you can also book bus and flight tickets too. This means that you can easily compare prices across different modes of transport without having to open multiple apps or websites.

Plus, if you’re flexible with dates then there are often great discounts available through the Omio app – perfect if you’re trying to save some money on your next adventure!

The Trainline app covers specifically train and bus journeys all over the United Kingdom and Europe. It features 270+ railway and bus companies for 45 countries and claims to be “Europe’s leading train and bus app.” Trainline even has a Loyalty Points system that rewards customers with points when they book trips or purchase upgrades.

Transportation: Car-Shares & Taxis Apps for Europe

Free Now & Uber

Travelers in Europe now have a choice between two major players: Free Now and Uber. Both offer passengers an easy way to get around in different cities; however, there are some distinct differences between the two companies. 

The most notable for the Free Now app is that prices are set by both the driver and the company itself, depending on factors such as distance traveled and time of day.

And the Free Now app also pools taxi drivers into the mix, which extends the offerings past what Uber can with only “company” drivers.

Rides through the Free Now app are now available in more than 100 European cities.

Unlike traditional rental car companies or bus tours, the BlaBlaCar app allows users to search for rides from people already planning trips in their own cars. 

Users create profiles with their preferred destinations and add certain details about themselves that other users will see before deciding whether or not to accept them as passengers.

The benefit of this BlaBlaCar approach is that travelers can often find rides faster and cheaper than they would elsewhere, all while getting to know locals along the way.

So it’s a great app for saving time and money in Europe while getting to know people and the culture a bit deeper. Plus, since drivers get extra money for having passengers on board, so it’s a win-win situation. 

Adventure, Tours & Excursion Apps for Europe

Get Your Guide

The Get Your Guide app and website are easily a couple of the most easily navigable and customer-friendly sources I’ve used for finding highly rated and unique, local adventures.

And Get Your Guide’s platform was founded on using local guides, so your travel experience is genuine and there’s more money put back into the local economy as opposed to into big businesses that may not have local roots.

READ NEXT: Prague Travel Guide — Travel Tips & The Best Things To Do In Old Town Prague And Beyond

For travel in Europe—or anywhere really—you should really spend some time on Get Your Guide seeing all of the options they have!

Accommodation Apps for Europe

Hostelworld

My personal go-to for booking great hostel options with in-depth reviews. Keep in mind that hostels aren’t just for a dorm bed in a room with others, they’re also a place for private rooms and ensuite bathrooms, etc.

The Hostelworld app allows you to filter accommodation options on these specifics so you can choose what you’re most comfortable with. So any way you look at it, Hostelworld is one of those travel apps that will save you time and money if you like to travel on a budget.

You can also create hostel wish lists and add hostels from around the world to your favorites so you can plan to go visit them on future trips.

RELATED: The Best Hostels I’ve Stayed At…& More Importantly Why They Make The List Hostel Guide 101 – Answers To The Questions You’re Asking

The Booking app and site offer an easy way to find and compare many kinds of accommodations, from homestays to hotels and everything in between. They have over 800,000 properties available across 35 languages, so there are a lot of options with great filtering options for your specific tastes.

The Booking app is a great app to use if you want to save money compared to some of the higher-priced accommodation options on platforms like Airbnb.

Food & Restaurant Apps for Europe

Too Good To Go

The concept of the Too Good To Go app is simple: you search for nearby restaurants, purchase a discounted meal before closing time, then pick up your order using their contactless payment system. You never know what type of meal will be available; it could be anything from freshly prepared dishes or delicious bakery treats.

I used this app dozens of times while living in Portugal, both day and night, since many restaurants had meals available between their midday rushes.

Not only are these meals priced lower than usual, but they also help reduce the amount of food being wasted each year – so you get a guilt-free dinner and an environmental win.

And these aren’t scraps or waste; the meals or offerings are often as top-notch as if you would have ordered them at regular menu prices during the peak food rush!

RELATED: 2 Months in Queretaro, Mexico: My Favorite Centro Restaurants & Food…for $2-20USD/meal!

The Happy Cow app is a must-have for any vegetarian or vegan going on a Europe trip. It’s easy to use and allows users to search for nearby restaurants that specialize in plant-based meals.

You can also filter your search by price range or type of cuisine so that you’ll know exactly what kind of food you’re getting before you choose.

The Happy Cow app currently has over 86,000 listings for vegetarian and vegan restaurants just in European countries!

Other Helpful Apps Apps for Travel in Europe

Austrian Post CardStudio

This app allows you to use your own photos and personalized messages to create and send postcards for around €2… all digitally & on the go.

The fact that you can use your own photos, choose the layout, and even have a customized stamp (with your picture on it) is just really neat. Guess this is a sign of the times!

And you can do it from anywhere in Europe. While I’m a big fan of handwritten notes or postcards, I’m terrible at actually sitting down and writing them…and then getting them in the mail. I mean, simply going to a post office in another country with other languages and currencies just adds to the nausea.

Thanks to Leah Michelsen for suggesting the Austrian Post and Treecard Apps!

Leah Michelsen // Guest Contributor

Treecard App

The simplest win for this app is that for every 10,000 steps you track while you’re walking…

…they’ll “fund the planting of a real tree in one of 35+ biodiversity hotspots” worldwide.

That alone is worth opening the app and tracking steps. But the Treecard App also encourages users to switch to green energy providers or invest in renewable energy projects when possible, allowing them to contribute even more towards reducing climate change. They even have a wooden debit card that plants a tree for every $50 spent from it.

You’ve probably heard of the Meetup App, but maybe you never thought about using it in your travels. I use the Meetup app all the time since I travel solo and usually want to meet people living in the places I travel.

I pop open the app, scan hundreds of events, and soon enough I’m surrounded by other locals and world travelers.

Game nights, bar crawls, free tours. You name it, there’s a meetup for it, whether you’re at home or all the way over exploring big cities throughout Europe.

No matter where you are headed when you travel in Europe, having access to these apps will definitely make your trip easier, and potentially cheaper. Let me know in the comments if there are apps that should be added to the list and I’ll check them out!

And please share this article with your Europe travel crew!

Safe Travels! — Jason

RELATED ARTICLES: The Best Hostels I’ve Stayed At…& More Importantly Why They Make The List Gifts For Diabetic Travelers—Essential Travel Items & Unexpected Gifts Switch To 24-Hour Clock Time ASAP—Because Sometimes Time Really Is Money

About Jason Robinson

Jason is the author of “The Beginner Traveler’s Guide To Going Nomad,” as well as the voice behind the words and the eye behind the lens for The Nomad Experiment. “Planning to travel at some point” wasn’t actually getting the job done, so nearing 40 he decided to make it a priority, nomatter how scary that was. A few years later— through the pandemic and a type 1 diabetes diagnosis at age 42 —now living a life of nomadic travel, he’s speaking out to encourage others of any age, or with any serious medical diagnosis, to live an unconventional life.

Travel Planning Tips

Figure out where you are going & how are you getting there… I suggest using at least 2 to 3 different travel search sites. Start with Skyscanner or Orbitz or Booking  … or whatever aggregator site you prefer. Then when you see what airlines to use, check their respective sites for better deals or rewards flights.

Figure out where you’re going to stay… If you’re interested in hostels, search Hostelworld or Hostelling International. For longer-term or more private digs, look at Airbnb , VRBO, or you can look for hotel rooms in the links from the search engines listed above. 

Get comprehensive travel insurance, or in the least, travel medical insurance if internationally… Especially with Covid not going anywhere, get covered. Start with an insurance aggregator like Insure My Trip, or with SafetyWing,   World Nomads , or another. Then decide what is important to you; trip cancellation, baggage coverage, medical, or all of the above. And get a yearly evacuation plan, since you’ll have to get home after your emergency! 

Need more resources? Click here!

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One Comment

super useful article! thanks! i’d also highlight ATM Fee Saver – a fellow traveller recommended to me! Very unique it shows ATM fees and withdrawal limits in 30-35 countries. helps calculate my atm fees with a calculator also and gives some handy tips and tricks! probably worth adding to your list!

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Traveling is fun, but it can be expensive. Savvy travelers know there are ways to save on your upcoming vacation — you only need flexibility and the right travel apps.

Here are four travel apps to help you save on your next vacation .

Hopper lets you book flights, hotels and rental cars all over the world. The app predicts future booking prices and will inform you if prices will likely go down, or if the best time to book is right now. It uses trillions of data points to analyze the pricing patterns of airlines, hotels and car rental companies.

You search by entering your destination and travel dates. Hopper will show you the cheapest dates to travel around the time you want to go. Once you select your dates and flight, the app will advise you to either book now or watch the trip. If the algorithm predicts that the price for your trip is likely to go down, you’ll be notified when to book.

There are also flash deals, which Hopper negotiates with its travel partners. If your dates and your itinerary are flexible, you can sign up to be notified when flash deals become available.

Skyscanner sounds like an app for finding the best flight deals, and that’s how it started. But now, you can use the Skyscanner app to identify the best deals on hotels and car rentals too. The search engine has a ‘search everywhere’ feature, so you can enter the city you’re leaving from and your dates, and see all the places you can go.

Unlike some other apps, though, you just identify the best deals on Skyscanner, and then book directly through the airline, hotel or car rental agency.

Hotel Tonight

For the ‘where the wind takes you’ traveler, Hotel Tonight can be a life and money saver . This app lets you book a hotel for the same night, sometimes at greatly reduced prices. The hotels make nothing if the room isn’t booked, so they will sometimes offer deals at the last minute. If you’re in a popular city during the off-season, or at least when there is not much going on, you can get a great deal.

For example, Hotel Tonight recently offered a one-night stay at the Battery Wharf Hotel in Boston the same night for $194. On the hotel’s website, the same stay two weeks later was $423.

If yours is a road trip, saving a few cents per gallon on gas can add up. To find the best price on nearby gas stations – or to find the nearest station so you don’t run out – try the GasBuddy app. It will find the gas stations nearest to you and sort them by price so you can save the most. GasBuddy’s data is generated by users, so in less populated areas the information could be out of date.

Using apps to help you save on travel is a smart move, but be sure you’re booking the right trips, too. Traveling during the off-season – or the so-called ‘shoulder’ season, just before and after high season – can save you a lot. So you can have flexibility in your dates or book hotels that may be a little bit off the beaten path.

Bon voyage!

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6 of the Best Apps to Travel Like (Or With) a Local

These days, it's all about "authentic" travel. Hotels, tour companies, even Airbnb are now concerned about the travel experience you're having — not just what you do or where you stay. But what does that really mean? And how can you travel authentically? Here at TPG we suggest using some apps that will help you to travel like, or even with a local. After all, there's no better way to explore a destination than with those who live there! Download our favorites and try them out on your next trip.

One of the best ways to experience a culture is through food. Instead of dining at restaurants that may have overpriced menus geared for tourists, EatWith offers curated food experiences in 130 countries that will give you a better understanding of the cuisine in a particular destination. You can sign up for dinner parties, food tours, cooking classes and more using the app. EatWith allows you to search by destination, with filters for price, cuisine, languages, food preferences/allergies and event type. Savor a pizza tasting in Valentina's home in Milan, have a barbecue on Ramiro's patio in Argentina or take a cooking class at Pen's farm in Thailand — you'll even pick fresh vegetables from the garden to cook with. Get the app for free on Google Play or Apple .

Located in 50 cities around the world, Withlocals offers unique tours and guides to help you get to know your destination. You start by choosing a theme for your tour and then you select your guide. Guides post videos on their profiles so you can really get to 'know' the guides beforehand and pick the perfect one for you. It's possible to chat with your local guide before your tour to add any personalized options, like a wine tasting or shopping stop to your tour too. The app is especially apt for families, with several tours created with the local destination and children in mind like treasure hunts. Get the app for free on Google Play or Apple .

