The Travel Apps Our Nomad Family Actually Uses (Plus a Few Worth Knowing)

The Travel Apps Our Family Actually Uses

We land somewhere new, usually tired, and Leo is hungry. Louie wants to know where we’re staying. Marty needs a solid connection for work by the next morning.

That’s when our phones earn their keep. 📱

I’ve read plenty of “best travel apps” lists with 30 apps on them. Honestly, our family uses a handful every day, and most of them are free. This guide starts with those apps and how we use them, with most of our recent experience coming from Vietnam.

After that, you’ll find apps other nomad families rate that we haven’t tried yet. We’ve marked clearly which is which, so you know what’s first-hand and what’s research.

Why a Few Good Apps Make Such a Difference

The hardest moments of nomad life are rarely the big ones. They’re the small ones, like arriving hungry in a city where you can’t read the menu. Or needing a ride with a toddler and a pile of bags.

Apps don’t make those moments disappear, but they do make them smaller. For our family, the right apps mean:

• Food and transport sorted within minutes of arriving
• Fewer money surprises when we’re paying in a new currency
• Easier conversations we couldn’t otherwise have
• Family back home staying close across time zones

Still weighing up whether this lifestyle could work for you? Our guide on how to become a digital nomad family covers income, costs and first steps.

1. Grab

Best for: Food delivery and rides across Southeast Asia
Our verdict: ✅ We use it

If I could keep only one app in Southeast Asia, it would be Grab. We arrive somewhere, everyone needs to eat, and within minutes food is on its way. It’s quick, easy to use and affordable.

We use it just as much for getting around. You see the price before you book, so there’s no haggling or trying to explain directions. That matters when you’ve got a two-year-old on your hip.

Grab currently operates in eight Southeast Asian countries: Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. It’s part of daily life for us in Vietnam, and our Da Nang family guide covers what life there really costs. Outside the region, you’ll need a local alternative.

Good to Know

• Car seats: they aren’t standard in regular rides, so plan ahead if you need one.
• Set it up early: install the app and add a payment method before you land, while you still have Wi-Fi.
• Payments and fees: options vary by country, so check current details in the app.

2. Google Maps

Best for: Finding your way and finding what’s nearby
Our verdict: ✅ We use it

We open Google Maps every single day. It finds us a pharmacy, a supermarket, a playground or somewhere for a decent coffee.

Our tip: download the offline map for each new area before you arrive. Then you can still navigate if your data stops working.

Saved lists help too. Pin your accommodation, favourite cafés and the nearest clinic when you arrive, not when you need them. If a clinic visit does happen, you’ll be glad you sorted health insurance for the whole family before you left.

The trade-off: reviews and opening hours aren’t always up to date, especially for small local places. Treat them as a guide, not gospel.

3. Wise

Best for: Currency conversion and spending abroad
Our verdict: ✅ We use it

We use Wise for our spending on the road, and its converter is how we check prices in a new currency. When a market price looks odd, a quick conversion tells us whether it’s fair or a tourist price.

How we set it up, including Louie’s own card, is in our guide to managing money across borders as a family. For a sense of what daily life costs in different places, see our cost of living comparison for 50+ family destinations.

Prefer a standalone converter? XE Currency is a popular free option. It keeps the last rates it downloaded, so you can still check conversions offline.

The Wise link is an affiliate link. If you sign up through it, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

4. Google Translate

Best for: Menus, signs and everyday conversations
Our verdict: ✅ We use it

Google Translate gets us through menus, shop signs and chats with people who’ve been patient with our attempts at the local language. The camera mode is the one we use most: point it at a menu and the translation appears on screen.

Our tip: download the language for offline use before you arrive.

The trade-off: translations aren’t perfect, and meaning gets lost. For anything important, like allergies, medication or a rental agreement, keep sentences short and simple. Double-check with a local if you can.

5. WhatsApp

Best for: Staying in touch with family, hosts and new friends
Our verdict: ✅ We use it

WhatsApp is how we keep in touch with family in Australia and the Netherlands. It’s also how we talk to hosts, drivers and other families we meet along the way.

Calls and messages run over data or Wi-Fi, so it keeps working when we swap to a local SIM.

Good to know: WhatsApp isn’t the main messaging app everywhere, so ask your host what locals use. For keeping kids connected with friends old and new, see how we help travelling kids make friends.

