10 Cheap (Or Free) iPhone Apps For Travelers

08/3/09  Print This Post Print This Post    11 Comments   Popular   Written by Michelle Schusterman
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Since we last recommended iPhone apps for travelers, countless more have been created. These latest travel apps range from quirky to ridiculously helpful.
1. Skype


Skype

All you need is a wifi hotspot to make Skype-to-Skype calls free from your iPhone. The rates for calls to mobiles and landlines (both national and international) are affordable. You can also keep track of who’s online to send and receive instant messages.

Skype offers both pay as you go credit plans or a subscription that offers unlimited calls to landlines and cell phones (in some countries).

Price: FREE

2. Cheap Gas


CheapGas

This app, created by OPIS (Oil Price Information Service), gives you a head start on the hunt for the best gas prices. Cheap gas uses the iPhone 3G’s GPS feature to find the ten gas stations in your area with the cheapest prices.

For the more discerning gas customer, Cheap Gas offers an advanced search function to specify zip code and type of fuel (unleaded, premium unleaded, or diesel).

Price: FREE

3. Saucy Phrasebook


Saucy

This language app by SoSauce is a little different from the rest. Rather than asking where the bathroom is, the Saucy Phrasebook contains such useful phrases as “I drank too much and I’m going to puke” and “Help! I just got swindled!”

Each phrase is recorded in Mandarin, French, Hindi, Japanese, Spanish, and Russian by native speakers.

Price: FREE

4. Flight Track Pro


Flight Track Pro

This app tops our list as far as price goes, but if you’re a frequent flyer, reviewers claim Flight Track Pro is well worth the price of a pizza. When you book your flight, simply forward your confirmation email to plans@tripit.com, and your itinerary will appear automatically on your iPhone.

Flight Track Pro keeps you up to date on your flight status, airport delays and closures, gate numbers, and the weather forecast for your final destination.

Price: $9.99

5. goPostal


goPostal

For $1.29 in postage costs, you can send an actual personalized postcard via the U.S. Postal Service. Simply select a picture from your iPhone, add a message, and send to any address in your phone book. The postcard will arrive within 24 hours.

These postcards make for a great, affordable souvenir without taking up luggage space.

Price: FREE (plus cost of postage)

6. Find Internet Cafe


Find Internet Cafe

For those that need wi-fi served along with their latte, the Find Internet Cafe app…well, does this really require an explanation? The app automatically detects your location and offers a list of closest internet cafes, complete with an interactive map, driving directions, the phone number for the business, and the cafe’s website. The bookmark feature allows you to save your favorites.

Of course, you have to be in a wi-fi zone for the app to work. And for now, Find Internet Cafe only offers suggestions inside the U.S.

Price: $0.99

7. iCarPark


iCarPark

Never forget where you parked again! iCarPark allows you to save your parking spot on a map. It then provides walking directions back no matter where you are.

Extra features allows you to keep track of meter times, remember parking garage levels, and keep track of up to five parked vehicles.

iCarPark also gives the option of using a satellite hybrid map for even better navigation!

Price: $0.99

8. SitOrSquat


SitOrSquat

The beauty of this app is in its name. Sure, there are a few apps that will help you locate the nearest restroom. But if you’ve traveled through certain countries, you know that a Western toilet is still only really common in the West.

Using the iPhone’s GPS features, this app will tell you which of the almost 60,000 restroom locations registered with SitOrSquat is closest to you, and whether or not you need to warm up your leg muscles before entering. SitOrSquat also provides information on changing tables, handicapped facilities, and a little bit of humorous bathroom reading.

Everyone is encouraged to enter any new public restrooms they stumble across to the system; it’s all about helping each other out.

Price: FREE

9. Stanza


Stanza

It’s pretty easy to see why Stanza is one of the most popular eBook readers out there. With a built-in catalog of over 100,000 books and the ability to personalize fonts, colors, and page setup, Stanza already has more than a million customers.

If you already have a few eBooks or documents, you can transfer them over to your iPhone with Stanza by using the free desktop app for Mac & PC.

Price: FREE

10. AroundMe


AroundMe

If you aren’t app-happy and want get as many features as possible from just one travel app, AroundMe is the way to go. This app uses the iPhone’s GPS feature to locate anything and everything you need, including banks, bars, gas stations, hospitals, hotels, theaters, restaurants, markets, and more.