Some may argue that it's not food, but nightlife, that really shows you the soul of a city. This may be right, at least in spots like Las Vegas, Berlin or Ibiza! PartyWith allows you to party with locals in over 150 countries around the world — places like Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Lisbon, London, Los Angeles, New York City, São Paulo, San Francisco, Sydney, Rio de Janeiro and more. With search features like city, people or event, you have a variety of ways to discover the best party for you. Searching by events will help you search for exactly what you like to do, with choices such as concerts, festivals, happy hours and special parties thrown by nightclubs, bars or lounges. You have your own "party profile" and can search for other people with similar profiles, or simply search in the city where your visiting (or live) to pull in all the options. Get the app for $0.99 on Google Play or Apple .

Jetzy is a little bit different from some of the other apps on this list. The location-based app allows you to connect with locals and travelers in real time. You can share photos, give or ask for recommendations or even make plans to meet up with someone. Jetzy allows you to search by topic — things like fitness, food or weekend plans, ensuring you'll be able to ask a local where the best yoga class, brunch spot or park is — and even see photos and meet them there. Sharing your own experiences and recommendations in your home city or while traveling and interacting with others will earn you points. These points can later be redeemed for rewards like spa or restaurant credits, hotel stays or full trips. Get the app for free on Google Play or Apple .

Meetup is all about interacting with locals and other travelers with mutual interests or hobbies. Whether you're traveling or in your home city, 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, like yoga, photography, cooking, wine tasting, hiking, language exchange, cinema and much more. You can join groups to get updates on particular events that you may want to participate in. The app can even help for networking, as there are many groups dedicated to business and technology, or you can find co-working groups. Those traveling with kids can participate in family-friendly meetups, and it's a great way for solo travelers to make friends and connect with others. Get it for free on Google Play or Apple .

If you're not typically into guided, group tours or don't feel like paying a hefty fee for a fancy private tour, Showaround can help you find locals willing to give you a more authentic tour of their home city for a cheaper price. Some will even offer tours for free because they want to practice their English or simply because they love meeting people from around the world. The app aims to provide more local experiences tailored to your interests, like checking out a new art gallery instead of the Louvre in Paris or drinking wine and eating tapas at local spots in Madrid. Search by your destination using filters like a male, female or couple guide, activities you'd like to do and languages you speak. It's also possible to set a price range when searching; you can read reviews for guides as well as leave your own. Get it for free on Google Play or Apple .

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5 Apps That Will Make You Money to Pay for Traveling

These apps can even make you money while you travel.

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CHIANG MAI, THAILAND - SEP 04,2016 Apple iPhone 6s plus with Airbnb application on the screen. Airbnb is a website for people to list, find, and rent lodging.

Photo by: OhmZ

While location-independent lifestyles are more doable and common these days thanks to the Internet, not everyone can have a full-time, salaried job that allows them to travel. Maybe you don’t have paid time off or just can’t quite afford that dream vacation you’ve been needing. From renting your car to running basic errands, make some extra cash to pay for your travels with these apps that offer flexible schedules and the ability to be your own boss.

One of the most popular apps for making money while you travel, Airbnb allows you to list your residence for rent, whether you live in a tiny studio loft, a houseboat or a 10-bedroom house. While you’re away on a trip, you won’t be using your space anyway, so let a fellow traveler make use of your home and earn money to cover costs of your own trip — it’s a win-win. While you can still communicate with your guests remotely, it’s smart to let a trusted neighbor know that you’ll be out of town and hosting an Airbnb guest. Maybe even ask your neighbor to be on-call if guests need assistance since you won’t be able to meet them in person.

8 Castles You Can Rent on Airbnb

Wilton Castle

Wilton Castle in Enniscorthy, Ireland, is countryside luxury at its finest. Located on the banks of the Boro River, the 19th century castle is meticulously decorated and offers up to 14 guests elegant accommodations starting at $1,189 per night. Those who have stayed recommend exploring the grounds and taking the "Dark Path" off the main road to experience the beautiful Irish landscape.

Photo By: Airbnb

Capperina Tower

“An ancient tower, built entirely of stone overlooking the sea of the Amalfi Coast.” If the opening line of this listing doesn’t entice you to book a trip to Italy, then I’m not sure what will. For $452 per night and up, a total of four guests can enjoy private beach and pool access. The property is surrounded by nature and is ideal for those looking for the ultimate relaxing vacation.

Chateau Mercier

Built between 1906 and 1908, Chateau Mercier is a stunning rental located in Sierre, Switzerland. This 23-room property features stunning views of the mountains and was recently updated to include modern amenities while maintaining its original charm. This castle starts at $4,307 per night but with room to accommodate 16 or more guests, this could be the perfect option for those planning a large celebration in the Swiss countryside.

Balvaird Wing at Scone Palace

For those looking for some historical significance to go along with their castle rental, look no further than Balvaird Wing in Perth, Scotland. It was the crowning place of the Kings of Scots and considered by many to be one of the country’s most important stately homes. From $673 per night, up to six guests can view the rare artifacts and antiques indoors, or head outside to gaze upon the gorgeous Scottish landscape.

Storybook Castle

Get the castle-feel without ever having to leave the United States. Situated on 7 acres in Ellington, Connecticut, this property is available from $175 per night and can accommodate 6 guests. The three bedroom New England castle was renovated in 2000 to include modern amenities but the historical charm remains.

Chateau de Farcheville

If you’re looking for the ultimate French castle, look no further than Chateau de Farcheville . The property, which starts at $22,593 per night, boasts 22 bedrooms, 34 bathrooms, an underground wine cellar, hidden passages and so much more of what you would expect from a 14th-century castle near Paris.

Craighross Castle

Sitting on a secluded beach in South Africa (20 minutes from Knysna), Craighross Castle is the perfect place to listen to the waves of the ocean during the day and stargaze at night. The six-bedroom/six-bath privately-owned property is part of the famous Noetzie Castles where Nelson Mandela and his family were known to vacation. Starting at $462 per night, this African oasis is perfect for large families or a romantic getaway for two.

Ter Leyen Castle

Located near the quaint village of Boekhoute, Belgium, Ter Leyen is a 15th-century castle fit for a king — or those who want to pretend to be one while on vacation. The postcard-worthy property starts at $1,035 per night and has enough room for up to 32 guests, making it the perfect Belgian party castle.

Gigwalk is known as a secret shopper app where large companies such as Red Bull or Whirlpool hire “gigwalkers” to complete simple tasks such as taking photos of commercial buildings, doing stock checks of items inside stores or taking photos to show how competing brands are placed on shelves. Gigs can pay anywhere from $3 to $20 or more. You probably won’t get rich off of Gigwalk, but why not pick up a few extra bucks on your next trip to Target? 

Photo by: Courtesy of Roadie

Courtesy of Roadie

Roadie is a user-generated shipping app, kind of like Uber or Lyft for your stuff. You can use it as a shipper or a driver. As a shipper, you can list gigs of items you need sent anywhere in the 50 states for less than the cost of traditional shipping. As a driver, you can pick up gigs to transport items in your vehicle, earning cash while doing it. Gigs range from quick deliveries across town like bringing cupcakes to a birthday party to cross-country deliveries like transporting a mattress from Atlanta to Los Angeles. Roadie is great for travelers who are already planning on taking a cross-country road trip and want to help offset travel costs. Drivers can pick up a few gigs here and there to help cover the cost of gas or even plan an entire trip around gigs.

Fiverr®  (pronounced “five-er”) is a global online marketplace offering tasks and services, beginning at a cost of $5 per job performed, which is where it gets its name. Whether you want to develop a side hustle to make a little extra cash to pay for your next trip or make a transition to full-time freelance work, Fiverr® allows users to work where and when they want. Charmaine Pocek started offering services to help people write resumes and cover letters in 2011 on the side. Earlier this year, she surpassed $1 million in Fiverr® earnings , becoming the first female freelancer and first American to do so. If that’s not motivation to start a side hustle, I don’t know what is.

Photo by: Michelle Geer

Michelle Geer

Turo , a peer-to-peer car rental service app, has been called the “Airbnb of cars”. Say you’re flying across the country for a friend’s wedding for the weekend, leaving your car parked and unused in your garage. Why not rent out your vehicle to travelers visiting your city for the weekend? Potential income varies based on type of car and how many days you rent your vehicle, but the average monthly owner earnings for Turo users renting vehicles is $720. Think of all the travel costs that could cover!

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Best Travel Apps to Earn Money While Exploring the World

Earning money is possible when you’re traveling for a business, vacation, or other purposes. How? Use any of the best travel apps to earn money.

Table of Contents

List of 10 Best Travel Apps to Earn Money

The blog post presents a comprehensive list of the best travel apps that offer money-making opportunities while on the move. From vlogging on YouTube to renting out properties on Airbnb, each app caters to different interests and skills, allowing travelers to earn income during their journeys. Here we have listed the best travel apps to earn money while exploring the world. Check the list below:

1. Trotter It – Travel Journal & Earning App

If you love creating, documenting, and sharing your travel experiences, then Trotter It is an ideal choice for you. Alongside making money while traveling, the app also helps in getting the most useful digital travel guide to make traveling easier.

Download the App : Android | IOS

If you love being on the camera, use YouTube to post your latest vlog as you travel. You can start creating travel videos in a niche you’re interested in.

Download the App : Andriod | IOS

Business owners or entrepreneurs can get benefit from Clarity by mentoring people through telephone calls at the agreed cost.

Download the App : Andriod

This is an ideal app to monetize the travel pictures you take abroad. You can upload travel pictures, find a buyer, and earn some money.

This peer-to-peer car rental service app allows users to rent out their vehicles while they are flying across the nation.

People traveling between the United States and China can make money using this app that pays users for transporting Airmule Travel Boxes from one specific airport to another.

7. Field Agente

This app will pay you for completing certain tasks for money in another country.

Rent your place like a cottage, flat, house, etc. on your terms and earn extra cash whenever you want.

This app is somewhat similar to Airmule as it also pays for driving items. The difference is that the Roadie app requires driving items or pets across the city or the nation.

10. UberEats

It is the best travel app for earning money by delivering food through Uber from one destination to another.

Wrapping Up

The blog post highlights a diverse range of travel apps that offer opportunities to earn money while traveling. From sharing travel experiences on Trotter It to renting out vehicles on Turo, these apps cater to different interests and skills. Whether you’re a content creator, a driver, or a mentor, there’s a money-making option for you. However, users should be aware of the potential drawbacks and challenges associated with each app, such as connectivity issues, competition, or safety concerns. By exploring these apps wisely and leveraging their features, travelers can make their journeys more financially rewarding.

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5 Apps That Will Help You Make Money While Traveling

From selling travel photos to packing extra luggage, here's how to make some dough on the road.

Susan Shain is a journalist who has been traveling since 2008, writing about everything from the birthplace of piña coladas to snail mail. Her work has appeared in The Washington Post , The New York Times , The Atlantic , and elsewhere.

658 million. That's how many vacation days Americans left on the table in 2015. In other words, as a country, we missed out on nearly two million years worth of traveling.

Though many workers skip vacations because they don't feel they can take time off, money likely has something to do with it, too. We spend an average of $2,448 per vacation , according to a 2016 Travelex survey—a big chunk of change for almost everyone.

If you're excited to travel but worried about your finances, one way to ease the pain is with apps that can help you earn money wherever you are. They won't make you rich—and they won't fund your trip—but if you're on the road, especially somewhere cheap, they might cover your next meal or drink.

Here are five apps that might help you make money while traveling .

In addition to making all your friends jealous, you can actually make money with your travel photos . Just use an app called Foap , which helps you sell your photos to big brands—like Heineken, Visit Sweden, and Garnier—for use in their digital marketing efforts.

You can upload images directly from your phone, and whenever a company buys your photo, you'll earn $5. The best part? You can sell the same photo to an unlimited number of buyers, earning $5 each time.

The app also features "Missions," which are requests by brands for specific photos. Examples of past Missions included a photo of "Christmas time in Poland" or "hair with flowers." If your photo's selected as the winner of a Mission, you'll earn $100 or more.

It's worth noting that when you sell your photos through Foap, you grant a non-exclusive right to buyers and therefore waive your right to be identified as the photographer in their content.

