In 2020, technology is all around us. And that’s no different in the travel world. You can book everything online, you no longer need a physical boarding pass and you can read – or even listen to – books on your smartphone. That’s why I decided to compile a list with the 20 most useful apps for solo travellers that could genuinely change the way you travel in 2020.

The best part? All of these solo travel apps are free!

I divided the list into five categories:

• Apps to meet people
• Public transport apps
• Accommodation apps
• Utility apps
• Apps to find cool activities

Apps for solo travellers to meet people

Tourlina

Available on iOS and Android

Tourlina is an app for female solo travellers to find (female) travel companions based on mutual interests. The app works a bit like Tinder, but the website very clearly states that Tourlina is not a dating app.

This is also one of the reasons why this app is only available for women – research showed that having a male travel companion often leads to dating.

One of the advantages of Tourlina – beside the female-only aspect – is that you can connect with a travel buddy both during and before your trip.

Travello

Available on iOS and Android

Travello calls itself a social network for travellers. You can discover other travellers who are nearby and meet up with them, share travel photos and updates on your profile and join groups based on your interests.

Another fun part of this app is Travello Rewards: you’re rewarded with points for doing things on your trip and inviting people to join, and you can redeem these points by booking your next adventure through Travello.

EatWith

Available on iOS and Android

A rather unique way of meeting people abroad is by using EatWith. This app offers dining experiences, cooking classes and food tours with locals.

Sharing food with locals in their own homes is a great way to discover and experience new cultures around the world, and apps like EatWith allow you to do just that.

Backpackr

Available on iOS and Android

Backpackr can be seen as an alternative to Travello. It’s a social network app for travellers (whether they are travelling alone or in a group).

Related: First Group Tour? Here Are 10 Things You Need To Know

One thing that sets Backpackr apart from other similar apps is the digital passport – you can collect virtual stamps to show off when you get back home.

SoloTraveller

Available on iOS and Android

Another social networking app for solo travellers, SoloTraveller aims to give its users useful and up-to-date recommendations for bars, hotels, tours, and more.

And, of course, this app also helps you connect to travellers near you, using parameters like age, gender, interests and location.

Solo travel apps for transport

Google Maps

Available on iOS and Android

Google Maps comes preinstalled on any Android phone and is an essential app for solo travellers.

When you’re travelling alone, it’s important to know where you’re going and how you’re going to get there. And, especially when you’re on the road, your internet connection isn’t always reliable. That’s when the offline maps on Google Maps (or alternatives like Maps.me) come in handy.

Skyscanner

Available on iOS and Android

This is an especially useful app to book flights when you’re on a multi-destination trip, or just to book flights before you leave.

I personally find Skyscanner to have a friendlier interface and better deals than other flight apps (like Momondo, Cheapflights, Kayak and Expedia), but that essentially all comes down to personal preference.

Local public transport apps

Sometimes it’s easier to check bus schedules in an app than it is to try and figure everything out at the bus stop.

That’s why I recommend doing some research before leaving home and finding out which apps you might need to download to stay on top of the public transport situation.

In many countries, you can even purchase tickets through the app for bus, train and subway rides.

Hopper

Available on iOS and Android

Hopper is another app that allows you to book flights and hotels while you’re on the go.

The big difference with other apps is that Hopper predicts prices and helps you book at just the right time to save the maximum amount of money.

Bonus: the interface is really pretty.

Accommodation apps for solo travellers

Couchsurfing

Available on iOS and Android

As a solo traveller, you might not have the budget to spend a lot of money on accommodation. That’s something for which Couchsurfing provides the solution.

To those who are unaware of this app: here’s what it does. Couchsurfing allows you to stay with a local for a certain number of nights for free.

So, really, it’s a win-win. You get a free place to stay and you get to meet locals. Hooray!

Airbnb

Available on iOS and Android

Airbnb is no longer the only alternative for expensive hotels, but it’s still one of the big players.

Nowadays, the app still offers short-term rentals, but it also shows off with exciting workshops and even multi-day adventures. In short, they’re now in the experience business.

