Best Travel Apps – Get These Ahead of Your Trip

Since almost all of us are already traveling with a smartphone, it makes sense to get some useful travel apps ahead of the trip. Several applications can help with things such as bookings, directions, language learning, and other practicalities.

In this article, which is continuously updated, you will find some suggestions on which travel apps to get.

Google Maps / Maps

If you have an Android phone, you should use Google Maps. It’s probably already installed. It will help you with directions, which is priceless when you’re going somewhere new.

On iPhones, you have the pre-installed “Maps” which also works great. Google Maps can still be installed as an alternative, but it is not pre-installed.

Google Translate

Going to someplace new where you don’t know the language?

Google Translate won’t make you fluent, and it won’t even teach you the language, but it will help you translate small words and sentences in times of need. That’s very useful, so we recommend it for all travelers out there.

Airbnb

Airbnb allows you to book holiday apartments or short-term rooms as you are traveling. You can use the app as you are planning your trip. And while you’re traveling, it also makes very good sense to have Airbnb ready since it shows you information such as the address of the place at which you’re staying, and it also allows you to message the landlord easily.

Booking.com

Booking.com allows you to book hotel rooms. Despite the popularity of Airbnb, many travelers still prefer hotels, and Booking.com has an app that will help you make reservations at any time.

Couchsurfing

If you want to stay somewhere for free, Couchsurfing is the best option. Have this app ready on the phone, and you can always see if anyone is hosting travelers in the city you’re visiting.

Hopper

Hopper lets you find cheap flights. It constantly scans the airfares, and you can set up a price watch for several destinations – that allows you to find the cheapest possible tickets for the destination you’re looking for. It also works for hotels

Skyscanner

Skyscanner lets you search for flights, just like Hopper. The interface is different, but it works just as well. You can search the entire market for the cheapest or most practical flights. And if you don’t know where to go next, you can search for “Anywhere” and it shows you the cheapest places to go right now.

Uber

Uber is a way of getting private transportation. You probably know it well already – most people have already tried Uber a few times. It’s an alternative to normal taxis. So if you’re going somewhere with high taxi prices, Uber might have better deals. It’s also very flexible. You book your ride directly in the app – it connects you with the driver. Payment also works through the app, so everything is simple and straightforward.

Uber is not an option everywhere, but most countries do have Uber. So if you’re traveling a lot, you will definitely find it useful eventually.

Uber Eats

In extension to the normal Uber app, you should also get Uber Eats. If you’re staying in a holiday apartment and you’re not in the mood to go out to a restaurant, you can order your food online and get it straight to the door with Uber Eats.

Rome2Rio

This super-useful application gives you an overview of all types of transportation. Flights, trains, buses, ferries – everything! Type in your location and your next destination. Then you will get an overview of all your transportation options, with price estimates and travel times.

Duolingo

Google Translate helps you translate certain words and phrases, but Duolingo actually gives you the chance to learn a language.

So if you’re planning to travel around South America, you can prepare for your trip by learning Spanish. Or if you’re going to work in China for a year, Duolingo can help you learn Mandarin Chinese.

Duolingo makes learning seem like a game. It’s easy and fun, and it actually does help you memorize many words. Language learning has never been easier when you have a free teacher right in your pocket.

Drops

Drops is an alternative to Duolingo. It’s modern and more visual – and that helps many people learn better. We suggest that you try out both Duolingo and Drops, before deciding which one suits you the best.

MeetUp

If you want to be social, this is the platform to use.

When browsing MeetUp, you can find events happening anywhere in the world. It can be language meetups, book clubs, football games, hiking trips, even parties. And most MeetUp groups have very diverse gatherings – locals, expats, travelers, and so on. Perfect opportunity to meet new friends!

Travello

Travello is also for meeting new friends. It’s an app that connects travelers. It lets you browse other people in the same area as you who also have the app installed. And it also shows when others are near you, and when you have similar interests. Travello can help you meet friends for general company, but it can also be used for dating if that is what you’re looking for.

Weather Bug

Most phones have a dedicated weather app pre-installed.

But Weather Bug is such a good app, and it goes into deep detail about everything that concerns the weather. If you have allergies, for example, it shows you the pollen levels of your location.

CyberGhost VPN

In some countries, you can’t freely access all websites. This is especially a problem in China where a site such as Facebook is sometimes blocked.

To get around location-blocked websites, you simply need a VPN (virtual private network). Usually, it works in a way where you sign up for a subscription (yes, you have to pay), then you download the app, and you turn it on whenever you like. Inside the app, which works for smartphones as well as for tablets and computers, you can select any location in the world, and it will pass through blockages. We recommend CyberGhost because it is simply one of the best VPNs out there, and with very reasonable prices.

XE Currency

This app will help you see the difference between various currencies when you’re traveling.

Let’s say you’re from France and you’re going to Brazil. Whenever you need to buy something in the Brazilian reais, you can check how much it would be in euros, so you know that you are getting fair prices. Of course, XE currency allows you to browse the exchange rates between all of the most popular currencies in the world.

BRD/Trust/Other crypto wallets

Cryptocurrencies can be used in many places around the world. And, perhaps the most beneficial part, is that you can have them with you at all times, and they are worth the same everywhere!

Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash and Ethereum are the ones most widely used for practical purposes. You need a wallet to store them on your phone. BRD is a great choice for Bitcoin, while Trust is a great choice for Ethereum. Find them in your App Store if you use crypto!

As for travel tips…

Simply have a good web browser (which should be pre-installed on your phone automatically) and visit Scope Trip! Our website is perfectly functioning on any mobile device, you simply need to access it through your browser.

Again, this article is continuously updated with new apps, so you can always stop by to see if there are new ones later. As for now, we hope you find at least some of these apps useful. They can definitely make a trip easier to plan, and some of them can make the trip much more enjoyable as well.