If you’re going travelling, setting yourself up with travel apps before you leave is going to set you up for a smoother travelling experience. There are about a million travel apps out there so how do you know which are the best apps for backpackers? Below is my list of tried-and-true backpacker apps, which I use again and again regardless of which region I’m travelling. Not only will you find app information below, but how to use their features to get the most out of the apps.
Hostelworld
Not sponsored in any way, but I LOVE Hostelworld. I book 99% of travel accommodation using the app. It’s easy to search; you can filter by options such as dorm vs private, breakfast included or places with a pool/ air con. You can also search by map vs list view, so you easily see which hostel is closest to the beach. Once you select a hostel, you can easily read past reviews, see pictures of the property and check the facilities. Honestly could not imagine travelling without hostelworld; the app is perfect for backpackers! Looking for hostel tips and what to expect when staying in hostels? Check out my hostel etiquette guide here.
Booking.com
Did you know you can also book a lot of hostels on Booking.com? Embarrassingly, I actually did not know this until about a year ago. Some hostels are only available to book on Hostelworld, whereas some may only be on Booking.com, but most of the time, hostels will be listed on both. Comparing prices between the two apps can help you get the best possible price on accommodation. Booking.com have great prices for last-minute deals, and their “Genius” loyalty program quite often gives you free room upgrades and further discounts. Booking.com is my go-to when booking accommodation in destinations where they may not be hostels because they have a great range of hotels, guesthouses and resorts.
Rome2Rio
Another absolute favourite app for backpackers! Rome2Rio lets you input any two destinations and compares different modes of transport between the two destinations in terms of price, time and cost. So, for example, say you are in Hanoi, Vietnam and want to go to Danang. Rome2Rio gives you several options, including flying, catching the train, driving, getting a bus. They even list combinations of trains and buses and where to changeover. That way you can decide if you would prefer to save money and catch a 20-hour bus or pay more and fly between the destinations, which is only 4.5 hours. Rome2Rio even links you to where to book the bus/train and what bus company operates on your route.
Skyscanner and Google Flights
Every traveller I’ve met either swears by only using Skyscanner or only using Google Flights to compare flight prices. I use a bit of both purely because I’m always trying to find the best routes. Experimenting on Google Flights and Skyscanner with different routes, dates, and destinations will help you figure out the cheapest or fastest way to get where you need to go.
While I use flight comparison flights frequently, I’ve learnt the hard way to never book on Skyscanner. I once booked a well-priced flight from Melbourne-Colombia through a third-party booking site on Skyscanner. Shortly after, the third-party booking company was declared bankrupt. Luckily, my flight had already been ticketed with Latam, and I did not lose any money. However, I did lose some sleep stressing over this while trying to get through to the airline on the phone. Unfortunately, many other travellers booked with this same third-party company and their flights were not ticketed. This meant they lost the total amount paid and had no valid ticket to their destination. Instead, use flight comparison sites to find the cheapest route and dates. Then book this route directly with the airline or with a trusted flight booking site.
Google Translate
Okay, you probably think this is a no-brainer when travelling to a non-English speaking country. But did you know about all the great features of the app? One of the most convenient is the offline translation feature. This means that you can download language data when you have Wi-Fi, so you can use google translate offline when you don’t have Wi-Fi access. This is helpful when asking for directions or trying to order food at a restaurant without an English menu or pictures. You can download offline languages on the app by going to Settings> Offline Translation> Add a Language.
The photo translation feature is another great feature Google Translate has (sadly not available offline, but still great). Basically, if you are ever handed a menu entirely in another language, open the Google Translate App> Press Camera Symbol> Hover your phone over the menu as if taking a photo> You’ll see the menu translated on your screen!
Currency Converter Plus
Another one of the best travel apps that works offline is the Currency Converter Plus App. Great for figuring out the price of something while on the go without wifi or cellular data. Heaps of currency options and super user-friendly.
Travel Spend
This one is a recent addition to my collection of apps, but it’s quickly becoming one of my most used. TravelSpend is an excellent cash flow and budgeting app for backpackers. The app allows you to note down your daily expenses and categorise them under different heading such as drinks, restaurants, laundry, transportation and many more. One of the things I love about TravelSpend is the ability to spread the amount over multiple days. So, for example, say you paid $100 for three nights in a dorm upon check-in, you can spread this $100 over the budget for three days. You can also enter your budget for the trip, and the app will calculate how you are tracking budget-wise every day.
Trip Advisor
A stock standard app for backpackers and for good reason! It is one of the most reliable apps for researching restaurants, cafes or things to do. My favourite feature of trip advisor is the ability for users to include photos in their reviews. Also, the Q&A section is great and often has additional information and answers to common questions from other travellers.
Google Maps and Maps.Me
Personally, I prefer Google Maps as my map app of choice. But I do also use Maps.Me depending on the location. Google Maps allows you to pin different locations with notes under folders, e.g. “good café in Ubud”, so you can easily track places to visit on the map. While the directions feature does not work offline, if you open the map for the city you are in while you have Wifi, you can still access and use this map while on the road without data or Wifi. Maps.Me, on the other hand, allows you to download large city and area maps offline. I generally use Maps.Me in larger cities as you can download complex road maps.
Uber/ Grab/ Gojek or other local rideshare apps
Downloading the right rideshare app before you leave home will help you much when you arrive at your destination. Why before you leave home, you may ask? Rideshare apps often ask you to verify your phone number to sign up via a one-time code text message. Unless you are planning on buying an international sim at the airport (I would not recommend it) or using international roaming on your home phone plan, you won’t be able to receive this code once you are in the country. There’s nothing worse than arriving at the airport jetlagged, bewildered and unable to order a rideshare car, only to be forced to get in an expensive airport taxi.
Another important thing to remember is that different countries use different rideshare apps. While Uber is in many places, other countries use Grab or Gojek. In some areas, they have Uber, but there are not many drivers, so it can be hard to use.
Spotify and Netflix
While I tend not to use these apps too much when I travel, they are great for long-haul flights or bus rides. Both apps allow you to download playlists and tv series when you have Wifi and then watch or listen while you are offline. Game-changer for keeping yourself occupied on long journeys!
Notes App
Another recommendation is the Notes app, and you probably think this is self-explanatory. However, it’s not the app I would recommend, but how you use it while travelling. 90% of my notes app comprises individual country and city recommendations. I have a standard travel recommendation template I use where I break down travel recommendations under subheadings “hostels”, “things to do”, “cafes”, “restaurants”, and “nightlife”. As I meet people who have travelled to a destination that I will be travelling to soon, I write down their recommendations in dot points.
Games that work offline
More of a general recommendation, but this will honestly be a game-changer if you’re ever bored and don’t have wifi/data. Some games I have on my phone that work offline are Freecell, Sudoku and Solitaire. These have gotten me through so many long-haul flights or cross-country buses so are ideal apps for backpackers. I also recently realised that the Heads Up app (charades) works offline, perfect for playing with groups when you are stuck somewhere without wifi/ data. There are also so many other game apps that you can use offline, depending on your tastes and interests. Before you head off, consider downloading some game apps to keep you occupied in your travels.
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