According to us, taking your smartphone is now compulsory to get access quickly and easily to many services while you are on the road. Of course, you have to be connected to wifi (don’t use your data roaming! Way too expensive) but many apps can change your life while travelling! Here are some of them
Apps to find an accomodation
Booking.com, to book in advance
In order to book hotels in advance and to get reliable comments, this app is great and easy to book online. In many cases, you won’t be asked to pay in advance or give a deposit. Recommended.
Available on App store / Available on Google Play
Trip advisor, with relevant opinions
Forums and opinions on every hotel are really interesting. Following them, you will be sure to choose the right place and is a good way to find the hotels you can’t see while you are there, on holidays.
Available on App store / Available on Google Play
Airbnb, interesting price for good quality
Does it need to be presented? You can either sleep in a separate rooms/apartments or share the apartment with your hosts. Generally, interesting deals can be found, mainly in rich expensive countries.
Available on App store / Available on Google Play
Hostelworld, cheap deals
One of the best sites to find guesthouses and backpackers, Hostelworld is an excellent other option to Booking.com and Tripadvisor. Very good deals sometimes provided you book in advance. It is to recommend but the choice will also be more limited compared to the three previous ones..
Available on App store / Available on Google Play
Homeaway, private agreements
Homeaway. Mainly seasonnal rentings, like two or three weeks stays. They are not adapted to world trips I would say but can be an excellent option if you plan to stay further weeks, months at a same place
Available on App store / Available on Google Play
Couchsurfing, friendliness and savings
Quite famous now, the principle is the exchange between travellers. You don’t have comfort as you can sleep on the sofa of your guests, as the same suggest it but you can also learn from them, their culture and how they live. No financial agreement but you can give gifts to thank your guests for example.
Available on App store / Available on Google Play
Apps to find your bearings
Google Maps, the unmissable
Google Maps allows you to benefit from the most up to date maps as well as the possibility of defining the quickest itinerary from one place to another one (but you can also choose the free road, and how you want to go, walking, driving…). You can add several stages in your itinerary from A to D through B and C. It is updating very regularly.
Available on App store / Available on Google Play
Maps.me, instantaneous maps
Good to access maps of many cities, countries even if you are offline. Indeed, you can download them beforehand and then access them directly. You can also spot on the future points of interests you won’t like to miss before you are going away.
Available on App store / Available on Google Play
Citymapper, the local city guide
Going from a A point to a B point has never been easier with this app listing the public transports, the most convenient ones or the quickest ones in the biggest cities of the world. Very used in English-speaking countries.
Available on App store / Available on Google Play
Fetch My way, what is the best itinerary
A mix of the two previous apps. Fetch my way allows you to plan your trips in advance, save them and then access them offline. Very good as well for public transports (trains, buses, trams…)
Available on App store / Available on Google Play
MetrO, public transports in many cities
Free access to public transports networks in more than 400 cities around the globe. However, we can prefer local apps prepared by the local companies, updated more frequently.
Available on App store / Available on Google Play
Apps to book your flights
Skyscanner, the best deals
On Skyscanner, one of the best websites to find best deals for airfares, choosing the correct flight is very easy. You can manage several filters (number of stops, pricing, distance, companies, multi-flights option…) and display the best prices for the entire month.
Available on App store / Available on Google Play
Kayak, the flexibility
Alternative to Skyscanner, you can check attractive airfares confirming on Kayak. Almost the same possibilities as Skyscanner. These two apps are very popular if you haven’t taken previously a ticket “world trip” before going away.
Available on App store / Available on Google Play
Apps to manage your bank account and your money
Connecting to your bank account
Obviously extremely useful, you can visualize you online bank account very frequently to be sure you match your budget, and making no strange transactions are happening. You can also manage transfers between your saving account and your daily account, very good to check the last expenses.
XE, live currency rates
The reference app for live currency rate and then choose the best exchange counter (usually not at the airports). Good to avoid high and abusive fees and bad exhange rates!