One thing to keep in mind is that Airbnb rentals have been banned from some cities, like Santa Monica and Paris.

(I found a great stay on Malta through Airbnb and you can get up to €40 off your first booking by signing up through this link!)

Hostelworld

Available on iOS and Android

Hostelworld is an essential app for the ‘traditional’ solo traveller. And, in this case, ‘traditional’ is by no means equal to ‘old-fashioned’.

Hostels are just a flawless accommodation option for solo travellers. Cheap beds, like-minded travellers and a vibrant atmosphere – what’s not to love?

After all these years, Hostelworld is still one of the best options out there to book hostel stays.

Utility apps for solo travellers

Tripcoin

Available on iOS and Android

I only recently discovered Tripcoin, but now I pretty much use it for all of my solo trips.

Tripcoin is a travel budget and expense manager that allows you to see how much you actually spend on your trip.

You can see your expenses by day, by category and by country, and you don’t need an internet connection to log new expenses.

Lightroom

Available on iOS and Android

This renowned photo editor has been called ‘The world’s best editing tool’ countless times, and the best news is that the Lightroom app is completely free.

Sure, there are features that you can’t use on the free version, but I’ve personally found that the free app is more than enough to make your daily snaps look stunning.

FancyDays

Available on iOS and Android

Admittedly, FancyDays isn’t very useful when you’re actually on the road, unless you’re on a multi-destination trip.

But I personally think it’s a great app to build up the hype to your next adventure by counting down the days until you can leave.

There are plenty of countdown apps, but I’ve found this one to be the most aesthetically pleasing and to have the easiest interface to customise.

Google Translate

Available on iOS and Android

Google Translate is preinstalled on many Android devices, but it’s also one of those essential apps for solo travellers who use an iPhone.

The fun thing about the Google Translate app is that you can just take a picture of whatever you need to translate – a menu, a traffic sign, a folder – and the app will translate it for you.

XE Currency

Available on iOS and Android

XE Currency, or any currency converter, for that matter, is a very useful app when you’re travelling alone.

It’s much more convenient to pop a number into the app and see it converted to the local currency than doing it with your calculator app and having to remember the exchange rate.

Besides, this app saves the last updated rates when offline, so you can also use it when you’re off the grid.

Apps to find cool activities

Geocaching

Available on iOS and Android

Yes, I know that geocaching is not only for travellers. But let’s be real: it’s great for travellers who aren’t sure what to do.

Geocaching is basically a big-ass treasure hunt. You try to find a geocache (usually a small container with a logbook inside) based on the map in the app and you write your name on the logbook.

Give it a try before you judge it. Because I know it sounds dorky and lame, but it’s actually a lot of fun.

Viator

Available on iOS and Android

Viator is an app that makes it easy for travellers to find what they want. With great experiences and activities around the globe, Viator lets you plan in advance and skip the line.

You also get a lowest-price guarantee, a 24-hour cancellation policy, 24/7 multilingual customer service and a bunch of customer reviews to go off.

As a subsidiary of TripAdvisor, one of the biggest brands in travel, you can be sure that the people over at Viator know what they’re doing.

The Outbound

Available on iOS and Android

The Outbound operates according to similar principles as Viator, but it’s much more aimed at adventure travellers.

If you’re looking for a multi-day desert adventure, a snowshoe trip or a mountain hike, The Outbound is the only place to be.

Best of all? Many of the experiences that are posted on this app are free and have detailed descriptions of how to make it to the end of the hike.

They also have a database of lodges, basecamps and adventure hostels for your next adventure.

Conclusion

Well, there you have it.

My favourite apps for solo travellers to use in 2020.

While you’re planning your next solo trip – or while you’re already there – be sure to take a look at these apps to help you ease the process.

More useful links to help you plan your next solo trip:

• Finding cheap accommodation as a solo traveller
• How to find cheap transport as a solo traveller
• Finding cheap food as a solo traveller
• How to make friends as a solo traveller
• Planning a solo trip

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