From scoring ridiculously cheap flights to splitting expenses with travel companions, these apps cover every aspect of your journey. Let me show you exactly how I use them to travel smarter, not harder.
Best Apps for Finding Flight Deals
Finding affordable flights is often the first step in planning any trip. These are the apps I consistently use to score the best deals and save hundreds on airfare.
1. Hopper
What it does best: Predicts flight and hotel price changes with impressive accuracy
Hopper is my go-to app when I’m flexible with travel dates. Its color-coded calendar shows when prices are expected to rise or fall, and the price prediction tool has saved me over $300 on a single international flight. I always enable notifications so I know when flash sales are running.
The app also offers a Price Freeze feature that lets you lock in current rates for a period of time. If prices go up, Hopper covers the difference up to a set amount. If prices drop, you pay the lower fare.
Free or paid: Free to download and use, with optional paid features
I once booked the MGM Grand for $0 because Hopper had a $50 off sale for all hotels in Vegas, and it was $49/night.
Pro tip: Enable notifications to catch flash sales that can sometimes get you free flights or hotel stays.
2. Skyscanner
What it does best: Flexible destination search and comprehensive price comparison
Whenever I’m open to exploring new destinations, I use Skyscanner’s “Everywhere” search feature. This genius tool shows me the cheapest places to fly from my location, which has led to some incredible spontaneous trips I wouldn’t have otherwise considered.
The “Whole Month” search is another feature I regularly use when my travel dates are flexible. It displays a calendar with the cheapest days to fly, often revealing significant price differences between dates just a few days apart.
Free or paid: Completely free
Pro tip: Use the “Everywhere” search when you’re flexible on destination and “Whole Month” when you’re flexible on dates to find the absolute best deals.
3. Google Flights
What it does best: Price tracking and fare calendar visualization
I use Google Flights for its clean interface and powerful price tracking features. When I have a specific destination in mind, I set up price alerts to notify me when fares drop. The price insights feature tells me whether current prices are high, typical, or low compared to historical data.
The fare calendar gives me a quick visual of price fluctuations over a two-month period, making it easy to spot the cheapest days to fly. I’ve saved at least $200 per international trip by being flexible with my travel dates.
Free or paid: Completely free
Pro tip: Use the “Track prices” toggle when searching for specific routes to receive email notifications about price changes.
Best Apps for Finding Accommodations
After securing flights, finding the right place to stay is my next priority. These apps help me discover everything from luxury hotels at discount prices to unique vacation rentals.
4. Booking.com
What it does best: Extensive accommodation options with loyalty rewards
I’ve been using Booking.com for years and have reached Genius Level 3 status, which gives me 15% discounts, free room upgrades, and complimentary breakfasts at participating properties. The app’s map view helps me find accommodations in specific neighborhoods, and the filter options let me narrow down choices based on my exact preferences.
What I love most is the ability to book many properties without upfront payment and with free cancellation, giving me flexibility when planning trips.
Free or paid: Free to use
Pro tip: Book regularly to reach Genius status for significant discounts and perks that add up quickly.
5. Priceline
What it does best: Express Deals for deep hotel discounts
Priceline’s Express Deals feature has consistently saved me 40-50% on hotel stays. These are mystery rooms where the hotel name is hidden until after booking, but you can see the star rating, neighborhood, and amenities. For travelers who care more about quality than a specific hotel brand, this is a goldmine.
I’ve stayed at 4-star hotels in major cities for less than $100 per night using this feature. Plus, Priceline works with Rakuten, so I earn cash back on every booking.
Free or paid: Free to use
Pro tip: Use Express Deals when you’re more concerned with location and quality than staying at a specific hotel.
6. VRBO
What it does best: Vacation rentals for groups and families
When traveling with friends or family, I always check VRBO for vacation rentals. The app makes it easy to find properties with multiple bedrooms, full kitchens, and amenities like private pools that hotels rarely offer at comparable prices.
I’ve found that for groups of 4 or more, VRBO often provides better value than booking multiple hotel rooms. Plus, having a kitchen helps cut down on dining expenses during longer trips.
Free or paid: Free to use
Pro tip: Use Rakuten when booking through VRBO to earn cash back on your reservation.
Best Apps for Saving Money While Traveling
These apps help me stretch my travel budget further by finding deals, earning cash back, and managing expenses efficiently.
7. Rakuten
What it does best: Cash back on travel bookings and other purchases
I’ve earned over $500 in cash back through Rakuten, with a significant portion coming from travel bookings. The app offers cash back at hundreds of travel sites including Priceline, Booking.com, Expedia, VRBO, and many airline websites.
