When traveling, it is great to plan ahead and be armed with knowledge and other necessary things like paperwork and a good backpack. Getting helpful apps on your smartphone is also very useful as you can rely on them instead of having everything crammed up in your head.

The more you carry with you, the less you can enjoy your time. Let the phone handle everything that is not essential.

Here are the best apps to make your travel easier, available on both the iOS and Android systems.

Hopper

If you want to save the most money, this app is the right one. Hopper prides itself on giving you the best possible flights at the right time. They have push notifications which tell you when a flight is discounted. The best thing about it is that it is really simple to use so you can have your flight booked in under a minute.

Uber

Uber is a great app that is basically at the top of ridesharing apps and services. This app enables on-demand ride services. The vehicle comes and picks you up, wherever you are. You can select from a variety of prices and categories while paying with a credit card. You also get to connect with your driver and track their location as they’re coming to pick you up. It is globally available but you should check the list of countries and cities that Uber is available in.

Google Maps

This might sound obvious to Android users, but Maps is a great application and is pretty much the king of navigation apps. The option to download parts of the route you want to travel make the use of mobile data unnecessary. Updated regularly, you can get information on public transport, various locations such as restaurants and gas stations, including the business of traffic.

Google Trips

This application is a trip organizer which can pull data from your reservation and help you plan your day or week. It can suggest popular locations and various ways of transportation. This way you get a complete itinerary, which is handy if you go on an unexpected trip to another city or country, even. You can download the plans and store them offline, which is again, handy when abroad.

Nord VPN

Virtual private networks serve as a way of protecting you as the user, as well as giving you access to some sites which might be region restricted. This also works in other countries which block social media like Facebook, Twitter, or even Google. Have in mind that this is not a free app, but comes at a price of 12 dollars every month. Note that you can purchase a month’s worth of membership if you really need the VPN, for example, in China.

If you like to travel, these applications should keep you on your toes and help you get through the trip without a hassle. There are more applications but these cover all the basics and you do need your battery life if you plan to explore.