Heading out on a road trip? Roadie will pay you to transport items in your trunk to another location within the United States.

For local deliveries, you'll earn $8 to $50—but travel long distance with an oversized item, and you could earn up to $650. (Or more, if you transport a pet!)

Even better, you might be able to write off the mileage on your taxes. "It's no different than for any other freelance job: the driver needs to report all income received on Schedule C of their Individual Tax Return," said accountant Eric Nisall . "Any expenses directly related to earning that money, such as mileage, tolls and lodging for long-distance trips can be deducted on the Schedule C. Nothing prior to pickup or beyond final delivery can be deducted as business expenses."

Airmule is a similar concept for plane travel. If by some miracle, you have extra space in your suitcase, you can fill it with items that need to be transported overseas. Or you can check an extra suitcase filled entirely with a sender's items.

As a "mule," you'll earn 80 percent of the sender's fees, which is $40 for up to five pounds, plus $6 per additional pound. You'll earn more if you have to pick up the package, or if your departure's within the next 48 hours.

Right now, jobs are only available on routes between the U.S. or U.K and China—a trip for which most travelers earn a whopping $300 one-way—but the company plans to widen its offerings as demand for international shipping grows. "We will expand more globally in the near future," said co-founder Rory Felton.

4. Swagbucks Watch (TV)

No matter how you spin it, traveling involves a lot of waiting. Instead of scrolling through Facebook for the billionth time, why not earn some extra money?

One way is with Swagbucks Watch (TV) , which lets you earn "SB" points for watching movie trailers or other short videos in categories like recipes, fashion, and even travel.

You'll earn 2 SB for every six videos you watch, with "typical active users" earning 50 to 100 SB per day, according to Swagbucks spokesperson Sarah Aibel. Once you've racked up enough, you can redeem them for gift cards or cash: 500 SB for a $5 Amazon gift card, for example, or 2,500 SB for a $25 PayPal transfer.

Clearly, the points add up very slowly, but remember that you can keep the videos on in the background while waiting at the airport or hanging out at your hotel.

5. Field Agent

Want to explore your new surroundings? Use FieldAgent as your excuse to wander.

Available in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, the U.K., Romania, South Africa, and Australia, this app connects you with companies in need of on-the-ground market research. Once you download it, you can simply create a new login for whichever country you're traveling in.

The app uses geolocation to find gigs near you, and pays $2 to $12 for quick tasks like checking prices or displays in stores. (You'll get paid via PayPal in the currency of the country in which the gig is located.) Find a bunch of gigs within a walkable area, and you might be looking at a decent hourly rate.

One thing to note: because of international tax laws, "as you add more income and more countries, this can get very complicated very quickly," said Jeremy Williams, Field Agent's Director of International and Product Strategy, via email. So if you're using this app in a foreign country, be sure to seek professional help before filing your taxes.

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10 Apps That Will Make The Most Of Your Vacation In 2024

I f you've ever spent time at a networking event, made small talk at your kids' soccer games, or scrolled through a dating app, you'll know that "travel" is something almost everyone will tell you they enjoy. Couple that with an attachment to our smartphones that borders on co-dependent, and it's no surprise to learn that travel apps are a hot commodity. Some of the best innovations in travel come in the form of apps. Staying in touch with people at home, travel planning, staying organized on the road, or connecting with other travelers? Not only is there an app for that, there are many apps for that. 

To help you sort through the plethora of what's out there, here are some travel-ready apps to make your vacation a blast. We've sourced suggestions from people who travel for a living and those who leave their local area only rarely, so no matter how often you jet-set, there is an app for you.

Read more: 12 Smart Gadgets You Didn't Know Existed

If your cell plan doesn't include international roaming, you can get slammed with steep fees for using mobile data outside your own country.

There are a few ways to get around roaming charges, including buying a local SIM card for the country you are traveling in, using a Wi-Fi stick , or investing in a dual SIM phone, like those from Samsung, Apple, or Google. One of the easiest and cheapest options though, is an eSIM app like Airalo . Airalo was one of the first in the eSIM game and continues to be popular with travelers. Fans of the app point to how easy it is to download and get started quickly, and how much it saves in fees. On the other hand, some users have noticed a discrepancy in how well it works in different countries. One reviewer on TrustPilot states "We do NOT recommend this plan given the extremely poor performance in Vietnam" despite noting excellent service in Hong Kong. 

Airalo is a paid service, available on the App Store and on Google Play.

Google Maps is often the default app travelers reach for when navigating new territory. It's a trusted resource for a lot of reasons, including the ease of finding reviews and info for even very small businesses. But it's not the only map app out there, nor is it the best in every situation. The main advantage of Maps.me over Google Maps is that it is based on user-generated information. Particularly for folks who are getting around on foot, this "boots on the ground" approach is excellent and more direct than reporting problems to Google Maps . It also means that if you find a cool place on your travels and want to make sure other travelers can find it, you can add it to a map.

Like Google Maps and other useful way-finding apps, you can download maps and bookmark points of interest for offline use, although the background information on locations is not as robust as on Google Maps. Maps.me also allows you to access various modes of transportation while offline, which Google doesn't. 

Maps.me is free to download and available from the App Store and from Google Play.

Cash's position as king is increasingly precarious. On your travels, you'll find cashless options in places you might not expect. The mass availability of mobile payment platforms like Square means you may be able to whip out your phone or card at Swiss coffee carts or Mexican street vendors. Wise (formerly Transferwise) lets you move between currencies seamlessly. Wise lets you operate in 40 currencies, which is particularly handy if you are traveling to several different countries. They advertise charges that are less than the major banks. However, some users have complained about complications with money transfers, so be forewarned if you intend to use this app for sending money. 

Of note to travelers is the option to get an actual bank card that can function as an international debit card with a nominal conversion fee (not all bank cards can pay by debit in countries other than your home base.) Or, save a step and scan your phone to pay from your Wise account. 

Wise is available on the App Store and from Google Play. There is no charge to download the app, but fees are charged for some banking activities.

If you are going to be traveling from place to place on your vacation, you will want the Rome2Rio app on your phone. Enter your destination and departure location, and the app spits out the options and approximate costs for each leg of your journey. For instance, if you are in Edmonton, Canada, and want to get to the Thai island of Ko Yao Yai, the app will suggest six options, labeling the best, cheapest, and fastest combination of flight, minibus, and ferry. You can't purchase tickets through the app, although there are links to book accommodation that take you to Booking.com. Being able to purchase travel fares through the app would make things easier, especially if they were offered in a package, but the absence of that feature means you can investigate and compare prices from different booking operators , so we are putting it in the win column.

Rome2Rio is free to download and available from the App Store and from Google Play.

Rick Steves Audio Europe

Rick Steves is recognized as a top voice in travel guides. His down-to-earth approach to travel has endeared multitudes of followers to him, spawning an industry of books, television shows, and a sprawling web presence that features how-to guides, articles, and an active travelers' forum. On top of all that, he has a free app for self-guided walking tours through many of Europe's top sights called Rick Steves Audio Europe . Reviewers of the app give it a high rating (4.7 on Google Play and 4.3 on the App Store) using superlatives like "This app is GOLD," and comparing the quality of the tours to paid audio tours. On the downside, it is difficult to sync the app on multiple devices, so if you are in a group you may all be at slightly different parts of the tour, which can be mildly annoying. There are a bunch of tour sites, with more added periodically.

The audio tours and accompanying maps are downloadable, so you don't need to worry about burning through mobile data or needing to rely on Wi-Fi. Rick Steve Audio Europe is free to download and available from the App Store and from Google Play.

How many trips come vividly back to life in your mind just by thinking about that one excellent bowl of Cacio e Pepe pasta or sun-drenched sip of a Paloma? Exploring a place through its flavors and discovering new spots to eat is a beloved part of travel. In Europe, TheFork (the French version is called LaForchette) is the go-to app for crowd-sourced restaurant reviews. Previously, the app also covered Australia, but at the start of 2024, it was announced they will be pulling out of Oz.

You can find Michelin-starred restaurants with months-long wait lists or little hole-in-the-wall spots by searching the name of the eating establishment, the city or neighborhood you want to eat in, or the kind of cuisine you are craving.

The app is worthy of its space on your phone just for the restaurant listings and reviews, but if you want to explore more of the capabilities, there are ways to expand its usefulness. You can make reservations, register to collect points, access discounts and specials at select spots, and pay through the app. TheFork is free to download and available from the App Store and from Google Play.

Looking for a little love on the road? The Fairytrail app might be the ticket to romance (or ROAMance) you are looking for. Aimed at digital nomads and van life devotees, the app is a nice addition to the dating lives of travelers of all stripes. Members are evaluated and assigned a fairytale character similar to enneagram-slash-Myers-Briggs personality types, which is a new and novel approach compared with other iPhone dating apps or Android dating apps .

Because the app is focused on people with nomadic lifestyles, matches are location-independent. The idea is that users of the app will be willing to travel to each other to meet and date. There is a setting that allows an extra layer of matching: dream places to visit. If you so choose, before chatting with a match you need to have an overlapping "bucket-list" destination. Previously, this was an unavoidable step but became an optional setting after it was changed in response to frustration expressed by reviewers. The app is being redesigned in 2024 and soliciting feedback from users. Stay tuned, it seems more happy endings are in store! Fairytrails is free to download with in-app purchases and is available from the App Store and from Google Play.

Price Scanner And Converter

A very unpleasant aspect of vacationing in another country is coming home to a shocking credit card bill. Part of the problem is the tendency of holidaymakers to spend like money isn't real, but the other problem is how difficult it is to calculate prices into your own currency. Sure, you can come up with shortcuts to do quick math, but that gives you an estimate rather than an exact cost. To help, there are many different currency converter apps out there, with features like real-time rate calculation and offline capability. The somewhat clunky-named Price Scanner and Converter takes it one step further by using your phone's camera to scan prices and display them automatically in your preferred currency (out of 150 global currencies.) New iPhone cameras also have a similar capability, but it isn't as seamless a process as using this app.

This price scanning app isn't presently available on Google Play, although there are similar apps to be found. The reviews are pretty overwhelmingly mediocre, so if you are on team Android, your best bet may be to download a regular currency converter and enter in prices the old-fashioned way.

Downloading the Price Scanner and Converter is free from the App Store.

Searching through your emails for confirmations and itineraries isn't an efficient way to access your travel information. And good luck if you have used your work email for some of your planning and your personal email for others. What if you are offline when you need to find your tour details? Nightmare fuel. Tripit has created a simple user experience, allowing you to forward all those endless travel planning emails to be arranged into an easily accessible itinerary in a single spot, which you can access from any of your devices.

Other features of this include the ability to load PDFs, QR codes, and other travel documents to your Tripit travel folder. There are helpful navigation tools, like airport maps, neighborhood safety ratings, and nearby places. You can share your travel plans and sync them to your calendar. For $49 a year (or a free 30-day trial) you can upgrade to Tripit Pro for enhanced travel aid, including notifications to help keep you on track and on time. 

Tripit is free to download from the App Store and from Google Play, and you can upgrade to the premium Tripit Pro on the Tripit website or in the app.

Mobile Passport Control

The latest app from U.S. Customs and Border Patrol goes by the wildly creative name, " Mobile Passport Control ." It's a no-nonsense app with a no-nonsense name that allows users to streamline the customs experience. Rather than filling out declarations forms, users enter their information into the app and send it to border officials so they can access it as soon as they get to customs. You can do this immediately upon arrival, say as your plane is taxiing to the gate.

The app is for United States citizens and Canadians with a B-1 or B-2 visitor visa who are entering the USA at one of 33 American airports, 11 preclearance sites, and four seaports. It works in tandem with your passport, but it doesn't replace it.

As a bonus, some sites allow those with the Mobile Passport Control app to use their own (almost always shorter!) line or expedited Global Entry lines at passport control. You can enter family members on the same app and there is no approval process, just download and go.

A previous iteration of the app had a premium, paid version, but this is no longer the case. The app is free on the App Store and Google Play.

