Our travel app picks for 2026

Best travel apps for 2026 according to the Polarsteps team (real recommendations, no sponsored content).

Polarsteps: Plan, track, and relive your trip

What is Polarsteps? Okay, we’re biased, but even when we’re not at work, our team of travelers uses Polarsteps to plan trips, automatically track travels, share updates with friends and family, and turn photos and memories into Travel Books. The app brings your whole journey together in one place, with features that let you discover destinations, organize stops along your route, book accommodations, and view your trip from the first stop to the last on a clear, interactive map.

Why install Polarsteps? Apple recently listed Polarsteps as one of the three travel apps it loves. According to the App Store editors, Polarsteps "quietly records your travels, even offline, so you can stay in the moment while still keeping a clear overview of your route and memories."

Price: Free Download: iOS | Android

AllTrails: Find and follow nature trails

What is Alltrails? Hikers, mountain-bikers, and runners all use this app to find and follow a suitable trail wherever they are in the world. Each trail can be filtered by sport, or for information such as whether dogs are allowed, with users uploading reviews and photos. The app’s premium versions give access to downloadable offline maps and navigation prompts and alerts.

Why install Alltrails? "I've used the app’s export to GPX feature to load routes onto my watch so I don't have to use my phone on the hike, which is great. I also like being able to filter for circular and there-and-back routes." Jimmy Arts, Lead iOS Engineer

Price: Free (premium version €29.99/year) Download: iOS | Android

Citymapper: Travel seamlessly from A to B

What is Citymapper? When you know a route like the back of your hand, it’s easy to get to where you’re going in the shortest time possible. Citymapper applies this sort of insider knowledge — the carriage with available seats, the fastest station exit, the e-scooter with the fullest battery — to major cities across the world, combining it with real-time information on traffic, departure times, and delays.

Why install Citymapper? "This app is usually more accurate than Google Maps for planning routes in major cities — and I love how you can see which train carriages are the least full." Matt Phillips, Head of Editorial & Internationalization

Price: Free (premium version €9.99/year) Download: iOS | Android

Peakfinder: Identify your view

What is Peakfinder? When you’re hiking in the mountains, open this app to pinpoint the peaks around you, or use the camera mode to generate an augmented reality overlay that you can fit to the view. The app can quickly recognise more than a million mountains, hills, and inclines, even when you don’t have signal, and take an annotated photo (great for adding to your Polarsteps step!).

Why install Peakfinder? "I’m a bigggggg big Peakfinder fan. When I worked as a guide, and people would ask me about every single peak in the Dolomites, I’d privately 're-orient' myself with Peakfinder. I also used it for directions on several solo hut-to-hut hikes because it lets you fly around this incredible 3D landscape." Nina Banducci, US GTM Lead

Price: €5.99 Download: iOS | Android

Slopes: Keep track of skiing stats

What is Slopes? Built by and for skiers and snowboarders, this tool gives you access to digital trail maps of more than 2,000 resorts around the world, and provides a daily stats summary, including distances covered, highest elevation, and top speed. It’s all interactive, so you can easily locate friends if you get separated, and compete for pole position on a group leaderboard. Paid features include real-time information on lift queues.

Why install Slopes? "I used Slopes when I traveled to Châtel and Les Gets for Polarsteps. My competitive brain loves comparing stats (especially against friends!) and the offline resort maps make navigating easy." Matt Bainbridge, Senior Travel Editor

Price: Free (premium version €29.99/year) Download: iOS | Android

Sun Seeker: Let the sun assist your photography

What is Sun Seeker? Used and loved by professional photographers, especially for location shoots, this app is also great for travelers wanting to capture their trip in the best light. You can identify exactly where the sun will rise and set, track the sun’s projected path, and use augmented reality to find out what your shot will look like at different times of day.

Why install Sun Seeker? “I love just wandering and shooting whatever grabs me, but sometimes you're chasing a specific shot and you've only got a day or two. That's when Sun Seeker is invaluable... the flat compass view & 3D AR view shows you exactly where the sun's going to be, so you can plan the shot without losing half a day figuring it out." Toby Fisher, Marketing Lead

Price: €6.99 Download: iOS | Android

Park4Night: Find overnight spots for campervans

What is Park4Night? Park4Night helps you find places to park overnight when you're traveling by campervan. The community-driven app has over 370,000 spots in 100+ countries, from free wild-camping areas to farm stays and campsites with services. You can check real-time availability and book directly through the app.

