5 Best Travel Planner Apps To Have in 2023
Have you been wondering about the best travel planner apps? I’ve got you covered!
Whether you’re a frequent traveler, or you just like to plan trips ahead of time, having a reliable travel planning app can be an invaluable tool. But with so many available out there, how do you choose which one is the best for your needs?
As someone who travels frequently and is a travel planner for group trips, I have looked through and tried out most of the top travel planner apps available.
I understand that many different factors go into choosing the best travel planner apps for you. Whether you’re looking for something user-friendly or something more robust with multiple features; whether you need an app with free or paid options; or if you simply want something reliable and secure – there’s a lot to consider before making your choice.
In this post, I will share my favorite best travel planner apps that help me save time and money (and sanity) when planning my trip and while traveling.
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5 Best Travel Planner Apps You Need in 2023
Wanderlog: Travel Itinerary and Road Trip Planner App
Wanderlog is one of the best travel planner apps you’ll ever need. It’s the perfect travel planner app for anyone planning a vacation or a road trip. With its itinerary and map in one view, organizing your travel plans has never been easier. With the ability to optimize routes, you can plan the most efficient journey and get to your destination on time with no hiccups.
Plus, it allows you to collaborate with friends by sharing itinerary changes in real-time!
What I love about Wanderlog:
What I don’t love about Wanderlog:
I use Wanderlog to plan my trips day by day. My favorite part is how it can arrange your routes in the best order (with the pro version), saving you from figuring out the details.
It tells you how long the route will take, helping you see if your day is too busy or not. All the places and restaurants you add to the itinerary come with info from Google Maps. A nice thing about the pro version is that you can also bring your maps into Google Maps.
Price: Free; Pro costs $49.99/year
Best for travelers who want an easy, comprehensive app to plan an itinerary and optimize their trips. It’s perfect for those who like having all their plans and maps in one place, prefer offline access, and enjoy exploring local sights based on guides’ recommendations.
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TripIt: Trip Planner and Flight Tracker App
TripIt is also one of the best travel planner apps for anyone looking to keep track of their trips. It provides helpful reminders and alerts about your trip, including when it’s time to check in, when you need to arrive at the airport, and when you should book a hotel.
It’s also easy to share your travel plans with everyone as well as access your itinerary offline. TripIt can help you stay organized and on top of your travels.
What I love about TripIt:
*I used AirHelp to get compensation when a delayed flight caused me to miss my connecting flight. Review my AirHelp review here.
What I don’t love about TripIt:
I started using TripIt after a recommendation at work. Since my job makes me travel 3-4 times a year, having TripIt to sort out my travel details is handy.
I like TripIt because it keeps me prepared from the start of planning until I land. I use the pro version, and it’s full of features that alert me about things ahead of time. I especially like the reminders and alerts because they make sure I don’t forget anything.
Price: Free; Pro costs $49 / year
Best for travelers looking for an all-in-one solution that organizes flights, monitors fare refunds, helps with navigation at airports, keeps track of reward programs, and provides real-time flight updates.
It’s also ideal for eco-conscious travelers, as it tracks carbon footprints and offers offset options while providing safety scores, and nearby attractions.
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Loungebuddy: Find Lounges In Your Airport
Loungebuddy is a must-have app for any traveler who wants to discover and access airport amenities such as lounges, restaurants, and hotels. The app provides detailed information and ratings for these amenities at airports around the world, allowing you to make the most of your wait times.
What I love about Loungebuddy:
What I don’t love about Loungebuddy:
Price: Free
Best for travelers who have layovers, waiting times, or simply wish to experience the best amenities at airports around the world.
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Splitwise: Keep Track of Your Shared Expenses and Balances
Splitwise is a fantastic app for keeping track of shared expenses and balances, making it perfect for trips with friends or colleagues. It makes splitting bills easy and ensures everyone pays their fair share. When traveling with a group and anticipating shared costs, Splitwise stands out as one of the best travel planner apps to have.
What I love about Splitwise:
What I don’t love about Splitwise:
Splitwise is my top choice for keeping track of shared costs and what we owe each other. It might be tricky to use at first, but once you get used to it, sharing bills with your friends becomes simple. I love the feature that lets you break down costs (in the pro version), especially when your group doesn’t want to split the bill evenly.
