Best 20 travel apps for Expats and Nomads
Retire Young, Travel Smart:
As a part-time expat and part-time senior nomad, I’ve come to rely on a select group of travel apps. Over the years they’ve become my digital survival kit, streamlining adventures whether I’m settling into a new city for a few months or hopping destinations on a whirlwind itinerary. These apps help me tackle everything from logistics to language barriers and unexpected situations, making the journey safer, smoother, and infinitely more fun!
Planning & Logistics
- Google Maps (https://maps.google.com/): We all know and love Google Maps! I use it for everything from walking directions and public transport in cities to scoping out remote hiking spots. The ability to download offline maps is indispensable when traveling to locations where data might be spotty.
- Rome2Rio (https://www.rome2rio.com/): When I need to figure out how to get from point A to point B over long distances, especially using a mix of transportation modes, Rome2Rio is the winner. It seamlessly maps out options including flights, buses, ferries, trains, and even car routes.
- Airbnb & Vrbo : These are my go-to alternatives to hotels. They often provide a more local experience, with everything from cozy apartments to luxury villas. Home rentals can be fantastic if you want a kitchen, more space, or longer-term stays.
- Booking.com (https://www.booking.com/): I turn to Booking.com alongside Airbnb and Vrbo for accommodation searches. It’s great for comparing prices and finding hotels, hostels, and guesthouses, especially when I need some flexibility and last-minute options.
- Ryanair (…and other frequent flyer airlines): Let’s be honest, sometimes the best deal and the most convenient flight is on an airline where I have lots of loyalty points. Since I fly Ryanair often within Europe, their app is handy for finding cheap flights and managing my bookings. Swap this out with whichever airline aligns with your most traveled routes!
Navigating On the Ground
- Didi & Uber: While Uber remains a staple, Didi (https://www.didiglobal.com/) has become my preferred ride-hailing app in many places, particularly Latin America. It often offers better prices and wider availability.
- Maps.me: This fantastic app works offline! It has super detailed trails and is perfect for hiking in areas where I won’t have a data connection.
- Google Translate (https://translate.google.com/): It’s impossible to learn every language, but Google Translate helps! This app breaks down language barriers, helping me communicate basics, decipher menus, and even translate signs using the camera feature.
Money Matters
- Wise (https://wise.com/): I never travel without Wise! This app is key for sending or receiving money internationally, making borderless payments, or spending in a foreign currency. They offer far better rates and lower fees than most banks.
- Wallet App: This one depends on your phone (Apple Wallet for iPhones, etc.). I consolidate all my digital tickets, boarding passes, travel insurance documents, and loyalty cards in my wallet app. This keeps everything organized and accessible.
Trip Inspiration & Reviews
- Tripadvisor: Tripadvisor remains a solid standby for finding things to do in a new city. I use it for attraction reviews, comparing tours, and discovering restaurants. Do remember though, it always pays to cross-reference with other sources, as reviews can be subjective.
- The Weather Channel App (https://weather.com/): Being surprised by weather can derail plans fast! I use a weather app for accurate local forecasts and features like hourly predictions, so I can pack accordingly and time activities right.
Staying Connected
- Airalo (https://www.airalo.com/): Say goodbye to roaming fees! Airalo offers eSIMs, giving you data plans in tons of countries. It’s an affordable way to stay connected without buying local SIM cards.
- Priority Pass (https://www.prioritypass.com/): For frequent flyers, Priority Pass can be a lifesaver. It gives you access to airport lounges
Anyone else download a bunch of travel apps for a specific country and then delete them all when the trip is over? Just me?
Great list, thanks, we use most of them. A question and a few additions. Have you been able to use eSIMS everywhere, or do they sometimes not work (I have read)? We carry phones with two physical sims currently. I would also add 1) Google FI is great as there is no upcharge for Int’l calls and texts, although they will cut Int’l data after 3 months outside of your home country, and 2) Schwab Checking refunds your ATM fees globally, and 3) always check to see which ride hailing app is most active in a new country – BOLT was great in SE Asia, even to get a ride on the back of a motorcycle, and 4) Restaurant Guru aggregates ratings from other sources, and 5) Budget tracking Apps (probably deserves it’s own article).