Top 15 Essential Apps for RVing and Travel

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Full time travel in the digital age means we have an array of mobile apps at our disposal. With over five years of RV living under our belts, we’ve used our fair share of mobile apps for RVers and travelers. Whether you’re looking for free dispersed camping options, a place to dump your RV tanks, read campground reviews, connect with other travelers, plan your route or check the weather, there’s a mobile app or two (or three) to help you do just that. Keep reading for a list of our favorite apps for RVing and travel.

Top Apps for RVing + Travel

Apps for RVing

Most of the apps on this list are free to download. The one thing you should monitor is the cellular data usage of each app unless you have an unlimited wireless data plan.

1. Allstays Camp & RV

One of the best apps for RVing is Allstays Camp & RV. This mobile app is great for planning your next trip and for when you’re on the road. We paid $9.99 for the app and it has more than paid for itself.

Allstays Camp & RV has helped us find truck stops, rest areas, RV dump stations, camping options with review and so much more. Instead of having separate apps for finding a Walmart or a Pilot, we only need this one.

Read our Allstays Review to find out if it’s worth it.

iPhone: https://www.allstays.com/apps/camprv.htm
Desktop & Other Devices: https://www.allstays.com/proamember

2. GasBuddy

Gasbuddy app for RVing
Photo credit: GasBuddy.com

GasBuddy is a free mobile app that displays user updated gas prices in the United States and in Canada. Finding cheap fuel is key to saving money on the road. There have been many instances where we have saved over $.30/gallon on fuel thanks to this app.

Whether you’re fueling up an 80 gallon gas tank like we did on our first RV or the 55 gallon diesel tank in our 2000 F350 Superduty, money saved on fuel means more for the fun fund. See our one year cost of full time RVing to get an idea of how much was spent on fuel.

You can even look up fuel prices in other cities along your route. GasBudy has several filters where you can look for specific stations and type of fuel. For example, we use the filters to search for diesel fuel at a Costco stations.

Next time you’re going an RV road trip, use this app to help plan your fuel stops to maximize savings. You can even enter to win prizes by reporting the most recent fuel prices in the free app.

Android & iPhone: http://www.gasbuddy.com/App

3. Google Maps

Having explored 49 out of 50 U.S. states in an RV, we consider Google Maps a must-have travel app for keeping track of our favorite places across the nation and around the globe. While Google Maps is widely known for its navigation features, we primarily use this free navigation app to save locations we’ve visited and discover new places we’d like to explore.

The Google Maps app also comes in handy when fellow RV travelers ask for recommendations for a town they are visiting. All I have to do is open the app and zoom in to the area to share those places with them.

For travelers who like to stay organized, Google Maps also offers list-making capabilities. You can sort those saved locations into various lists, such as a “favorite coffee roasters” list or a “best campgrounds” list.

If we are planning an RV road trip from Tucson, Arizona to Flagstaff, Arizona, we will open the Google Maps app and see what saved places are along the route. Depending on the time of year or even day of the week, we can determine which starred place we want to visit or revisit and which ones we will need to skip.

Android & iPhone: https://www.google.com/maps

4. Gaia GPS

gaiagps app for rving

Gaia GPS is one of our new go-to mobile apps. It is also a popular app for hikers and off-roaders. We love it because you can use it offline when you don’t have cell service. Just be sure to download the map(s) for the area first and it will track your position.

There is a record feature that lets you track your route so you can look back on it and have it for reference for your next trip. We have found that the tracking feature will pause unexpectedly so we make sure to check it occasionally to make sure it’s still tracking.

If you have the premium version of the Gaia App, there are layers that can help you find dispersed camping on public land through layering. The recommended layers are Motor Vehicle Use Maps (MVUM), public lands overlay and USFS Classic.

Since we have Verizon as our cell service provider, we use the Verizon cell coverage layer to identify areas with cell coverage. You will also find layers for AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and other carriers. This has been super helpful for planning backcountry trips like the Rimrocker Trail (watch the video).

Since we’re newer users to Gaia, we’re still learning what it has to offer. I’m sure there are a ton of other features we don’t even know about yet. But so far it’s definitely an app we’re finding to be useful and recommend.

Android & iPhone: https://www.gaiagps.com/

gaiagps

5. AccuWeather

A good weather app is important when you’re traveling. We’ve used several weather apps throughout the years and have found AccuWeather to be the most reliable.

