With the summer travel season coming up, we thought it would be a good idea to put together a list of the best apps for traveling by car. We’ve all been there: you’re driving on a road trip with your friends and family, and everyone’s bored. You have no idea what you want to listen to on the radio, and you don’t want to spend all day scrolling through your phone.
That’s where these apps come in! They’ll help you keep everyone happy while you’re on the road together.
Table of Contents
Best Apps For Traveling By Car
Road trips are the best. Driving down never ending roads without having to follow any deadlines or set path is incredibly liberating. Multiple unplanned stops, literally taking the road unknown, and just generally being free are just some of the delights you can expect on a road trip. But all this freedom and joy come with a certain amount of uncertainty as well.
When you’re on a road trip, there are unforeseen issues you might face on the road like being lost, not having anything to do, absence of gas stations, and more. Equipping yourself with the best road trip planner apps is a great way to alleviate some of the anxiety associated with being on the road. To help make the process easier for you, we have curated a list of the best road trip planner apps for 2021.
1Roadtrippers
Free
Paid Version
Best road trip planner apps
Route planning
Local recommendations
Trip guides
Plan the perfect road trip or find an undiscovered gem nearby with Roadtrippers. The app lists countless places including local eateries and offbeat roadside attractions, must-visit tourist spots in the area, national parks, and even hotels. Need inspiration for your road trip? Choose from fantastic premade trip guides of once-in-a-lifetime routes. Roadtrippers is a free of cost route planner you can use to find the best places to visit and make your road trip truly memorable. You can also upgrade to the paid version, Roadtrippers Plus, which gives you up to 150 waypoints per trip along with a host of other features including exclusive deals, offline maps, collaborating with friends, and custom map styles.
iOS
Android
2Google Maps
Free
Paid Version
Best road trip planner apps
Navigation
Traffic updates
Local recommendations
Arguably the most popular navigation app in the world, Google Maps makes traveling to new places much, much easier. Both web-based and app service, Google Map provides comprehensive information pertaining to geographical regions and sites across the globe. Along with traditional road maps, the app also provides aerial and satellite views of countless places. With Google Maps, drivers, bikers, walkers, and users of public transportation can find the most optimal route between one specific location to another, with the option of adding more stops. You can also search for the closest restaurants, hotels, parking, and other road trip essentials using Google Maps.
iOS
Android
3Maps.Me
Free
Paid Version
Best road trip planner apps
Navigation
Offline Maps
Heading to a place with spotty internet connectivity? Maps.Me is what you need. The app offers quick, in-depth, and completely offline maps with turn-by-turn navigation. Maps.Me is used by over 140 million travelers around the world and helps you save precious travel time with exceptional navigation. You can also make your travels more interesting by utilizing the app’s fantastic readymade travel guides. These guides have been curated with assistance from some of the best travel content creators in the world for countless global destinations. Some of the features that make Maps.Me great include offline search, GPS navigation, and optimized maps that effectively save memory space.
iOS
Android
4Headout
Free
Paid Version
Best road trip planner apps
Last minute travel plans
Experience booking
Broadway tickets
Last-minute travel can be hard to pull off, especially if you’re venturing into the unknown. With Headout, an on-demand mobile marketplace, you can find and book the most amazing tours, activities, events and local experiences in town available for the next 24 hours at great prices. With a single tap, you can explore a host of activities that have been designed to meet the needs of not only last-minute travellers but locals as well. Some of the experiences you can book using Headout include Helicopter tours, Broadway tickets, Hot air balloon rides, Dream World Cruise tickets, Skip the line tickets to the Eiffel, Universal Studio tickets, and countless other remarkable experiences that’ll make your trip memorable.
iOS
Android
5GasBuddy
Free
Paid Version
Best road trip planner apps
Gas station finder
Trip cost calculator
With over 60 million downloads, GasBuddy is officially the largest community-based fuel app in the world. The app helps drivers save on fuel cost using information provided by a large base of users. With GasBuddy, you can locate the cheapest fuel amongst different types, find petrol stations based on distance and price, and help others find cheap fuel by reporting fuel prices based on your experience. Every time you report fuel prices, you’ll earn points and achievements. You can also receive automatic notifications when a new recall is issued by adding your vehicle to GasBuddy. Make your road trips hassle-free by never having to worry about fuel with GasBuddy.
iOS
Android
BESTROADTRIPS
Ultimate Bucketlist Road Trips In The World
From Route 66 to the Great Ocean Road, check out the most popular road trips around the world.
