A basic travel kit that makes any trip easier – handy tools for navigation, currency conversion, planning, and language learning. At TooSIM, we’ve compiled a list of top options you can use effectively even with a minimal data plan (1-3 GB).
Best Navigation Apps: Google Maps and Top Alternatives
Google Maps is the most popular navigation app for travelers. It’s free and available on both the App Store & Google Play. The app offers maps in over 250+ countries, including regions across Europe, Asia, and Latin America. Key benefits include:
- Turn-by-turn directions for walking, driving, and cycling;
- Guidance for local public transportation;
- Nearby place search, from cafes to gas stations;
- Street View with panoramic images.
Want to save on mobile data? Buy small 1-5 GB packages, and use offline maps from Google Maps or other navigation apps. At TooSIM, our plans for any country start from just 1 GB. For example, you can activate a minimal data package for Italy at $3.99.
Alternatives to Google Maps:
- Organic Maps: A navigation app optimized for low data and battery usage that works completely offline. It includes lots of hiking and tourist trails in natural locations (to waterfalls, through forests, in nature reserves) that you won’t find on Google Maps. Another plus: enhanced privacy.
- Maps.me: fully offline navigation app (just download the maps in advance). It has more hiking and tourist trails than Google Maps and keeps them regularly updated.
Best Currency Converter Apps
You can often use a calculator for quick currency conversion – iPhones even have a built-in mode for that. But there are more convenient dedicated apps:
- XE Currency Converter: Supports over 170+ currencies, including popular cryptocoins (BTC, ETH) and even precious metals. It has an offline mode and allows you to set alerts when a currency reaches a specific rate.
- Exchange Rates: Supports over 130+ currencies. It works online and shows up-to-date rates from reliable financial providers. The app features a simple, user-friendly interface for quick access to currency data.
- Currency Converter Plus: Supports over 170+ currencies, including crypto and precious metals. It has an offline mode and provides clear charts of rate changes as well as historical data.
TripIt and Other Top Apps for Itinerary Management
Do you like keeping things organized? Specialized apps let you upload all your hotel bookings, flights, bus transfers, and more, so everything stays neatly structured. Here are the top apps for efficient trip management:
- TripIt: Fully automated – just forward your bookings via email, and everything is added automatically. Get flight update notifications, share your itinerary with friends or travel companions, and view your trip partially offline. Syncs easily with Google, Outlook, or Apple Calendar.
- Tripsy: Easily bring in booking data from various sources (if you’ve previously used TripIt, you can load your data from there). You can add events and extra locations, view uploaded data offline, receive notifications for upcoming activities, and track your expenses.
TooSim eSIM for Fast and Reliable Internet
Mobile internet is a must when traveling, even if you often rely on offline apps. A TooSIM Travel eSIM is a universal solution that helps you save on roaming, use mobile data securely, and still keep your local number for calls and SMS when needed. Key benefits:
- Instant purchase and activation via QR code
- Plans available for 100+ countries, including the USA, Portugal, and Thailand;
- Flexible data plans from 1 GB to 50 GB to fit any need, starting at just $3.99;
- User-friendly mobile apps for iOS and Android with multilingual support;
- Regional and global plans are available, so you can stay connected across multiple countries without interruption.
Learn more about our travel eSIM plans in other sections of our website to find the best option for your trip and enjoy seamless internet access for any app you need. Or simply download the TooSIM travel eSIM application.
Learn Languages Fast: Duolingo and More
Having a basic knowledge of the local language can make your trip much easier. Focus on practical and useful phrases. These language apps can help:
- Duolingo: Supports 40+ languages, including both popular and rare ones (just in case you need a few phrases in Navajo while traveling). Uses a gamified approach with points and leagues, and short lessons make it easy to memorize individual phrases;
- Babbel: Offers 14+ popular languages. Ideal for travelers because it provides real-life dialogues and situational examples, while also covering basic grammar;
- Memrise: Supports 16+ languages. Features videos with native speakers, a convenient flashcard system for memorization, and effective spaced repetition methods. Lessons can be downloaded and accessed offline.
Conclusion
We’ve put together a list of top travel apps for you: Google Maps, Organic Maps, and "Maps me" will help with navigation; XE Currency Converter, Exchange Rates, and Currency Converter Plus make it easy to track exchange rates and manage your budget; and TripIt or Tripsy will help organize your trip. We haven’t forgotten about language learning – Duolingo, Babbel, or Memrise are great choices. And with a TooSIM Travel eSIM, you’ll have reliable internet access to use these and other helpful apps wherever you go.