Embarking on your first solo adventure can be exciting and daunting. Thankfully, the internet and apps make it much easier to plan your trip. Here’s a list of 24 top travel planning sites and apps — some popular, some lesser-known, but all incredibly useful. Hopefully, you’ll discover a few new favorites to enhance your journey.

Where to go?

Before diving into tech, it’s worth noting the value of real conversations. Travel agents have made a comeback and can be incredibly helpful for planning multi-destination trips or understanding the logistics of specific locations. Their expertise often uncovers deals you can’t find online. For instance, one agent secured a bargain business class flight to Australia, and on a recent trip to the USA, car hire was included for less than the cost of the flight itself. Agents can also provide perks like lounge access and travel insurance — useful for any trip.

Now, on to the tech!

24 best trip planning websites & apps

Planning your next adventure? We’ve curated a list of the top 24 websites and apps to make organizing your trip easier than ever. From finding cheap flights to creating detailed itineraries, these tools have everything you need for stress-free travel.

Staying organized:

1. TripIt: The ultimate trip organizer. TripIt consolidates bookings from emails into one easy-to-use itinerary. It’s especially handy for independent travelers. For example, when traveling in the Caribbean, immigration officers often asked for proof of onward travel, and TripIt made it easy to show. It even tracks mileage, cities, and countries visited — an impressive feature.

Where to stay:

2. com: A go-to for accommodation at any price point, from budget hostels to luxury hotels. It also offers flights, car rentals, and attractions. The Genius loyalty program provides discounts, free breakfasts, and room upgrades.
3. Airbnb: Ideal for staying in residential neighborhoods or finding unique accommodations. It’s often more affordable than hotels and includes local experiences.
4. Vrbo: Focused on villas, cottages, and apartments. Great for finding entire homes to rent worldwide.
5. Trivago: A comparison tool that finds the best deals across booking sites, especially useful if you already have a specific hotel in mind.
6. Trusted Housesitters: Stay for free in exchange for pet sitting. For an annual fee (£99/year), you can access thousands of house-sitting opportunities globally.

Finding flights:

1. Skyscanner: Searches the cheapest and fastest flight routes, saving time jumping between websites.
2. Jack’s Flight Club: Sign up to receive deals on flights, including error fares and hidden discounts. Recent finds include London to Tokyo for £261 return.

Getting around:

1. Rome2Rio: Maps out travel options (bus, train, ferry, etc.) between destinations, complete with costs and times. Essential for trip planning.
2. Bookaway: A booking platform for buses, trains, and ferries in regions like Europe, Southeast Asia, and Central & South America.
3. Uber: A convenient ride-sharing app available in many countries, charging in your home currency to avoid cash transactions.

Meeting people:

1. Wanderful: A network for female travelers offering tips, meetups, local connections, and group trips. Membership also provides access to unique events and travel resources.
2. Couchsurfing: Connect with locals and travelers, even if you don’t stay in their homes. It also hosts events in over 200,000 cities worldwide.

Finding your way:

1. Google Maps: The classic app for navigation and directions. Be sure to download maps before traveling, as Wi-Fi can be unreliable.
2. me: A great alternative for offline navigation. It’s especially useful for tracking locations and getting directions in areas with poor signage.

Planning activities:

1. GetYourGuide: Browse tours and activities at your destination, with the option to book in advance for a stress-free trip.
2. Google Maps: Surprisingly useful for finding highly reviewed restaurants and attractions.

Staying safe:

1. Empowerful: A safety and wellness platform tailored for solo female travelers, covering everything from self-defense to travel insurance.
2. URSafe: A personal safety app with global coverage. It includes location tracking, fake calls, and voice-activated SOS features that alert local police.

Communication:

1. What3Words: Pinpoints exact locations using unique three-word combinations, making it easy to share your location anywhere in the world.

Money management:

1. XE: A straightforward currency converter for instant, accurate exchange rates.

Just for fun:

1. Mark O’Travel: Tracks the countries, states, and even UNESCO sites you’ve visited. Add notes, photos, or create a wish list for future trips.