6Drivvo
Free
Paid Version
Best road trip planner apps
Road trip expense management
Finance Manager
Drivvo can be best described as a finance manager for your vehicles including car, motorcycle, bus or truck for both personal or professional use. The app helps you manage fuel, refuelling, expenses and revenues, and maintenance. You can also use the app to manage registration, financing, and fines. With Drivvo, you can easily manage multiple vehicles and calculate gas consumption. The app also offers in-depth fuel efficiency reports sorted by fuel and gas stations, helping you identify which option is best for your vehicle.
iOS
Android
7PackPoint
Free
Paid Version
Best road trip planner apps
Packing list organizer
Packing Planner
Packing right is often a requisite for a relaxed road trip. With PackPoint, a free travel packing list organizer and packing planner, you can do just that. Designed for travelers who like to travel smart, the app helps them organize what they need to pack based on length of travel, expected weather at the destination, and activities planned for the trip. After your packing list is built, the app will save it for you and you can share it with family and friends to help them pack better. Details you need to input for the best results include destination city, departure date, and the number of nights you’ll be staying there.
iOS
Android
8Flush – Toilet Finder
$1.99
Paid Version
Best road trip planner apps
Toilet finder
Public toilet database
Finding a working toilet is often a challenge during road trips. With Flush, it doesn’t have to be. This fast and simple toilet finder features a classy interface with charming animations and user interface designed for ease of use. Flush boasts a database of thousands of public toilets that is stored on your phone for easy, offline access. Just search for a location on the map and the app will display the closest public toilets to you. To find directions, simply tap on the map to get directions provided by Google Maps. If you need to find a toilet urgently, just tap the directions button and you’ll receive directions to the nearest toilet.
iOS
Android
9Hotel Tonight
Free
Paid Version
Best road trip planner apps
Hotel Deals
Hotel Booking
Find fantastic deals on hotels for the night or the next one using HotelTonight! The app lists hotels that offer discounts on their empty rooms and you get all the benefits. Finding the best rate hotel is no longer a seemingly endless task. A couple of taps and swipes and you’re done! Hotel Tonight offers a truly diverse collection of hotels including the top-rated luxury hotel to charming and unique boutiques. Book a hotel using Hotel Tonight and you’re assured of the best rates and an even better selection of hotels to choose from.
iOS
Android
10Dyrt
$35.99/year
Paid Version
Best road trip planner apps
Campsite finder
Trip Planner
Ever wondered what an app that helps you camp better looks like? Introducing Dyrt, officially the number 1 camping app of 2021! The app boasts a rich database of over 1 million campsites, tips and reviews submitted by campers like you. Use Dyrt to find the perfect RV, van, cabin and tent spot in the US. The app offers campers free access to all campsite listings in the US including national parks, state parks, county parks, and more. You can also sign up for the Pro version which makes camping easier with trip planner, free camping maps, offline access, and many discounts.
iOS
Android
11iExit
Free
Paid Version
Best road trip planner apps
Interstate exit guide
Road trips and highways kinda go together and navigating the latter can be challenging if you’re not familiar with the route. iExit makes driving on highways easier by informing users what’s at upcoming exits when you’re on the highway. The app uses your device’s exact location to identify your spot in the highway and then displays all upcoming exits in real time. You can also make use of the powerful iExit search which shows the next 100 exits for businesses including KOA Campgrounds, Starbucks, and Cracker Barrel, amenities such as Truck Parking, WiFi, and Playground, hotel deals, and much more.
