15 Must-Have Travel Apps For Your Next Trip [2026 Edition]
The right tools can make all the difference to your travel experience. From saving money to saving a whole lot of stress, read on to discover the top apps I now won’t travel without.
Plus, lots of these are either free or very low entry cost so there’s options for every budget. Let’s dive into it – use the options below to jump to the section you’re most interested in or read from the top for all the inspo.
- Bounce – luggage storage finder
- Omio – travel comparison + booking
- Jack’s Flight Club – cheap flight finder
- GetYourGuide – local tour finder
- Hostelworld – hostel comparison + booking
- Airalo – easy eSIMs
- Google Translate App – quick offline translations
- NordVPN – for safe browsing
- Maps.me – offline maps
- Duolingo – language learning
- Been – travel tracking
- TooGoodToGo – discounted food
- Trainline – easy train booking
- Booking.com – hotel comparison + booking
- Skyscanner – flight comparison + booking
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1. Bounce
This first app solves one of the peskiest problems when travelling – what to do with your luggage before you check into your accommodation and once you check out. Now in some cases your hostel or hotel will store bags and suitcases for you for free, but if you’re staying in AirBnBs or accommodation further away from your airport or train station it’s a lot tricker.
Bounce solves this problem by showing you a map of shops and restaurants in your immediate area that hold luggage for you. All you have to do is choose the place that’s most convenient and has the best reviews then drop your bags off. I’ve found the fees to be super reasonable for a lightweight day of exploring (usually under £10 for multiple bags for a whole day). Plus, there’s insurance built in so if anything did go wrong, you’re covered!
But we’ve used Bounce over 20 times around the world now and always had a great experience.
2. Omio
Need to figure out the most cost-effective way of getting to your next destination? Omio is the app for you. Unlike other travel comparison tools, they give you the chance to compare flights, trains and ferries for those more complicated journeys. Then you can book all in the same place, knowing you’ve found the cheapest option.
Comparing options from over 1,000 travel providers, you know you’re going to solve that travel challenge!
3. Jack’s Flight Club
If like me, you’re always on the hunt for the best flight prices then joining Jack’s Flight Club is a great start. Simply enter your email address and you’ll start getting sent one or two cheap flight alerts each week for free. To access more of the deals you’ll need to upgrade to a premium account for £5/€6 a month.
This might sound like a lot but if you could save hundreds of pounds/euros on your next flight then you’ll soon earn it back and more. If you’re flexible with your destination, you can plan some of the best value trips you’ve ever taken.
4. GetYourGuide
From wine tasting and guided kayaking to city tours and street food tasting, you can find almost every kind of tour on GetYourGuide. I’ve used their platform to book multiple excursions around the world and have had a great experience every time.
They prioritise local guides over big corporations and I find the pricing generally really reasonable for the quality of the service. Plus, just looking at their range of guided tours is great travel inspo – you’ll be ready to book a new trip in minutes!
5. Hostelworld
Now you’ve probably heard of Hostelworld – it’s the beast in the budget travel world. And it’s so popular for a reason… Not only do they compare the largest amount of hostels but they offer lots of extra perks and connection opportunities to help you meet other travellers and feel safer. This is super important when you’re sharing your space more closely with others so it’s worth booking with a reputable agency like Hostelworld.
6. Airalo
Gone are the days of trying to buy a local SIM card at the nearest convenience store. With Airalo you can download an eSIM for most countries around the world to use immediately without needing to leave the comfort of your hotel/hostel/boat/treehouse (whatever your style).
Prices are super affordable, you don’t need to figure out the local language, system or find a shop that sells them and you can trust that you’re going to get a consistent experience. With a couple of clicks, you’re connected and ready to explore!
7. Google Translate App
Now I know what you’re thinking – we know about Google Translate… I have no doubt you’ve used the wonder that is Google Translate for desktop/mobile before but you might not have known that there’s a complete app version that has lots more functionality and can be used offline.
Instant camera translation has to be the best feature. You can just open up the app, point your camera at the text you want translating and boom – there is is. No wifi or data needed!
8. NordVPN
VPNs or Virtual Private Networks have grown in popularity over the last decade as more and more people are accessing their personal data abroad. While VPNs are super important for keeping your private information and passwords safe, they’re also great for accessing different content and prices around the world.
For instance, if you’re based in the UK and want to buy a flight from Thailand to Cambodia – chances are that ticket is going to be cheaper to buy in Thailand. So you can log onto NordVPN and set your browsing location to Thailand and you’re ready to shop with all the prices of a Thai browser. This also works for films and TV shows that are only available in certain countries.
Generally speaking, for the peace of mind and added benefits you get from a NordVPN I think the investment is totally worth it and can be used across multiple devices and shared with your partner/family/friends.
9. Maps.me
Google Maps is great until you have no wifi or data… That’s where Maps.me comes in. You can download maps of entire cities and regions to use offline for easy hassle-free directions. Just download the app and get mapping.
10. Duolingo
Even if you’re just visiting a new country for a long weekend, it’s nice to be able to connect a little bit with locals by speaking their language. Duolingo is the easiest app I’ve found for this so far. The gamification of learning makes it fun and keeps me coming back which is what I’ve struggled with in the past.
As someone who languages don’t come naturally to, I’ve been able to pick up key phrases and vocabulary in Italian, Spanish and Danish so far and will be expanding my horizons in the future.
11. Been
Seeing more of the world is one of my major life goals. So being able to visually track where I’ve been, how much of each continent I’ve explored and also how many amazing countries I’m still yet to set foot in is super interesting and inspiring.
The free Been app allows you to log everywhere you’ve visited and reflect on the incredible experiences you’ve had so far. Plus, they have a premium version that I’m thinking about investing in as you can plot individual cities you’ve been to and get more travel data to geek out over.
12. TooGoodToGo
When it comes to saving money – TooGoodToGo is another must-have app. Essentially it allows you to buy food that’s left over at restaurants and cafes at the end of the day that would have gone to waste for a massive reduction.
We’ve used this app lots even at home in the UK as well as countries across Europe and beyond. If you’re longer-term travelling like interrailing it’s a great option as you can often buy a whole bag of pastries or sandwiches that will feed you for multiple meals for a fraction of the cost. Plus, it’s still restaurant or cafe quality goods and no doubt delicious!
13. Trainline
For booking trains, look no further than Trainline. Their platform allows you to find the cheapest and most efficient rail routes in the UK and across Europe in seconds. They also have lots of money back guarantees if you’re ever delayed or a service gets cancelled so you can feel confident that you’ll get a fair rail experience.
14. Booking.com
It wouldn’t be travelling if you weren’t scrolling Booking.com for the best spots to stay. After AirBnb, this is the place I come to find the best accommodation deals. The comparison app features thousands of hotels, guest houses and B&Bs around the globe and the more you use it the more rewards you’ll get.
After booking just a couple of hotels through the app I started to get their ‘genius’ discount which saves you up to 20% on future bookings. So it’s worth sticking with it to continue reaping the rewards!
15. Skyscanner
Last but by no means least – the place we’re all likely to be browsing while at work… The go-to for travel inspiration, finding the next cheap flight to a new adventure. While other providers do offer flight comparisons and Jack’s Flight Club is fantastic for unexpected deals, if you’re set on visiting a specific destination you’ll find some of the best prices on Skyscanner.
Be sure to use their price alerts feature to get notified when prices drop and if you can be flexible on dates, explore flights by month to find the cheapest option in the coming weeks.
There we have it – my round up of travel apps to literally have in your back pocket on your next trip. Have you already tried any of these or do you have favourites to add? Comment and let me know. Happy travelling!
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