Imagine being stranded in an unknown city in the middle of the night or reaching your destination late due to traffic congestion or simply forgetting your favourite neck pillow at home for your road trip. I have been in these situations more than once in my eight years of travelling alone. Travel apps makes your life easier by organising and storing information for you and reminding you of the essentials before your much awaited trip.
I am heavily depended on travel apps for travelling, right from booking the flight tickets to searching for that perfect offbeat homestay to estimating the budget to calculating the distance between two locations and even to pack my bags. It just makes life less stressful when you have someone who remembers things for you, travel apps does that work wonderfully for me.
Screenshot of my travel folder 
Screenshot of my travel folder
Though I do not use all the 50 travel apps I am going to mention in this post, but all these are some of the most used ones by travellers across India and abroad. Some of the travel apps mentioned here are specific to a gender/country/activity, so before you go on a downloading spree, make sure to access your needs prior to hitting the download button.
50 Must-Have Travel Apps For Globetrotters
So, Here is a list of 50 Must-Have travel apps to download before your next big trip.
For Accommodation
1. AirBnB
One of the most widely used travel app for booking stays and experiences. With an increase of people willing to share their homes with travellers and travellers looking out for authentic stay options, Airbnb has done a good job in connecting both. Managing operations in 191 countries worldwide, Airbnb offers diverse accommodation alternatives at affordable prices to travellers.
Airbnb also provides experiences/activities hosted by locals, its a good way of learning about a culture and meeting like-minded people while travelling. Activities include cooking, learning an art form, adventure expeditions, photo tours, heritages walks, pub crawl etc.
Compatibility: Works on iOS and Android [5.0 and up].
Price: Free
2. Treebo
This India based budget-friendly hotel booking app has hotels listed with them from across 75 states. My experience with Treebo has been very good, I have used this app on numerous occasions and found decent accommodations. The properties listed with them are clean and affordable. For around Rs.999 to Rs.1500, you will find yourself a nice stay with complimentary breakfast. They recently upgraded to offering homestay facilities to their patrons.
Another feature of this travel app worth mentioning is their ‘Couple Friendly’ filter on their App. Travelling in India for unmarried couples can be really tricky, specially when you have to book a hotel room. With Treebo, you can be at ease and book the hotel of your choice without any fear.
Compatibility: Works on iOS and Android [4.4 and up].
Price: Free
3. Couchsurfing
Connect with locals, stay in their houses, share meals with them and make new friends in an unknown city with Couchsurfing. This global community of travellers provides a platform for travellers and hosts alike the opportunity to exchanges ideas and culture. One can host other travellers in their homes or seek accommodation while travelling. There is no money involved, hosting is absolutely free. In exchange, the travellers usually brings a gift from their home country, or takes you out for a meal or cook something traditional for you, but there is no compulsion involved whatsoever.
I have been using couchsurfing since 2013 and have hosted people from 8 different countries till now. For me, Couch-surfing is not just about a free couch. It is about making friends and inviting people to experience your culture. Most of the travellers to India first arrive in Delhi. The stay at my place is generally their first interaction with the local people and sets a tone for the rest of their trip. I make sure that they are comfortable, and even cook food for them once in a while and if time permits I take them around the city too.
Compatibility: Works on iOS and Android.
Price: Free
4. Booking.com
Another well-known hotel booking app, it lets you choose from hotels according to budget, landmarks, hotel reviews, tourist attractions and WIFI quality. No payment is required while booking your stay, one can simply share credit cards details and pay later at the property.
Some people have shown concerns regarding the app regarding payment issues with the hotels. I booked a hotel for two nights at Ranthombore a few days back, I called the hotel to enquire something and the guy I spoke to told me that I need to pay 50% of the total payment. On the site, its clearly mentioned that no prepayment is required but hotels forcing patrons to pay before the visit is simply unacceptable. I asked the guy to email me the same stating that I have to pay 50% to secure my booking, no word from him till now. This suggests that it’s the hotels that are trying to play smart by calling customers to pay but the hotel booking giant should ensure that this doesn’t happen.
Compatibility: Works on iOS and Android.