6. Booking.com and Google Sheets

Best for: Keeping bookings and plans in one place
Our verdict: ✅ We use them

Our system is simple. We book our stays through Booking.com, and the app keeps every reservation, address and check-in detail in one place.

Then I keep a Google Sheet with everything laid out: where we’re staying, for how long and what comes next. It isn’t fancy, but I can see our whole plan at a glance.

Want more automation? TripIt builds an itinerary from your confirmation emails. The free version organises your plans. Real-time alerts for delays and gate changes are part of the paid TripIt Pro.

7. Duolingo

Best for: Language basics for kids
Our verdict: ✅ Louie uses it

Louie uses Duolingo on his tablet, alongside his other school apps. We’re still on the free version, but not for much longer.

The free version has a lot of ads, and it limits how far you can go each day. Some days Louie wants to keep going and the app stops him. Honestly, that’s a problem we’re happy to have. 😄

How Duolingo fits into Louie’s week is covered in what our homeschooling days really look like. For more tools other parents rate, see our homeschooling resources guide.

Free vs paid: Super Duolingo removes ads, gives unlimited hearts and adds offline lessons. On the free version, mistakes cost “hearts”, which limits how much you can practise in one go. Check current pricing in the app.

What about Leo? He’s two, and we don’t use any apps for him. Travel days run on snacks, walks and a lot of patience.

8. Local SIM Cards (and eSIM Apps)

Best for: Mobile data for work, maps and Grab
Our verdict: ✅ We use local SIMs

Marty’s work depends on a reliable connection, so data is one of the first things we sort out. We buy a local SIM card when we arrive. It’s usually cheaper than roaming, and it gives us a local number, which some apps and hosts expect.

The alternative: an eSIM is a digital SIM card you download to your phone. Apps like Airalo let you buy a data plan before you fly, so you’re connected the moment you land. Check that your phone supports eSIMs first, and note that many plans are data only.

Our internet guide for nomad families compares SIMs, eSIMs and backup options. Choosing a base around work? Our internet speed guide to 50 cities helps too.

9. HappyCow

Best for: Vegetarian and vegan food
Our verdict: 🔍 On our list, not used much yet

We cook vegetarian food ourselves, so HappyCow is on our radar. It lists vegetarian and vegan restaurants and shops worldwide, with reviews from other users.

Coverage is strongest in big cities. In smaller towns, local knowledge often beats any app. Check current pricing, as some features may be paid.

Looking for places where plant-based eating is easy? See our plant-based destinations for families.

10. Flush

Best for: Finding a public toilet fast
Our verdict: 🔍 Researched, not tested

Anyone travelling with a toddler knows the “I need to go NOW” moment. Flush (iPhone and Android) shows nearby public toilets and works without a data connection.

Check current details: listings show whether a toilet has disabled access, charges a fee or needs a key. It doesn’t list baby-changing facilities. It relies on users adding toilets, so coverage varies a lot by country.

Planning a long travel day with little ones? Here’s how we got through flying to the other side of the world with a toddler.

More Apps Worth Knowing

We haven’t used these ourselves, but other travelling families rate them. Check current features and pricing before you rely on any of them.

AllTrails

Best for: Family walks and hikes. AllTrails lets you filter trails by length, difficulty and kid-friendliness. The free Base version covers trail maps and navigation. Offline downloads need the paid Plus tier, and Peak adds custom routes. For ideas, see our destinations for families who love the outdoors.

Citymapper

Best for: Public transport in big cities. Citymapper plans journeys across buses, metros, trams and walking routes. It only covers a set list of cities, so check yours is included. Prefer two wheels? Our cycling cities for families guide is worth a look.

What3Words

Best for: Sharing an exact location. What3Words gives every 3 m by 3 m square on the planet its own three-word address. It’s handy where street addresses are unclear, like a beach or a big market.

Rome2Rio

Best for: Planning journeys between cities. Rome2Rio compares flights, trains, buses and ferries between two places, with rough times and costs.

Maps.me

Best for: Offline maps in rural areas. Maps.me is built for offline use and includes walking tracks that other map apps sometimes miss.

Splitwise

Best for: Sharing costs. Splitwise tracks who paid for what, which helps when you travel with another family or with grandparents.

