5 Best Free Travel Apps
There are more apps out there than you can possibly try, even just for travel. So we’ve done the grunt work of sorting through to find the best of the best free apps that will make your travels easier. All apps listed below are available for both iPhone and Android (and some for iPad and additional smartphone models).
If you’re traveling to a place with a different currency, local shopping can become an overwhelming hassle. Of course you want to pick up gifts for your friends and family back home, but do you really want to pay the equivalent of $50 or 37€ for that Russian nesting doll for your 7-year-old niece? XE Currency offers free apps for a wide range of phones, and this app is especially useful if you have a multi-stop trip and have to deal with several currencies.
AroundMe is a clever and useful app that you can use to find out what is around you and where you want to go next. Available for iPhone and Android, the app determines your location and will show you what’s nearby according to different categories (including ATMs, coffee shops, hotels, movie theaters, and more). And honestly, this is one app that would come in handy at home and abroad.
Stay (City Guides and Offline Maps)
TravelSim offers affordable data roaming, but you still want to be careful with your data usage while traveling. Offline maps and guides are a smart way to do just that, and Stay.com’s attractive and easy-to-use app offers free offline guides and maps for many different cities. TripAdvisor offers a similar app, but doesn’t cover quite as many cities (as of October 2013). But both apps are free, so you can try them both and see which one you like best.
Onavo Extend
Admit it. You’ve been surprised (and not in a good way) at least once by your data usage and how much it cost you. This app (available for both iPhone and Android) tracks your smartphone’s data usage and optimizes that usage to save you money. In short, it’s an excellent perhaps essential app to have at home or while traveling.
Possibly the most obvious app on this list, but if it’s good, it’s good! You can type in phrases to translate, but it’s best features (for travel) are voice input, text-to-speech, and conversation mode. Quite brilliant, actually. If you need some more intensive help, TravelSim offers a Personal Assistant service (free until the end of 2013 if you dial +372991) that can also provide interpretation help.