Read the original article on SlashGear .

Personal Finance

Best money-saving apps 2024.

Our evaluations and opinions are not influenced by our advertising relationships, but we may earn a commission from our partners’ links. This content is created independently from TIME’s editorial staff. Learn more about it.

Whether you're saving for a rainy day or a dream vacation, the best money-saving apps can help you reach your savings goals faster. These apps use various techniques to make saving money easier—and more enjoyable. Here are our favorite apps to help boost your bank account, whether you're an experienced saver or just getting started.

Best money-saving apps compared 2024

Our recommendations for the best money-saving apps, best for managing your finances: quicken simplifi.

LIMITED TIME  3-month free trial to existing Mint users

‌ Quicken Simplifi offers various tools designed to make your finances more manageable. You can link your bank accounts , credit cards , and investment accounts for a broad view of your finances. The user-friendly app also lets you create monthly spending plans, manage monthly bill payments (and receive payment reminders), and set personalized savings goals. It is one of our top recommended Mint alternative . Monthly plans start at $2.39. Currently Quicken Simplifi is running a promotion for a limited time only: get 50% off if you switch from Mint App .

Learn more on our comprehensive review .

Best for gas rebates: Upside

Upside says its cash-back offers are “like finding money in your pocket, everyday!” The app finds cash-back deals from local gas stations, restaurants, and a limited number of grocery stores. Tap “claim” when you see an offer you like, then shop as usual using the credit or \\[debit card](https://time.com/personal-finance/article/best-prepaid-debit-cards/) that you linked to your Upside account. Wait for the offer to process, and then cash out your earnings directly to your bank account, PayPal, or a gift card. Cash outs aren’t instantaneous: Gift card and PayPal transfers can take up to 48 hours, and bank deposits can take up to seven business days. There is also a $1 fee for cashing out small dollar amounts ($10 or less for banks; $15 or less for Paypal) .

Best for lowering your bills: BillTrim

BillTrim   is a bill negotiation platform that works with your cable, phone, internet, utility, and other service providers to save up to $900 on your bills. You’ll link your bills and bank account to the platform, and when a bill is due, BillTrim   automatically pays the bill for you. BillTrim   also monitors your bills and tries to lower any price increases before your next autopay goes through. There’s a One-time $99 fee fee, and unlike many bill-lowering platforms, BillTrim   doesn’t take a cut of the savings.

Best for investing spare change: Acorns

Acorns says it "puts investing on autopilot." Its Round-Ups feature automatically invests your spare change in a diversified portfolio of ETFs managed by pros at top investment firms like BlackRock and Vanguard—so you can save and invest with little to no effort. Acorns adjusts the portfolio as needed so you can stay on track with your goals. Acorns offers three subscription plans that cost $3, $5, or $9 per month.

Best for tracking expenses: Rocket Money

Rocket Money

Rocket Money (the same company behind Rocket Mortgage) helps you save on expenses by analyzing your billing history to see what you're spending on monthly subscriptions, with the option to cancel the ones you no longer use. The app also has tools to track your spending, create budgets, and automate your savings to help you get (and stay) on financial track. Rocket Money is free, but Premium subscriptions cost between $3 and $12 monthly. 

Like Simplifi , we recommend Rocket Money as a great alternative to the Mint App which is shutting down.

Learn more about Rocket Money on our comprehensive review .

Best for budgeting: You Need a Budget (YNAB)

YNAB Money Management Tool

‌ YNAB (pronounced "why-nab") is a money management app that lets you connect all your accounts and track them in one place. The app is based on four rules aimed at changing your relationship with money:

• Give every dollar a job.
• Embrace your true expenses.
• Roll with the punches.
• Age your money.

‌ YNAB says the average new user saves $600 by their second month and $6,000 in the first year. Subscriptions cost $14.99 per month or $99 annually, but you can sign up for a free 34-day trial with no credit card or commitment requirements.

Best for saving while you spend: Guac

Guac is a straightforward app that lets you define what you’re saving for, how much you want to save, and when you want to reach your goal. The app automatically transfers a small percentage of your daily spending into your Guac funds so you can save while you spend. Once you reach your goal, you can use the Guac Marketplace to make your purchase and earn cash back. Guac offers $0; Pro version: $4.99/month . 

Best for hands-off investing: Revolut

Revolut offers money management tools, travel perks, and a fully automated robo-advisor for hands-off investing. You can start with just $100 and then set up one-off or recurring deposits to boost your investment opportunities. You'll get a diversified portfolio that matches your risk appetite, and Revolut automatically rebalances it so you stay on track. The management fees are a competitive 0.25% per year, with a monthly minimum fee of $0.25.

Best for goal setting: Qapital

Qapital lets you create unlimited, personalized savings goals and make rules to trigger automatic saving. For example, you can make rules to save your spare change every time you swipe your card, save $2 every time you buy a coffee, or stash 20% of your paycheck. Qapital also lets you create shared savings goals to help you and your partner reach a common goal together. Monthly subscriptions cost $3, $6, or $12.

Best for simplicity: Oportun (formerly Digit)

Oportun is a simple app that links with your bank account and uses AI to calculate how much you can afford to save based on your income and spending habits. It then regularly moves small amounts of money from checking to savings when it's safe to save for your specific goals. You can set a maximum daily transfer amount or a safe savings level (a minimum checking account balance). Oportun costs $5 a month, but you can download the app for a free 30-day trial.

Best for cash back: Rakuten

Rakuten Rewards

Rakuten  is a free app that helps you save money on everyday purchases. The app offers cash back, deals, and coupons at over 3,500 stores on everything from clothes and electronics to restaurants and ridesharing. Once you sign up, you can shop with the Rakuten app , browser extension, or website to score cash back when you make online and in-store purchases. You'll get a cash-back payment every three months by check or Paypal . 

Our methodology

To determine the best money-saving apps, we evaluated mobile apps with features designed to make saving money easy or automatic. Examples of attributes include round-ups for saving spare change, customizable savings goals to keep users motivated, and cash-back offers to save on everyday purchases. We considered dozens of apps, and our favorites have a user-friendly interface, at least one money-saving tool, and positive user reviews in the Apple App Store and Google Play store.

How to use apps to save money

Money-saving apps use different techniques to help you save. For example, some round up your purchases, adding the spare change to your savings or investment account. Others offer budgeting tools to help keep your spending and saving on track —or personalized goals to keep you motivated. Once you choose an app, you can download it from the Apple App Store or Google Play store, set up an account, connect your other financial accounts, and start saving.

To transfer money to friends and family, consider using a money-transfer app like Cash App .

Are money-saving apps safe?

Reputable apps take multiple security measures to protect account data. Still, app safety varies by company, and money-saving apps are no exception. Review the terms and conditions to learn how the app uses and protects your personal information.

Why should you use a money-saving app?

Money-saving apps can make it easier to reach your savings goals, whether you need cash for a down payment, dream vacation, or anything else. Most of these apps help you save a little at a time, with the idea that those small amounts add up over time. A high-yield savings account, high-yield checking account, or investing app can be a good next step once your savings goals are on track.

High-yield savings accounts

Once you've built up some savings, consider stashing your cash in a high-yield savings account to put your money to work. These accounts pay a higher interest rate than traditional savings accounts. Rates vary by bank, but online banks generally offer the best savings account interest rates.

High-yield checking accounts

A high-yield checking account is a good option for everyday expenses and paying bills. These accounts generally offer several convenient ways to access cash, including checks, online bill pay, debit cards , and a network of fee-free ATMs. You can usually find the best high-yield checking account rates at online banks rather than brick-and-mortar ones.

Investing apps

If you've saved some money and want a higher potential return than a deposit account offers, you might want to consider one of the best investing apps. Many investing apps are aimed at new investors just starting to learn about the financial markets—and interested in making small investments. Keep in mind that investing apps charge a monthly subscription fee or trading commissions. Be sure to read the fine print so there aren't any surprises when you get your account statement.

TIME Stamp: Saving money is hard, but these apps make it easier

Saving for a financial goal is never easy, whether you're stashing cash for an emergency fund or something fun, like a bucket list trip. Months of inflation, soaring mortgage rates, and economic uncertainty haven't helped. The good news is that money-saving apps can make saving a little less painful—and even fun—so you can reach your financial goals sooner.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

What is the best app to help save money.

There are numerous money-saving apps available, offering a variety of tools and techniques to help you save. Still, the best app is one that works with your lifestyle and makes saving easier for you. For example, Acorns and Chime are excellent choices if you like the idea of saving spare change a little at a time. On the other hand, if you could benefit from setting personalized savings goals—and the motivation they can provide—Qapital is a worthy option.

What is the best round-up app for saving money?

With round-ups, your purchases are rounded up to the next dollar, with the difference going into a savings or investing account. Acorns and Chime are popular and highly rated round-up tools designed to make saving a breeze.

Is it safe to use money-saving apps?

Many money-saving apps are safe to use. Legitimate ones are transparent about how they use and protect your personal information. If unsure about an app, research the company, read online user reviews, and check its Google Play or Apple App Store ratings and download statistics.

The information presented here is created independently from the TIME editorial staff. To learn more, see our About page.

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7 of the Best Money-Making Apps of 2024

Lauren Schwahn is a writer at NerdWallet who covers credit scoring, debt, budgeting and money-saving strategies. She has contributed to the "Millennial Money" column for The Associated Press. Her work has also been featured by USA Today, MSN, The Washington Post and more. Lauren has a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of California, Santa Cruz. She is based in San Francisco.

Courtney Neidel is an assigning editor for the core personal finance team at NerdWallet. She joined NerdWallet in 2014 and spent six years writing about shopping, budgeting and money-saving strategies before being promoted to editor. Courtney has been interviewed as a retail authority by "Good Morning America," Cheddar and CBSN. Her prior experience includes freelance writing for California newspapers.

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money .

For those looking to earn money in an easily accessible way, apps provide plenty of avenues to consider. You can use your smartphone to take surveys, pick up a side gig , sell your unwanted stuff and more.

Here’s the scoop on seven free money-making apps. NerdWallet considered apps with at least 3.8 stars and 25,000 reviews in both Google Play and the iOS App Store.

7 of the best apps to make money

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• 4. Wambolt & Associates Wealth Management Partners
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3. Swagbucks

• LifeLock pros
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• Best for emergency expenses coverage: American Collectors
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• What it looks like
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• What we like
• But wait, there’s more
• 7. G&S Capital
• Rocket Money
• What makes TurboTax the best overall tax software?
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• Reimbursement amounts
• How much is Disney+?
• I have a Transamerica cash value policy. What is the “surrender value,” and when does it pay out?
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7. Poshmark

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• Healthy Paws vs. Trupanion
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• 1. Check whether your pet is eligible
• 2. Research what’s covered
• 3. Decide how much coverage you want
• 4. Understand reimbursements and deductibles
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• 6. Examine extra costs
• 7. Compare quotes
• Methodology
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• PowerChurch
• Getting repairs
• Installation
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• Pro-Install
• Nest equipment
• What we don't like
• No-credit-check loan example
• Making a claim
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• Highly rated for security
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• 61% fewer complaints than average
• NCQA Score Range: 2.0 to 3.0 out of 5
• AARP membership
• AM Best Financial Strength Rating: A (Excellent) for most
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• Dental and vision add-ons
• Old Republic Home Protection
• NCQA Score Range: 4.5 out of 5
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• 75% for member benefits
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• NCQA Score Range: 2.0 to 3.5 out of 5
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• AM Best Financial Strength Rating: A+ (Superior)
• Home Service Club
• NCQA Score Range: 2.5 to 4.0 out of 5
• NCQA Score Range: 2.5 to 3.5 out of 5
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• What customers like about the home warranty
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• NCQA Score Range: 2.5 to 4.5 out of 5
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The best money-making apps

How it works: Ibotta lets you earn cash back on in-store and online purchases at over 2,000 supported retailers. Originally for groceries, it has expanded to include clothing, entertainment and eating out, pet supplies and other categories. Offers can be product or retailer-specific. For others, you’ll need to complete an additional task such as watching a video or taking a poll.

