11 Of The Best Free Travel Apps For 2017

Travel technology is better than ever, it cuts through communication barriers, makes us safer and keeps us informed. Make sure you suit-up with the latest travel apps for all your travel needs in 2017. Jettison your jet lag, get a free personalised travel agent and never miss a flight ever again with the following cutting edge apps. Travelstart brings you the top 11 travel apps for 2017, apps that will keep you safe, organised and entertained.

Create travel photos that come to life with Polaroid Swing

Run your cursor over the image above. Polaroid Swing photos capture one-second moments that come to life when you touch them or tilt your phone. Released on Apple’s South African App Store yesterday the incredible Polaroid Swing app enables travellers to create and share interactive photos on their phones with a single tap. Polaroid Swing is the brainchild of the iconic Polaroid brand and a Silicon Valley tech startup chaired by Twitter co-founder Biz Stone. The camera technology now includes an improved frame-blending algorithm to enable smoother, higher quality ‘interactive photos’. Celebrity Instagrammer Gareth Pon helped co-create the new Polaroid medium and users can now respond to Polaroid Swing photos with text and emojis. Available in the Apple store for free with an Android version coming soon.

Jettison the jet lag with Circa

This master time-zones app is available for Android and iOS and allows you to keep track of multiple time zones in a visually-pleasing way. Perfect for business travellers and anyone on a mission to defeat jet lag. It’s also great for scheduling Skype meetings with participants in multiple countries as it easily shows which time would best work for everyone. Circa is free on Android but costs $3.99 in the Apple store.

Airbnb

Airbnb has changed the way we travel forever, and now they want to take your next trip to a whole new level. “Homes are just one small part of a great trip,” Brian Chesky, CEO of Airbnb, said when announcing the new app at the end of November last year, “We realized we needed to create a whole, holistic journey.” The new app has three services: Homes, Experiences and Places. The app aims to make living like a local even easier with local expertise on where to go and what to do. The app is free and available on all Android and iOS devices.

Flapp

Travelstart’s official flight-booking app Flapp is the fastest, easiest way to compare and book cheap flights from your phone or tablet. Once you’ve in put your info snapping up the flight you want takes only moments. You can also book flexi-tickets and travel insurance in a few taps. Travelstart is serious about mobile ecommerce in Africa and this robust flight-booking app has all the tools to book the cheapest flights to local and international locations. Available for free on Google Android devices here and Apple iOS devices here.

Citymapper

This is the best app for figuring out public transport in a new city. You can check subway and train times offline for several cities and you can subscribe to specific bus or train lines- the app will alert you when you need to get off at a specific spot- this is wonderful in a country where you can’t read the script or you are having difficulty understanding the announcements. Available for free on Google Android and Apple iOS devices.

XE Currency

Some currencies have more zeros than others. The XE Currency app provides an easy way to keep track of live exchange rate and check what you are spending before making a purchase. With over 40 million downloads, this free app is available for iPhone, iPad, Android, Blackberry, Windows, and Firefox OS devices.

Memrise

An alternative to the popular language app Duolingo, Memrise has more language options and also helps you to memorise certain phrases. Take language learning on your trip with you with Memrise’s offline function. Available for free on Google Android and Apple iOS devices.

Let your suitcase practically pack itself with Packpoint

PackPoint is the free travel-packing app which learns about your trip then creates the perfect packing list taking into account, duration, weather and your planned itinerary. It will ask you some basic questions: are you a man or a woman? Are you traveling for business or leisure and how many days are you going for? Where are you going? That’s all it needs to know and from there it takes over and even includes your electronic and toiletries. Kiss indecision goodbye. Available for free on Google Android and Apple iOS devices.

Hotspot Shield Free Privacy & Security VPN Proxy

When we travel we often end up using random free WiFi, to make sure your internet connection is secure download Hotspot Shield which will protect your internet connection and encrypt personal information when you are in public. Using the shield app you’ll be able to browse the net anonymously and privately. It also lets you access blocked and censored websites (useful in countries where Twitter and Facebook are banned). This is the world’s largest internet freedom and privacy platform and it’s been downloaded over 400 million users from 200 different countries. Available for free on Google Android and Apple iOS devices.

Snapseed

A favourite photo editing app which gives a really professional finish to your travel photos, Snapseed allows you to tweak the image in a number of ways (healing, brush, structure) and is really user-friendly. You can even add text. Available for free on Google Android and Apple iOS devices.

Never be caught unawares again with Flight Stats

Flight stats doesn’t just keep you updated on your flight, it allows you to view the overall delay patterns at the airport meaning that you can predict if your flight will be delayed. It also shows you detailed info that your airline won’t tell you before hand such as the time you’ll take off from the runway etc. Choose either ‘Flights” or “Airports” on the main page of the app. If you choose a specific airport you can check the Delay Index and weather conditions for insight into the likelihood of a flight delay. Available for free for Android.