You can see your destination’s location on a map, view the most direct route, and save it in your contact list. AroundMe also has a Nearby listing that uses Wikipedia to find what else is close to your location.

Price: FREE


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About the Author

Matador ID: michelles

Michelle is a musician, writer, and teacher just trying to see the world while doing what she loves for a living. After a fantastic year in Salvador, Brazil, she is now teaching ESL in South Korea with her husband and chocolate lab. In addition to traveling and writing, Michelle plays the steel drum in several bands and is an aspiring novelist. She's addicted to coffee and loves trying new food, the spicier the better.

11 Comments... join the discussion!

  • Megan Hill replied on August 3, 2009

    Damn. Makes me want an iphone!

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  • Daniel replied on August 3, 2009

    Meh. Most of those apps are only useful if you’re in the US. Useless if you’re a world traveler, like most of the people on this site. “A” for effort!

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    • Michelle replied to Daniel on August 3, 2009

      True- well, four of the ten only work in the U.S. (although one mentioned branching out to other countries in the future, can’t remember which). The other six could be pretty beneficial to world travelers.

      (Report comment)

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  • Alisha replied on August 11, 2009

    Wow we’re on your top 10 list, so cool! Thanks Michelle

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  • Quinn Genzel replied on September 4, 2009

    Another great travel app is PACKING, chosen as one of National Geographic’s best travel apps, and now on sale for only US$0.99. There is also a professional version, called PACKING PRO, which was itself chosen by both American Express and National Geographic as one of their top travel apps. Packing Pro, in addition to the basic packing functions that both apps share, has an Expert customized list generation tool, twice as many sample lists, a larger master catalog, and complete customization control over the look and feel of the device (layout, font & colors). Besides, how can anyone travel without first Packing!

    Packing: http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=294710480&mt=8

    Packing Pro: http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=312266675&mt=8

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  • Tom Lasater replied on December 28, 2009

    Dear Michelle,

    Great suggestions !

    Travellers who are trivia addicts might find it interesting to learn about the world around them using LocoTrivia. LocoTrivia is the first location based trivia game for the iPhone. Launch LocoTrivia, and you will be asked Trivia questions about the world nearby.

    Got some great knowledge about a hot travel spot or a must see site ? Make a trivia question about it and impress your friends ! LocoTrivia is a crowd sourced trivia game, so the more users from around the world participate, the better it gets !

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  • Bianca replied on December 28, 2009

    Hi, this is a nice list Michelle!

    I am just wondering if an app such as “Around me” would work even on a Ipod Touch, without the wifi connection. (Let’s say you downloaded a city map from a hot spot) and then, once out in the street, you just enter the location yourself instead of using the Iphone’s GPS. Does anyone know if that would work?

    (Report comment)

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    • Michelle Schusterman replied to Bianca on December 29, 2009

      Thanks, Bianca!

      I don’t think apps that require wi-fi work on the Touch unless you’re in a hotspot, unfortunately. Even if you opened the map, as you said, then went out of the hotspot, the Touch would need some kind of connection to pinpoint your location. Your best bet is to duck into the nearest cafe or anyplace with wifi to use apps like that.

      Hope that helps!

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  • Kayla Hernandez replied on May 11, 2010

    Gas prices these days are just getting higher, i think the government should focus more on alternative energy.`..

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  • Patrice Arnera replied on August 3, 2010

    Hi There,

    I travel around the World at least once month from Wellington, New Zealand and am constantly prone to delayed or cancelled flights and my business contacts and family are constantly trying to understand when I am landing so that they can reach me.

    I have therefore created an iPhone application that gives live departures and arrivals information for any flights at any given airport around the World. You can find an overview of the application at http://www.3dot5.net/blog/world-flights/ .

    There is also a draw to win an ipad everytime a milestone of 10,000 download is reached on the AppStore, more information can be found on: http://www.3dot5.net/blog/win-an-ipad-with-world-flights/

    Cheers,

    Patrice

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  • linksys wireless router replied on August 16, 2010

    Finally quitting working on the dumb wireless router.. Too complicated for me.. At least I have cable Internet now.. Just not wireless lol

    (Report comment)

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