Traveling is expensive enough—save your money for the actual trip by downloading these helpful and little-known travel apps that are all free. From personalized audio tours to currency converters to international-texting messengers, these apps have you covered at home and abroad.
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Find. Eat. Drink.
Want to eat at the best spots in town while you're on vacation? Don't mess around with online reviews from average Joes. Instead, download the Find. Eat. Drink. app, which sources recommendations from industry insiders—the chefs, sommeliers, bartenders, and bakers who work with food and drink for a living. Going to be out of cell-phone range? Download one of the PDF guides for the city you're traveling to and you'll get all the info without any of the roaming charges.
Free for Apple
Find. Eat. Drink.
Want to eat at the best spots in town while you're on vacation? Don't mess around with online reviews from average Joes. Instead, download the Find. Eat. Drink. app, which sources recommendations from industry insiders—the chefs, sommeliers, bartenders, and bakers who work with food and drink for a living. Going to be out of cell-phone range? Download one of the PDF guides for the city you're traveling to and you'll get all the info without any of the roaming charges.
Free for Apple
Want to stay in touch with international friends? Download the WhatsApp messenger and you can text all your buddies for free—no matter where they live or whether or not they have the same phone you do. The app uses your Internet data plan (rather than your SMS plan) to send text messages, so you won't have to pay international-texting or overage fees.
Free for Apple, Android, BlackBerry, Nokia, Symbian, and Windows
iDotto
When in Rome, put down the map and put in your headphones. The iDotto app is an audio guide that follows you around the city and gives you a personalized guided tour (fully customizable to your interests). It's currently only available for Rome, but there are plans to expand to more cities soon. If you are going to Rome, this app has more than 25 hours of audio information for you to listen to.
Free for Apple
Airport Life
Who better to make an app about airports than a seasoned airline vet? "As an airline captain, I'm all too aware of how frustrating air travel has become," says Captain Dan Stratman, inventor of the Airport Life app. "I wanted to use my years of experience to make a better travel app that would make travel smoother and easier for everyone." The app features airport-terminal maps, airline rules and policies, TSA security rules, weather information, airport dining and shopping options, and an "Airport Wall" where passengers can share important airport-specific information with other travelers. Upgrade to the First Class version of this app for $1.99 per month and get automatic flight, rental-car, and hotel information and updates sent to your phone when itinerary changes occur; plus, track your expenses and record where you left your car in the parking lot.
Free for Apple and Android
For Less Guides
Download the For Less Guide to London, New York, San Francisco, or Amsterdam, and get navigation help and discounts for each city. The app's discount feature offers coupons for many attractions, tours, and restaurants. There's also a built-in map aspect, which can be used offline and has transit directions as well as street navigation.
Free for Apple
Hostelworld
You may have heard of Hostelworld, but did you know the site also has a helpful app? If you're traveling on a budget and like to leave a little room for spontaneity, you should download the Hostelworld app before you set off. It lets you search more than 27,000 hostels from your phone and see reviews, photos, availability, and prices for each place.
Free for Apple and Android
Woofound
Woofound aims to customize your travel experience with an innovative new app. Once you download it, you'll take a quiz about your interests. The app will take that information and give you recommendations about things to do in your city. Browse your options by looking at photos or search for fun things to do nearby. Think of it as your (free) personal concierge that travels with you wherever you go.
Free for Apple
Field Trip
Let Google guide you on your next adventure with the Field Trip app. Turn the app on as you walk around and it will alert you to nearby attractions, cool local restaurants, and fun facts about things you pass on your journey. You can also set it to send you deals and offers that will save you money at places along the way.
Free for Android
Trapster
Going on a road trip? Download Trapster before you pull out of your driveway. The app utilizes driver-submitted reports to alert you to police traps, speed cameras, traffic jams, and road hazards so you can change your route on the fly.
Free for Apple, Android, BlackBerry, Windows, Nokia, and Palm
OANDA Currency Converter
Whether you're converting the dollar to the euro or gold into cold hard cash, the OANDA Currency Converter app can help you out. The app uses InterBank rates to instantly convert amounts in more than 190 currencies and four metals. You can also add on a percentage to calculate exactly how much that souvenir will cost you after the exchange rate and your bank's currency-conversion fee.
Free for Apple, Android, BlackBerry, and Windows
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