iOS
Android
12ParkMe Parking
Free
Paid Version
Best road trip planner apps
Parking spot finder
ParkMe is an award-winning app that lets you find and book the closest and cheapest parking around. Use ParkMe to save money and time and guarantee a parking spot. The app even displays the estimated parking cost you’ll have to pay before you park on a particular spot. Since there are multiple parking spots to choose from, you can compare the different options and find the cheapest one. In many cities, ParkMe also displays real-time parking availability and lets you reserve a parking spot at certain lots and garages. Use the app to avoid spending hours finding the right parking spot and make your road trip experience even more pleasant.
iOS
Android
13Gaia GPS
$39.99/year
Paid Version
Best road trip planner apps
Hiking maps
Trip Planner
Gaia can be best described as GPS for the woods. Make your treks and backpacking trip safes with Gaia GPS. Use the app to join thousands of backpackers, offroaders, hunters, mountain bikers, firefighters, guides, and other outdoor adventurers who use Gaia GPS for work and play. Gaia allows you to hike, hunt, and off-road with optimized topo maps and outdoor navigation tools. The app offers modern maps that are beautiful and easy-to-read along with a host of classic and historic print maps. Use the app to find the best hiking trails, parks, natural places, and addresses, and make your hiking and backpacking trip more memorable.
iOS
Android
14TollGuru
Free
Paid Version
Best road trip planner apps
Toll cost calculator
TollGuru has been designed to help you save money by calculating the cheapest routes all across West Malaysia. All you need to do is enter your destination and we’ll find the total toll fares on your route. Some features that make TollGuru a must-have if you’re planning a road trip in Malaysia include display of multiple routes, toll locations on map, breakdown of toll rates by different vehicle classes. Other features of the app include estimated petrol cost for the route, quick and easy search with address auto complete suggestion, and open communication with the app development team by sending them a report of incorrect toll information.
iOS
Android
15Highway Weather App
Free
Paid Version
Best road trip planner apps
Weather Forecast
Being aware of the general weather when planning a road trip is always recommended. Highway Weather App offers weather forecasts for your entire road trip starting from the time of your arrival. The app also features weather alerts, radar, traffic cameras, and plans for rests. The app has been designed to ensure your safety whether you’re on a family vacation or heading to a motorcycle rally. Instead of searching for weather forecasts for each city you’re travelling to, get all the information you need all at the same time, in an easy to understand fashion using Highway Weather App.
iOS
Android
16Blink
$3/month
Paid Version
Best road trip planner apps
Home security
Home monitoring
A recurring worry when embarking on a road trip is leaving your home unprotected. With Blink’s affordable smart home security cameras and systems, you can monitor your home directly using your smartphone. The app offers multi-system support and a simple setup process, ensuring you can control multiple Blink cameras with a simple app. The Blink Home Monitor app allows you to check in on what’s happening at home at any time from anywhere. The app helps you see your home in HD on your smartphone, ensuring you can see and protect your space even when you’re thousands of miles away.
iOS
Android
17SkyRoam
$6 per/GB
Paid Version
Best road trip planner apps
Portable Wifi hotspot
Staying connected is often a challenge when you’re on a road trip to a location with a spotty internet connection. Use Skyroam to connect around the world with the portable global WiFi hotspot and power bank. Enjoy secure, unlimited connectivity when you’re out and about without having to swap your SIM or pay exorbitant roaming charges. SkyRoam’s Solis app allows you to manage your hotspot account, check data usage, and the status of your connection. You can also enjoy access to advanced features including smart troubleshooting, detailed product information, and the ability to get online faster.
iOS
Android
18Sygic Travel Maps Offline
$3.99
Paid Version
Best road trip planner apps
Trip planner
Travel guide
Discover things to do no matter where you go, plan comprehensive trip itineraries, and make your trip more memorable with in-depth travel guides, all using Sygic Travel Maps Offline. This definitive all-in-one app is built for every kind of traveler and allows users to create a day-to-day itinerary for their trip with a hassle-free trip planner. Use the app for approximate travel times and walking distances to plan your trip better. You can even invite your friends to collaborate on your trips. Get Sygic Travel Premium to use the app even when you’re not connected to the internet, including unlimited offline maps download.
