Planning a trip to Europe? In today’s digital age, having the right tools can make your journey smoother and more enjoyable. In this guide, we’ll explore essential travel apps that can assist with everything from booking accommodations to navigating new cities. Whether you’re looking for the best flight deals, local attractions, or language translation, these must-have apps for Europe travel will enhance your experience.
Best Travel Apps To Download Before Your Trip
Revolut
Save money on conversion fees
Revolut is a digital banking app that makes spending money while traveling in Europe super easy.
One of its biggest perks is no hidden currency conversion fees—you can pay in local currencies at the real exchange rate, avoiding the extra charges that banks and credit cards usually add. You can also withdraw cash from ATMs, and even track your spending in different currencies, all from your phone.
It’s a great way to save money and avoid surprises while traveling! If you prefer not to pay with your phone, you can order a physical debit or credit card that arrives in a few business days.
Google Flights vs Skyscanner
Compare flight prices and book the best deals
If you’re planning a trip and trying to find the best flight deals, you’ve probably come across Google Flights and Skyscanner. Both are great tools, but they work differently and have unique features. So, which one should you use? Let’s break it down.
How They Work
Google Flights pulls prices directly from airlines and major booking sites, so it’s often more accurate and updates quickly. Plus, you can book directly with the airline, which is always a safer bet. Google Flights is great for tracking prices over time. It even tells you when fares are expected to go up or down, helping you book at the right moment.
Skyscanner, on the other hand, scans hundreds of airlines, travel agencies, and booking platforms—including budget airlines that Google Flights sometimes misses. This means you might find cheaper fares, but they’re often through third-party sites, which can be hit or miss in terms of reliability.
Google Flights Perks
- Price tracking & predictions – Get alerts when fares drop.
- Explore feature – Not sure where to go? Browse destinations based on your budget.
- Carbon emissions info – Shows the environmental impact of each flight.
Skyscanner Perks
- “Everywhere” search – Find the cheapest destination from your departure city.
- Cheapest month search – Helps you travel when flights are at their lowest.
- More booking options – Finds deals from a variety of sources.
- “Price Drop”. It lets you know when prices dropped for certain destinations.
So, Which One Should You Use?
Use Google Flights if you prefer booking directly with airlines, want price predictions, or need a fast and reliable tool.
Use Skyscanner if you’re flexible with destinations, looking for the absolute lowest fares, or want to compare multiple booking options.
The Best Strategy? Use Both! Start with Google Flights to research trends and find the best routes. Then, check Skyscanner to see if you can find a better deal from another booking site.
Booking
Find and reserve accommodations with flexible options
We use Booking all the time. Just choose your language and currency, then enter your destination, travel dates, and how many people are with you.
You can pick how many rooms you need or search for a specific hotel. After that, you’ll see a list of options, and you can filter them by price, distance from the city center, review score, and more.
Our trick to find great accommodation on a budget is by filtering the price to suite our budget, and choose the highest rating. This way you will find 4 or 5 star hotels for a great price!
GetYourGuide
Book tours, activities, and skip-the-line tickets in advance
GetYourGuide is a travel booking platform that helps you find and book tours, activities, and experiences in cities all over the world, including Europe. Think of it as an online marketplace for skip-the-line tickets, guided tours, day trips, and unique local experiences—all in one place.
This is a great app to have before your trip but also during your trip, and here is why:
- GetYourGuide offers fast-track tickets so you can walk right in to popular attractions like the Eiffel Tower or La Sagrada Familia.
- You can make last-minute bookings easily and if your Plans change it’s not a problem because many (if not most) activities offer free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
- You’ll find Local experiences you won’t find elsewhere – From pasta-making in Italy to diy perfume workshops in Paris, you can find some really unique things to do.
- Verified reviews & ratings – You can see what other travelers thought before booking it yourself.
Some cool Features on the app:
- Mobile Tickets – No need to print anything, just show your phone.
