Best free travel apps you need for your next trip

Are you planning an unforgettable trip? With the right travel apps, you can make the most of your trip. From planning your itinerary to discovering great places to eat and drink, there’s an app for all kinds of trips, whether you’re on a budget or luxury! In this article, we’ll explore the best free travel apps you need for your next trip. Read on for our pick of the best travel apps, based on our own experience.

Best free travel apps you need for your next trip to navigate easily?

Google Maps

This is one of the essential apps for us, both for planning and during the trip itself. From knowing what routes we can take to move around Tokyo’s public transport, to knowing how long it takes to get from Mexico City to Cuernavaca.

And it is because Google Maps is an app that offers a wide variety of functions, which include turn-by-turn directions, real-time traffic updates and local business information.

One useful feature of Google Maps is the ability to save maps offline (something we often forget about). This is particularly useful when traveling to areas with poor connectivity or when you don’t want to run out of your data plan. You can download maps for specific regions or countries before you start your trip, so you always have access to them.

Uber

An application to request private transportation services in different cities around the world, which can be a safer and cheaper option than traditional taxis. In addition, in numerous instances, not even cash is needed, since you can pay directly with your card in the app.

Another advantage of this and other apps of this type is that if you are in an unfamiliar place, it can be difficult for you to explain to a taxi driver where you want to go. With the app, you can simply enter the address into the app and the driver will automatically receive directions.

What app to use for your accommodations?

Airbnb

Especially useful if you have booked this accommodation (although it is also used to book). The app allows you to review your reservations, send and receive messages to hosts, which is especially important, as many often send the address and instructions to enter the accommodation a day or two before, or if they send you a fateful message to tell you that your apartment will be ready hours after the agreed time. One of the many Airbnb experiences we’ve had, though most of them were good, that has to be said.

The app also includes a feature called “Experiences”, which allows you to book activities led by local experts, such as cooking classes or guided tours. Although I have to say that we have not tested this functionality.

Booking

Same as above, whether you’re looking for accommodation or already booked, this app offers a unique entry point for all your travel needs, from booking flights and accommodation to finding local attractions and activities. Although, what interests us most is for the hotels that we are going to use during our trip.

Hotels

In addition to the advantage of being able to manage your reservations, or make new ones on the go, like when Turkish Airways left us stranded, you will be able to send and receive messages from the accommodations where you will stay.

Best free travel app to avoid messing around with currency exchange?

Easy Currency Converter

As much as one does the quick calculations in his head when traveling to a country where the currency is different, it is essential to have a reliable currency conversion application. Whether we go shopping, eating out (and wanting to check if it’s expensive), or paying for transportation, having an accurate understanding of the exchange rate is essential.

The app we use on our trips is Easy Currency Converter. This application offers numerous currencies and updates the exchange rates every hour (until now, it has not happened to us that a currency that we need is not included).

Best free travel apps to use to understand everything on your travels?

Google Translate

When it comes to travel, communication can be a major barrier. Especially when you visit foreign countries where you don’t know the language, and even more, where they don’t even have the same alphabet that you know. But don’t worry! In these times, we have an ally at hand called: Google Translate.

This is an essential app that can make your travels unforgettable by helping you easily communicate with the locals. It has helped us a lot!

Whether you write the text, but if it is in a language with an alphabet in which it is impossible for you to write anything, you can just take a photo, we use this mode a lot in countries like Japan or South Korea. Another option is to “talk to it”, this option is especially useful if you are currently talking to someone, we have used all three ways, and they have saved us on many occasions.

Duolingo

Although this app is not to be used on your trip, keep it in mind to either use it before traveling and already know a few words about the site you are going to visit. Although it could also be that once you have returned you want to continue learning more.

Even though it is true that it will not teach you the language at a level where you can converse fluently, it will at least help you to understand some simple things. It has helped us to understand a little more Japanese.

What app to find out what other travelers think?

TripAdvisor

We use this app when we want to go out to eat, we have already seen the nearby places, and we can’t decide. TripAdvisor is the application that helps us make up our minds, thanks to its countless reviews and opinions from travelers.

Other apps for your trips

Depending on which airline you’re traveling with, it’s a good idea to see if they have an app and install it. Many times, you have first-hand information, such as information about delays or being told where to pick up your luggage as soon as you get off the plane.

Another advantage of having your airline’s app, in most cases, is that you can have the boarding pass directly on your phone. For example, the Air France, KLM and Aeromexico apps offer this functionality, and it has bailed us out several times.