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The use of apps while traveling is one of the best aids in making sure that you have an enjoyable experience regardless of whether you have an iPhone or an Android. Before making official plans, the use of apps to research different aspects of your destination is extremely helpful. As a plus, it could also save you money!

Here are a few of my favorite apps that I like to use before and/or during my travels:

Google, Pinterest: I shouldn’t have to say much about these two sites as I would assume that almost all technical savvy people use one or both. These 2 sites are your biggest sources for finding information about where you want to visit. With Pinterest, it has lead my friends and I to travel to cities that we initially had no idea existed, but fell in love with based on the information that was shared!

Instagram/Facebook: Following travel blogs or groups on Facebook is a great resource to use while researching places that you want to visit. It brings comfort to know that other people have enjoyed the city/country that I’m thinking of venturing to and a lot of people leave helpful recommendations (such as restaurant or sightseeing suggestions). I personally find pages/groups that target solo female travelers to be helpful in knowing that taking the needed precautions, certain cities are safe.

Whatsapp/Line: A few cell phone companies may not have the best global roaming plans. Whatsapp and Line are great alternatives to get in touch with family, friends, and/or new friends in the country that you may visit. If you can’t access your phone’s data, you simply need WiFi to utilize these apps for messaging and calling.

Been: I simply like using this app to see all of the places that I’ve “been”; It makes me realize that there are so many places that I haven’t visited.

Any Currency App: When traveling overseas, it’s important to know the conversion of your native currency versus the country that you are visiting. In my post about my solo trip to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, I mentioned my ATM story where I thought that I was withdrawing $100 USD and entered that I wanted to withdraw 100 Mexican Pesos (MX). That only ended up equating to $5 USD (I also left my card in the machine and a good samaritan gave it back to me).

Any Temperature Conversion App: Yes, I know that there is a way to convert Celsius and Fahrenheit, but I don’t have time for that. I’m personally used to temperatures being in Fahrenheit, so when I see celsius temperatures it throws me for a loop. Call it lazy, but I’d rather let an app convert any temperature change while I’m traveling.

Official Airline Apps: Using airline apps are great for accessing your boarding tickets online, knowing boarding times and terminal locations for your flight, booking tickets from your phone, and racking up mileages which could have lots of perks! I’m still working towards being able to walk to the left of large planes so that I can take my deserved seat in business class.

Google Translate: Although there are times where Google Translate isn’t very helpful, (I have a hard time with it while shopping in Japanese grocery stores), having the Google Translate app can be helpful in translating the native language of the country you are visiting. In reference again to my Puerto Vallarta trip, my Uber driver and I did not speak each other’s language, but I was able to communicate with her using this app.

Trip Advisor, Yelp, Viator, Klook: When planning things that I’d like to see around cities, I LOVE using these apps. Reading reviews from people who have experienced things that I’m interested in gives me hope that I may also enjoy the activity. These sites also usually have budget prices compared to booking directly through an official sightseeing site.

SkyScanner, Kayak, Expedia, Orbitz, Booking.com, Hostelworld, Trip.com, official Hotel Apps, Airbnb: All of these apps are helpful when booking places to stay and flights priced at usually lower costs. The more I’ve traveled, the more I’m realizing that purchasing flight and hotel bundles can cost less than booking them separately. Be sure to compare cost across at least 2-3 different sites before making a decision, especially if you are on a budget.

Uber, Lift, Grab: These ride share apps come in super handy if you tire of walking while exploring the city or you know, it pours down raining while you are walking back to your hotel. Before traveling, especially overseas, make sure that these ride shares are available and if there are any other companies/apps that you could use. For example, Lyft was not available in Singapore, but Uber and Grab were available (with Grab being cheaper). Also be aware that charges are shown in the native currency. I was initially shocked when the estimated cost of a 6 mile ride in Puerto Vallarta MX$105.91 appeared in Uber. It ended up only being about ~4.30 USD which was great for my budget.

I hope that you’re able to find these apps resourceful. These are just a few of my favorite go-to apps that I use while traveling, and I know that there are much more that are available. What are some of your favorite apps that I did not list?