Why install Park4Night? "Park4Night was essential on my three-year-long trip across Europe in an electric campervan. I used it to find amazing spots to spend the night, from campgrounds catering to digital nomads to epic spots in the wilderness." Sara van Geloven, Project Manager

Price: Free (premium version €9.99/year)

Download: iOS | Android

What3words: Never get lost again

What is what3words? The makers of this app divided the entire globe into three-meter squares and allocated three random words to each. The result is a precise and memorable way to share a location without using coordinates — so much so that emergency services have incorporated the system into their responses. The app also works when you’re completely offline, so it’s essential for anyone embarking on an adventure.

Why install what3words? "Many of the most beautiful spots in the world don't have a postal address — if you want to tell someone an exact location to visit, a what3words address is an easy way to share it. One of my own suggestions: a wild swimming spot in Mexico at ///pictured.pheasants.handball" Clare Jones, CEO (formerly CCO at what3words)

Price: Free Download: iOS | Android

Kindred: Home-swapping community

What is Kindred? With Kindred, travelers in North America and Europe pay for stays in other members’ homes using credits earned by opening up their own place to guests. Both renters and homeowners can register their property for free, and in return, they receive five credits to get started (that’s five nights’ stay!). The best thing? These are real homes — rental investors need not apply.

Why install Kindred? “Even though you always have to pay service and cleaning fees, the overall cost of a stay is cheaper than alternative options.” Nina Banducci, US GTM Lead

Price: Free to join, then 1 credit per night + cleaning and service fees per stay Download: iOS | Android

Trainline: Simplify your rail route

What is Trainline? Created in the UK, whose railways are owned and run by different companies, Trainline simplified the act of buying a train ticket at the lowest price. It now performs the same role across Europe, and includes bus routes, too. Just type in your departure and destination details to compare the cheapest fares and fastest routes, then buy and store your tickets in the app.

Why install Trainline? "Finding tickets with Trainline is a much more streamlined experience than trying to decode the timetables and prices of different foreign booking platforms. It also means you have all your train tickets in one place.’” Claire Bissell, Senior Travel Editor

Price: Free Download: iOS | Android

My Aurora Forecast: Catch the northern lights

What is My Aurora Forecast? This app scans the skies for aurora activity. It shows travelers which locations in their area have the best chance of northern lights visibility and at what time, and you can even set alerts to wake you up if the show kicks off during the night. Plus, there are loads of cool weather charts depicting solar winds and KP indices.

Why install My Aurora Forecast? "My Aurora Forecast was a fantastic help in spotting the northern lights on my winter trip to Tromsø, Norway. Using the forecast and aurora map features, I managed to see the lights not once, not twice, but three times!" Sara van Geloven, Project Manager

Price: Free Download: iOS | Android

ATM Fee Saver: Make your travel money go further

What is ATM Fee Saver? Budget travelers and people on long-distance, long-term trips find this app a real penny saver. When you need to withdraw money, it works out which nearby ATM offers the best exchange rate and lowest withdrawal fees. It also has a built-in currency converter, plus tips for making your travel budget go further.

Why install ATM Fee Saver? "ATM Fee Saver really was amazing for saving those precious $$$" Dan Hodkinson, Head of Engineering

Price: Free Download: iOS | Android

Timeshifter: Tackle jetlag before take-off

What is Timeshifter? Type your flight details and a few lifestyle preferences into this app to receive an hour-by-hour plan for the days prior to and following your departure to a different time zone. The tailored schedule takes into account whether or not you drink coffee or take melatonin, and advises when to sleep and when to stay awake to minimize jet lag.