Price: Free
5. Hostel World
Budget travellers prefer staying in hostels not just because its cheap but also its a great way of meeting people. Hostel world is dominating the booking space for hostels with economical prices and great locations on their list. They are functional in 170 countries so far with 36,000 properties under their kitty.
The app has an interactive and easy interface, all you need to do is just put in your destination and dates, and you will get a wide-ranging list of hostels to choose from.
Compatibility: Works on iOS and Android.
Price: Free
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For Money Matters
6. Splitwise
You are welcome! You will thank me for introducing you to this wonderful app that lets you share expenses without any stress. Now dividing the amount of your travel expenditure is as easy as pie. Just add the friends with whom you want to split the expenses, add the amount into equal/unequal breaks, keep record of repayment and calculate total amount tripwire/ monthwise.
The best part about Splitwise is that it takes away the fiddly feeling of mentioning expenditure to friends/strangers. Keep cash out of relationships with Splitwise.
Compatibility: Works on iOS and Android.
Price: Free
7. Paytm
One of the biggest online platform for digital payments in India. All thanks to Demonitization, the lack of cash flow in the country propelled Patym to the mainstream. Now, this RBI approved mobile wallet is been used throughout the length and breadth of the country. One can pay for utilities, book train/bus/flight, pay to local vendors, pay/receive payments, shop online and pay off your loans etc. It is one-stop shop for all your cash related payments.
I use Paytm a lot, I hate keeping cash and relay completely on mobile wallets. There is a downside to it, many a times I have been in a situation where the network was bad and I couldn’t complete the payment. But, I still use it.
Compatibility: Works on iOS and Android.
Price: Free
8. Google Pay
Payments can be made directly from your bank account with Google Pay. No need to add money to the wallet, just link your bank details with the app and payments are directly deducted. Also, with each transaction, you stand a chance to get some reward money. A friend of mine got Rs. 900 reward once, and all I got till now is Rs. 7 🙁
Google Pay is similar to Paytm, here too you can conveniently pay your bills, recharge mobile phones, book tickets or pay at your nearby grocery store.
Compatibility: Works on iOS and Android.
Price: Free
9. XE Currency
I asked frequent travellers which app they use for converting currency and they unanimously suggest XE Currency. It gives you live updates about rate of conversion of currencies. One can also assess the past trends and compare the currency rates over time. There is a built-in calculator in the app and it also works offline, all you have to do is download the currency rates of the country tries you will be visiting.
Compatibility: Works on iOS and Android.
Price: Free
10. Travel Spend
Keep an eye on your travel expenses with TravelSpend, the app lets you add multiple currencies, gives you a visual data which is easy to analyse and it can be used offline too. Its a great app for solo travellers but people travelling in groups find it difficult to split expenses on it.
Compatibility: Works on iOS and Android.
Price: Free
For Transportation
11. Uber
Most preferred transportation service in India and in many parts of the world. The app is easy to use, they have different payment methods like cash payment, credit card/debit card, mobile wallets and the Uber maintains basic safety protocols.
There have been many incidents in the past which has brought a bad reputation to Uber but then it happens to every company. Choosing the lesser evil here due to lack of affordable options.
Compatibility: Works on iOS and Android.
Price: Free
12. Red Bus
One-stop place to book your bus tickets. Just choose your destination, dates, pick-up & drop-up point and you got yourself booked on a bus. They offer live tracking of buses, after you book your tickets, they send you a sms with bus details. Reviews and ratings are available on their app for bus operators, so you can choose based on the feedback given by other passengers.
Compatibility: Works on iOS and Android.
Price: Free
13. IRCTC Connect
I find this app a bit complicated but very useful for booking train tickets. If you are travelling in India then you must have this app. Its next to impossible for foreigners to use the app even though the official website says that they can book. The website/app does not accept foreign bank cards and because of this nationals of other countries can not book tickets.
Foreign nationals can try this website called 12Go.Asia to book their tickets online.
Compatibility: Works on iOS and Android.
Price: Free
14. BlaBla Cars
If you are looking for a shared ride to your destination within India, then try out this app for sure. I have not used it myself but know [male] friends who use the app on a regular basis. This app is a carpooling platform where people going to destination publish about their ride along with price and no. of seats available, if your destination is the same then you connect with them on the app itself.