iOS
Android
19Yelp
Free
Paid Version
Best road trip planner apps
Local recommendations
Featuring over 100 million reviews on businesses worldwide, Yelp is amongst the most popular crowd-sourced business reviews apps. Whether you are looking for a coffee shop near you or a salon that’s open at the moment, Yelp is your local guide to finding just the best place to eat, drink, shop, and everything in between. Use the app to search for the closest and best-rated restaurants, shops, and services. You can refine the search by filtering results by rating, neighborhood, price, distance, and what’s open now. Make use of the millions of reviews written by expert locals to find the best recommendation for your needs.
iOS
Android
20TripIt
Free
Paid Version
Best road trip planner apps
Trip planner
Flight tracker
A trip planner that enables users to craft a master travel itinerary and provide them with online and mobile access, TripIt is another addition to the list of the best trip planner apps for 2021. When you book a flight, hotel, car or other reservation, just forward it to plans@tripit.com and the app will instantly add it to your master itinerary. Sync travel plans to your calendar or share them with anyone you choose using TripIt. You can also stay aware of the evolving travel landscape with guidelines, restrictions and requirements that can be viewed via the trip itinerary screen in the app.
iOS
Android
21Route4Me Route Planner
$149/mo
Paid Version
Best road trip planner apps
Route planner
Use the Route4Me route planner to plan unlimited routes and add unlimited addresses per route. One of the most downloaded, multi stop route planner apps in the world, Route4Me offers a host of benefits designed for your convenience. The app is used by countless businesses including those in different industries such as service and delivery planning, grocery delivery, package delivery and more. Route4Me is used both by travellers and professionals for the wide range of features and customizations it offers.
best apps for road trips games
Family road trips can be a fun adventure, but when they go on for too long they become boring. Thankfully, there are a lot of great road trip games for Android and iOS that’ll keep everyone occupied during the ride.
The following games offer something for everyone, including online multiplayer, local multiplayer via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, and even single-player experiences. (For the games that require internet access, you can use any of these in-car Wi-Fi options.)
The one aspect they all have in common is they’ll help you and your family pass the long hours as you travel to your vacation destination.
- Plates Free Family Travel Game
Plates Free Family Travel Game
What’s the one item you pass most often when you’re driving for countless hours on the highway? License plates.
That’s what makes this a perfect road trip game. It includes all plates you’ll see from regions in Mexico, Canada, or the United States. The name of the game is simple: each person needs to find plates from as many states or regions as possible before the trip is over.
The person with the highest score by the end of the trip wins. This game doesn’t require any network connection, since each player’s phone tracks their score.
If you prefer, to keep track of each player’s score you could also use a note-taking app.
Download: Plates Free Family Travel Game for Android (Free)
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Download: States and Plates Free for iOS (Free)
- What If
What If Travel Game
Another fun road trip game is What If. This only requires one person in the car to run it on their phone. That person can ask the question and either take a majority poll from everyone in the car, or ask one person each question in turn.
The fun part of the game is seeing whether a majority of people who play the game agreed with your answer. It’s really surprising to see how people answer some of these crazy questions!
Download: What If for Android | iOS (Free)
- Family’s Game Travel Pack Lite
Family’s Game Travel Pack
If you’re more into playing networked games with other people in the car, then you’re definitely going to want to give Family’s Game Travel Pack a try.
The app includes a collection of 50 traditional games like Sudoku, Chess, Crazy Eights, and more. To link up and play these games with other players riding in the car, they just need to install the app too and make sure they have either Bluetooth or Wi-Fi enabled.
These classic games are a fun way to pass the time normally. But when you play them during a long drive, you’ll be surprised just how fast the ride goes by.
Even if there’s no one else in the car available to play with you, there’s also an offline option to play with the game’s AI. A non-app alternative, if you just love board games, is to jump online and play free board games through your browser.
