{"id":5434,"date":"2018-06-05T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2018-06-04T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/?p=5434"},"modified":"2020-04-02T05:35:23","modified_gmt":"2020-04-01T19:35:23","slug":"free-travel-apps","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/tips\/free-travel-apps\/","title":{"rendered":"12 FREE apps to make your next trip awesome"},"content":{"rendered":"

Holidays and travel are amazing, but sometimes they can feel like a lot of work, too. But they don\u2019t have to. Here are 12 FREE apps to help make your next trip easy and awesome.<\/p>\n

1. PackPoint Travel Packing List<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Download for iPhone<\/strong><\/a>
\n Download for Android<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

I have a (rather silly) recurring dream that always comes when I\u2019m preparing for a trip. I\u2019m at the airport, checking in for my flight, when I realise I\u2019ve forgotten a bunch of things I never leave home without. Nothing *technically* essential: just make-up or jewellery. But I\u2019m a vain, superficial person, so to me it\u2019s a crisis.<\/p>\n

But with PackPoint, that dream will never come true. Just enter your destination, travel dates and some info about your trip and PackPoint will create a packing list tailored to your needs. It covers all the basics (and some!) and uses weather data to recommend appropriate clothing. You can even add your own items (e.g.: a ridiculous amount of make-up and jewellery) to fully personalise your list.<\/p>\n

Yes, I\u2019m totally researching my travel apps blog post. No, I\u2019m not just planning my next getaway.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
<\/div>\n

2. Citymapper<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Download for iPhone<\/strong><\/a>
\n Download for Android<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Citymapper is part map, part transport guide, and all awesome. It combines public transport timetables with real-time transit alerts to give you the quickest, easiest route to wherever you want to go. It\u2019s still relatively new, with only 30 cities around the world covered so far (including Sydney and Melbourne), but they\u2019re adding new destinations all the time. Vote for your favourite city here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Citymapper.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
<\/div>\n

3. Snapseed<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Download for iPhone<\/strong><\/a>
\n Download for Android<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

It\u2019s not a holiday until you\u2019ve spammed your jealous friends and family with a hundred photos a day. So make sure they look their best. Snapseed is Google\u2019s complete, professional, and still totally FREE photo-editing app. It\u2019s incredibly easy to use, with both simple filters and manual touch-up tools, and even the filters will make your pics look amazing. Plus it\u2019s not just for camera photos. Synch it to your Dropbox and you can easily access and edit your camera pics (including your fancy DSLR snaps) as well.<\/p>\n

Snapseed can fix anything… except my cat\u2019s bad manners.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
<\/div>\n

4. Splittr<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Download for iPhone<\/strong><\/a>
\n Register for Android early access (coming soon)<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Travelling with friends and family is great! But splitting expenses and doing restaurant maths… not so much. Enter Splittr to save the day (and your relationships). Just add your expenses as you go and Splittr will tell you whose turn it is to pay next and who owes what. It works offline, so you don\u2019t need to use any of your precious roaming data and it can even analyse where and how you\u2019ve spent your money (hopefully without judgement).<\/p>\n

Would you trust these people to remember how much they owe you? Then get Splittr.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
<\/div>\n

5. XE Currency<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Download for iPhone<\/strong><\/a>
\n Download for Android<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

When it comes to cash and travelling overseas, there\u2019s more to keep track of than just whose shout it is next (I\u2019m looking at you, Mark). There\u2019s also exchange rates, which can change every day, making it tricky to calculate how much you\u2019re really spending. That\u2019s where you need the XE Currency app. Not only does it have up-to-date exchange rates for all of the world\u2019s currencies, but it also has a currency calculator, so you don\u2019t have to do any maths. Too easy!<\/p>\n

XE Currency.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
<\/div>\n

6. Duolingo: Learn Languages Free<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Download for iPhone<\/strong><\/a>
\n Download for Android<\/strong><\/a>
\n Download for Windows<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Learning new languages is part of the fun of travelling (even if all you remember afterwards is how to say \u201cTwo beers, please\u201d). So why not embrace the fun with Duolingo, a super cute app that uses games to teach you another language (or two… or three… ). It\u2019s safely G-rated, so the whole family can play, and it\u2019s quick \u2013 you can start with just five minutes of practice a day. But don\u2019t let the short lessons and cartoony pics fool you: 34 hours on Duolingo is equivalent to a whole semester of university-level\u00a0education \ud83d\ude32<\/p>\n

Almost 30 real languages to pick from and I choose Klingon.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
<\/div>\n