Compatibility: Works on iOS and Android.
Price: Free
15. ZoomCar
If you are looking to hire a self rental car on your holiday then you should check out Zoom Car. They have a fleet of more than 7,800 cars of 20 + different types of cars including SUVs, luxury cars, sedans and hatchbacks. One can rent the cars on hourly, daily, weekly and monthly basis as per requirement.
Compatibility: Works on iOS and Android.
Price: Free
Travel Apps For Food
16. Zomato
One of the best app to order food and check reviews of restaurants in a city that you are visiting. I usually check the ratings, read reviews to see what to order and even to reserve a seats on a busy night.
Compatibility: Works on iOS and Android.
Price: Free
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17. Travel Khana
Got mixed reviews about this app, Travel Khana is an online application for delivery of food inside trains. They track your train and delivers food to your seat at the desired railway station. You have to share your ticket details and PNR no. for the delivery and payment can also be made in cash.
When they started operations in 2016 in India, I had ordered food from them in the train and hated it. But with time and experience in the field they have improved the quality of food.
Compatibility: Works on Android.
Price: Free
18. Freshmenu
This app is for those times, when you are in a new city and don’t wanna go out to eat or want to eat healthy. They have a new menu every day, the portion sizes are as per one person and you can choose from various combo options. Sadly, this app is functional in only four cities in India – Bangalore, Mumbai, Gurgaon and Delhi.
Compatibility: Works on iOS and Android.
Price: Free
19. Happy Cow
Happy news for vegetarians and vegans, this app lets you see grocery shops, restaurants, bakeries and cafes in more than 180 countries. One can also search for gluten free food on the app. They have an interactive map on the app which can be saved for future references.
Compatibility: Works on iOS and Android.
Price: Free
20. Dunzo
This 24/7 delivery service will deliver anything to your doorstep. So, if you are staying in a new city and wants to get something specific and don’t want to travel to the other end then just log in to their app. They are operational in the following cities in India – Mumbai, Bangalore, Pune, Gurgaon, Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad, Noida.
Compatibility: Works on iOS and Android.
Price: Free
Travel Apps for Meeting People
21. Meetup
Platforms like meetup lets you meet locals/travellers while you are travelling to another cities/countries. It is a great way of bringing people together to explore and connect. Travelling solo can get lonely, one can meet like-minded people to hangout, discover local events or host your own event. You can choose from categories like travel, photography, hiking, new in town, social, fitness etc.
Compatibility: Requires 5.0 and up for Android. Requires iOS 12.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.
Price: Free. In app purchases are applicable, Unlimited Subscription is for $19.99.
22. Eatwith
One of the things I hate while travelling solo is to eat alone. If you are like me, then try out Eatwith app which provides opportunities to travellers to meet-up with locals and other travellers to share the passion of food. You can attend private food walks, community brunches, dinner parties etc with Eatwith. Choose your location on the app, browse the events happening around you and drop a message to those that interests you the most. And Voila! There you are sharing your table with strangers who will become your lifelong friends.
Compatibility: Works on iOS and Android.
Price: Free
23. Backpackr
If you are looking to connect with other backpackers from around the world, then this app will ease your search. Just log on to the app and select your location to meet fellow travellers. One can organise meet-ups, host an event or lead a hike to the mountains with other like-minded adventurers.
Compatibility: Works on iOS and Android.
Price: Free
24. SoloTraveller
Find fellow backpackers on Solo Traveller app and make memories of a lifetime. The app also gives suggestions about nearby hotels, tourist attractions, restaurants, things to do and even weather forecast. This ever-growing community has connected many travellers worldwide but recently some users have shown dissatisfaction about updating profiles and the overall interface of the app.
Compatibility: Works on iOS and Android.
Price: Free
25. Tourlina
Ladies rejoice!! Your female travel buddy is here. Women travel more than men these days as per research studies. Tourline connects you with other women travellers with similar interests, location and time zones. Just like Tinder, swipe right to connect/chat with the person who matches your vibe and travel together. Find your new BFF with Tourlina.
