Essentials & Unexpecteds: 25+ Of The Best Apps For Traveling In Europe

Planning to travel to Europe? Make sure to download these apps before you go!

Whether you’re a first-time traveler or a frequent visitor, travel in Europe can be an amazing experience. But having the right apps can make your trip so much easier…and even help you save a ton of money. Knowing which ones are the best apps for traveling in Europe can be overwhelming, so here’s a list of the apps I end up using nearly every time I travel to Europe.

And get ready…there are apps on here you won’t see on other lists! Like an app perfect for finding local-led tours and adventures!

Whether you’re looking to speak the language, save money on accommodations, eat like a foodie, or just be a more conscious traveler, there’s an app on this list that can help. Enjoy!

Mapping Apps for Europe

The app uses OpenStreetMap data, updated daily by its community of contributors, to help you find your way around foreign cities or rural areas without relying on Google Maps or similar applications. 

The Citymapper app is available across all major US cities and major cities in Europe including London, Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam, Barcelona and more.

Plus, there’s the option to save favorite places so you’ll never forget where you parked or what restaurant you had dinner in. And if you’re really OK with giving them all your data and details, you can even search for places you ate at months or years in the past.

Also, the Google Map app does a great job for the intricate subway/metro systems in major cities around Europe.

Just make sure you download offline maps to make sure you have access to navigation when you’re traveling where you might not have a cell signal!

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Phone & Texting Apps for Europe

But the bigger reason is that having a Google fi native phone means that I don’t have to deal with buying and using SIM cards when I go to a new country. That’s a huge pain in the ass that I get to avoid!

Add to that simple Wi-Fi calling (which saves on data) and Google Fi is a no brainer unless you have super deep pockets to pay for expensive, all-in international calling plans.

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What makes WhatsApp so unique is its use of end-to-end encryption that ensures only authorized parties can view the content being sent. This feature provides users with a high level of security when it comes to their conversations and media exchanges, different than other providers.

You can add groups, make video calls and phone calls over Wi-Fi…and all for free. And they have a desktop app so you can jump seamlessly back and forth from your phone.

Translation& Language Apps for Europe

You can save favorite phrases and quickly switch from language to language, since the app supports 100+ languages, and that is expanding all the time.

One of the best features I use all the time is using the camera to capture text in Google Translate, which instantly translates it into whatever language I choose. Especially useful for understanding signs or menus!

Currency & Money Apps for Europe

I would use GlobeConvert app (below), but I run an android phone, so I use Currency Plus. I love that I can actually see multiple conversations at once, since this can help in the now, but also help me decide where to go next when I see a great conversion rate for USD! 

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The user interface is incredibly simple and straightforward and it’s one of the most beautiful currency converter apps available. The app also works offline, meaning that you don’t need an internet connection to access its features! With GlobeConvert’s Currency & Units app, navigating through Europe has never been simpler!

You can transfer some good ol’ USD into your account, then convert and transfer to other people in different currencies while you travel through Europe.

Budgeting Apps for Europe

The interface is lighthearted and easy to use, but the depth of details is solid so you can stay on budget or at least know where you went wrong and where you need to tighten up.

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Setting up categories and creating budgets is simple, and adding an item when you spend literally takes less than 10 seconds, so it’s really easy to stay on top of spending. You can even track in multiple currencies that all iron out to your home currency in your final number overviews.

The graphs and breakdowns of categories are really where the Trabee Pocket app shines though, since you can deep dive each one for really granular understandings of your spending.

It even allows for different percentages of splits. You can even use it for shared bills like rent or utilities.

We used the Splitwise app when I had 3 friends meet me for different stints in Portugal.

After everyone was done, we hit the “settle up” button and it automagically money transfer the right amounts to the right people. Super easy!

Transportation: Buses, Trains, & Flight Apps for Europe

Enter your starting point and destination into the search bar and the Rome2Rio app will present you with a range of possible travel routes, from many different modes of transportation.

You can then compare fares and journey times so you can choose the option that fits your plans. In addition to offering great prices on travel tickets, Rome2Rio also provides detailed maps of each route.

