Best Mobile & Tablet Apps For Travel

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Get cheap flights fast with Skyscanner- the world’s best flight search app.

The award winning Expedia Hotels & Flights app is the best and most beautiful way to book your hotel or flight. With real-time Itineraries with notifications, it's an essential app for when you're ready to start your trip.

Make travel planning as mobile as you are with the Airbnb iPhone App! Airbnb opens the door to the world’s most interesting places to stay and is the simplest way to earn money from your extra space.

Another popular flight and hotel search engine.

A handy tool for searching for flights. See our review on Momondo.

After Apple ditched Google maps and started its own map app we were in deep trouble. It was terrible. Luckily it wasn’t long before Google made their own (and better) app.  We use this nearly everyday. No need to purchase those expensive GPSs with car hire, just use your smart phone. And on those occasions where we don’t have a 3G SIM card available, we would just pre-load the maps when we have Wi-Fi in the morning before heading out for the day. The GPS chip in the phone doesn’t rely on the SIM card so it’s super helpful. 

Fast, reliable Wi-Fi is very important for us and anywhere we go this app lets us know within 60 seconds whether we want to stay. 

Tell it what you want to translate and let it type it up for you. This has come in very handy for buying medication at a pharmacy more then once. There are some things you don’t want to play charades in front of other people. 

Google Maps only works really well when connected to the Internet. This map works without an internet connection. Just download the country you’re in (that does need an internet connection), and use it wherever you are.

If your phone is stolen this app is going to save your life. It will track it done for you and beat the life out of the thief (not quite).

It’s making the packing much lighter and the kids even get to read on their own. 

Don’t need to carry a torch with us when we have our phone. It’s great for getting in the house when you forget to keep the light on. 

Translates foreign language signs into English for us. So instead of typing out the phrasing we can take a picture of the menu and know what we are up for. Sometimes this can take the fun out of a new place, so use it sparingly. 

The perfect conversion calculator since the US use gallons and miles instead of the correct litres and kilometers. :p

Allows you to control push notifications sent to you phone from different sources.  Inline with IFTTT.com you can set up notifications of about anything you want, weather, news, emails of a certain nature, etc. 

Sign documents from wherever you are without a printer and pen. Web version is also a great thing to have. 

Knowledge engine. Search for average rainfall in March in Antigua and it will tell you it’s 2.3% (12.3hrs). One question, one answer. 

When dealing with temperature, weights, distances and area in a foreign country, never fear!

The easiest way to wirelessly transfer photos, videos, documents and more to and from your Android phone.

The first app I open in any new country. Even if you don’t speak the language fluently, just showing that you tried often gets you brownie points.

My most-used app. Keeping track of notes, to-do lists, photographs of receipts, and anything else you can think of.

Synchronises with Google Calendar and makes it easy to stay organised wherever you are.

Share files between your devices easily. Easiest way to get a bunch of photos shared with several people, no fuss.

A super powerful, yet super simple, tool for automating everything about your digital life - get alerts when the weather changes, receive an email alert whenever your favourite blog publishes a new post, automatically share your Instagram photos on Twitter. The sky is the limit.

Keeping up with friends is faster than ever.

Twitter is a free app that lets you connect with people, express yourself, and discover more about all the things you love.

It's a simple way to capture and share the world's moments on your iPhone. Customize your photos and videos with one of several gorgeous and custom built filter effects. Transform everyday moments into works of art you'll want to share with friends and family.

Over 40 million people use Foursquare to keep up and meet up with friends on-the-go. 

Follow what friends, family, and interesting people around the world are sharing.

Catch up on your favorite videos and playlists from around the world on the couch, in the kitchen or on the go.

Pinterest is a tool to help you discover and plan things you want to do. When you find something that looks interesting, just Pin it! Pins are visual bookmarks that you organize and share the way you want.

Free text messages and phone calls to my loved ones, as long as I have 3G or Wi-Fi. The iPhone’s new iMessage is also great alternative.

Voice messages to family and friends for free. My kids love this. It’s like a delivered telegram or walkie-talkie.

We use this for handy walkie-talkie type communication when we’re both on a 3G connection and out-and-about. No more losing your travel partner!

On the light version you can have up to 10 currencies. It does not need an Internet connection. Just place in the amount you need to convert and it will bring it up in the other 10 currencies. A particular favourite.

My husband insists on a grocery list and this is his choice.

Travelling full time we need to keep a budget to make sure we aren’t going to too many $250 theme parks. This app is perfect. You can put in your monthly budget and then track your daily expenses. It has graphs and all sorts of information letting us know that since we started full-time travel we spend nearly 66% less than back in Australia! 

My favourite way of organising a shopping list.

Keeping track of your Paypal account wherever you are is essential for digital living on the road.

A really flexible and powerful expense tracker. Best part is it handles multiple currencies.

Hand in hand with our Apple TV this can convert and stream movies on the iPhone/iPad that you can also watch on your TV. 

Listen to music in any country - even when the local radio is in another language. Lifesaver!

Like Spotify, same deal.

A flexible way to share your media with multiple devices: laptops, smartphones, Apple TV and Google Chromecast.

The only app you’ll need for editing your photos on the road.

I use a Canon EOS camera, so this magic app allows me to transfer photos wirelessly to my smartphone for sharing on Instagram anywhere I am.

An essential tool for any GoPro owner. View photos and videos, and also remote control the GoPro.

A neat little alternative photo editor with a few bells and whistles.

Add interesting and unique tweaks to your favourite photos.

Simple math for little ones

My 4 year old knows her left and right better then me now.

Letters, writing, rhymes and stories – what’s not to love?

What kid doesn’t love a phone call from Elmo?

Share your kids artistic exploits, fun moments and special memories with family and loved ones.

An interactive friend that talks to kids. It’s educational too - and our kids don’t even realise they’re learning when they play.

Read and purchase books wherever you go. Essential.

My favourite reader. Simply save interesting blog posts or websites into your “pocket” and read them on your phone or tablet later, even when you’re offline.

An interesting and innovating way to listen to the latest news, curated to topics that you’re interested in.

The best way to read all your favourite blogs in once place.