When you’re responsible for packing for yourself and the kids, confirming reservations, making travel arrangements, and ensuring your house is in order before leaving for vacation, your brain might feel like it’s on overload. A getaway meant to help you destress and unwind from your regular routine could easily become a headache when your to-do list feels endless.
While a travel agent and a personal assistant could make things easier, that luxury might not fit into your budget, but that doesn’t mean you’re without resources.
Travel Smarter with These Phone Apps
Apps are handy tools to help you book hotels, prepare an itinerary, purchase travel gear, and find the best, most affordable eateries during your getaway. We’ve highlighted several highly rated apps in these categories that experts encourage you to consider for your next trip.
Read on to learn how these apps can significantly alter your travel prep for the better and why you must download them this summer.
HotelTonight
You might have heard of a slew of different hotel booking apps (many of which are most likely populated on your social media pages after researching rates for your last trip). Let us help you narrow your choices and suggest HotelTonight, which is owned by vacation property rental service Airbnb and finds top-rated hotels in the U.S., Europe, Japan, and Australia at up to 30 percent off. Better still, the app — available for iOS and Android — recently announced it’s giving 10 percent in Airbnb credit back to those in America and the U.K. who book through HotelTonight (via a March 2025 Airbnb article).
It gives travelers the best of both worlds: a boutique hotel stay through HotelTonight and a unique Airbnb experience, guaranteeing a flexible and convenient way to plan a getaway. Unlike other booking companies that make it challenging to earn rewards, HotelTonight also assures a simple and generous rewards program to make it easier for members to reap the benefits. Interested users can download the app via the App Store or Google Play.
Etsy
Until now, you might have thought of Etsy as primarily a site for finding unique and handmade items. While that’s true, it’s also a considerable go-to for travel-related accessories, per their 2025 Spring/Summer Travel Guide. According to an April 2025 post by the online retailer, travel accessories are ranked as the top search items this year as travelers seek personalized and stylish gear.
These include products like tropical luggage tags, personalized beach bags, and beach attire. More can be found within the Island Luxe category on their website, as well as other related trends. The app is also available on the App Store for iPads and iPhones and Google Play for Android devices.
Too Good To Go
If fighting food waste is a top priority when traveling, we recommend downloading the Too Good To Go app. It allows travelers to discover local food items, from baked goods to groceries, while reducing food waste and saving money. After launching in Denmark in 2015, Too Good To Go has expanded throughout Europe, Canada, Australia, and the U.S. and continues to grow immensely.
The company has made significant strides, even partnering with coffeehouse mega-giant Starbucks in 2017 (in Europe) to help prevent quality food from being wasted (and saved millions of meals in the process) per a story on their website. Their other major U.S. collaborations include Whole Foods Market, Krispy Kreme, IKEA, Just Salad, and more. They also recently launched in eight additional markets in the States and will be live in every American city with 1 million+ users by the end of 2025. To join the cause, download the Too Good To Go app on Google Play or via the App Store.
Resy
You might already be familiar with Resy, but it’s vital that we stress how beneficial this app is for food lovers. It’s an online restaurant guide that helps users snag last-minute reservations with “Notify Me” alerts when a table opens up at a selected eatery and hooks them up with everything from neighborhood favorites to Michelin-starred options.
According to Resy’s website, diners have relied on the app since its inception in 2014 to connect them with local hotspots and upscale eats in 80 cities worldwide. It’s also applauded on the App Store, earning a 4.9 rating score and thousands of glowing reviews. The app is also available for Android on Google Play.
Life360
Do you ever spend much of your vacation trying to find the rest of your group? The app Life360 solves that problem, as it’s designed explicitly for location tracking and safety. It’s often used by parents to track their kids or loved ones, as well as objects that have been stolen or misplaced. However, the app is also highly recommended when traveling as it lets you keep tabs on everyone in your party, including your belongings when venturing away from home.
For the latter, Life360 has tiles for luggage to track luggage, so nothing goes missing, and as per their website, more than 80 million people take advantage of these features. The app has free and paid versions with more advanced capabilities on the App Store and Google Play. Visit their website for more details.
Making Travel Easier
Why go through the stress that often accompanies travel planning when you don’t have to? These are just a few apps that can ease your worries while on the road, and many other highly praised downloads offer similar features.
Consider adding these to your home screen before heading out on your next vacation, or if you’re already using them in your day-to-day, perhaps putting them to work on your next trip. With the right apps on hand, you’ll be excited to travel this summer, even without a travel agent or personal assistant in tow.