Beyond hourly and daily forecasts, the app has information on air quality and provides severe weather updates. You can customize the app to show the data that’s most relevant to you.

The location search feature makes it easy to get weather forecasts in areas you plan to travel to. This comes in very handy when planning a route to avoid severe weather including tornado watch.

We use the radar layer in this app when there are thunderstorms in the area to see precipitation type and intensity. Other layers available include satellite, current alerts, snowfall forecast and temperature contour.

Read our post on RV Safety Tips to learn more about dealing with severe weather.

Android, iPhone & Windows: https://downloads.accuweather.com/

6. Twitter

When there is severe weather, Twitter can be a very useful tool (watch the video below). Follow @NWS for NOAA’s National Weather Service tweets. There are also separate accounts for sever thunderstorms (@NWSSevereTstorm‏), tornados (@NWStornado) and specific regions and cities in the United States.

Android & iPhone: https://twitter.com/download


7. Speed Test

If you’re a digital nomad and work on the road like we do, having access to good internet speed is important. The Speed Test app will show you the download and upload speed. Our average video file is over 4 gigabytes. A slow upload speed could mean taking hours to publish a video on our YouTube channel.

This app can also help save money if you frequent coffee shops for their complimentary WiFi. Before paying for that cup of coffee, test their WiFi speed to make sure it’s usable for your needs.

We do have a device to help boost the cellular signal. Read our Cell Signal Booster Review to learn more.

If you plan on using public WiFi at places like coffee shops or libraries, make sure to use a VPN service to protect your privacy and decrease security risks. We use NordVPN which has an easy to use mobile app.

Android & iPhone: http://www.speedtest.net/mobile/

To learn more about staying connected on the road, read our post on Internet for RVers.

8. Instagram

We love Instagram when it comes to connecting with people and making new friends. Many travelers we follow geo tag their location on Instagram posts. When we see they are nearby, it’s as easy as leaving a comment on the post or sending them a message to see if they want to hang out.

We’ve met some great people through Instagram and some of them have become life long friends.

The Instagram app is also has a great search feature that can help you find things to do at popular travel destinations or what dish to order at well known restaurants. To do this, look for the business account on Instagram or find all posts tagged with the location of the business.

Android & iPhone: https://www.instagram.com/

9. Yelp

In addition to meeting locals and asking them for recommendations, we also use Yelp. This mobile app is great for finding everything from a veterinarian or a good mechanic to work on an old Ford diesel truck.

You can also save money by looking for check-in offers. Some businesses offer discounts to Yelp users and we’ve saved money at coffee chops and restaurants thanks to the Yelp mobile app.

The reviews on Yelp aren’t always reliable so we usually cross reference them with reviews on other apps such as Google Maps.

The Yelp app can also help you find local gems and places you may have missed otherwise. As much as we enjoy boondocking in the national forest, when it’s time to make a supply run, we like to search for local spots in town.

Android & iPhone: https://www.yelp.com/

10. iOverlander

While doing research for our Baja RV Trip, the iOverlander app was one of the many tools we used to find places to camp, water sources, and see where the military checkpoints are located. When traveling in the U.S., we use this app to supplement information on found in other RVing apps.

It’s important to keep in mind that some campsites are submitted by users with off-road RVs like our 4×4 flatbed truck camper. Be sure to research the area and road before taking a large motorhome.

Android & iPhone: https://ioverlander.com/apps

11. Google Translate

Meeting people is one of our favorite things about traveling and we have met people from all over the world. The Google Translate app makes it easier to communicate with each other when we don’t speak the same language.

When we’re traveling internationally to places like Tibet or Barcelona, we will download the languages spoken in the region so we can use the translation feature offline. The two language we always have downloaded are Chinese (simplified) and Spanish.

The camera feature is handy when looking at a menu in a foreign language, but the translation isn’t always accurate. For the most part, we can figure out what the dish is based on the English translation.

Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/
iPhone: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/google-translate/

12. Campendium

Campendium RV App
Photo credit: Campendium.com

Campendium is a great camping and RV app to find campgrounds near you. While it’s similar to the Allstay App mentioned above, the best part about this app is the user generated reviews. You can find useful details and helpful information from photos to cell service coverage to different GPS coordinates.

Kait uses the nearby filters to help us find free camping and overnight parking at places like Cabela’s and Cracker Barrel.

