Top Apps For Solo Travelers

Image source: Flickr - Jhong Dizon

Traveling solo is an empowering experience, as it helps you realize what you’re capable of while allowing you to strengthen your relationship with yourself. That being said, it can get lonely on the road at times, and navigating unfamiliar terrain can be tricky. To help make your next adventure on your own a success, here are the top apps for solo travelers.

Wandermates

Although currently in beta, Wandermates aims to connect solo travelers from around the world based on shared interests. You can click “Find An Activity Buddy” to search travelers who have posted meetups about canyoning, kayaking, cycling and other adventure activities, or simply “Meet A Solo Traveler” to see who’s in your area. If you don’t see any meetups of interest, create your own. Browse their list of “Wandermateys” (solo travelers) to see what other solo travelers are up to. Best of all, it’s free to signup.

CouchSurfing

Available on iOS and Android, CouchSurfing is a free app with a variety of uses to solo travelers. First of all, solo travelers looking to save money on accommodation (a hotel room is much more expensive for a single person than two travelers), CouchSurfing allows you to stay at a local’s home free of charge. If you’re not interested in a homestay experience, solo travelers can also use CouchSurfing’s forums to post about meetups, attend events, and connect with other travelers and locals in the area. It’s a great way to enjoy the freedom of solo travel while choosing when you want to be social.

WeHostels

What do you get when you mix Facebook with HostelBookers? A social hostel-booking app called WeHostels. This free tool is available on both iOS and Android, and allows solo travelers to search the city they’ll be traveling to for hostels, with the ability to see the profiles of other users staying there. Once you book a hostel through the app, you’ll be able to communicate with these people before you arrive, arranging outings beforehand. With over 50,000 accommodations in 800 cities, you have a great chance of finding a fun and social hostel.

Banjo

This free iOS and Android app uses location technology to help you find nearby friends. Banjo bundles all your social networks (including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Foursquare and LinkedIn) for a real-time stream of updates to see what friends are up to and get notifications when they’re near. Users can also search places by keyword and browse events to see what’s going on in the destination and who has checked in around town. With over 500,000 active monthly users, you’re sure to find some interesting people and activities.

LocalEats

Often, solo travelers enjoy immersing themselves in local culture (while also saving money), which is where LocalEats comes in. A $0.99 app available on iOS and Android, users can see top local restaurants (no chains included), meal deals and menus. Additionally, the app allows you to browse by price, cuisine, restaurant amenities or neighborhood, and even helps you get there by calling a taxi, providing driving directions and showing a local area map.

City Maps2Go

This offline maps app is available for $2.99 on iOS and Android, and ensures solo travelers can always navigate themselves back to a safe place. You won’t need to worry about having Wi-Fi or spending a fortune on data to figure out where you are, as City Maps2Go works completely offline and includes over 6,700 interactive maps (unlimited downloads allowed), ability to search addresses on maps while offline, and travel guides and attraction write-ups via Wikipedia.

RoamRight App

We’d be remiss if you didn’t mention our very own app. Before your next trip, download the RoamRight app to help you before and during your travels. Some features, like medical phrase translations and the international medication directory are available to all users. If you have a RoamRight travel insurance policy, though, you can do much more. You can create a list of places you plan to visit, learn about the security situation of your destination, find out about immunization and entry requirements, quickly locate embassy contact information, view other important information about your destination and more!

Note: Available plans and coverages may have changed since this blog was published.