- Instant Booking – No waiting around, book and go.
- Skip-the-Line Access – Save hours at busy attractions.
- Day Trips & Transport Options – For example, If you’re staying in Brussels and want to go to Bruges and Ghent, GYG offers day trips including transport and a guide, so you don’t need to plan anything yourself.
See if your airport of arrival has its own app
Save time at the airport
Find out if your destination’s airport has an app. Most big airports do.
Let’s use Schiphol Aiport in Amsterdam as an example. It has an interactive map of the airport so you can easily find check-in desks, restaurants, where to get a taxi or hop on the bus—without getting lost and wasting time you could be exploring your destination. You can also track down departing flights and arrivals.
Definitely check if your airport has its own app, it’s definitely worth it.
Omio
Book trains, buses, and flights across Europe in one place
Omio is your all-in-one travel booking app for trains, buses, flights, and ferries. It helps you compare prices, find the best routes, and manage your bookings easily. You’ll also get real-time updates and can even access your mobile tickets offline—making travel planning super easy and stress-free! Also, this way you will have all of your transport info in one place, instead of having it scattered all across different apps and documents.
Meteoblue
Check accurate weather forecasts for your destination
Meteoblue is, in my opinion, the most reliable weather app I’ve used. Of course you can use the weather app on your phone or just google, but a lot of the time they’re incorrect. And a wrong forecast can really ruin your trip or force you to change plans last minute, so not ideal… Meteoblue is very accurate, easy to use and gives you a lot of information. This is super helpful when planning outfits and activities before and during your trip!
GetRentacar
Compare rental car prices and book easily
Getrentacar is a super easy-to-use car rental app that helps you compare prices and book rental cars across Europe. It offers a wide selection of cars from top rental agencies, letting you filter by price, car type, and pick-up location.
With instant booking, secure payment options, and the ability to modify or cancel reservations, they also offers special deals, real-time availability updates, and a user-friendly interface. We highly recommend using them if you’re planning on taking a road trip on long drives during your trip.
Best Travel Apps To Download During Your Trip
Airalo
Get affordable eSIMs for seamless internet access abroad
If you’re planning on using the internet during your visit, roaming can cost a lot of money especially in places like Monaco or Switzerland since they’re not lart of the EU.
That’s where Airalo comes in. First, make sure your device is unlocked and eSIM compatible. Then, purchase an eSIM from the app, They have many different data options for most of the European countries. They even have a EUROPE option which might be worth it if you’re travelling to many different countries in a short period of time.
Installation is super simple: either directly through the app, by scanning a QR code, or manually in your device settings. Once installed, activate it and you’re ready to explore!
If you’re new to Airalo, your first eSIM is on them, so definitely check it out.
Airhelp
Get compensated for delays and last-minute cancellations
AirHelp isn’t an app, but we still think it’s a great resources to know about. It’s a website that helps you get compensation if your flight is delayed, canceled, or overbooked.
If you’ve ever been stuck at the airport for hours or had your travel plans ruined by a last-minute cancellation, you might be owed money—and AirHelp makes the process super easy. Just enter your flight details on their website, and they’ll check if you’re eligible for a payout.
They handle all the paperwork and legal stuff, so you don’t have to, and they only charge a fee if you win.
On their website, you can also get luggage insurance and read their different articles to know your rights as a passenger.
Wegotrip
Access self-guided audio tours for exploring at your own pace
This app is similar to GetYourGuide, letting you book activities and excursions, but it focuses specifically on audio-guided tours.
One of Wegotrip’s coolest features is an AI-powered option that creates a custom audio guide based on your preferences, giving you the most important details about the attraction you’re visiting and skipping all the parts you’re not interested in.
Flush
Locate nearby public restrooms quickly
Flush is a free toilet-finder app that helps you locate public restrooms quickly, making it a lifesaver when traveling in Europe. It works offline, uses GPS to find the nearest toilet, and includes user ratings to check cleanliness.