Download: Family’s Game Travel Pack Lite for Android | iOS (Free)
- Pictoword
Pictoword Travel Game
Word games make for great party games. And great party games usually also make great road trip games. This one is no exception.
The game is simple. The app shows you two pictures that together represent a single word. You can use the scrambled letters underneath to spell out your guess.
It’s a great one-player puzzle to pass the time during a trip, but it’s easy to turn it into a multiplayer game by passing your phone around and taking turns.
Download: Pictoword for Android | iOS (Free)
- Fun Run 3: Arena
Fun Run 3
If you do have a family data plan, Fun Run 3 is a total joy to play. It’s an online multiplayer game where you compete against players from all around the world.
The touch controls are pretty simple. You tap up to jump and down to duck or slide.
You’ll challenge three other real online players to make it to the end of the race first. The better you place, the more points you get at the end.
This is a great game for an only child to pass the time during a long drive. They won’t have to worry about finding someone to play with them, because there are online players ready to go anytime.
Download: Fun Run Free: Arena for Android | iOS (Free)
- DUAL!
DUAL! Game
DUAL! is a direct phone-to-phone game you can play with someone sitting next to you. Just install it on your phone and have a friend install it on theirs. Make sure you both have Wi-Fi or Bluetooth enabled.
What’s unique about this game is it combines two phone screens into one. You need to hold the phones together so the top ends touch. It’s a vintage Atari-style shooting game and it’s a blast (pun intended) to play.
The only limitation of this game is that you have to be physically sitting next to the person you’re playing with, and only two people can play. But as a backseat road trip game for two kids (or adults) to play, it’s great fun.
Download: DUAL! for Android | iOS (Free)
- Psych!
Psych! Game
After the highly successful Heads Up!, Ellen DeGeneres is back with another fun family game called Psych! It’s great for holiday parties, but also fits for long car trips.
There are four “decks” available to play: a truth game, movie trivia, a word game, or a true/false facts game.
Thanks to the way the game lays out its rules, you can have a lot of fun if you’re a bit witty. For example, the “Is That a Fact?” game asks players to answer a fact. You can either provide a truthful answer, or a fake one.
If you’re convincing enough, you could probably fool everyone into believing your fake answer. It’s a complete riot to play with friends or family, and it passes the time quickly. You won’t want to stop playing even once you reach your destination.
Download: Psych! for Android | iOS (Free)
- Racers Vs Cops
Racers Vs Cops Game
If you’re into car racing games, you’ll love Racers Vs Cops. This game puts you head-to-head against your friend in a wild road chase.
The goal of the game is for the racer player to make it to the end first, or the cop player to get ahead of the racer and cut them off short of the goal.
There’s also a single-player mode if you don’t have anyone to go up against. Controls are easier than most mobile racing games, with the throttle and brake on the lower corners of screen. Sound effects and steering sensitivity are quite accurate.
Download: Racers Vs Cops for Android | iOS (Free)
- Battleships: Fleet Battle
Battleships: Fleet Battle
If you’ve ever played the classic game Battleship before, then you can imagine how awesome this digital version is.
You can choose from single player against AI, online multiplayer, or local multiplayer. Place your battleships wisely, because the goal of this game is to shoot your enemy’s battleships out of the water before they shoot all of yours.
If you think those rules sound too simple to be fun, you’ve got a surprise in store. I challenge you to play just one round of this game. It can easily make several hours pass in the blink of an eye—perfect for a road trip!
Download: Battleships: Fleet Battle for Android | iOS (Free)
- Tank 1990 HD
Tank 1990 HD
If you love retro console games, then you should adore Tank 1990. The game is exactly what it sounds like: a multiplayer remake of the popular game Tank 1990. You can play with your friends over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.
If the never played the game before, the rules are simple. Navigate your tank through the gaps between brick walls and shoot the enemy tanks before they shoot you.
But be careful. Tanks can blow a hole through the bricks, so play strategically! When you play this game with friends, it’s exciting, a bit nerve-racking, but really fun.
Download: Super Tank for Android (Free)
Download: Battle City–Super Tank for iOS (Free)
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