The best solo travel apps split into three jobs: building the confidence to go, organising the trip, and meeting people on the road. Solo Era covers the first with small missions, Wanderlog and TripIt cover planning, and Hostelworld and Going Solo help you meet other travellers. You rarely need all of them, so choose the job you are stuck on.
How we chose
We looked at what a first-time or occasional solo traveller actually needs: the nerve to go, a plan that stays organised, and a way to meet people if you want to. App information comes from official App Store listings, checked on 2026-10-21. Check the listing or app for current pricing. Apps change, so confirm features and costs before you rely on them.
Quick comparison
| App | Job | Best for | Platforms (App Store listing) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solo Era | Confidence | Practising solo outings before the trip | iPhone |
| Wanderlog | Planning | Building an itinerary on a map | iPhone, iPad |
| TripIt | Organising | Keeping bookings in one itinerary | iPhone, iPad |
| Hostelworld | Stay and meet | Hostels and meeting fellow travellers | iPhone, iPad |
| Going Solo: Travel Friends | Meet people | Finding other solo travellers | iPhone, iPad |
| Tandem | Language | Practising a language before or during travel | See listing |
1. Solo Era
Best for: people who want to travel alone but feel nervous about the "alone" part, such as eating by yourself or finding your way without a companion.
Solo Era is an iPhone app for practising doing things alone, and it fits the stage before the trip. It will not book flights or plan routes. What it does is turn the scary parts into rehearsable steps. You get weekly missions in seven categories (food, movement, culture, travel, everyday, solitude and people) at five difficulty levels, and you can add your own missions.
The travel category reads like a ladder. At level 1: "Get off a tram or local train at a stop you have never used and buy something there." At level 3: "Take a local heritage railway trip." At level 5: "Visit two towns using one regional rail pass." The food category includes "Eat dinner somewhere with tablecloths, alone", which is the exact situation that worries many first-time solo travellers. The app has a level 5 food mission too: "Take a weekend away built around eating somewhere new."
You rate how nervous you felt before and after each mission, so you can see for yourself that the dread usually shrinks once you have done it. The journal keeps a photo and notes for each outing, and the Progress screen tracks the numbers, XP and a weekly streak. Screens in the app show example data.
Solo Era is free to download, and a subscription is required to start missions. Details and any free trial are shown in the app before purchase. It is not therapy or medical care.
Solo Era for iPhone
Try it with Solo Era
Solo Era gives you one realistic mission a week, records how nervous you felt before and after, and keeps a photo journal of what you did. An iPhone app. A subscription is required to start missions; any free trial depends on the offer and eligibility shown in the app.
2. Wanderlog
Best for: planners who want to see a trip on a map.
Per its App Store listing, Wanderlog is a free travel app with an optional Pro subscription for planning trips. You can create an itinerary, budget costs, organise flight and hotel reservations, view places on a map and collaborate with friends. For solo travel, the map view makes it easy to cluster sights by area and avoid zig-zagging across a city. Check the listing for what Pro adds.
3. TripIt
Best for: keeping every booking in one place.
TripIt lets you forward confirmation emails to plans@tripit.com so that flights, hotels and rental cars are added to one itinerary automatically (per the listing). When you travel alone, there is no one else to ask "where is the booking?", so a single itinerary is a real relief. See the listing for current pricing.
4. Hostelworld
Best for: budget travellers who want company.
The listing describes a hostel booking app for backpackers and solo travellers, with city chats and local events to meet fellow travellers. If you want the option of company without committing to a group tour, hostel common rooms and city chats are a low-pressure way to start. Hostels are not for everyone, so check what kind of room and atmosphere suits you.
5. Going Solo: Travel Friends
Best for: meeting other solo travellers in a new city.
Going Solo lists nearby groups, trip plans, buddy matching, chat and a feed. The listing states that travel-buddy matching is a premium feature at a one-time payment of $3.99 (checked 2026-10-21). Remember that matching only helps if you then meet in a public place and use common sense, as covered in our solo travel safety tips.
6. Tandem
Best for: picking up phrases and local conversation.
Tandem is a language-exchange community where you connect with native speakers of the language you are learning. Even a few weeks of practice before your trip can make ordering, asking directions and small talk feel less intimidating. Check the listing for features and pricing.
A simple plan: before, during, after
| Stage | What to do | App help |
|---|---|---|
| Before | Practise eating out, travelling short distances and talking to strangers | Solo Era |
| Before | Build an itinerary and put bookings in one place | Wanderlog, TripIt |
| During | Meet people if you want to | Hostelworld, Going Solo |
| During | Use a few local phrases | Tandem |
| After | Note what you learned for next time | Solo Era journal |
If you are new to the whole idea, our first solo trip tips and the solo travel guide are good next reads. Heading somewhere unfamiliar for a day? See things to do alone in a new city. Not sure what kind of traveller you are? Try the solo travel quiz.
What apps cannot do
An app cannot make a destination safe, check visas or replace sensible planning. Research local conditions from official sources, share your plans with someone you trust, keep copies of key documents and decide in advance how you will handle a situation that feels wrong. If anxiety about travelling is intense or affects your daily life, speak with a doctor or licensed professional. Solo Era is not therapy or medical care.
Last checked: 2026-10-21. Facts about other apps come from their official sites and App Store listings and can change, so confirm current details before you decide.
FAQ
What is the best app for solo travel?
There is no single winner because solo travel involves different jobs. Wanderlog and TripIt are for planning, Hostelworld and Going Solo for meeting people, and Solo Era for building the confidence to go.
Does Solo Era help me plan trips?
No. Solo Era does not book travel or create itineraries. It helps you practise the situations that make solo travel nerve-wracking, such as eating alone and using local transport, through small missions.
How do I meet people while travelling alone?
Stay in places with common areas, join local events or walking tours, and use apps such as Hostelworld or Going Solo. Always meet in public and trust your instincts.
Are solo travel apps safe?
Apps are tools, not guarantees. Check each app's safety features, avoid sharing sensitive details and read our solo travel safety tips.
What should I pack or prepare first?
Start with our solo travel checklist, which covers documents, money, communication and a back-up plan.
I am nervous about my first solo trip. Is that normal?
Yes, very. Start with short trips or day outings and build up. Rating your nerves before and after each outing in an app like Solo Era can show you how much the fear shrinks once you try.
Solo Era for iPhone
Try it with Solo Era
Solo Era gives you one realistic mission a week, records how nervous you felt before and after, and keeps a photo journal of what you did. An iPhone app. A subscription is required to start missions; any free trial depends on the offer and eligibility shown in the app.