7. Google Translate<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Download for iPhone<\/strong><\/a>
\n Download for Android<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Even if you ace your Duolingo lessons and master all 68 of its language courses (I believe in you), once you\u2019re on your trip you\u2019re bound to come across the odd word you don\u2019t recognise. Not a problem when you\u2019ve got Google Translate. Type a word, draw the characters, or take a photo of a sign to translate between 32 to 103 different languages (depending on the function you use and whether or not you\u2019re online). It can even transcribe and translate a two-way conversation, which is a liiiittle creepy. It\u2019s not 100% accurate (voice recognition is a developing technology), especially if you go out of your way to trick it (guilty) but you\u2019ll still get the gist.<\/p>\n

Another productive day at the Wotif office.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
<\/div>\n
On the upside, my French title is on point.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
<\/div>\n

8. Emergency+<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Download for iPhone<\/strong><\/a>
\n Download for Android<\/strong><\/a>
\n Download for Windows<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

For travel within Oz, this app is a lifesaver \u2013 literally. If you\u2019re like me, you barely know where you are in your own city, let alone a new one. Which is fine most of the time, but what if you find yourself in a situation where you or someone you\u2019re with needs urgent help? Enter Emergency+. It tells you EXACTLY where you are, right down to your coordinates, almost anywhere in Australia, and it includes all the emergency and assistance numbers you could ever need (including info on calling via the National Relay\u00a0Service).<\/p>\n

Emergency+<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
<\/div>\n

9. Uber<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Download for iPhone<\/strong><\/a>
\n Download for Android<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

I never really got Uber. I live in Sydney, where there are taxis everywhere, and I know (roughly) the way to my house. But I tried it in the US and… whoa. Uber is the perfect transport when you don\u2019t quite know where you are or how to get where you need to go. The drivers have their own version of the app, which tells them the way to go, so they won\u2019t ask you for directions (do I look like someone who knows where they\u2019re going?). And there\u2019s something so addictive about watching your driver\u2019s progress as you wait for your ride. What are you doing spinning around on that roundabout, Brandon?<\/em><\/p>\n

Take me to the kitties.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
<\/div>\n

10. AroundMe<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Download for iPhone<\/strong><\/a>
\n Download for Android<\/strong><\/a>
\n Download for Windows Phone<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Need to find a restaurant? Or an ATM? Or a supermarket, cinema, petrol station, or pub? AroundMe has got you covered. Just type in the service or amenity you\u2019re looking for (or select one from the list of popular searches) and AroundMe will serve up a list of options, with their addresses and distance from your location. Click on one you like and it\u2019ll bring up an info page with a Google Map, the business\u2019s website, their contact number, and even their Yelp reviews. No more wandering aimlessly through an unfamiliar city (unless you want to).<\/p>\n

AroundMe.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
<\/div>\n

11. SitOrSquat: Restroom Finder<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Download for iPhone<\/strong><\/a>
\n Download for Android<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

I\u2019ll level with you \u2013 I downloaded this app for the lols. I\u2019ve got a reputation as someone who pees a lot (I like to stay hydrated, OK?), so an app that locates and rates public bathrooms didn\u2019t just sound like something I needed \u2013 it sounded like something I should have invented. But you know what? SitOrSquat is actually brilliant. SitOrSquat uses your phone\u2019s location data to show you all the public bathrooms near you. They\u2019re rated by users, with good bathrooms earning green \u201cSit\u201d toilet rolls (meaning it\u2019s safe to sit down) and not-so-good ones earning red \u201cSquat\u201d toilet rolls (meaning you might want to hover). You can filter to find free (yep, some places make you pay to pee), accessible, and baby-friendly bathrooms. There\u2019s even an option to add reviews and photos, in case you\u2019re really, really passionate about toilets.<\/p>\n

The only downside? Seeing how many \u201cSquat\u201d toilets are out there right now.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Lift your game, Sydney.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
<\/div>\n

12. The Wotif app<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Download for iPhone<\/strong><\/a>
\n Download for Android<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Yep, I\u2019ve saved the best for last. If you book your trips on Wotif (and why wouldn\u2019t you? \ud83d\ude09), the Wotif app is a must-have. It\u2019s easy to search on, you can book in a couple of clicks, and it gives you access to secret Mates Rates deals that\u2019ll save you up to 50% on select hotels. And that\u2019s before you even leave home. While you\u2019re travelling, it also sends you mobile alerts about flight delays, lets you to manage and change your bookings as you go, and can share your itinerary with friends and family back home so you can keep them in the loop (or brag).<\/p>\n

Show me the deals!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
<\/div>\n<\/i> DOWNLOAD THE WOTIF APP <\/a>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Holidays and travel are amazing, but sometimes they can feel like a lot of work, too. But they don\u2019t have to. Here are 12 FREE apps to help make your next trip easy and awesome. 1. PackPoint Travel Packing List Download for iPhone Download for Android I have a (rather silly) recurring dream that always …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":5435,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[80],"tags":[],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5434"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5434"}],"version-history":[{"count":24,"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5434\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5520,"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5434\/revisions\/5520"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5435"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5434"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5434"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5434"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}