Compatibility: Works on iOS and Android.
Price: Free. Unlimited Chats for 6 months at $14.99.
Travel Apps For Safety
26. Google Maps
One of the best app to have on your phone while travelling. Google Maps is a trustworthy app wit regular updates which shows accurate locations. The app has around 220 countries mapped, you can get real-time GPS navigation, traffic information, alternative routes and suggestions for hotels, cafes, bars, tourist attractions etc.
Make sure you download their offline maps too as the network in some areas can be bad. Google Maps lets you share your location with your loved ones, Doulos and I have access to each other’s location on the app and whenever I want to know his whereabouts I just check it out on the app. We avoid calling each other to know where we are and in case of an emergency one can easily see the last active location. When you share you location with someone, the app also show your battery life on the screen which is a great help if their phone is switched off, you can know immediately that its because of low battery.
Compatibility: Works on iOS and Android.
Price: Free
27. My Safetipin
This personal safety app gives you safe options to choose from in terms of your mobility and social infrastructure. My Safetipin app have 9 parameters to access safety – Lighting, visibility, no. of people around an area, availability of public transport, open space for movement, presence of security personnels, walking path, gender usage and feeling of safety. They are functional in 16 countries so far and collects safety data through crowd sourcing.
The app also lets you track your movement and send the location to your loved ones, suggests you safest routes for travel and search for nearby waiting areas like hospitals, restaurants and markets etc.
Compatibility: Works on iOS and Android.
Price: Free
28. SOS – Lifesaver
The SOS Lifesaver app is a ground breaking application that can protects and promotes positive health. If you are stuck in an emergency situation like a heart attack, allergic reaction, head injury etc. where you need immediate medical support then this app lets you send one push button SOS alert to get urgent assistance.
Also check out Bugle which lets you set-up a check-in time for various activities and if you fail to reach the desired destination on time then it sends an emergency message to your familyfriends.
Compatibility: Works Android.
Price: Free
29. TunnelBear VPN & WiFi Proxy
Add an extra layer of security to your internet browsing on unsecured wifi with VPN app. Be it in the hotel, cafes, airports, metros or at your hosts house, using a VPN is essential to secure your personal information from being shared. When you use public wifi, you put yourself at risk of sharing unencrypted data with people using the same network as you. [Read more about why you need a VPN here]
Compatibility: Works on iOS and Android.
Price: Free. In app purchases at $9.99 for monthly subscription and Grizzly Tunnelbear annual subscription for $59.99.
30. ToiFi
I dread using public bathrooms while travelling, had been in situations where I ended up using the unhygienic toilets in India. Now I am used to it but given a choice I would love to use clean washrooms. This is a problem for everyone but mores for women. TiFi gives you access information to more than 350,000 toilets around the world. Users can rate the toilets, search for differently abled washrooms, request clean-up and locate paid toilets.
iPhone users can check out Flush, SitOrSquat and BathroomMap.
Compatibility: Works on Android.
Price: Free
For Travel Photography
31. Snapseed
Its a great app for editing your travel pictures on the go. There are 29 pro level tools and filters which includes HDR, Tonal Contrast, Curves, Lens Blur, Vignette, Vintage, Perspective etc. This app is user friendly and helps users to fine tune pictures with accuracy.
Compatibility: Requires iOS 10.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. The app works on Android too.
Price: Free. In-app purchases are available.
32. StoryArt
Giving away my Instagram secret! I have been using this app for almost 6 months now, I loved it so much that I got the paid version for Story Art. Create beautiful instagram stories with more than 2000+ templates that includes animation, highlights and camera with effects.
Compatibility: Requires iOS 9.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. The app works on Android too.
Price: Free [Basic Templates], 1 month for $2.99 and 1 year for $9.99.
33. Google Photos
With an interactive interface, google photos is the best way to organise your pictures. I like the search option that they have, where one can search by location, date, objects and by name of the person. It also groups similar photos of people which is great for organising files and you can share high resolution pictures with friends from your trip by sharing a folder. Doulos and I have access to each others google photos and it helps us in sharing pictures as sometimes only one of us is clicking. With a free storage of up to 16MP and 1080p HD, you can access this app from any phone, laptop and desktop.