Why install Timeshifter? "I didn’t want to waste a minute of my time in New Zealand, so I followed Timeshifter’s advice to the letter — including sunglasses in the office! It worked a treat, and I barely noticed the 12-hour time difference, even after 23 hours in the air." Nicky Evans, Senior Travel Editor

Price: First trip free, then €9.99 per trip or €24.99/year Download: iOS | Android

Meetup: Instant in-person social network

What is Meetup? Whether you’re craving company while solo traveling or looking to socialize in your own city, Meetup hooks you up with informal groups of people who share your interests, from book clubs or bouldering to day-clubbing and evening drinks. You can easily see how many people have already signed up, and keep in touch with anyone you click with after the event. It’s a great way to meet locals and fellow travelers wherever you are in the world.

Why install Meetup? "When I came to Amsterdam, I used Meetup to browse fun things to do and get a feel for the city — I even considered attending a life-drawing class!" Matt Bainbridge, Senior Travel Editor

Price: Free (optional in-app purchases) Download: iOS | Android

Airalo: Friction-free eSIMs

What is Airalo? With its extensive geographical coverage and options to buy global, regional, or local packages, this market for eSIMs ensures you’re connected as soon as you arrive in a new country. You can install the software before you leave on your trip and activate it when you get there for instant internet access.

Why install Airalo? "When I traveled to the Philippines, stopping in Hong Kong and Singapore, a single eSIM from Airalo covered all three countries. It’s also easy to top up credit directly in the app." Nicky Evans, Senior Travel Editor

Price: Free Download: iOS | Android

Splitwise: Keep your travel budget on track

What is Splitwise? When you’re traveling together, it can be hard to keep an overview of your expenses and work out the best way to stay on budget. This app allows everyone in the group to log their expenses, work out who owes who, and split costs fairly. No more awkward conversations or simmering resentment with this app, which is all about transparency.

Why install Splitwise? "I'm the power user of Splitwise — it knows my spending for the last decade. The 'Simplify debts' feature is great and has saved a lot of conflicting group math." Inês Pais, CRM Lead

Price: Free (premium version €2.99/month) Download: iOS | Android

Flush: Navigate to nearby public bathrooms

What is Flush? Developed in the UK with an initial focus on London, this app shows travelers the public restrooms available in many cities around the world. You can see information about keys, costs, and access for people with disabilities, and get directions straight to the toilet door. Users can contribute their own intel, too. It’s not perfect, but it’s a good start when you’re caught short.

Why install Flush? ‘Flush was very handy in some countries I traveled in, like New Zealand and Australia, but not so good in Central America.’ Dan Hodkinson, Head of Engineering

Price: Free Download: iOS | Android

Lime: Scoot around the sights

What is Lime? Renting electric scooters and bikes to travelers and locals in more than 150 cities in 30+ countries, Lime is an economical and low-carbon way of getting around the tourist sites. Use the app to find your nearest set of wheels, then pay an unlock fee and a per-minute rate. Just remember to park your ride responsibly.

Why install Lime? "So many cities have Lime bikes and scooters, so being able to hop on and cruise around is super convenient. I love seeing a city from ground level and being able to stop wherever I like along the way. You get to see a lot more local life and stumble across places you'd never have found on a bus or train." Toby Fisher, Marketing Lead

Price: Free Download: iOS | Android

Hostelworld: Find the best bed for you

What is Hostelworld? Featuring hostels in nearly every country in the world, this platform helps travelers find the right place to spend the night — whether that’s an affordable city bed in a shared dorm, a party pad, or somewhere quiet to recharge. If you’re looking for more than a place to rest your head, the app allows you to chat with other guests and make social plans.

Why install Hostelworld? "By looking at hostels' availability in the search results and connecting with other travelers via the chat, you can avoid empty hostels (or pick a quieter one if you need time alone)." Coline Dubaux, Senior Product Manager

Price: Free Download: iOS | Android

Western Union: Move your money around the world

What is Western Union? This longstanding money-transfer service has a presence in more than 200 countries and territories. Once you’ve set up an account, the app makes it easy to transfer money from your home bank and pick it up in cash at a local branch.

Why install Western Union? "The Western Union app was invaluable when I traveled in Argentina, where ATM withdrawal fees are high and cash is often preferred." Matt Bainbridge, Senior Travel Editor

Price: Free Download: iOS | Android

None of the apps in this selection is sponsored. They’re all genuine picks by our team, who use the apps alongside Polarsteps.