You can also filter for free vs. paid toilets and add new locations to help other travelers. With no sign-up required, just open the app and find a restroom instantly all over Europe.
Download for iOS – Download for Android
TollGuru
Calculate toll costs and optimal routes for road trips
TollGuru is a road trip cost calculator that helps you find the cheapest and fastest routes by comparing toll costs, fuel expenses, and alternate routes across Europe.
It’s perfect for road trippers and budget travelers, showing you exactly how much you’ll spend on tolls before you even start driving. The app also provides real-time traffic updates, toll payment options, and fuel cost estimates based on your vehicle type.
With multi-country coverage, it’s a must-have for stress-free road trips across Europe, helping you save time and money on the road!
Download for iOS – Download for Android
Uber vs Bolt
Reliable ride-hailing services for easy transportation
Uber and Bolt are both ride-hailing apps, but there are a few key differences.
Uber is more widely available and has more car options, from budget to premium rides.
Bolt is usually cheaper and has an eco-friendly ride option, but it’s slightly less available in some areas.
If you want reliability, go with Uber. If you want to save money, try Bolt.
Tricount
Split travel expenses fairly with friends
Tricount is a group expense-tracking app that makes it easy to split costs when traveling with friends or family in Europe. Instead of keeping messy receipts, you simply enter expenses, and the app calculates who owes what—no more awkward money talks!
It works offline, supports multiple currencies, and even lets you add expenses in different amounts (like if one person paid more for a meal). As someone who is terrible at math, I really benefit from an app like Tricount because I don’t have to calculate how much I owe each person.
Tricount works in a way that even if I owe 3 different people, I only pay one person and it works out the difference so each person gets paid fairly in the least amount of transactions possible.
TripAdvisor
Read reviews and discover top restaurants and attractions
Travelers across the globe use the Tripadvisor site to discover where to stay, what to do, and where to eat based on reviews from those who have been there before. With more than one billion reviews and opinions of nearly eight million businesses, Tripadvisor is a great resource to find deals and plan your trip.
See if your destination has its own public transport app
Find the best way to get around with public transport
Each city should have its own transport app where you can find a lot of useful info. Like for example, Paris’s metro app tells you exactly which route to take, which metro car is closest to the exit, live schedules, you can buy tickets straighton the app and so much more.
So definitely check that out. But, if you’re travelling to multiple countries and you don’t want to download a million different apps, try Moovit.
Moovit
Get real-time public transport directions and schedules
Moovit is a public transport navigation app that helps you plan the fastest and easiest routes using buses, trains, metros, trams, and even ferries across Europe.
It provides real-time updates, including arrival times, service disruptions, and step-by-step directions, so you never get lost. The app also works offline, saving maps and routes for when you don’t have data.
Bandsintown & Fever
Find concerts, events, and activities in your destination
If you’re a fan of live music like myself, definitely consider downloading Bandsintown or Fever.
Bandsintown is a place to buy tickets to live events like concerts of famous or local artist, so it’s a great way to get to know local artist in the place you’re visiting.
Fever is similar, but it focuses on many different musical productions like live shows, musicals, candelight concerts, etc.
See if your attraction has its own app
Always check if the museum or attraction you’re visiting has its own app. Most big museums or, for example, Versailles has its own app including maps, schedules, audio guides and more.
Fun Apps To Download After Your Trip
Places Seen
Track and visualize all the countries and cities you’ve visited
I often forget places I’ve traveled to. Maybe not countries, but definitely more specific cities within a country. Being able to track the places I travel to is really nice so I don’t forget and can easily refer back to it.
Download the app here.
Polar Steps
Create a digital travel journal
Along the same line, we have Polar Steps. This app is like a digital travel journal. So not only can you track the places you’ve been to, you can add specific memories or funny anecdotes so you’ll never forget and can look back on it if you’re feeling a bit nostalgic.
Sign up for FREE Packing List templates!
Leave a Reply