There are three possible ways to earn cash back in stores: Add offers and submit your receipt in the app after your shopping trip (you have 7 days to send in your receipt through the app), link your retailer loyalty accounts or purchase a retailer gift card through the Ibotta app. For online purchases, you shop through the app or with the Ibotta browser extension on your computer.

Payment: PayPal, digital gift card or direct to a bank account.

Pros: You’ll receive cash back on in-store purchases quickly — typically within 24 hours. Ibotta also offers a welcome bonus to new users, referral bonuses and a variety of payment methods.

Cons: Making money can be a slow process. You must have at least $20 in cash back to redeem your earnings (some gift cards require at least $25 in earnings). For online shopping, the pending period for earning cash back varies by retailer. Ibotta also charges an account maintenance fee for inactive (no activity for 180 days) or deactivated accounts. The fee is deducted from your balance, not your bank account.

Download: Android , iOS .

How it works: Rakuten (formerly known as Ebates) rewards shoppers with cash back on purchases from well-known retailers, restaurants and food delivery services. Users can also earn cash back on travel, gift cards and more. It’s straightforward: Create an account, tap on the store where you want to shop in the app, then make the transaction through the portal. You can also link a credit or debit card to your Rakuten account to earn cash back in-store — as long as you activate the deal through the app first. Rakuten credits the cash back to your account after it confirms the purchase with the retailer.

Payment: PayPal or "Big Fat Check."

Pros: Thousands of stores and purchases are eligible for cash back, so you’ll likely find deals where you already shop. New users can earn a welcome bonus after their first qualified purchase. You can also earn sign-up and referral bonuses. You can make an impact with your cash back earnings by donating a portion to nonprofit partners.

Cons: As with most cash-back services , you have to spend money to make money. You won’t see your earnings right away, either; Rakuten sends out payments every three months on the company's payment schedule, and you need to hit the minimum cash-back balance to get paid. Unlike other apps like Ibotta, you have to remember to initiate your purchase in the app first. If you forget and make your purchase outside of the app, you can't get credit retroactively.

How it works: Swagbucks is a cash-back and rewards app . You earn points, called "SB," by shopping online (there are over 1,500 participating retailers), taking surveys, watching videos, playing games or fulfilling other tasks through Swagbucks. You can redeem those points for gift cards or get cash back to your PayPal account. The total points awarded can vary by task. For example, surveys are typically worth about 40 to 200 SB points each. The minimum balance required to redeem depends on the payout option you choose, but some gift cards are available for as low as 110 SB.

Payment: E-gift card or PayPal. You can also redeem SB for Bitcoin through the new Cryptovoucher Gift Card options.

Pros: Swagbucks offers many easy ways to earn rewards, and there’s no waiting period to cash in. Payments usually arrive within 10 business days after redemption. You can also get a $10 bonus with a qualifying $25 purchase when you join.

Cons: It doesn’t pay much; one SB is worth about a cent. With many tasks valued at pennies, it can take a fair amount of time and effort to make substantial money. Additionally, you won’t qualify for every survey or task, although users can earn up to 5 SB per day if they disqualify. Users often report getting kicked out of surveys in the middle of taking them. This can be due to demographics or dishonest or inconsistent answers, according to Swagbucks.

How it works: Fiverr is a freelancing marketplace that features gigs in over 200 categories, such as programming and video and animation. Create an account first, then you can set your profile as a "seller" highlighting your expertise. Post the gig you’re offering, which will include pricing and a description of your services. Pricing ranges from $5 to $995. Clients, known as "buyers," can click through and place orders. You’ll get paid once you complete the job. Fiverr assigns seller levels based on performance. As you move up each tier, you’ll be able to sell more “extras,” such as a faster delivery time.

Payment: PayPal, direct to a bank account, Payoneer or credit to a Fiverr Revenue Card (a prepaid card). Minimum withdrawal amounts vary, and your payment processor may charge a withdrawal fee, depending on which option you choose.

Pros: You don’t have to worry about tracking down buyers because they come to you. You can also earn tips. Fiverr also boasts its flexibility, allowing sellers to complete gigs in their own time or around their 9-5 jobs.

Cons: Fiverr takes 20% of your earnings for every gig, including tips, and there’s a standard 14-day waiting period to withdraw money after completing an order (top-tier sellers wait seven days for funds to clear).

How it works: Upwork connects freelancers to gigs in writing, design, marketing and other categories on the marketplace. First, you’ll create a profile. It should include information such as the field you’re interested in plus your qualifications, availability and desired rate. Then, you can submit proposals. Clients will review them and offer projects if you seem like a good fit.

You begin each month with a set number of “Connects,” which are like credits that allow you to contact prospective clients. You can earn or pay a small sum for more Connects, but you won’t be charged when clients contact you. You can get paid on an hourly or per-project basis.

Payment: Direct to U.S. Bank, direct to your bank account, wire transfer, Instant Pay, PayPal and Payoneer. Charges apply to some payment options, so be sure to check Upwork for details.

Pros: Upwork helps take the work out of seeking out clients, establishing relationships and getting paid. The service also gives you the flexibility to set your preferred rate and schedule.

Cons: The app is free to download, but initiating contact with lots of clients costs money. Users also get charged a service fee. Upwork takes a 10% cut of your earnings based on how much you’ve billed a client. The more you earn, the more you get to keep. However, you won’t get paid until 10 days after the billing period ends. Remember, too, that you’re competing with other freelancers on the platform. That means clients may choose those who’ve set lower rates.

How it works: OfferUp, which combined with competitor Letgo in 2020, functions as a local marketplace you can use to sell your stuff . If you want to reach a broader audience, OfferUp also allows shipping anywhere within the United States except for Alaska, Arkansas and Hawaii. Create an account and snap a picture of your smartphone, car, sofa or whatever it is you’re selling. Once you add a title, description and price, you can post your listing and chat with buyers directly through the app. Then, you'll ship to or arrange a meeting with the buyer.

Payment: When selling locally, OfferUp recommends sellers take cash from buyers and stay clear of accepting payments by check, cashier's check or using other apps. For shipments, sellers can set up deposits to a debit card or bank account.

Pros: Creating a listing is simple and fast, and you’ll get paid instantly when you make a cash sale. You can also view a prospective buyer’s reviews and ratings to get an idea of how trustworthy they are beforehand. If you ship your item, the buyer pays the cost, and OfferUp provides the label.

Cons: You’re responsible for meeting local buyers in person and handling transactions. Sellers must pay a 12.9% service fee, or a minimum of $1.99, for shipments. To be successful, you’ll likely need to invest in a printer so you can print the shipping labels and mail items to buyers.

How it works: The Poshmark app is tailor-made for selling clothes , accessories and even home decor. After signing up, you take or upload photos of your item, fill out a description, price it and share the listing. You can also feature items in the app’s "Posh Parties," which are virtual shopping events centered around particular brands, categories and themes. Poshmark emails you a prepaid and pre-addressed shipping label once a purchase is made. Then, you send the package via USPS.

Payment: Check, PayPal, Venmo, Instant Transfer or direct deposit to a bank account.

Pros: Poshmark facilitates the entire process, from selling to shipping. Plus, you don’t have to meet with strangers to make a sale. The company will cover lost packages and handle issues between you and the buyer. Getting paid is relatively quick, too; Poshmark issues the money within three days of the buyer receiving the order.

Cons: You’ll pay a fee for selling through Poshmark . The company takes a $2.95 commission for sales under $15 and a 20% commission for sales of $15 or above.

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8 Apps That Pay You to Travel: Earn Money While Exploring the World

If you are like me, you don’t need many excuses to travel.

Now if you were to learn, just as I did recently, that numerous apps pay you to travel, this may get you excited about not only earning through your phone.

But having all these apps will allow you to explore new places without being too concerned about money.

So in this post, I will take you through some of the best apps out there that will help you earn money as you tour the globe.

Table of Contents

Ever been in a situation where you have visited a country and done some last-ditch shopping to make the most of items sold there and not in your home country?

Well, it turns out there are apps out there to solve that issue, with Grabr, an app that pays you for buying items and then delivering them to those in your destination city.

So let’s say you’re switching from London to Paris, and someone there wants Marmite, an item notoriously tricky to find outside of the UK.

Well, using Grabr, you can deliver that item to that person when you visit Paris. Now that was just an example, but you get the idea.

With 500 thousand downloads, this is a perfectly safe app to use, and after each delivery is completed, you will receive the delivery fee as a reward.

So if you’re literally looking for apps that pay you to travel, then Grabr could be it.

Airbnb has changed the game regarding staying in foreign countries and for additional ways to make money online.

A platform that makes renting a house, cottage, or flat almost anywhere is, in fact, a great way for you to bring in  extra cash .

With the opportunity to put your own place onto the site, you can set your own nightly price, tell people when it’s available to be rented, and list up your own rules.

Meaning you can rent a spare room or the whole property entirely on your terms.

That is the main feature of Airbnb, and it will enable you to earn money to travel the world than passively. However, there are other ways to make it.

The Airbnb Experience section means you can earn on the go by offering your skills and expertise while in another country.

Maybe you can give someone a photo shoot to give them an unforgettable experience in a country.

Or can teach someone how to cook local dishes.

Whatever it may be, you can list up your job and potentially earn as meet all types of interesting people while going from country to county.

3. Field Agent

If you are up for the task of completing tasks in another country, then a fantastic app called Field Agent will pay you for doing simple tasks for money.

By fulfilling requests such as capturing images of stores, checking the stock of an item, or simply taking a picture of a product’s price tag, you could be doing just a few of the tasks.

As you can see the difficulty of this is low, and with the flexibility of accepting the jobs with times that suit you, means you can earn as you do your touristy activities.

Now in terms of availability, how many jobs you can do will depend on the location.

So if you travel somewhere remote, you can expect far less, if not nothing, compared to a large city where most work will be.

For doing these easy tasks, you can expect to receive anything between $3 and $20 for a task, with the time and effort required dictating where on that scale you are getting paid.

All in all, Field Agent offers an excellent way for you to explore different places while balancing the books of spending and earning.

If you are someone who likes being on the camera and sharing your stories, then an app to take advantage of is YouTube.

Here I am not talking about putting on the latest vlog from your favorite YouTuber. Instead, it can be you making the content to earn as you travel.

As a YouTuber, you can find a niche that suits you and create videos around it to build up an audience of people who like your posts.

Through this, it isn’t abnormal to  make sums of $500+ a day , with the sky being the limit with this opportunity.

However, to make a successful YouTube channel, you will need to pick up the camera to earn enough to fund your travels the next day.

With monetization requirements and generally taking time to build a platform, it may take some time before you’re enjoying the fruits of all that quality content you are uploading.

For this reason, either building a YouTube channel or growing it before traveling, so you can then take it with you abroad.

Or alternatively, YouTubing as you travel but keep it as a side project as you build it up.

Who doesn’t like to get their camera out to snap away in new places?

I know I certainly do, and if you do, then an app called Foap is a great app to monetize those photos you take abroad.

Whether that’s capturing the local wildlife, your lunchtime food, or the local landscapes, you can upload them to an app called Foap and earn money for each one.

With companies and individuals present on Foap looking for photos, you can find buyers who want the rights to your quality pics, and therefore, you can earn some good money.

Not only do you get the pleasure of taking satisfying photos, but you get to earn through doing something you love.

From time to time, Foap also hosts competitions where you can be in the mix of earning grand prizes for submitting different themed photos.

Giving you an incentive to take that perfect photo.

If you’re going abroad, chances are your vehicle will collect dust if you don’t plan on taking it with you.

So what is a great way to utilize it while you sipping margaritas on the beach? An app called Turo.

Now this Turo app is a peer-to-peer vehicle-sharing platform where you can rent out your cars and motorbikes for cash.

Working very similar to Airbnb, you can list up your vehicles to suit you, from the price you want to rent it out for to the times you allow access.

If you are concerned about any future renter damaging your vehicle, you needn’t worry, as Turo will take care of this with their $1 million liability insurance.