This app is great for simply getting an idea of how to get from one place to the next and any and all modes of transportation you could take. When you’re ready, you can even click through to buy the actual tickets for your chosen route!

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Most buses say that they come with free Wi-Fi so you can stay connected along the way.

Of course, this is almost always a crap shoot, and you should never depend on Wi-Fi actually being available on any budget bus line!

Travelers have access to thousands of destinations all accessible through the app. Keep reading to see how BlaBlaCar shook up the ride-sharing industry and became a great ride-sharing option for getting around major European cities.

Not only does the Omio app allow you to search for the best deals on trains in over 30 countries in Europe, but you can also book bus and flight tickets too. This means that you can easily compare prices across different modes of transport without having to open multiple apps or websites.

Plus, if you’re flexible with dates then there are often great discounts available through the Omio app – perfect if you’re trying to save some money on your next adventure!

Transportation: Car-Shares & Taxis Apps for Europe

The most notable for the Free Now app is that prices are set by both the driver and the company itself, depending on factors such as distance traveled and time of day.

Rides through the Free Now app are now available in more than 100 European cities.

Users create profiles with their preferred destinations and add certain details about themselves that other users will see before deciding whether or not to accept them as passengers.

The benefit of this BlaBlaCar approach is that travelers can often find rides faster and cheaper than they would elsewhere, all while getting to know locals along the way.

So it’s a great app for saving time and money in Europe while getting to know people and the culture a bit deeper. Plus, since drivers get extra money for having passengers on board, so it’s a win-win situation. 

Adventure, Tours & Excursion Apps for Europe

And Get Your Guide’s platform was founded on using local guides, so your travel experience is genuine and there’s more money put back into the local economy as opposed to into big businesses that may not have local roots.

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For travel in Europe—or anywhere really—you should really spend some time on Get Your Guide seeing all of the options they have!

Accommodation Apps for Europe

The Hostelworld app allows you to filter accommodation options on these specifics so you can choose what you’re most comfortable with. So any way you look at it, Hostelworld is one of those travel apps that will save you time and money if you like to travel on a budget.

You can also create hostel wish lists and add hostels from around the world to your favorites so you can plan to go visit them on future trips.

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The Booking app is a great app to use if you want to save money compared to some of the higher-priced accommodation options on platforms like Airbnb.

Food & Restaurant Apps for Europe

I used this app dozens of times while living in Portugal, both day and night, since many restaurants had meals available between their midday rushes.

Not only are these meals priced lower than usual, but they also help reduce the amount of food being wasted each year – so you get a guilt-free dinner and an environmental win.

And these aren’t scraps or waste; the meals or offerings are often as top-notch as if you would have ordered them at regular menu prices during the peak food rush!

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You can also filter your search by price range or type of cuisine so that you’ll know exactly what kind of food you’re getting before you choose.

The Happy Cow app currently has over 86,000 listings for vegetarian and vegan restaurants just in European countries!

Other Helpful Apps Apps for Travel in Europe

The fact that you can use your own photos, choose the layout, and even have a customized stamp (with your picture on it) is just really neat. Guess this is a sign of the times!

And you can do it from anywhere in Europe. While I’m a big fan of handwritten notes or postcards, I’m terrible at actually sitting down and writing them…and then getting them in the mail. I mean, simply going to a post office in another country with other languages and currencies just adds to the nausea.

Thanks to Leah Michelsen for suggesting the Austrian Post and Treecard Apps!

That alone is worth opening the app and tracking steps. But the Treecard App also encourages users to switch to green energy providers or invest in renewable energy projects when possible, allowing them to contribute even more towards reducing climate change. They even have a wooden debit card that plants a tree for every $50 spent from it.

I pop open the app, scan hundreds of events, and soon enough I’m surrounded by other locals and world travelers.

Game nights, bar crawls, free tours. You name it, there’s a meetup for it, whether you’re at home or all the way over exploring big cities throughout Europe.

No matter where you are headed when you travel in Europe, having access to these apps will definitely make your trip easier, and potentially cheaper. Let me know in the comments if there are apps that should be added to the list and I’ll check them out!

And please share this article with your Europe travel crew!

Safe Travels!
— Jason

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