Compatibility: Requires iOS 11.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. The app works on Android too.
Price: Free. In-app purchases are available. 100 GB month is for ₹ 169 and 200 GB Annual is for ₹ 2,599 [more plans are also available].
34. GIF Maker By Momento
This app turns your pictures in GIFs for effortless sharing. With its elegant detection algorithm, the app lets you supercharge your GIFs with music, text, stickers and also allow you to trim the length, zoom, increase/decrease the speed of the videos. The content created on GIF Maker can easily be shared on Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, WhatsApp, iMessage and Messenger.
Compatibility: Requires iOS 11.2 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. The app works on Android too.
Price: Free. In-app purchases are available. Momento Premium would costs ₹ 819 and it will give you unlimited access to all frames, music, effects, stickers and you can also remove the Momento watermark from the pictures.
35. Relive
Relive app lets you create 3D videos of your activities like trekking, hiking, running, cycling, skiing etc. You can add photos, videos and notes in the app. This easy to use app tracks your activities through GPS and lets you convert it into 3D landscape videos which can be directly shared on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
Compatibility: Requires iOS 10.0 and watchOS 5.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. The app works on Android too.
Price: Free. In-app purchases are available. Subscribe to Relive Club membership for $6.99 which lets you make videos in HD, add music, control the speed and gives more storage for your videos.
For Flight Bookings
36. Make My Trip
This one-stop application can book everything that you need to plan a trip. I usually book my flight tickets from here, rest I use other apps like booking.com for hotels, hostel world for hostels, IRCTC for train tickets. MMT promises to offer the cheapest domestic and international flight tickets, with facilities like web check-in, discounts of round trips and easy to search options.
Compatibility: Works on iOS and Android.
Price: Free
37. Ease My Trip
Same as MMT but they don’t charge any convenience fee on flight bookings and have a dedicated customer care service which many platforms lacks. Searching and comparing flights is easier on Ease My Trip app. I have not used this app before, but heard great reviews from friends who use this app on a regular basis.
Compatibility: Works on iOS and Android.
Price: Free
38. Kayak Flights
Kayak Flight basically compares and search the best deals for you from other websites. They have a section called ‘Kayak Trips’ where you can organise your travel plans regardless of where you book your tickets from. You can also search for hotels and car rentals on the app. You can also get information related for flight timings, security wait time of your flights, gate change and baggage claim notifications. Kayak is one of the best travel apps for booking flight tickets around the world used by travellers.
Compatibility: Works on iOS and Android.
Price: Free
39. Sky Scanner
Save time and energy by using Sky Scanner which helps you in sorting your bookings in one place. There are no hidden charges applicable, what you see on the app is what you pay. They are the google of travel search, shows you the best deals and prices for all the services provided on the portal. Mostly people use Sky scanner for its ‘price alert’ feature which sends you an immediate notification when the prices changes for the dates of your travel.
Compatibility: Works on iOS and Android.
Price: Free
40. Hopper
With an accuracy of 95%, Hopper predicts the prices of your flights and hotels up to a period of one year. The app tells you the right time to book to reap the best deals with their color coded price calender. One can also ‘freeze prices’ for a specific number of days on Hopper and their customer care service is one of the best in the world.
Compatibility: Works on iOS and Android.
Price: Free
Travel Apps for Planning your trip
41. TripAdvisor
Get authentic and unbiased information and reviews from fellow travellers about hotels, restaurants and tourist attractions. Global and local experts gives recommendations about things to do and see in a particular city. I usually check ratings and picture posted by other users to get a perspective about the place.
Compatibility: Works on iOS and Android.
Price: Free
42. Viator
Its an off-shoot of Tripadvisor, Viator is a forum that offers experiential travel activities to travellers. One can book easily on Viator, with facilities like mobile booking and skip the line access. According to the feedback I collected, users are having trouble writing reviews on the app.
Compatibility: Works on iOS and Android.
Price: Free
43. TripIt
For easy and relaxed trip planning use TripIt app. It organises all your bookings at one place without any hassle, you can store your complete itinerary here, use navigation facility and it also has a fare tracker which sends you notification for price drops.
