What are the best apps for backpackers?

So, you’re throwing your belongings into a backpack and leaving the comforts of home to travel, great! Once your clothes and travel gear are sorted, it’s time to set up your phone. Honestly, it’s one of our favourite things to do before a trip: hiding unused apps, adding new ones, and organizing them.

Let’s talk about the best apps for backpackers, especially those travelling in Canada!

Apps for travel planning, money and security

Tripit is one of the first apps we set up. It is perfect for keeping track of flights, hotel and car rental confirmations in one place, and decreasing stress levels.

Next step: Download Hopper to search for affordable flights, car rentals, and accommodations; accuracy rates are great, they tell you the best time to book and track price changes.

The XE app is a go-to for quick, accurate currency conversions. You can also look at a currency’s exchange history and set alerts.

Don’t forget to download an app like NordVPN for safe and secure browsing while on the road. Things can get dodgy online, and not all wifi connections are good – VPNS are essential.

Apps for communication

Airalo is an app for e-SIMs. You can search over 200 countries and regions, buy an e-SIM, install and go. There are data package options, and very user-friendly.

The Duolingo app is a fun and handy language tool. Learn new words and phrases before and during your trip. The French course can be useful for travelling in Quebec – some French words are different in Quebec, but you’ll be fine.

Google Translate is improving, and there are more Quebec French words and phrases now (Yay!), but the translations on the DeepL app are more correct and useful

Apps for booking a bed or a room

Most backpackers are familiar with the Hostelworld app, which is great for finding affordable and fun accommodations, finding potential travel buddies and chatting directly with hostels.

Apps like Booking.com, Priceline, and Trip.com offer a range of hostels and hotel options, including Saintlo Hostels. Before completing a booking, read the cancellation policy to avoid penalties if your travel plans change. Of course, booking directly with a hotel or hostel is cheaper, with more flexible policies.

Apps for getting around canada

Travelling across Canada is an unforgettable adventure, and while it can be expensive, there are ways (and apps) to save money on transportation.

Turo is like the Airbnb of cars; search for a vehicle in your desired location, choose a pick-up location, and follow the host’s instructions (you can talk to them directly). Poparide and Kangaride (Amigo Express) are ride-sharing apps with driver profiles, license validity, and rider reviews. Poparide has cheaper booking fees.

Travel by bus or train with Busbud, which sells train tickets for VIA Rail, and bus tickets with Orléans Express and Intercar Bus Lines – all of which have apps you can use. If you’re going to travel by train in Canada, download the VIA Rail app, even if you’re booking tickets through Busbud. Its train tracking function is handy, especially in summer and winter when trains are often late.

Read more about travelling with VIA Rail in this article. Tip: The World History Quiz app helps pass the time.

Apps for getting around & city transport

We like to use Google Maps for planning travel/walking/biking routes, making lists of restaurants to visit and sites to see, and dropping pins for places we discover while walking around.

Public transportation is one of the best ways to get around a city affordably. Transit is the best app to download for local bus schedules and routes, trains, and e-bike or e-scooter rentals. The app includes public transit information for STM in Montréal and OC Transpo in Ottawa.

Electric bikes and scooters are another great way to get around a city. In Montréal, Bixi has over 900 stations throughout the city (including Laval, Longueuil, and Terrebonne). They charge a $100 security deposit and $1.50 to unlock the bike. After that, it’s $0.20 per minute for a regular bike and $0.35 per minute for an electric bike. Download the app, use it to unlock the bike, and enjoy.

In Ottawa, download Neuron to rent electric bikes and scooters. They’re bright orange, you can’t miss them! The app is easy to use and set up and has tips for parking, local road rules, and more.

Apps for eating out or cooking at the hostel

We love using the Too Good To Go app for food deals. This app is dedicated to reducing food waste and has deals (pick-up only) from local grocery stores and restaurants, all heavily discounted.

Open Table is good for making restaurant reservations in cities throughout Canada (and around the world). The restaurant reviews are informative (and sometimes a good laugh), and most places have a link to their menu.

Happy Cow is essential for finding vegan restaurants, reviewed by fellow vegans, and Find Me Gluten Free is a must for anyone travelling with celiac disease.

Apps for making friends

Make friends by sharing a dinner with strangers! Timeleft is a dinner party app, of sorts. Dinners are on Wednesdays, and you can choose whether you want to speak French or English. The “ticket” is the app’s service fee (around $20), and you pay for dinner onsite. It’s a truly unique dining experience.

Bumble for Friends is a companion app to the dating app; the algorithm is the same in both apps, helping you match with people with similar interests and desires. It’s a fun way to meet fellow travellers or hang out with locals – and great way to see the city you’re visiting through another’s eyes!

Apps for adventures, activities, and memories

Avenza Maps is a great app for offline maps of SEPAQ parks in Québec – cycling routes, hunting, hiking, camping, climbing, and more. Hikers will love using All Trails and Parks Canada, which include information on elevations, distance, fitness levels, and suggested viewpoints. 

Aurora Forecast is a popular choice (often used by photographers) for accurate Northern Lights forecasts – it tracks solar winds, has a probability map, and updates the forecast every 30 mins. If you want to straight-up stargaze, try the Star Walk 2 app.

GetYourGuide is our app pick for finding activities, guided walking tours, bus tours, and museum tickets – including our super fun Ottawa Jail Tour!

Capture your travel memories with the Lens Buddy app. It’s a free self-timer app with timing from 0.5 seconds to 5 minutes. Set up your travel tripod, set the timer and pose like an influencer. When you’re done, edit using Snapseed.

Living in this digital age can be fun – there are apps for almost everything now (festivals, self-guided tours, museums, and more). Similar to packing your physical gear, your digital gear will shift and change as you travel. So, which app are you downloading first?