Hopper

Best for: Flight price tracking. Hopper watches prices and suggests whether to book now or wait. Treat its predictions as a guide, not a guarantee.

TravelSpend

Best for: Tracking a daily budget. TravelSpend logs spending by category and across currencies, which helps if you want a clear picture of what a month really costs.

Travel Journal and Memory Apps

We haven’t tried a travel journal app yet, so these are researched picks. They suit families who want a record of their travels beyond a camera roll full of photos.

Polarsteps

Best for: Automatic route tracking. Polarsteps maps your route as you travel and lets family back home follow along. The app is free, and you can pay to turn a trip into a printed book.

FindPenguins

Best for: Background tracking and keepsake books. FindPenguins logs your journey in the background, and you can order photo books of your trips.

Day One

Best for: Everyday journaling. Day One isn’t travel-specific, so it also works for school notes, milestones and reflections.

Wanderlog

Best for: Planning plus light journaling. Wanderlog combines itineraries and maps with notes on places you’ve been.

TripMemo

Best for: Shared family trip books. TripMemo lets several people add photos and notes to the same trip. It’s iPhone only, and free to download with in-app purchases.

Journey

Best for: Deeper reflection. Journey adds mood and location tags, which older kids can use to write about how a place made them feel.

Apps for Finding Other Nomad Families

We haven’t tried these apps yet. So far, we’ve found other families through Instagram, by following families who travel the way we do and simply saying hello.

The apps below are built for exactly this. Most are new, so how useful they are depends on how many families are active where you are.

LinkEase

Best for: Finding travelling families nearby. LinkEase shows nearby families on a map, with chat and groups for arranging meet-ups. It also has Kids Missions, short learning activities for children on the road. Your precise location isn’t required, and there’s an invisible mode. It’s free, with a paid Pro option.

Voyage Maps

Best for: Worldschool hubs and gatherings. Voyage Maps connects worldschooling families and lists hubs across six continents and at sea. It organises gatherings as “villages”, from learning hubs to play dates. Check current pricing on its website.

Nomadschoolers

Best for: Alternative schools and learning communities. Nomadschoolers is a free directory of over 200 projects, including Waldorf, Montessori, forest and democratic schools.

For more on friendships for kids on the road, read our guide to worldschooling and socialisation, or explore our Worldschooling Hubs Directory.

Tips for Using Travel Apps as a Family

• Set up before you fly. Install your key apps and add payment details while you still have Wi-Fi at home.
• Download offline content. Offline maps and translation languages are free and only take a few minutes.
• Start with free versions. Only pay once an app has proven itself. That’s exactly why we’re about to upgrade Duolingo.
• Check permissions. Turn off location sharing you don’t need, especially on kids’ devices.
• Back up your documents. Keep passports, insurance and bookings in cloud storage as well as on your phone.
• Delete what you don’t use. A cluttered phone makes it harder to find the app you need in a rush.

Travel App FAQs for Nomad Families

Which app should we download first for Southeast Asia?

Grab. It covers food delivery and rides in one app, and it’s the one our family would miss most.

Do travel apps work without internet?

Some do. Google Maps and Google Translate let you download maps and languages for free. For other apps, offline use is often a paid feature, like AllTrails Plus or Super Duolingo.

Are free versions of travel apps good enough?

For us, mostly yes. Every app we use daily is free. Duolingo will be our first upgrade, because of the ads and the daily limit.

Should we get a local SIM or an eSIM?

We use local SIM cards, which give us a local number and usually cheaper data. An eSIM is handier if you want data the moment you land, as long as your phone supports it.

How do you keep track of bookings?

We book our stays through Booking.com, and I keep a simple Google Sheet for the bigger picture.

Do your kids use apps while travelling?

Louie uses a tablet for his school apps, including Duolingo. Leo is two, and we don’t use any apps for him.

How do you find other nomad families?

Mostly through Instagram so far, plus our Worldly Tribe Facebook group. Family community apps like LinkEase are growing too.

Our Takeaways

You don’t need 30 apps to live abroad with kids. We get by with about six, and most of them are free.

What matters is having the right ones ready before you land. Download the offline maps and the language. Install Grab while you still have Wi-Fi. Then that first hungry evening in a new place feels a lot less daunting.

Start small, add apps when a real need comes up, and delete the ones you never open. That’s what works for us. 🌍

Looking for your next base? Explore our family-friendly destinations.