The top 20 free travel apps to download in 2020

The world of travel has become so much simpler and more practical over the years with advancements in technology. We all have a smartphone in hand at all times, equipped with all the tools we need to get through daily life, as well as your biggest adventures!

Check out our master list of the top 20 apps to download to help you book your flights, organize your trip itineraries, pack efficiently, navigate your way through foreign cities and more!

TripIt

Do you often find yourself desperately scouring your inbox at the last minute to find your confirmation number? Tripit eliminates this frustration by conveniently organizing all of your travel plans in one app! Simply set up your email to automatically forward hotel reservations, car rentals, flights, events and more and TripIt will build a master itinerary of your trip!

Free features:

• View your itinerary on an interactive map
• Share your itinerary with friends
• Sync travel plans to your calendar
• Track your stats on distance traveled, trips taken and countries visited

Paid ($49/year):

• Get reminded when to leave for the airport and when to check in to your flight
• Sends real-time flight delay and cancellation alerts
• Shows security wait line times
• Tracks your rewards programs

Tripadvisor

Browse millions of traveler's reviews to make the best choices in hotels, restaurants and attractions! Tripadvisor makes it easy to find the lowest in airfare, accommodations, local eats and fun things to do wherever your adventures take you.

Free features:

• Browse and book Travelers’ Choice award-winning hotels, experiences, restaurants and more

• Filter by food type, price range, amenities, ratings and more

• Get answers to your specific travel questions in the forums

• Save all of your favorite hotels, restaurants, tours and attractions to access later

Hopper

Find the cheapest flights possible! Hopper scans a database of airline prices and historical trends to predict when prices to a destination are likely to be lowest, when they're likely to change, and the best time to buy a ticket for a particular date and destination. Then book quickly right in the app!

Free features:

• Find the cheapest dates to travel with a color-coded calendar

• Receive alerts when the price drops so you know when to book

• Filter to remove long layovers or basic fares that have extra fees and restrictions

• Receive personalized recommendations based on your budget and previous trips

HotelTonight

Perfect for the flexible or last-minute traveler! HotelTonight finds deep discounts on hotels for the same evening or week (and even beyond!) Browse hotels (or inns, B&B's, motels, resorts) near your location. Choose from "basic" to "luxe" options and even unique boutique hotels.

Free features:

• Check out fellow traveler's reviews and photos to ensure you are making a great choice
• Filter by free wi-fi, pools, breakfast, pet-friendly options and more
• Enjoy a Daily Drop special deal of the day
• Join HT Perks loyalty program to get even higher discounts

Airbnb

Airbnb offers all the comforts of home at a fraction of the price. Choose from over 6 million vacation home rentals across 191+ countries. From cottages, studio apartments and entire houses to even houseboats, castles or treehouses, the possibilities are endless!

Free features:

• Refine results by price, neighborhood, room type (entire place, private room, shared room), size (number of bedrooms, bathrooms, beds), amenities, and more
• Book local travel experiences to complement your stay: wine tastings, kayak tours, hikes, concerts and more
• Message your host for directions and for anything you need during your stay

Hostelworld

For the baller on a budget! Hostelworld is a great option for solo travelers to meet new people and backpackers to save a buck. Find accommodation across 178 countries worldwide - on the beach, in the city, even in the jungle. You can book private rooms or shared dorm rooms with all female options available.

Free features:

• Hostel Chat instant messaging to talk to people in your hostel to plan a night out (or in!)
• Filter by location, price, room type, facilities and more
• Get peace of mind with reviews of past guests based on value, location, atmosphere and more
• Discover hostel events in the ‘Noticeboard’ with free activities to meet like-minded travelers including walking tours, yoga, pub crawls and more
• Use the Speak the World feature to translate between languages as you speak

Couchsurfing

Stay with locals for free in over 200,000 cities around the world. Sound too good to be true? The Couchsurfing community is all about creating those authentic travel experiences while helping save a bunch of cash in the process!

Free features

• Use Couchsurfing Hangouts to show you who’s nearby your current location and available to meet up right now
• Can’t travel right now? Let new cultures and friends come to you by hosting
• Reviews, references and reporting systems help keep you safe

Waze

It’s no secret: traffic sucks. With Waze, find the fastest route with help from other drivers to avoid traffic, construction, accidents, and police which may increase your driving time. Get where you're going faster to enjoy more time in your destination!

Free features:

• Waze Carpool connects you with drivers heading the same direction at the same time of day. This way you can split the cost of gas and save!
• Find the lowest gas prices in your area
• A speedometer to help make sure you're staying within the speed limit

Maps.Me

No internet required! Makes it easier to find your way in a foreign country when you're in between wi-fi hotspots. Maps.me offline maps offer turn-by-turn navigation by car, walking or biking so you never find yourself lost again!

