With holidays looming, epic road trips are inevitable and we have compiled the perfect list of our top 8 must-have road-trippin’ apps. From ones that help you navigate traffic or find the perfect food stop, to those that help you choose a comfortable hotel for the night or curate the most dance-worthy playlist, we have your holiday sorted. These apps boast comfort and ease, and will enable you to road trip in style! What’s even better is that the majority of these apps are absolutely free and some can in fact save you money…. While they are saving your money, you can spend your budget on those important holiday must-do’s like local attractions, delicious cuisine, and more.
These apps should always be utilized by your designated DJ, or phone operator because above all, safety is paramount and the driver should be concentrating on how to get from A to B….However, fun is a very close contender on our road trip priority list and these apps are sure to sprinkle some holiday cheer and sunshine into your festive adventures. What’s even better is that you can use many of these road trip apps before your trip and utilize them as part of your vacation planning. So, without further ado here are our top 7 road trip planner picks for android or iphone best travel apps that are bound to get you road trippin’ like a pro.
The Best Road Trip Apps
GasBuddy
Gasbuddy is one of our absolute favorite apps and helps you to find real-time fuel prices from over 140 000 different gas stations. This is a great way to save money on fuel and will enable you to make the most cost-effective choices when it comes to filling up your tank. Since fuel is one of the most costly parts of your road trip, this app is a fabulous way to save some dollars and use them on more important things like roadside cafes and cocktails by the pool.
GasBuddy is compatible with android and IOS devices and users are incentivized to add to the data by earning points that allow them to enter into an electronic draw where they can win a 100 dollar pre-paid gas card. This app offers users fantastic, money-saving information and has noted that users save around 340 dollars on average per-year by using it. This app is free, super easy to use and really is your number 1 road trip buddy.
- Finds cheapest real-time fuel prices
- Offers incentives and rewards
- Saves your money
- Free
This app has been specifically developed for travelers and helps you plan your epic adventure on the go. The app notes that you are always only 5 minutes away from something amazing and with this handy tool by your side, you’re sure to never be disappointed. This app helps you find a myriad of weird and wonderful places from local restaurants and attractions, to national parks and scenic spots that are bound to make for fantastic photographs. This is really a must-have app for anyone with an adventurous spirit and will ensure that you don’t miss out on hidden dreams beyond the
Road Trippers is also absolutely free and will enable you to find an array of places that you might not have known about prior to downloading the app. This is the perfect way to bring some spontaneity into your adventure and will enable you to experience that wanderlust you’ve been dreaming of.
- Helps you plan your adventure by finding local attractions.
- Adds spontaneity to your trip
- Free
This is a fabulous app if you’re planning a road trip and haven’t got all your accommodation sorted. Hotel Tonight allows hotels to give discounts on their empty rooms and you can book rooms for the same night or in advance. You can search for hotels by city, attractions or map locations and the app shows you the best deals for the day. The app showcases an array of hotel types from ‘simple’, ‘luxe’, and ‘hip’ and thus allows you to choose a room that matches your budget and needs.
This awesome road trip app also has an amazing rewards system and the more rooms you book, the better the deals are! There is also 24/7 support-team on hand so no matter what time you’re booking your room, there is always someone to answer your queries. You can read numerous reviews and ratings by other users and thus book rooms that have been vetted and tested by fellow roadtrippers. The app works in a number of countries, so whether you are adventuring through the United States, backpacking around Europe, or exploring Australia, there is the perfect room for you!
- Find discounts on empty rooms
- Rewards system : More bookings = Greater Discounts
- Reviews and ratings by users
- Free
Waze
Waze is a unbelievable little GPS app for any road trip and can be used on androids, Iphones, and tablets. It is a community based navigation system that is constantly updated by the Waze community. Users share real-time tips about traffic and other important roadside information so that you are always kept in the loop. This saves you time and fuel and enables you to plan a stress-free route on the go.
Getting alerts before you embark on huge traffic jams, accidents, or road blocks is a fantastic way to save energy and time. By being in the know throughout your journey you can spend your spare time on important things, like planning your activities, and jamming to epic road trip tunes. Waze is also absolutely free and won’t cramp your holiday budget! This is a great companion to any road trip and offers you great insight and the knowledge to plan the most straightforward route.
- Community based navigation system
- Real time updates bout traffic, accidents, road blocks and more
- Free
Google Maps is a brilliant free app that is perfect for any road trip, especially if you are driving through unchartered territory or are prone to getting a bit lost. The app works by utilizing your devices GPS features and uses satellite technology, street maps, real-time traffic, and panoramic views. You simply type in your planned location or the GPS coordinates and Google Maps will ensure that you get to your destination safely and without getting lost.
- Utilizes GPS technology and provides satellite imagery, street maps, and panoramic views
- Real time traffic
- Free
Spotify
One of the greatest parts of any road trip has got to be the sing-along sessions. For some reason those open roads seem to bring out the inner diva in us all. Spotify is a music streaming platform that enables you to create your perfect road trip playlist and is an essential app for your adventure. You can opt for the free version which allows you to shuffle songs, or you can pay for a monthly subscription which gives you more selection options and no adverts. This is a great way to find new music and once Spotify knows your taste in music it will recommend new tracks to you. There is also a great feature which enables you to save your data, so you can revel in road trip hits without using up your phone credit.
This is the perfect app for when you want to rock out on the open road and remember, what happens in those karaoke sessions on the highway, stays there! This is bound to bring a lot of fun to your trip and whether you are into the 80s classics, popular hits, or R&B, there is always a playlist for you!
- Lets you create playlists
- Recommends music to you
- Free version available
Openbay
One of the most frustrating things about any road trip is the possibility of a break down, or a car malfunction. When you’re navigating a new environment this can be an added stress as it’s hard to know where you can get help in your time of need. Luckily, Openbay has you covered and is the perfect app for any road-tripper. The app helps you to book car repairs with confidence and will help to find the best repair quotes from sellers on the Openbay network.
You can securely book services through the app and this offers you added peace of mind since all services come with the Openbay guarantee. You simply tell the app what kind of vehicle you have and what service it needs and you will recieve an initial estimate and then real-world quotes within a matter of hours. Once you have decided on the service you would like you can book it through the app for your desired date and time and then you simply provide your service code to the shop of your choice. This app makes maintenance easy and takes the stress out of having to service your car! While Openbay are finding quotes and comparing prices, you can enjoy your holiday.
- Allows you to book car repairs with confidence
- Finds and compares quotes
- Free
Our Top Pick
While all these apps have us feeling those holiday feelings and wishing we were hitting the highways on our own road trips, we’ve chosen GasBuddy as our favorite pick because it is super useful and saves you a lot of cash! It offers users great incentives, can save you a ton of money, has rewards and prizes and is just generally a fantastic app. The fact that it’s free makes it all the better and we absolutely love its far reaching capacity and user-friendliness.
This really will be the best road trip buddy you’ve ever had and all the extra pennies can be used for other road trip essentials, like great coffee and tasty treats.