Compatibility: Works on iOS and Android.
Price: Free
44. Roadtrippers
One of the widely used travel apps by globetrotters in US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Roadtrippers calculate your travel time between two destinations, calculate fuel expenses, find hidden gems on your route and gives your suggestions from pre-made itineraries.
Compatibility: Works on iOS and Android.
Price: Free
45. Lonely Planet Guides
Get offbeat and experiential travel guides curated by Lonely Planet Guides. Access multilingual phrase books in more than19 languages along with offline maps, top recommendations for hotels/restaurants/cafes/tourist attractions and simple bookmarking on the app.
Compatibility: Works on iOS and Android.
Price: Free
Essential Apps to Have
46. AccuWeather
You should always check weather updates before the start of your trip to ensure you do not get any unwanted surprises. Accuweather provides live and precise information related to weather to prepare you for any unwanted changes like prediction about rains, cloud cover and humidity in the environment. This app is also easy to understand and their new feature called ‘Real Feel’ tells you the difference between actual temperature and how it actually feels.
Compatibility: Works on iOS and Android.
Price: Free
47. Compass
With a very simple interface, Compass is an inbuilt app for iPhones. For people like me, who do not possess a good sense of direction, this app is a boon in navigation. I do not use a complicated one because it confuses me, all I want to know are the directions, elevation above sea level and coordinates. Having a compass app on your phone is essential specially when you are engaged in outdoor activities like trekking, mountaineering etc.
There are other compass app too which are compatible with both iOS and Android like Altimeter GPS Pro, Compass 360 Pro or Commander Compass.
Compatibility: Requires iOS 10.0 and watchOS 5.1 or later. Compatible with iPhone.
Price: Free
48. Google Translate
Around 40% of users of Google Translate uses the app because of travel. For people travelling to far-off lands, understanding the language is one of the biggest hurdle in connecting with a culture. Google translate is an indispensable tool for travellers to help them understand the local language of a particular place. There are 103 languages with which Google Translate will help you communicate.
Compatibility: Works on iOS and Android.
Price: Free
49. Notes
I use Notes for jotting down quick information while travelling like details of fellow travellers [email, contact no.], create checklists, note down directions etc. Notes is available on iOS, for Android one can use Google Keep for storing information.
Compatibility: Works on iOS.
Price: Free
50. PackKing
Very useful travel app for people who forget to pack essentials for a trip. I am one of them, I don’t like to admit it but I need up forgetting something or the other for all my trips. This app lets you make a personalised packing list as per your needs based on seasons, mode of transportation, activities and destination.
Compatibility: Works on iOS and Android.
Price: Free
Enhance your travelling experience with the right app that organises information effectively in your kitty. While on the road, we all have been in situations which we wish didn’t happen. Taking support of travel apps that provides authentic details about the country you are visiting is essential in planning your trip. The above-mentioned 50 travel apps might not work properly worldwide but you can search for country specific applications as per your requirement to make your trip a memorable one.
Such a comprehensive and well-planned list.. There is an app for everything and all is covered here… No need to look any further for any app
WOAH! Such an extensive and thorough roundup of travel apps! Much appreciated!!!
Nice lists of virtual travel necessities. Thanks for sharing.
Wow, what a super list about great apps for traveling I haven’t heard of some of these but I have to add a few to my phone!
A great collection of apps. I use some of them but not all. I will try to download the ones that can be useful.
CoachSurfing Sounds amazing. I would love to read about the dinners you have hosted and the new cultures you embraced in your home.
I didn’t realize there were so many helpful apps, many of these I’ve never heard of! Thanks for sharing all of these, they seem like great options to use.
Some apps are in my phone but I guess some are country specific but learned a lot and started checking my playstore, thanks for sharing
There are some great apps in this list. I use Google Maps a lot, I like that you can download the map of an area and then use it offline, when you don’t have internet.
Phew! that is a whole host of apps, knew of about 75% on the list, others were new!
I haven’t heard of a lot of these apps, so I’m definitely going to download them for my next trip!
Awesome suggestions! Google Maps helped us travel around the southwest us last month.
Very useful, thanks!