Download These Money-Saving Travel Apps
Once you have the urge to travel, it’s tough to shake that feeling. Most times, people cite money as the number one reason they aren’t taking the trips they dream of. But the apps listed below can help you save money and take the stress away from any type of travel—by land, air, or sea. Start saving and relaxing by downloading these apps.

Planning
Let’s face it, planning a trip can be hectic sometimes. The key to successful travel planning is to stay organized, which these apps are designed to help you do.
Send all your confirmation emails from bookings and rentals to your TripIt app account, and the app will automatically sync the times, costs, and confirmation numbers to a master itinerary for your trip. This is your one-stop-shop to show your tickets and information, so you can stay on track with your trip hassle-free.
It’s one thing to set a budget before your trip, but it’s another to stay on track while you’re traveling. Travel Spend takes the guesswork and math out of what money you have left, and it can even calculate between different currencies. Break down your budget by category, and set alerts when your budget has reached its limit.

Road trips
The freedom of a road trip is inviting. There are fun places to stop, eat, and sightsee. However, it can be draining to plan when and where to stop to refuel and rest—especially when you’re unfamiliar with the area. These apps are the roadside lifesavers you need on your phone.
When it’s time to fuel your vehicle, Gas Buddy lists the cheapest gas stations nearby. You can plan refuels by taking advantage of the app’s gas planner, so you always know when and where to stop.
This app can help you find last-minute hotel rooms to stop at for some stretching and rest from driving. The app compares the rates of rooms that haven’t booked for the night, so they’re far cheaper than you’d expect them to be.
Save interesting stops, hotels, and activities for your road trip in one spot. Based on what you save, the app will recommend the best routes to take. You can even share your saved places and routes with other friends who also have the app.
This amusing road trip tool guides you to the wacky, interesting, and exciting places you’ve never heard about across the country. Make your trip an unforgettable one with the suggestions Roadside America gives you.
If you’re looking for a rustic road trip experience, The Dyrt can show you all the nearby camping spots you can park at for the night. Set your filters for the type of terrain and price range you’d like, and the app does the searching for you.

Flights
Airports aren’t the most relaxing and pleasant places, and flying can be stressful for some people; not to mention it’s expensive too. But when you’re traveling somewhere far, it’s typically the most efficient option. Download these apps to feel more at ease about your flight price and experience.
Search Skyscanner for cheap flights, hotels, and car rentals well ahead of your trip or for last minute deals. Set up price alerts for your destination to be notified when the price drops below a certain amount.
Like Skyscanner, Hopper offers all the same options but is particularly good for bundle deals. The company frequently features getaway packages for flights, hotels, activities, and rentals for competitive rates. If you have your eyes set on a destination for the future, set alerts for that location and wait to see a vacation package deal that suits you.

Exploring the area
The most important part of your trip is to relax, but activities and exploration are a must too. These apps can get you the best deals on transportation and attractions, plus they can help you navigate where to go in a pinch if you’re in need of internet, food, or other amenities.
Receive real-time public transit data for over 175 metropolitan areas from the Transit app. You can determine the best routes and times to take a bus or train to your next destination based on any delays or fare price changes.
Find, book, and unlock a car, truck, or van near you by the hour with the Getaround app. For example, instead of a traditional car rental for a whole week, you can use this app to rent it for a few hours here and there, potentially saving you hundreds of dollars if you don’t plan to use a car to go everywhere during your trip.
Strengthen and check your cell data signal with the Open Signal app. This is a must-have for traveling remote workers who want to getaway but still need connection to the internet. Plan where to stay ahead of time with the app’s map feature that shows where cellphone tower signals are weakest and strongest.
Tripadvisor shows lists of the best-priced and highest-rated places near you, , and allows you to search by location for a place that fits your budget. For example, you can explore the menus, reviews, and prices of local restaurants so you aren’t arriving to a restaurant without knowing how much the food costs. However, there are more than restaurants to explore on the app. There are listings for just about any activity you can think of, and you can save them to your account for easy access later. If there’s a local business in a city or touristy area, there’s a likely chance it’s listed on Tripadvisor.
Above all, don’t overstretch your budget for a vacation. The point of a vacation is to escape, explore, and be entertained—not to return home burdened by travel-related debt. Download these apps, and have a great trip!