Free features

• Sort by categories of restaurants, cafes, tourist attractions, hotels, ATMs and public transport

• Detailed directions to points of interest, hiking trails and places missing from most maps

• Travel guides to top destinations
• Maps are current and updated daily

Timeshifter

It's all too familiar... arriving in your destination and you are greeted with insomnia and sleepiness. Jetlag is just the worst! But we have the cure :) Timeshifter is created by scientists based on the latest sleep and circadian neuroscience to create your own personalized jet lag plans and arrive at your best.

Free features

• Practicality filter ensures advice is easy to follow

• Quick turnaround advice for short business trips

• You can start adapting even before your departure

• Notifications offer advice - without opening the app

Paid

• The first jetlag plan is free. Then you can pay-per-trip ($9.99) or get an unlimited annual subscription if you are a frequent traveler ($24.99)

Roadtrippers

Plan a memorable road trip! All you have to do is enter your destination and pick your interests and Roadtrippers will help plan your driving route. Then it will recommend all the best stops along the way - local restaurants, roadside attractions and scenic stops.

Free features:

• Save, share, get directions, and more
• Book your hotel stops from the app

Paid:

• Plan longer trips with over 7 stops
• Offline maps
• Live traffic updates
• No ads

Yelp

Yelp helps you discover the top rated spots for food near you! Find the best pizza place, coffee shop or happy hour close by, based on over 135 million reviews worldwide!

Free features

• Filter your search results by neighborhood, distance, rating, price and business hours
• Make reservations through OpenTable
• Order food delivery or pickup

Withlocals

One way to really immerse yourself in your next travel destination is to meet and talk with locals. Connect with guides to help you get to know your destination "like a local" would! Withlocals is your chance to see the city’s highlights plus some beautiful hidden gems that can’t be found in any guide books!

Free features:

• Choose your theme: Food, adventure, city tour, etc
• Chat with a local host to add any personalized options
• Read reviews from fellow travelers

Meetup

Meetup can help you connect with people who are interested in the same things as you, even while on vacation. Whether it's cooking, art, sports, music, or photography—the app will help you find a local community event to make new friends all over the world.

Free features

• Explore groups and events by category, search by keyword, or see what’s popular in your area
• Save events you’re interested in and revisit them later
• Use discussions and messaging to stay in touch with the people you meet

Packpoint

Take the stress out of packing and never forget the essentials again! PackPoint builds a customized packing list based on your gender, the weather at your destination and how long you are visiting.

Free features

• Filter by business or leisure travel
• Filter by activities you have planned such as swimming, hiking and more
• Special options to customize your list if you have access to laundry or are willing to repeat basic clothing items

Flush

When ya gotta go, ya gotta go! Flush Toilet Finder & Map helps you track down a public bathroom from a database of 190,000+ around the world!

Free features

• Filter by which toilets are free for use or require a key
• Check out ratings from past users to ensure cleanliness
• Search without an internet connection when traveling internationally

Alltrails

For the adventurous travel that loves connecting with nature! Discover over 100,000 hiking, running and biking trails around the world with AllTrails.

Free features

• Get detailed GPS driving directions directly to the trailhead
• Record your routes
• Save your favorite trails

Splitwise

Stress less and take the awkwardness out of splitting costs! Keep track of your shared expenses and balances with the people on your trip with Splitwise!

Free features

• Create groups or private friendships for any splitting situation

• Organize expenses, IOUs, or informal debts

• Split expenses equally or unequally by percentages, shares, or exact amounts

Paid

• Receipt scanning
• Itemization
• Currency conversion

Trail Wallet

The best budgeting and expense tracker out there! With Trail Wallet, you can focus on enjoying your trip, rather than stressing about how much money you are spending!

Free features:

• Add multiple trips with custom start and end dates

• Customize your spending categories and view Interactive pie charts

• Daily breakdown of how you’re doing against a daily and monthly or trip budget

Duolingo

Learn a new language in game form to keep motivated! Earn points for correct answers, race against the clock, and level up. Most of the courses on Duolingo are created by native speakers so you know they are legit! They say that 34 hours of Duolingo is equivalent to a semester of a college language course.

Free features:

• Over 30 languages to choose from
• Practice reading, writing, speaking and listening skills
• Start with basic verbs, phrases, and sentences, and learn new words daily

Be sure to download all of these apps before your next big trip! You are guaranteed to save time, money and stress so you can truly enjoy the experience!

Any other helpful apps for travel that you would add to this list?