Download the best budgeting apps for travellers to save money on your next trip. From splitting bills to reducing ATM fees, these nifty helpers will make your holiday budget go the extra mile.

There’s nothing like heading off on an overseas adventure with friends or family. That’s why so many of us are still keen to prioritise travel, despite the rising cost of living. Savvy travellers already know how to find the best prices for flights, car hire and hotels. But how do you keep the costs down when you arrive?

That’s where we come in, with some recommendations of our favourite budgeting apps for travellers. All of the below work around the world, are compatible on both Android and iOS and are free to sign up for (although you can opt to upgrade their functions for a fee). You’re welcome.

1. Splitwise

 SplitWise is designed to make sharing expenses easy. It’s ideal if you’re planning a trip with a larger group, such as friends or extended family, where lots of costs get pooled together. All you need is everyone’s email addresses or phone numbers to create a group within the app. You can even create subgroups, in case a few of you decide to go off and do your own thing. From there, you can keep track of who spent what. Send payment reminders, adjust the percentage share owed and keep track of your spending. You can use the ‘simplify’ function at the end to pay one or two people instead of everyone.

2. Wanderlog

We rate Wanderlog for road tripping, because it takes the complications out of creating day-by-day itineraries. You can see your itinerary and map in one view, and check out attractions nearby that you can add. Sync with your email to import reservations, bookings and other email confirmations to build out your itinerary automatically. Wanderlog is one of the best budgeting apps for travellers because it has space for expenses. You can see your total spend, then work out whether you have enough wiggle room for that fancy restaurant meal you’ve had your eye on.

3. TravelSpend

If you struggle to stick to your budget, TravelSpend will come to the rescue. It works offline, so you can add your expenses on the go – even if you don’t have phone signal. It then visualises your spending in a colourful chart so you can clearly see where your money is going. Add expenses in any currency, and it automatically converts to your home currency so you don’t have to do the mental maths. Another feature is that you can track your expenses on a map – great for visualising which parts of town are better value for money. There’s a function for splitting bills within the app, so it’s ideal for travel in a couple or a group.

4. TriCount

TriCount is another bill-splitting app that can help both your travel budget and your relationships. It integrates with PayPal for easy payment, has an intuitive interface and supports multiple currencies. This last one is especially handy if you’re meeting up with pals from overseas, as it takes the headache out of keeping track of different conversion rates. At its most basic, TriCount keeps track of who paid for what, as well as who owes money – and to who it’s owed. Anyone can add expenses, which is great if one person isn’t solely responsible for the purse strings. You can even choose to split expenses unevenly if someone in the group ordered a few extra margaritas.

5. TrabeePocket

Another of the best budgeting apps for travellers is TrabeePocket, which lets you set a budget and track expenses against it. It’s quick and easy to add expenses. The upgrade lets you create your own spending categories. Or, if you stick with the free version, you use ready-made categories like transportation, meals out and health. As you add expenses, the app creates a pie chart showing where you’re spending most of your money. It also converts spending into your local currency and shows how close you are to max out your budget.

6. PocketGuard

Listed as one of Forbes Advisors’ Best Budgeting Apps of January 2023, PocketGuard works as well for travel as it does at home. Link your credit and debit cards to automatically pull in your spending, or choose to update manually. The ‘In My Pocket’ tab shows you how much cash you have left to spend on souvenirs after your essentials are paid for. It also makes it easier to create a trip budget. Visual reports showing where your money goes can help you to make decisions on what to cut back on – both before and during your trip.

7. Revolut

Get better exchange rates when you pay by card or withdraw cash with banking alternative Revolut. It’s a little different than the other budgeting apps for travellers, as it’s more like a pre-paid payment card. The biggest benefit is its fee-free conversion. Whenever you pay, you get the current exchange rate. You can hold balances in 29 currencies and you don’t need to wait for your physical card to arrive after signing up – you can instantly add Revolut to Apple or Google Pay. Another bonus? You can create payment limits with one tap (handy for sticking to your budget).

8. Monzo

Another great banking app for travel is Monzo, which offers fee-free cash withdrawals abroad and a fair exchange rate. Monzo simply uses Mastercard’s current exchange rate, without bumping it up. It has a lot of handy features for before, during and after your trip. Use the ‘pots’ function to siphon spare change into a holiday fund, or create shared tabs to manage spending within a group. And, once you get home, you’ll see where your holiday money went with a post-trip report.

Until da next Tyme

Sourced from Sky Scanner