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If you’re planning a road trip, you can’t leave home without downloading some important apps to help you along the way. From planning and organizing to navigating your route, apps can help you have the best cross-country adventure, as well as save time and money along the way. Check out the best road trip apps, available in the app store on iTunes for iPhone, and on Google Play on Android.
Apps for Planning a Trip
1. TripIt
When still in the planning stages of your cross-country road trip, an app like TripIt is the perfect way to get organized. The app helps you out by organizing your itinerary and any important info, like hotel reservations, directions, or tickets, so you can access it all in one place. The app also lets you share all your info with your travel buddies, meaning everyone has easy access to the plans on their own phone. The app is user-friendly and if you upgrade to the pro version, for $49 per year, you’ll be able to save things like flight miles and seats, as well as have access to info like flight delays.
2. Roadtrippers
Another great planning app is Roadtrippers. The app is the fastest growing app for planning a road trip, and for good reason. Roadtrippers’ main draw is their ultimate road trip map, making planning your route easy. The map features thousands of off-the-beaten-track destinations around the country, as well as all the hotels, restaurants, bars, sights, and whatever else you need on your journey. The app lets you plan the route right there in the app, then share it with all your travel buddies, so everyone can have the plan in their own hands.
3. Drivvo
Whether you’re super organized or super disorganized, Drivvo is the perfect app to keep you on track. Drivvo lets you log every detail, from how much gas you’ve used and how many miles you’ve driven, to reminders for repairs, refuels, and more along the way. The app helps you remember what you need, as well as helps saves money with features like guiding you to the cheapest gas station on your route.
Navigation Apps
4. Google Maps
You’ve probably used this one already, so it should be a no-brainer, but Google Maps is consistently one of the top options for navigation during a road trip. The app only recently added an offline feature to it, meaning you can use Google Maps from wherever you are without internet. Download the sections of the trip you need, and you’ll be able to access your customized map from anywhere. The map is reliable, and although the offline feature doesn’t offer voiceover directions, it still includes all you need to get from point A to point B. The map only downloads when you have internet, and will update once you’re connected again.
5. Waze
This fast-growing navigation app is perfect for cross-country adventure with friends. With real-time traffic updates, a great GPS system, and user-generated input, it’s no wonder so many people are using Waze. The app relies heavily on input from users, letting you report anything in your path for fellow travelers to take into account. Waze also lets you find the best stops for gas or food along the route, automatically finds an alternate route when need be, and can send your ETA to friends or family waiting for you at the next stop.
6. Maps.Me
Maps.Me is the ideal map for the avid traveler. The map works offline, requiring you to download certain countries or regions ahead of time. Once downloaded, you’ll have access to all you need. Maps.Me lets you find points of interest near you — cafes, bars, hotels, restaurants, museums, and more. Plus, with the app, you can call an Uber or book a tour or a room at a hotel just by clicking on the site in question. Even offline, you can access these functions, as well as voiceover step-by-step directions to get to those places you’re trying to see. The map is super handy for figuring out what to do and see along the various stops of your trip.
Other Road Trip Apps
7. Android Auto
If you have an Android phone, make sure you have Android Auto. The app hooks up to your car’s Bluetooth system to let you use your phone entirely hands-free. Answer calls, find a new route, check out the reviews of that restaurant you just passed, or find something to do on the road without taking your hands off the wheel. Android Auto is the safest way to multitask on your road trip.
8. GasBuddy
You can’t hit the open road without an app like GasBuddy. The app helps you to refuel and find the cheapest gas prices near you as you drive. The data in GasBuddy’s inventory is collected by users, so it may not have everything, but luckily it’s easy to use, letting you go back in and add that lower price you saw. The app helps you save money on the trip, and also save time by finding the gas stations near you automatically, so you don’t have to drive in circles looking where to fill up.
9. Spotify
If you’re spending hours out on the roads with your pals, you need a good playlist to keep you going. Make sure you have some good Spotify playlists downloaded to your phone. Create your own playlist, or check out any of the thousands of user-generated or Spotify official playlists across every genre to keep you singing for hours. The app is free, however, upgrading to Spotify premium lets you access the full app while offline instead of downloading individual playlists.
10. Hotel Tonight
In a bind for a quick stay? Apps like Hotel Tonight help you out with that. Hotel Tonight helps you find last minute deals to snag a hotel room so you don’t have to sleep in the car or try to make it all the way to your destination without some shut eye. The app lets you scroll through the best options to get the perfect combination of affordable, cozy, and close by.