Price: Free; Pro version costs $2.99/month or $29.99/year
Best for group travelers needing a hassle-free way to manage and split expenses during their trip.
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Hopper: Find the Best Time to Book and Explore Flash Deals
Hopper is one of the best travel planner apps that tells you when to book flights and hotels at the best price. It also offers exclusive flash deals, saving you money on your travels.
What I love about Hopper:
What I don’t love about Hopper:
I primarily use Hopper as my smart travel assistant, notifying me when it’s the best time to book flights. It eliminates the need to constantly monitor prices myself, which is a huge time-saver!
Price: Free to use; price of bookings varies
Best for budget-conscious travelers who want to ensure they’re getting the best deal on flights and accommodations.
FAQs About Best Travel Planner Apps
Is there an app to plan a trip together?
Yes, multiple apps can help plan a trip together. For itinerary planning, I use Wanderlog. You can collaboratively add places, arrange your schedule, and even see everything on a map. It’s really useful for visualizing your trip together.
If you’re looking for a simpler approach to trip planning with others, Google Maps offers a basic but effective solution. You can create a new list on Google Maps and add all the places you want to visit, as well as restaurants you’re keen to try. Share the list with your travel companions, and everyone can contribute to the plan.
Is there a free trip planner app?
Absolutely! Many best travel planner apps offer free versions. However, some advanced features are only available in their pro versions. So, your choice depends on your specific needs. If you prefer a more hands-on approach, simple tools like Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets can also be used for trip planning, and they’re free too.
What is better than TripIt?
If you’re looking for real-time flight updates, alerts, and comprehensive itinerary tracking, TripIt is one of the best travel planner apps. However, if your focus is on social travel planning or detailed day-to-day itinerary creation, you might find other apps to be more suitable.
The “best” app greatly depends on your individual needs, preferences, and the nature of your travel!
What is better TripIt or Wanderlog?
I find it’s not about one being better than the other, but more about them serving different purposes.
I regularly use both apps for my travel needs.TripIt excels in providing real-time flight updates and ahead-of-time alerts. It’s the app I rely on to make sure I’m up-to-date with my flights and I don’t miss any important steps in my travel process.
On the other hand, Wanderlog is my go-to app for planning my itinerary. It’s where I organize all the places I want to visit, and restaurants I want to try and gather information about each location.
So, in essence, both apps complement each other perfectly in providing a comprehensive travel solution. TripIt ensures I’m always informed and prepared during my travels, and Wanderlog helps me plan and organize my adventures in detail.
How do I organize my vacation plan?
Organizing your vacation plan can be simplified into several steps:
- Identify Your Destination and Duration: Choose where you want to go and determine how long your trip will be. This can help shape the rest of your planning.
- Research: Look into the attractions, activities, restaurants, and local culture. This will help you understand what you might want to do when you arrive.
- Budgeting: Plan out your expenses. Include accommodation, food, transportation, activities, and some extra for unexpected costs.
- Accommodation and Transportation: Once your budget is set, start booking your flights and accommodations. Look for the best deals and consider your comfort and convenience.
- Create a Day-to-Day Itinerary: Using your research, start scheduling activities and attractions for each day. Don’t forget to leave some free time to relax or explore.
- Take Advantage of Apps: Use a travel planning app to consolidate and sync your plans, maps, and reminders conveniently in one place.
- Pack Accordingly: Look at the expected weather and pack clothes that are suitable for your activities and the local climate. Don’t forget essentials like travel documents, medications, and chargers.
Remember, flexibility is key. Plans can change, and having some wiggle room can help make your vacation more enjoyable and less stressful.
Final Thoughts: Best Travel Planner Apps
No matter the type of vacation you’re looking to take, having the best travel planner apps is essential for any traveler. It’s an easy way to find out what hotels or flights are available, and some of them even let you customize itineraries.
However, it’s important to understand that no one app has all the functionalities needed when planning a trip. You may need to mix and match different ones in order to get the most out of your vacation.
That’s why it’s normal for travelers to use multiple apps when planning a trip – each one offers unique features that help make your travels easier and more enjoyable!