That means you can rent away with confidence knowing everything is covered.

As a result, this makes Turo an excellent option for making money while traveling without lifting a finger.

If you have a passion for cooking food and meeting new people, then an app like EatWith could be the perfect app for you to look into.

As long as you abide by local laws and requirements of the country your planning on hosting events in, you can earn money in different countries as you travel.

How it works, is you will be hosting events such as dinners, classes and food tours to guests. With the potential for you to earn up to $700+ per event you host.

Like Airbnb, Turo and Uber to some extent, you can host these by your accord, by having your own menus, doing them at the times that suit you, and for the amount you want to charge.

Making this one of the best ways to earn money while getting the chance to meet interesting people from different cultures.

8. UberEats

If your travelling to a country for an extended period and plan on getting a work visa, then you can do something like UberEats.

As you know UberEats is one of the biggest ways of earning, with it becoming popular with those who are looking for the flexibility of working for there selves.

Now as long as you are abiding by all the countries and Ubers policy, you can earn money by delivering food or (people via Uber) from destination A to B.

With the ability to work your own hours, and with a fixed pay-out per ride, it offers a great way to earn, explore a new city and meet new people.

So whether your a student working abroad, want to earn while riding your bike, or whatever your intention maybe, an app like UberEats could be for you.

Using apps like I have mentioned on this list, will enable you to travel without needing to always reach into your pocket.

With these apps you can instead put money back into your pocket as you explore new places, and potentially become a digital nomad.

Some of the apps on this list, will help you discover new passions and therefore bring you a way to earn through something you enjoy.

So by all means try out each of these making money apps that pay you to travel and then let me know how you get on in the comments section below!

Hi, my names Joshua and I am the owner of Achievemorethanaverage.com. I became frustrated with people telling me what to do so set out to achieve more for myself and live life on my own terms.

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How do apps for travel make money?

Meanwhile, the remaining group use a variety of ways to go on holiday, including online travel agencies (OTA), accommodation sharing websites, and direct bookings, but 7% of them use a bricks and mortar travel agency.

So, around three quarters of vacationers use online booking agencies to plan their time away from home. That’s good news for online businesses, and the percentage can only increase with time.

OTA mobile apps try to offer a complete package to users, and normally it is more than enough for most people. They specialize in flights, accommodation, car hire and other reservations in one app, and people can book their complete trip from the comfort of home. In app purchases are also available to the potential travelers.

But how do these types of apps make money to keep improving their services, find new potential users and stay at the top of the app listings?

First, a look at the market in general and how it is responding to post-pandemic life.

A small problem with the travel and tourism industry

During the pandemic, many businesses were forced to close completely or reduce their staff costs. That includes the travel and tourism business in a big way. Dependent on visitors, vacationers and tourists to generate income, they suffered a lot and some of them will never recover.

Airlines laid off pilots and crew, and reduced hours in the remaining staff. Pilots will have to be rehired and probably retrained before returning to service, as will support staff.

According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, over 60 million jobs were cut in the industry in 2020, and while many of these jobs are being filled, many workers do not want to be at the forefront of customer bad behavior and disrespect, which is a growing problem. 

Tempers have risen during the last two years with the stress of working under a cloud of increased prices and decreased freedom of movement. The slightest mistake can cause a furious response.

Restaurants have complained that it is hard to find cooks and servers, and hotels are short of housekeeping staff.

The travel industry’s response

Some hotels are streamlining their services using technology, with artificial intelligence in robots to do regular cleaning, security and room service deliveries. Travelers can use booking apps to check in and out with many other hotels, and can make local reservations, such as health and beauty appointments and additional travel services, online.

In fact, travel and tourism apps are taking the place of most of the human services in the industry, with flights, bookings, tours and events all managed online.

While there may be some initial problems with travel in 2022, they should all be ironed out by using mobile apps, robotics and artificial intelligence.

An underdeveloped market?

There aren’t too many high street travel agencies left, most of them have retreated to an online presence, dealing with potential clients via the internet rather than face to face. Marketing is harder, and access to data is limited.

The publishers of travel mobile apps, on the other hand, have aggressive marketing campaigns and are primarily thinking like technology companies. Such applications use strategies including artificial intelligence, big data and machine learning in the development process.

The key players in the travel and tourism market are investing heavily in new technologies, and the more their travel mobile apps are used, with more data stored, the more benefits and opportunities to offer personalized travel services and insider tips to the general public and also increase their revenue.

Lesser known travel mobile apps are also gaining popularity and brand recognition due to the wide variety of alternative tourism available, including adventure based, cultural, wellness, historic, educational and all the way to extreme shopping tourism.

So what about the money?

If you have developed an independent, specialized travel app for a smartphone, there are a few different monetization models and I will list them below.

A major player in the travel and tourism industry will likely use a different revenue model, which I will also list below for comparison.

Independent travel app monetization

In-app advertising, affiliate links, a layered membership option, subscription service, the merchant model.

Now onto the big boys.

If you type into a few search engines ‘ top five tourism apps ’ you pretty much get the same results. I don’t have to mention them here but I think you will know most of the names.

Big brand travel app revenue models

Supply and demand, sponsored ads, in app purchases, premium listings.

As you can see, the established travel and tourism companies use mainly less-personalized ways of generating income, with a steady stream of money coming from advertisers and sponsors.

Although the same can be said for smaller companies, they usually are more proactive in finding backers, using every skill they can to increase the app download and use.

There are some developers who produce a minimum viable product and upload the idea onto crowdfunding platforms for public support.

On the whole, customers like to remain loyal to their travel apps, and in a way become part of the development process. Push notifications about discounts and coupons are becoming more prevalent, and the popular flight booking apps are dealing well with the constant changes in flight movement and cost, using price prediction algorithms.

Maybe travel agents are a thing of the past, but in the world of travel and tourism, mobile applications with their booking services, offline maps, notifications and money saving features rule the roost for the present.

They will continue to make money by saving their loyal customers time and money. And that is not a bad way to do business.

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31 Legit Money Making Apps: Top Apps That Pay Cash (2024)

R.J. Weiss, CFP®

• Updated May 24, 2024

What are the highest-paying apps available today?

To find out, we’ve tested the most popular money-making apps. Our goal was to discover which ones are legit and worth your time, ranking them based on their earning potential, ease of use, user ratings, and company reputation.

Our top picks are:

Note : The reviews and ratings below were collected on May 8, 2024. We update this data periodically throughout the year to keep it current.

Table of Contents

Side Cash Apps

To create this list of the best side cash apps, we tested the top survey apps , best cash-back apps and gaming apps that pay .

#1. Branded Surveys

Branded Surveys is a highly-reputable survey platform that’s been around since 2012 and has paid out more than $38 million to its users. 

What makes Branded Surveys stand out is its large inventory of available surveys, which generally take 5 to 15 minutes each and can pay up to $5.

The downside to Branded Surveys in our testing was the high disqualification rate. You may not qualify for all surveys available on the platform, or you may get kicked out after answering a few questions because you don’t fit the demographic. 

Minimum withdrawal : You can cash out once you’ve earned $5, with available options including PayPal, bank account transfer or gift cards (including Amazon).

Download Branded Surveys .

#2. Swagbucks

Swagbucks is a reader and personal favorite for good reason: while you can take surveys, there are also several other simple tasks you can do to make money, such as watching videos, playing games and getting cash-back for shopping online.

While Swagbucks is a solid survey platform, its wide variety of tasks and generous $10 sign-up bonus make it one of our favorite overall money making apps.

Minimum withdrawal : There’s technically no minimum to cash out, but most reward options start at $3 (including PayPal cash and select gift cards).

Download Swagbucks .

#3. Survey Junkie

Survey Junkie is a top market research company with over 10 million members, high user ratings, an “Excellent” Trustpilot score, and a low $5 cash-out minimum. 

It stands out for its large inventory of surveys, allowing for flexible earning opportunities. 

Although there’s no sign-up bonus, new users can complete high-value tasks like profile surveys and watching a video to quickly reach the $5 minimum payout.

Minimum withdrawal : 500 points gets you a $5 transfer to your PayPal account, or you can redeem these reward points for gift cards.

Download Survey Junkie .

#4. Rakuten

Rakuten is a top-rated app that offers up to 40% cash-back at more than 3,500 partnered merchants. Simply search for the retailer in the app, click the link, and shop as usual.

For in-store purchases, link your card and activate cash-back offers before checking out. 

Sign up using this link for a $10 bonus on a qualifying purchase of $25 or more. 

Minimum withdrawal : $5, but note that payments are not available on-demand. Your cash-back will be paid automatically every three months via your choice of PayPal, paper check or American Express rewards points.

Download Rakuten .

#5. Freecash

Freecash is a comprehensive rewards platform that offers various opportunities but primarily specializes in games.

There are free and paid games where you can earn Freecash Coins, which can be exchanged for cash.

According to the website, the most active users reported an average daily earning of $19.52.

One downside is that the game selection is limited initially, but more options become available as you play and progress.

Game options right now include Monopoly Go and Family Island.

While there is only an Android app, there are both iOS and Android games you can access after signing up via their website.

Minimum withdrawal : $5. Options include PayPal, cryptocurrency, and gift cards.

Download Freecash

#6. Mistplay

Branded as “the loyalty program for gamers,” Mistplay is a free gaming app that rewards you with points for playing games on your Android smartphone (an iOS version is in development). 

Sometimes, you must provide Mistplay with feedback on the game itself. In other cases, you’re required to reach certain in-game milestones (like leveling up).

Your points can be redeemed for gift cards to major retailers like Amazon, Starbucks and the Nintendo store.

Minimum withdrawal : 1,500 points, which is roughly equal to $5 in value.

Download Mistplay .

Upside is a cash-back app focused on gas purchases. In our testing, we found gas stations that offered up to 35 cents per gallon (though 25 cents and lower is more common).

The app offers cash-back at select grocers and restaurants, but availability varies by zip code.

Minimum withdrawal : You can withdraw at any time for a $1 fee. Once your balance reaches $10, you can withdraw for free.

Download Upside .

#8. Fetch Rewards

Unlike many receipt scanning apps, Fetch Rewards works at any store. There are no barcodes to scan or coupons to clip, and you don’t have to buy specific products to earn points.

The big downside to Fetch is that each receipt only pays a few cents. However, you’ll get bonus points for buying sponsored items, and these are often common household products that you may be buying anyway.

Minimum withdrawal : 3,000 points gets you a $3 gift card.

Download Fetch Rewards .

#9. Rakuten Insight

Rakuten Insight is a paid survey app from the company behind Rakuten, the most well-known cash-back shopping portal in the United States.

We earned $9.62 per hour during our testing period, making this one of the best-paying survey apps we’ve reviewed. 

The downside to Rakuten Insight is that the number of available surveys is limited compared to bigger platforms like Survey Junkie .

Still, the above-average pay makes this a great option when you’re thinking about giving paid surveys a shot.

Minimum withdrawal : $5 to cash-out via PayPal.

Download Rakuten Insight .

#10. Nielsen Computer and Mobile Panel

Nielsen, a renowned research company known for TV viewership ratings, also analyzes smartphone usage with their Nielsen Computer and Mobile Panel app. 

This app runs in the background, anonymously collecting data on phone usage and activity types, such as browsing or watching videos. 

Users are entered into a $10,000 monthly sweepstakes and can earn up to $50 per year in gift cards or PayPal cash if the app remains installed for 12 months.

Download the Nielsen Computer and Mobile Panel app .

#11. SurveyMonkey Rewards

SurveyMonkey, which is widely used by numerous businesses for gathering customer feedback, also offers a lesser-known rewards app. 

In our testing, we earned an impressive $13.56 per hour (significantly above the survey app average). 

The platform’s surveys are typically brief, taking just 2-3 minutes to finish. However, survey availability is limited; we received only nine opportunities during a month-long test. 

Despite this, we reached the $5 cash-out minimum with minimal time and effort.