Available on App store / Available on Google Play
Tricount, money between friends
Quite funny, an app to do the correct accounts between friends! For example, you can enter the spendings of each or your friends at the restaurant to check if it is correctly allocated invoice. Or to determine how much who owes to who.
Available on App store / Available on Google Play
Apps regarding safety and health conditions
Advice to travellers by embassies and consulates
The app to be aware of the latest news regarding health/security in the country you are going to travel to. In can evolve quickly in the politically “unstable” countries and can lead you to make substantial changes in your initial itinerary.
Available on App store / Available on Google Play
Anti-mosquito, noise repellent against mosquito
Your smartphone can also be a mosquito repellent!! Indeed the ultrasound is released and make them going away of your bed. The technology is progressing fast and can be a good complimentary solution in tropical countries.(but does not replace the traditional sprays of course nor the net).
Available on App store / Available on Google Play
Apps to communicate better
Itranslate, your second passport!
Write or speak to your smartphone who will detect your voice and then translate what you mean in the language you wish, more than 90 possibilities! It also works offline and will avoid prohibitive rooming fees!
Available on App store / Available on Google Play
Google Translation. the bible
Very convenient to translate online more than 70 different languages, This tool is developed by Google and is quite exhaustive. It can be a real life save in case of difficult situations when you don’t speak the language!
Available on App store / Available on Google Play
Skype, communicate better
Famous Skype is unmissable, to call other Skype accounts or landline/mobile numbers if you have credit on your account. Very easy to recharge online, or directly on your smartphone. Very useful.
Available on App store / Available on Google Play
Whatsapp, easy calls
Whatsapp works from an account to another one, free of charge and very intuitive, you can exchange photos and videos with your friends and family. Extremely popular!
Available on App store / Available on Google Play
Viber, same, a better communication
More or less the same conditions as Whatsapp, Viber is used from an account to another one to better communicate, even if you are on the other side of the world.
Available on App store / Available on Google Play
Facebook messenger, send quick messages
Send quick messages to share photos, videos, links or something else. The Facebook app is very convenient and you can also give calls to another account very easilty, if you have internet connection (wifi or 4G).
Available on App store / Available on Google Play
Wifi finder, to find the local wifi
This app is very battery-consuming, be aware of that. But it is also very convenient to find a wifi network, free or charged, around you at anytime! Good when you absolutely need to connect to internet right now.
Available on App store / Available on Google Play
Apps of social networks
Facebook, share ideas and pictures
Unmissable Facebook is so popular that you can create a Facebook page dedicated to your trip in order to keep track of your adventures. A good way as well to keep updated your friends and families, with pictures and videos.
Available on App store / Available on Google Play
Instagram, spectacular photos at a glance
Do pictures with your smartphone, then a quick postproduction with the filters incorporated in the app and immediately share them on your accounts and receive many likes, even from people you don’t know but just like the visual graphic of them. Very well adapted for travels.
Available on App store / Available on Google Play
Twitter, infinite source of information
Create a Twitter account so you can share videos and opinions or do a kind of advertisement of a recent article you just released on your blog. Your friends can follow your adventures, and you can also follow personalities or friends that you feel close to.
Available on App store / Available on Google Play
Foursquare, to discover the best things in each city
Discover the good hidden gems of the hot tourist spots of every city, as soon as you arrive! So, Foursquare will find for you the good addresses and the reviews left by the visitors, very convenient when we don’t know where to begin, GPS located.
Available on App store / Available on Google Play
Apps to save your pictures online
Dropbox, inexhaustible online storage
Store you photos, videos or documents online from your computer or your smartphone, directly on the cloud and avoid the catastrophe in case of suffering loss or stealing of your belongings. Free or charged depending of the storage amount you are looking for.
Available on App store / Available on Google Play
Google Drive, the classic one
The same online storage service as Dropbox, with the google certification ensuring you the quality and the reliability of this tool. Save your documents anywhere anytime provided you have a good internet connection.