The best travel apps

The travel apps worth installing before an international trip cover six jobs: maps that work offline, translation, getting around, checking prices and exchange rates, staying online, and calling regular phone numbers. Add your own government’s travel advice service and you are covered. This guide lists the main options in each category and describes only features stated on each app’s own help pages, website or store listing as of October 2026.

How this list works

There are no star ratings, download counts or rankings here, because those change constantly and cannot be checked fairly. Each app gets a sentence or two on what its maker says it does, with the source listed at the end. Features can vary by country and by phone, so check the app’s own page for where you are going. Install apps and download offline content at home, on Wi-Fi, before you leave.

Maps and offline maps

App	What it does for travellers
Google Maps	You can save an area to your phone and use it offline. Google notes that offline maps cannot be downloaded in some countries or regions, and that walking, cycling and transit directions are not available offline.
Apple Maps	On iOS 17 or later, offline maps include turn-by-turn directions for driving, walking, cycling and transit, plus place hours. Apple says offline maps are only available in select areas.
Citymapper	Compares public transport, walking, cycling, ride-hailing and scooter options in real time, with turn-by-turn directions and live wait times. Check that your city is covered before you rely on it.

Two things to know about Google Maps offline areas: the route must stay inside the area you downloaded, and offline maps expire, so update them before a long trip. Google says the app tries to update them automatically on Wi-Fi when they are 15 days or less from expiring. On iPhone, Apple notes that offline maps take up storage space, and Maps shows the file size of an area before you download it.

Translation

App	What it does for travellers
Google Translate	Its Google Play listing names offline translation (59 languages), instant camera translation (94 languages) and bilingual conversation mode (70 languages). You download each language you want to use offline.
Apple Translate	Translates text, voice and conversations, and translates text around you through the camera. Its on-device mode gives a fully offline experience for downloaded languages.

Google’s help center points out that translations from images are less accurate when the text is small, unclear or stylised, so menus in decorative fonts may need a second look. Google also suggests connecting to Wi-Fi before you download languages, although language files are small enough to download over mobile data if you have to.

Transport and rides

App	What it does for travellers
Uber	Shows upfront pricing and an estimated arrival time when you enter your destination, and lets you reserve rides in advance. A taxi option is offered in select cities.
Bolt	A ride-hailing app that gives an upfront price estimate once you enter your destination, and lets you schedule a ride up to 90 days ahead. Bolt says products and features vary by country.
Trainline	Sells train and bus tickets, comparing options from 260 train and bus companies, with digital tickets and real-time journey notifications.

Ride-hailing coverage differs a lot between countries, so check which services operate at your destination before you land. Our destination guides cover local transport for Japan, Thailand, Bali, Portugal, Italy, the UAE, the USA and Mexico.

Money

A currency converter helps you judge prices and spot a bad exchange rate at a counter. The Xe app lets you convert currencies, check live exchange rates and set rate alerts. Your own bank’s app is the other one to have ready, signed in and working, before you leave.

This guide does not recommend specific banks or cards. For how card fees, ATM fees and currency conversion at the till work, read our guide to avoiding card and ATM fees abroad.

Flight and hotel booking

App	What it does for travellers
Google Flights	Track prices for a route or a specific flight and get email updates when the price changes significantly, including for flexible “Any dates” searches.
Skyscanner	Compares flight prices across airlines and online travel agencies, has an “Everywhere” search for ideas, and lets you set a Price Alert for a flight.
Booking.com	Books accommodation, flights and car rentals in one app, with paperless confirmations and in-app chat with your property. It lists free cancellation as available at most properties.

For a side-by-side comparison, see our lists of the best flight search sites and the best hotel booking sites, and our guides on finding cheap flights and booking hotels.

Staying online and calling home

Photo by Javier Cañada on Unsplash

Every app above works better with mobile data, so sort your connection first.

App	What it does for travellers
Pelesim	Prepaid travel data eSIMs for 200+ destinations. You install it at home before you fly, and the plan starts when it first connects at your destination. It sits alongside your regular SIM, so you keep your usual number.
WhatsApp	Free voice and video calls and messages over your phone’s internet connection, end-to-end encrypted, with contacts who also use WhatsApp.
CallTuv	Calls regular landlines and mobiles in more than 200 countries from a web browser or the mobile app, with pay-as-you-go credit that never expires and no subscription needed.

Messaging apps such as WhatsApp call contacts who use the same app over the internet. To reach a bank, an airline, a hotel or any landline, use an app that calls the phone network, such as CallTuv. It makes outgoing calls only (it cannot receive calls or texts) and cannot be used for emergency calls.

To compare data options, see the best eSIMs for Europe, Japan, the USA and Thailand, or unlimited data eSIMs. For calling, see the best international calling apps and our guide on how to call home from abroad.

Official travel advice

Government travel advice is free and is the place to check entry rules and safety warnings for your nationality.

Service	What it offers
US: Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)	A free State Department service that emails news, alerts and travel advisories for your destination, and helps the embassy contact you in an emergency.
UK: FCDO foreign travel advice	Country pages covering entry requirements, safety and security, health risks and legal differences, with email updates you can sign up for on each country’s page.
Canada: Travel.gc.ca	Register as a Canadian outside Canada to be notified in an emergency at your destination, and subscribe to daily travel advice emails.

If your government is not listed, look for its foreign ministry’s travel advice pages before you go.

Before you fly: a quick setup list

• Download offline map areas for every city you will visit
• Download translation languages for offline use
• Install the ride-hailing or train app that operates at your destination
• Install a travel eSIM and keep your home SIM active
• Set up a way to call regular phone numbers
• Register with your government’s travel alerts service
• Sign in to your bank and booking apps while you still have home Wi-Fi