Minimum withdrawal : You must earn a minimum of $5 to redeem rewards. Amazon gift cards or a contribution to charity are the only redemption options. 

Download SurveyMonkey Rewards .

#12. KashKick

KashKick functions similarly to other reward apps like Swagbucks in that offers a range of different ways to earn money.

When we tested the platform, we found that taking surveys on KashKick only pays about $1 per hour on average, so it’s not worth your time.

However, KashKick does provide some unique money-making offers that are worth checking out.

For example, we found an offer allowing users to earn $300 from KashKick for buying a $100 annual LifeLock subscription (which can be canceled after the first year). In other words, you can net an easy profit of $200.

KashKick also offers games. We found that KashKick games provide higher payouts than on competing platforms (such as Mistplay), but they usually require that you reach the designated milestones faster in order to earn (e.g., 7 days instead of 14 days).

While that aggressive timeline may not work for everyone, KashKick’s games could be worthwhile if you have the time to commit. 

Minimum withdrawal : $10 minimum via PayPal.

Download KashKick .

#13. InboxDollars

InboxDollars is a popular money making app that lets you earn through surveys as well as a variety of other tasks. It’s owned and operated by the same company that runs Swagbucks, but there are some key differences between the two (including that it’s one of the few sites where you can get paid to read e-mail ).

InboxDollars also rewards you in real money (not points) for the activities you complete. The downside? There’s a $15 minimum to cash out, though the $5 sign-up bonus can help you reach that milestone.

Minimum withdrawal : $15 to cash out.

Download InboxDollars .

#14. Ibotta

Ibotta is widely recognized as one of the best cash-back apps for groceries , but has expanded into local retail and online cash-back. 

It works like this: you use the app to scan the barcode of the product you purchased at the store, and then you upload a photo of your receipt. Often, you’ll have to watch a 15-second video clip to have the money posted to your account. 

Both my wife and I use the app, often stacking one of the many apps that are similar to Ibotta to double-dip on rewards. We’ve found the 30 seconds it takes to always be time well spent. 

You can earn a $5 welcome bonus by signing up with our link and making a $15 purchase through the app.

Minimum withdrawal : $20 in cash transferred to Venmo or PayPal.

Download Ibotta .

Gig & Sharing Economy Apps 

The gig and sharing economy has opened up dozens of legit earning opportunities that you can leverage with your smartphone, including on-demand delivery jobs , odd jobs and more.

#15. DoorDash

DoorDash allows you to earn extra money by delivering restaurant take-out orders. You’ll need a car, bicycle or scooter, a driver’s license, and valid insurance to become a Dasher.

With DoorDash, you have the flexibility to schedule your shifts ahead of time or use DashNow, a feature only available during peak hours where no pre-scheduling is required. 

That means you’ll have less scheduling flexibility than with UberEats (see below), but it also means you’ll usually have a more consistent flow of orders (because there are fewer drivers working at any given moment).

Download the D oorDash driver app .

#16. Instacart

Instacart lets you earn money by shopping for and/or delivering groceries. Full-service Instacart shoppers both shop for and deliver items, but if you don’t have access to a car, you can be an in-store shopper only.

Similar to many gig economy apps , a big perk of working with Instacart is that you can set your own schedule. That said, peak times, such as weekends, often pay the most per hour.

Instacart shoppers get paid per order based on the time it takes to complete the order, as well as the distance (if delivering). Delivery drivers also get tips from customers.

Download Instacart .

#17. Fiverr

Fiverr is a freelance marketplace known for its wide variety of tasks offered.

What’s unique about Fiverr is that you’re the one designing the gig and posting it for others to buy. As such, you can create jobs you can fulfill entirely from your smartphone.

This could include video editing, proofreading and photo editing — among many others.

Visit Fiverr .

Uber gives you two ways to make money with a single app: ride-sharing as a driver or delivering takeout food orders with UberEats. And with over 100 million active monthly customers in 900+ cities, there’s plenty of demand to keep you busy.

Being a driver with Uber is the most famous side hustle in the world for a reason: Uber freelancers can earn solid money (earnings vary based on factors like location and demand), and you can work literally whenever or wherever you want, with no need to set a schedule. Just open the app, make yourself available and then accept the gigs that are sent your way.

UberEats is similar to DoorDash (mentioned above) in that you can earn money by delivering food orders from local restaurants using your car, scooter or bike — or even on foot in some cities.

Plus, whether you drive people or deliver food, you have the ability to request instant payout for a small fee — meaning you can get paid the same day you work instead of waiting around for a deposit to hit your bank account.

Download the Uber driver app .

Rover is a pioneer in the pet care industry when it comes to pet sitting, dog walking, doggy daycare and boarding. The app allows you to connect with local pet owners in need of these services. Rover advertises that walkers can get paid up to $20 per hour.

It’s ideal for those living in a more urban area, where they can often take out multiple dogs and travel short distances. For those not living in a city, boarding can help maximize your earnings.

Download Rover .

Turo is a car sharing app that allows you to earn money by renting your vehicle. 

The app works similarly to Airbnb in that you can list your car for rent and set your own price. Once a renter is found, they’ll contact you to arrange a time to pick up the car. 

Alternatively, many Turo hosts use remote lock technology, giving renters access to the car without meeting in person. Theoretically, you can earn passively, as the app handles the entire transaction. 

Download Turo .

#21. Neighbor

Neighbor is an app that allows you to get paid for renting unused space in your home. This could be an extra garage spot, driveway space, shed, attic or basement.

While there is some work involved upfront — such as listing your space and connecting with clients — once the storage is set up, there’s very little work required on your part.

Download Neighbor .

Investing Apps

When we think of money making apps, it’s all about turning minimal time, effort and resources into cash — all through your smartphone.

A select few investment apps fall into this category, in that you can earn money without investing a lot of time or cash. This may include being paid a sign-up bonus , getting free shares of stock , or having the ability to automatically invest your spare change.

#22. Arrived

Arrived , backed by Jeff Bezos, provides a platform for investing in single-family rental and vacation homes, with a minimum investment of $100.

Unlike traditional methods, Arrived manages the properties, allowing investors to earn quarterly dividends from net income without the usual landlord hassles. The platform specializes exclusively in single-family homes, employing a systematic approach to select properties in lucrative markets aimed at optimizing rental income and asset appreciation.

Although relatively new with a limited track record, Arrived’s innovative model, lower entry barrier, and passive income potential make it an intriguing option for those looking to diversify their investment portfolios in real estate.

Download Arrived.

#23. Acorns

Acorns is a mobile app that automates investing through:

• Spare change investing . Acorns’ Round Ups feature sets aside the difference from your purchases (e.g., 80 cents from a $17.20 expense) and invests it into a mutual fund, helping you save and build an investment portfolio gradually.
• Acorns Earn . Partnering with hundreds of retailers, Acorns allows you to earn money when shopping at specific stores (up to 10% of the purchase amount) and adds it to your investment account.

By using Acorns Earn and investing spare change, you can build a substantial portfolio for retirement or generate side income.

Download Acorns .

#24. Public

Public is one of our favorite apps for investing in individual shares of stock .

What stands out about Public is its simplicity: the app offers a very clean and user-friendly experience, and forgoes more advanced features, like options and futures trading, that aren’t necessary for beginning investors.

Download Public .

Miscellaneous Money Making Apps

From taking pictures of products at local retailers to achieving fitness goals, these apps don’t fit into one of the categories above but are still great for making extra money.

#25. TikTok (Shop)

The best-selling author in late 2023 was 24-year-old Keila Shaheen. Her self-published book The Shadow Work Journal outsold every other title on Amazon.

Her secret? TikTok Shop.

TikTok Shop is a new opportunity for creators to earn money by either launching products directly on TikTok or by promoting other products as an affiliate. 

Then, you create content around those products, ideally taking advantage of TikTok’s algorithm (which is more favorable to new creators regardless of follower count).

A strong network of affiliates is how videos of The Shadow Work Journal have now been viewed over 1 billion times. 

See our article on how to make money on TikTok for tips if you want to give it a try.

#26. Amazon (Influencer Program)

The Amazon Influencer program allows everyday people to make money by creating short product review videos. 

While you’re free to promote your videos via social media to increase your earnings, what’s unique about this opportunity is that videos can be featured directly within Amazon listings. You then earn a commission whenever viewers watch your videos and make a purchase. 

This is great news in that you don’t need a large social following to get started or do well. 

To learn more, check out our article on the Amazon Influencer program . 

Foap is a mobile app that allows you to make money by selling pictures you take with your phone. What’s nice is that one photo can sell multiple times, which allows you to generate a source of passive income.

The best way to earn is through “missions,” in which Foap teams up with a specific brand to show how everyday people use their product. 

Minimum withdrawal : There’s no minimum, but Foap pays you once per month via PayPal.

See also : Here are some more ways to get paid to take pictures with your phone .

Download Foap .

#28. Bookscouter

A popular free app among book lovers, Bookscouter allows you to sell used books.

How it works is that you enter or scan a book’s ISBN number and Bookscouter provides a list of companies looking to purchase that title (along with how much they’re willing to pay).

Those who earn the most know where to find used books for cheap (garage sales, library book sales, etc.), and use the app on the spot to find the ones that will fetch the highest profit margins.

Download Bookscouter .

#29. Field Agent

Field Agent is an app that allows you to make money by completing random local tasks, like taking pictures of products (to make sure they’re properly displayed) and completing mystery shopping missions to evaluate stores’ customer service. In that sense, it’s a form of mystery shopping (which can be a legit side hustle).

It’s also one of the best apps that pay you for walking .

This free app is best suited for those in urban areas, as you’re only paid on a per-task basis. Since you have to factor time and cost of travel into your net earnings, you’ll make more if you live near a high concentration of participating businesses.

Minimum withdrawal : $10 via PayPal.

Download Field Agent .

#30. Facebook and Other Selling Apps

Selling your stuff is one of the best ways to make money fast . Apps such as Facebook Marketplace (located in the Facebook app), Craigslist, and OfferUp are great for selling items locally.

eBay is best suited for selling items outside of your local area. While you have to ship the item, you can typically sell it for a higher price (as your group of potential buyers is greatly enhanced). This makes eBay ideal for collectibles and items that are in high demand (like iPhones).

Not sure what to sell? We did the research to find the best things to sell online .

#31. Evidation

Evidation (formerly called Achievement) is a combination of a survey app and a fitness app. It works by syncing with other fitness apps you have on your phone, including:

• Apple Health
• MapMyFitness
• MyFitnessPal
• And over a dozen others .

In addition to earning rewards via healthy activities — e.g., hitting 10,000 steps in one day —  you can earn rewards for answering health-related surveys. 

Minimum withdrawal : You’ll need a minimum of 10,000 points to cash out, which gives you a $10 gift card to popular retailers.

Pro tip : Turn this into a passive income app by syncing it with an app like Apple Health, which tracks your activity and steps in the background.

Money Making Apps That Aren’t Worth Your Time

We found plenty of apps that didn’t make the cut. Here are some of the most popular, along with why they’re worth skipping. The links below will take you to our full review of each app, where you can learn more.

• ATM App . While it has an interesting premise — users can choose to match with brands and then get paid for interacting with them, in a form of “brand dating” — we found the earning potential to be very low.
• Capital One Shopping . We highly recommend this app based on our experience, as it has provided us with some of the most rewarding shopping credits. However, it doesn’t serve as a direct source of income since the rewards are given in the form of gift cards only. For a more detailed insight, check out our Capital One Shopping Review .
• Honeygain . This app does legitimately pay you for sharing your internet connection. However, the pay rate is so low it’s not worth the hassle of installing it.
• LifePoints . We found LifePoints to have an extremely high disqualification rate combined with a limited inventory of surveys. So while it’s a legit site that will pay you for your time, there are better options.
• Lucktastic . This popular sweepstakes app was shut down in March 2022.
• OnMyWay . The app promises to pay you cash for safe driving, but you have to refer 250 users to unlock cash rewards.
• Sweatcoin . You can only earn money by referring friends to Sweatcoin — not by walking, as advertised.
• Testerup : The company makes bold claims about how much you can earn, but when we tested the app, our earnings came out to less than $1 per hour. Plus, you have to reach $70 in order to cash-out.
• Zogo . This free app pays you for completing lessons about basic personal finance topics. We made an average of $6.07 per hour in our testing, but our earning rate declined quickly the more we used the app.