The Chrome extension automatically alerts me when I’m on a site that offers cash back, ensuring I never miss an opportunity to earn. Rakuten sends quarterly payments via PayPal or check, which I often use to fund future travels.
Free or paid: Completely free
Pro tip: Install both the app and Chrome extension to maximize your cash back opportunities.
8. Splitwise
What it does best: Tracking shared expenses during group travel
Splitwise has eliminated awkward money conversations during group trips. The app lets everyone add expenses as they occur, automatically calculating who owes what. At the end of the trip, it simplifies complex payment situations into the fewest possible transactions.
I appreciate the flexibility to split costs unevenly (like when someone gets a more expensive room) or exclude certain people from specific expenses. This app has preserved friendships by keeping finances transparent and fair.
Free or paid: Free with optional premium features
Pro tip: Create a dedicated group for each trip to keep expenses organized and easily settle up at the end.
9. Too Good To Go
What it does best: Discounted food from local restaurants and bakeries
This app has been a game-changer for saving money on food while traveling. Too Good To Go connects users with restaurants, bakeries, and grocery stores offering surplus food at steep discounts (usually 70-80% off) that would otherwise be thrown away.
I’ve discovered amazing local bakeries and restaurants through this app while simultaneously reducing food waste and saving money. In Paris, I once got a box of premium pastries worth €25 for just €4.99.
Free or paid: Free to download and use
Pro tip: Check the app before you go and favorite places you’re interested in so you can quickly see when they add new offerings.
Best Apps for Saving Time While Traveling
These apps help me navigate unfamiliar places efficiently, overcome language barriers, and organize my travel plans.
10. Maps.me
What it does best: Offline maps and navigation
Maps.me has saved me countless hours of wandering and expensive data charges. Unlike Google Maps, which consumes data continuously, Maps.me allows you to download detailed maps for entire regions before your trip and use them completely offline.
The app automatically detects your location when connected to WiFi and suggests downloading the local map. It shows hiking trails, small businesses, and points of interest that sometimes don’t appear on other mapping apps.
Free or paid: Free with some in-app purchases
Pro tip: Download maps for your destination before leaving home to avoid using precious hotel WiFi time.
11. Google Translate
What it does best: Breaking language barriers
Google Translate has been invaluable during my international travels. The camera feature instantly translates menus, signs, and instructions by simply pointing your phone camera at the text. The conversation mode allows for near real-time translation when speaking with locals.
I always download the language packs for my destination before traveling so I can use the app offline. This has helped me navigate rural areas in Japan and communicate with taxi drivers in Mexico without using data.
Free or paid: Completely free
Pro tip: Download language packs before your trip to use translation features without an internet connection.
12. Rome2Rio
What it does best: Comparing transportation options
Rome2Rio is my secret weapon for figuring out the best way to get from point A to point B in unfamiliar territories. The app shows all available transportation options—planes, trains, buses, ferries, driving routes—along with approximate costs and travel times.
This has saved me both time and money by revealing options I wouldn’t have known about otherwise. In Europe, I discovered a ferry-train combination that was half the price of a direct train and only added 20 minutes to the journey.
Free or paid: Free with ads
Pro tip: Use Rome2Rio during the planning stage to budget transportation costs more accurately.
Travel Apps I’ve Tried and No Longer Use
Not every app delivers on its promises. These are a few I’ve tested but ultimately removed from my travel toolkit.
TripAdvisor
While TripAdvisor has a wealth of reviews, I’ve found the information increasingly unreliable. Many reviews seem incentivized or manipulated, and the app has become cluttered with ads and sponsored content that make it difficult to find authentic recommendations.
I now prefer to use Google Maps reviews or local blogs for more trustworthy insights.
Hotel Tonight
Hotel Tonight promises last-minute hotel deals, but I’ve consistently found better prices on Priceline and Booking.com. The app’s limited inventory and inability to guarantee specific room types made it less practical for my travel style.
The “Daily Drop” feature occasionally offers good deals, but the one-shot nature makes it too much of a gamble.
Start Saving Time and Money on Your Next Trip
These twelve apps have fundamentally changed how I travel, saving me thousands of dollars and countless hours of frustration. From finding the cheapest flights with Hopper and Skyscanner to navigating foreign cities with Maps.me and communicating across language barriers with Google Translate, each app serves a specific purpose in making travel more affordable and enjoyable.
I recommend starting with Hopper for flight deals and Rakuten for cash back on all your travel bookings. These two alone can save you hundreds on your next trip. Then gradually add others based on your specific travel needs.
What travel apps do you swear by? Share your favorites in the comments below!
Ready to start saving on your next adventure?
Download Hopper now and start tracking flight prices to your dream destination. Users save an average of $50 per flight by booking at the right time.