Learn How to Find Free Camping on Public Land.

iPhone: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/campendium-rv-tent-camping/

13. The National Park Services

The NPS App
Photo Credit: NPS.gov

I normally don’t get excited about an app but the new National Park Service app has me pretty jazzed and I think it’s something that will benefit anyone who spends time in our National Parks. The NPS app has detailed interactive maps about the park with even more interesting information along with all of the amenities of the park. The app also includes suggestions of all of the things to do in the park with directions and things to do while in that area. It’s also updated with closures and other pertinent information about the park that you won’t get with the map.

For example, the app lists all of the camping and hotel information of a park and will show you which ones are open or closed. When you select a campground, it will show all of the campground information (how many sites, WiFi info, cell service availability, etc…) with a link to reserve a site.

Now I know a lot of you will be saying that you need the physical map because there’s never cell service at the parks. Well that’s no longer the case with offline access. The National Park Service has made it so you can download all of the information, maps, etc… of a park to use when you don’t have a data signal. (Learn more about how to stay connected on the road.)

There’s a lot more to the NPS app and I’m impressed with the level of information and detail as I’ve been playing around with it. Next time you’re at a national park, consider saying no to all of the physical handouts and give the app a try. Not only does it save resources but the money saved on printing all of the materials can (hopefully) go back into the park.

Android & iPhone: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/digital/nps-apps.htm

14. Harvest Hosts

Harvest Hosts Unique RV Camping Mobile App

For RVers who have a Harvest Hosts membership, the mobile app is the quickest way to locate hosts nearby, read reviews and access detailed information about each host in the network. There is no additional cost for the mobile app and is included with your membership.

Read our full review of Harvest Hosts to learn more about the RV membership program.

Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/
iPhone: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/harvest-hosts/

15. Boondockers Welcome

Boondockers Welcome RV Membership

The team over at Boondockers Welcome also released a mobile app in 2021. If you don’t know about this RV membership, check out our Boondockers Welcome Review. With the Boondockers Welcome mobile app, you can explore over 2,700 hosts in the program using different filters, submit requests to stay, send messages, read and leave guest references for hosts and so much more.

Android: https://www.boondockerswelcome.com/mobile-app-android
iPhone: https://www.boondockerswelcome.com/mobile-app-ios

Which apps do you use when traveling?

Leave a Comment

11 thoughts on “Top 15 Essential Apps for RVing and Travel”

  1. Great article, loads of helpful stuff. New to RV life. Have been using RV Parky, Harvest Host and Campendium to find sites.

    Reply
  2. Windy – it’s a great app to see what the winds are doing and especially where we areplanning to travel to.

    Reply
  3. We do all of the above except for Twitter. Always trying to find a better weather app than my commonly used Wunderground. I find that it will suddenly send you to a weather station 40 miles away from your saved ones. Will go look at Windy.

    Reply
    • Wait! Twitter is AWESOME for up to the minute weather forecasts straight from the horse’s mouth, the National Weather Service. We follow regional NWS office Twitter feeds along our travel routes. We also subscribe to each state’s highway patrol and Department of Transportation Twitter feeds while we’re in that state for road conditions and crash information. Twitter doesn’t have to be about drama and politics. Use it to your advantage. And finally, we’ve found that in areas with sketchy service, new Twitter feeds tend to make it to our phones when other on-line apps and web pages can’t.

      Reply
  4. Loves the article! Looking at moving from RV sharing and vacationing to full the RV living. I’ll definitely be checking out your book. I ended up in the medical field as a nurse but I’m starting to find out I love mechanics! Oh yeah and definitely quality coffee.

    Reply
  5. Here’s another one that I’m working on. It’s mostly focused on public camping and the social side of things. We might add in RV parks if there’s demand for it, but the main focus is on public land (we formed it as a non-profit with a goal of keeping public lands clean)

    Web: https://freeroam.app
    Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=app.freeroam.main
    iOS: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/freeroam/id1434359242

    Hopefully self-promotion is fine here 🙂 Sorry in advance if not!

    Reply
  6. Hi Joe!
    I have a Samsung S10 and was wondering if I can download the App Allstays Rv/Camp on this phone? Would love to have this app since we are Rvers 6 months out of a year. If not, what would you recommend for an app similar to this Allstays camp/Rv app?
    Thanks for your help!
    Cindi

    Reply

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