Money Making Apps FAQ

Yes, money making apps work. However, it’s important to have realistic expectations. In most cases, your earning potential will be relatively limited. It’s best to view these apps as tools you can use to make extra cash in your spare time, since most were not designed to generate anything close to a full-time income. At the same time, there are some money making apps that can generate a substantial amount of money when used consistently. One example is the cash-back shopping category. If you’re reading this, you probably shop online. And if you’re not using a cash-back app like Swagbucks or Rakuten , you’re effectively paying more than you have to for everything you purchase. Depending on how much you spend online over the course of a year, apps like these may realistically save you hundreds of dollars. And then there are gig economy apps like DoorDash and Uber , which are fantastic options when you’re looking for a part-time job or a side hustle . This category of money making apps obviously requires real work, but it offers unmatched flexibility and pay that typically ranges from $15 to $25 when tips are factored in.

Selling apps, such as Facebook Marketplace and eBay , are your best bets for making money fast. Beyond selling, DoorDash and Uber are also good options. These two apps enable you to make decent money on a per-hour basis, as well as to cash-out your earnings daily (for a small fee). These are among the highest and fastest-paying paying apps you’ll find.

Money making apps are generally safe, but there are some things to keep in mind before downloading them. First, understand that virtually all money making apps collect some form of user data. This may include basic information like your demographics (age, location, etc.), but it may also include more personal data like your internet browsing habits. If you’re concerned about data collection, make sure to read the app’s privacy policy. Of course, privacy policies are often written in legalese, so it’s a good idea to refer to the company’s FAQ or knowledge base to see if they provide clear and easy-to-understand details about what data is collected and how it is (or isn’t) used. Another concern many people have is the safety of their financial information, such as bank login credentials or account details. Often, in order to get paid by a money making app, you’re required to provide a routing and checking number or link your bank account through a third-party provider like Plaid . Services like Plaid are generally considered secure, and we think you should be comfortable using them. On the other hand, we’re not fans of manually providing our bank account details, because it’s not always clear how strong a given app’s security practices are. In cases like this, we recommend setting up a free online checking account that you use specifically for money making apps.

When you’re evaluating money-making apps, pay close attention to user reviews — and specifically the ones on the Google Play Store and iOS App Store. Unlike some other user review sites, companies can’t edit or delete reviews that appear on the official app stores. So if an app is a scam, chances are you’ll see that quickly based on user feedback. Sort by negative reviews, and read through three to five to see the common complaints. If a lot of users have trouble withdrawing money or not getting responses from customer support, it’s best to avoid the app. You can also search r/BeerMoney , a popular subreddit where people talk about their experiences with different apps.

There are a number of different business models and app monetization strategies used by these companies to generate revenue. – Online survey companies sell the data they collect to third parties seeking to improve their products and services. – Many gig economy apps take a percentage of revenue from each transaction. – Cash-back shopping apps like Rakuten are among the highest paying apps for a reason: they earn a solid commission for sending you to retailers’ sites, which they then share with you. Apps that give you money are always getting something in return — whether that’s your data, your feedback, your business or something else. Keep that in mind when picking which ones to use and make sure you’re comfortable with the tradeoff.

Best Money Making Apps: Final Thoughts

Our top priority when compiling this list was to make sure every app we included was both legitimate and worthwhile. There are many other apps out there, and while some of them work for some people, others just collect your data and waste your time without providing any real chance to cash-out your earnings.

Depending on your situation, they may or may not be worth looking into. But this list is the cream of the crop.

If you’re looking just for surveys, Branded Surveys is a great starting point. 

Our favorite all around rewards app is Swagbucks , thanks to the wide range of ways you can earn. 

If you’re looking for a dedicated cash-back app, Rakuten is an ideal choice.

For the entrepreneurial minded, consider running a business you can operate 100% from your phone, such as getting started with the Amazon Influencer program or making money with TikTok Shop . 

These types of opportunities can turn into lucrative side hustles , but they can take some time to get up and running.

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This is one great list. I’ve been in this niche quite a long time and one thing I’ve learned is that there are so many opportunities out there, just have to choose one (or a few) and stick to it. When it comes to apps, think that you’ll have to research a bit, then go to PlayStore/AppStore, search for relevant apps, back to google and search what people says about an app.

I make about $10 per month with both HoneyGain and Pawns App. There are another 4 or 5 desktop apps that work in the same way and are profitable like ProxyRack and EarnApp. Pretty good list though.

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High prices and mortgage rates have plagued the housing market. Now, a welcome shift

• More affordable homes are coming onto the market.
• In May, there were 35.2% more homes for sale than a year earlier.
• Every region in the U.S. saw gains in May.

Mortgage rates are high, home prices are lofty and selection is slim.

There isn’t much to like about the housing market, except for one small positive: more affordable homes are coming onto the market, according to real estate marketplace Realtor.com.  

In May, the national median listing price inched up 0.3% to $442,500 from a year earlier, but price per square foot rose 3.8%, Realtor.com said. Since May 2019, the median listing price has jumped 37.5% while price per square foot soared 52.7%.

With huge price gains since 2019, homes don’t feel like a bargain. But Realtor.com says the big difference between the percentage changes in listing price and price per square foot indicates more affordable homes are for sale now.

“The share of inventory of smaller and more affordable homes has grown, which helps hold down the median price even as per-square-foot prices grow further,” said Realtor.com’s chief economist Danielle Hale. “Some much-welcomed news for prospective buyers.”

Learn more: Best mortgage lenders

What’s an “affordable” home?

In May, there were 35.2% more homes for sale than a year earlier, Realtor.com said, the seventh consecutive month inventory rose, which is good news for buyers in itself, it said.  

Pay less to protect your home: Best home insurance policies.

But “a deeper dive into the mix of homes for sale shows a 46.6% increase in homes priced in the $200,000 to $350,000 range across the country year-over-year, even surpassing last month's high of 41.0%, indicating affordable homes continue to enter the market,” it said.

Inventory growth in this price range outpaced all other price categories in every month from February through May, it said.

Where are there the largest jumps in homes for sale?

Every region in the U.S. saw gains in May. Compared with last year, listings grew by 47.2% in the South, 34.5% in the West, 20.5% in the Midwest, and 9.4% in the Northeast, Realtor.com said.

All 50 of the largest metro areas saw active listings rise in May from a year earlier. The metro areas with the most growth in inventory were Tampa (87.4%), Phoenix (80.3%), and Orlando (78.0%), Realtor.com said.

However, only 12 metros saw inventory exceed pre-pandemic levels. They were predominantly in the South and West, including Austin (+33.6%), San Antonio (+31.8%), and Denver (+22.0%), it said.

Predictions vs reality: Housing market predictions: Six experts weigh in on the real estate outlook in 2024

Still need more income to buy a house

Even with improved inventory, you still need more money to buy a house because prices are much higher than pre-pandemic levels, Realtor.com said.

“For buyers, the increase (in price) could mean being priced out for certain homes if their household income did not experience similar or greater growth, especially when taking higher mortgage rates into account,” Realtor.com said.

In May, the typical monthly mortgage payment of the median home grew by roughly $158 compared with a year earlier, it said. This increased the required household income to purchase the median-priced home by $6,400, to $119,700, after also accounting for taxes and insurance.

Medora Lee is a money, markets, and personal finance reporter at USA TODAY. You can reach her at [email protected] and subscribe to our free Daily Money newsletter for personal finance tips and business news every Monday through Friday morning.  

The Key Points at the top of this article were created with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and reviewed by a journalist before publication. No other parts of the article were generated using AI. Learn more .

Frontier Airlines 4+

Frontier airlines, designed for ipad.

• #12 in Travel
• 4.7 • 840.4K Ratings

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Description.

Book flights & check-in with the Frontier app to save time and money! Travel is easier than ever before with the Frontier Airlines mobile app. - Book your next trip, search flights, and explore our route map and destinations - View and manage upcoming trips - Upgrade your seat to UpFront Plus, Premium or Preferred, or select a standard seat - Add a carry-on bag, checked bag, bundle, priority boarding or other options - Check flight status, including departure time, arrival time and gate information - Save time at the airport with fast checked bag drop or by going straight to the gate without checked bags - Join Frontier Miles to earn travel miles and elite status points - Use your Frontier Miles to book award travel - Join Discount Den to get our lowest fares and exclusive savings and offers, including Kids Fly Free (restrictions apply)

Version 2.6.4

Bug fixes, miscellaneous updates, and improvements.

Ratings and Reviews

840.4K Ratings

Absolutely horrific customer service!

Was on the chat line for almost 2 hours… Because of course now you can’t even use a phone number to speak to an actual person. Two people on the other end could not figure out why I couldn’t check in for my flight tomorrow. And it showed that frontier owed me $39. And they also had me in the wrong seat in the middle of some people. They don’t have me sitting with my cousin, and I paid for my seat! Long story short, I was the one who figured out the problem and changed my seat to an aisle seat the $39 refund came off and the money part was rectified and I was able to check in on my I’ll seat, ON MY OWN!!!! I have been a den member since 2014 and advocated for Frontier….well, NO MORE! SIMPLY AWFUL NOT BEING ABLE TO SPEAK TO SOMEONE ON THE PHONE. And all of this because the flight that we took to Florida was canceled and we had to change the flight back as well! I also spent over two hours on the chat line yesterday trying to understand why a $50 certificate given to us for compensation for the canceled flight can only be used towards the base fare which of course was only $10! And you cannot save the remaining part of the certificate it must be used at one time. I now believe that frontier airline should be reported to the Better Business Bureau.

Only a 5 star so more people can see how bad it is! Absolutely terrible!

Never fly Frontier, they have the absolute worst customer service and the app gave us an error which took about 30-45 mins in line to fix. Then, we had to go back through bag check and get our boarding passes, taking a total of around an hour and a half just to get our bags checked! Then, when trying to board our plane, they said the tennis rackets we were carrying were not personal items!! It was 2 tennis rackets in a bag, but because it was just a little too long they didn’t allow it, even though it is maybe 3 inches thick at max and couple feet long, it barely didn’t fit inside of the personal item check. Then, they charged us 100$ for the carry on! If I knew it wasn’t considered a personal item I probably would’ve just brought my big tennis bag instead of my small one. Frontier is hands down the absolute worst company i have ever had the displeasure of flying with. I would not recommend this airline to any person, as it is all trouble and a pain.

NEVER USE APP OR THIS AIRLINE

Never again will we fly Frontier. Tried to check into our flights the day before leaving, the app wouldn’t allow it so we contacted Frontier Airline customer support. They told us this happens a lot, that the flight was still on and to show up to the airport at least 3 hours early to check in. We arrived to the airport and nobody was at the frontier desk. We were told by airport employees that the flight was still on and that frontier should be at the desk anywhere from 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours before the flight. We were nervous so we began to contact Frontiers customer support. We waiting on hold until an hour and a half before the flight before being told by a frontier employee that the flight was canceled (months ago) but the day before was told it was still active and to come to the airport. When we became upset over this the frontier employee cancelled our flights on the spot, told us we couldn’t talk to a manager, informed us we were not getting our money back and hung up on us. This entire experience (our honeymoon) was then completely shifted because we needed to buy tickets that day at the airport (for a huge markup). Worst flying experience of our life. This is by far the worst airline, customer support, app, service you could use. Save yourself the headache, debt and stress. They will literally steal your money USE ANY OTHER AIRLINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

App Privacy

The developer, Frontier Airlines , indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .

Data Used to Track You

The following data may be used to track you across apps and websites owned by other companies:

Data Not Linked to You

The following data may be collected but it is not linked to your identity:

• Financial Info
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Privacy practices may vary, for example, based on the features you use or your age. Learn More

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