Wanna go travel but your usual travel crew is busy (or non-existent)? We got you!
We’ve rounded up the best travel buddy aps you could try. These apps link you with fellow travelers who share your interests and wanderlust.
Most of them also have other features for trip planning, recs, and more. Whether you’re into backpacking or want to travel abroad, these apps have smth for you. Let’s dive in!
GAFFL
This app connects you with people from over 170 countries. Search for locations, find buds or even locals, and explore the globe together. It’s a great way to split costs, make new pals, and exp new cultures.
What Makes it Unique:
- Focus on Solo Travelers: Tailored for solo adventurers seeking company.
- Global Reach: Connect with people from a massive network across 170+ countries.
- Cost-Sharing: You can split travel expenses like accommodation and rentals to save money.
- Trip Planning Collaboration: Plan your itinerary together in real-time chat.
- Verified Users: Multi-step verification enhances trust and safety.
Pros:
- Global network
- Cost-effective travel
- Local expertise
- Collaborative planning
- Safety verification
Cons:
- Subscription model
- Advanced planning for trips might be necessary
- Your travel experience depends on your chosen companion’s prefs
Who Should Think Twice:
- Luxury Travelers: This app might not cater to those seeking high-end, exclusive experiences.
- Spontaneous Adventurers: Advanced planning with your travel buddy might be required.
- Introverts: While GAFFL fosters connections, it might not be ideal for those seeking complete solitude.
You may also like: 7 Best Hiking Buddy Apps to Find a Hiking Partner
Travel Buddy: Find, Chat, Book
If you love travel but sometimes wish you had a companion for your next adventure, Travel Buddy aims to be just that—your travel companion in app form. Instead of traveling alone, this app helps you connect with other explorers, plan trips together, and even book travel arrangements, socializing while you explore the world.
At its core, Travel Buddy is designed for social and community-driven travel. You can find travel partners heading to similar destinations or exploring at the same time.
The app uses smart filters so you can match with fellow travelers by destination, travel dates, interests, and travel style, helping you build a travel group that fits you.
One of the standout features is its chat and group planning tools. Once you find a potential travel buddy, you can start planning together right inside the app.
You can share inspiration, make agendas, and even organize meetups before you leave home. This makes it much easier to coordinate plans than via scattered messages on multiple platforms.
Nomad & Solo Travel－Fairytrail
If you love exploring the world but sometimes feel the sting of doing it alone, Nomad & Solo Travel – Fairytrail is an app that aims to change that.
Fairytrail is a social travel platform where solo travelers, digital nomads, and adventure lovers can connect, chat, and plan trips together, turning what might have been a solitary journey into a shared experience.
The app’s mission is to help you meet like-minded explorers who share your travel goals and interests.
Whether you’re looking for a travel buddy for a backpacking route, a local guide to show you around a new city, or simply someone to share stories with, Fairytrail provides tools to connect with others based on destination, age, travel style, or interests.
One of the strongest features is its smart matching system, which pairs you with compatible travel companions rather than random profiles.
This makes it easier to find people who are genuinely excited about similar adventures, whether you’re planning a weekend getaway or a long-term world trip. You can chat directly in the app, share travel ideas, coordinate itineraries, and even meet up when your paths cross in real life.
NomadHer
Here’s your one-stop app for conquering the world as a solo female wanderer. It links you with a global network of adventurous women, offering everything from travel tips to local meet-ups, all in a safe and supportive environment.
What Makes it Unique:
- Female-Focused: NomadHer prioritizes a woman-only space, fostering a sense of community and security.
- Verified Members: Say goodbye to unwanted advances! NomadHer uses a verification to ensure you’re connecting with real women.
- Global Reach: Connect with globetrotters worldwide, or find local female travel buddies in your destination city.
- Solo Travel Guidebook: Get expert advice and essential resources compiled by experienced NomadHers to navigate your solo adventures with confidence.
Pros:
- Safe and supportive women-only community
- Connects you with female tourists
- Built-in messaging for easy communication
- Solo travel guidebook with valuable resources
- Events designed for female travelers (availability may vary)
Cons:
- Limited to solo female travelers
- Events currently concentrated in Seoul, South Korea
Who Should Think Twice:
- Limited Event Reach: Currently, NomadHer’s events are concentrated in Seoul, South Korea, with global expansion planned. This might be a drawback for users in other locations.
Check also: 11 Free Road Trip Apps
Travel Ladies
This app is made specifically for solo female travelers. It links you with other women who share your wanderlust. Here, you can find travel buddies, safe couchsurfing opportunities, and a supportive online community.
What Makes it Unique:
- Focus on Solo Female Travelers: Unlike general travel buddy apps, Travel Ladies caters exclusively to women. It fosters a sense of safety and camaraderie.
- Safe Couchsurfing with Women: Find female hosts who can offer local insights and a comfortable place to stay.
- Travel Inspiration and Tips: Get recs and advice directly from solo female tourists and locals.
- Diverse Travel Groups: Chat with ladies who share your travel style, whether it’s backpacking, budget adventures, or van life.
Pros:
- Connects you with a supportive community
- Offers safe couchsurfing
- Helps find travel buds
- You can share travel exp and inspire others.
- Discovers destinations and gets local recs
Cons:
- Men cannot create profiles
- App success depends on user base density in your destination
- Reliance on user-generated content, so quality of recs might vary
Who Should Think Twice:
- Men Seeking Travel Buddies: This app is made specifically for women, so it won’t work.
- Travelers Who Prefer Complete Solitude: It’s not for those who crave complete independence on their adventures.
TourBar
It’s your one-stop shop for finding travel buds around the globe. It blends the worlds of travel buddy apps and dating sites, offering a unique way to connect with those who share your wanderlust.
What Makes it Unique:
- Dual Focus: It caters to both finding travel companions and sparking romantic connections.
- Free & Easy: Signing up and searching profiles is free. And you can log in with your existing Facebook or Google acc for added convenience.
- Global Reach: Look for travel buds from all over the world, expanding your horizons and cultural experiences.
Pros:
- Free and easy to use
- Broad global user base
- Potential for platonic friendships or romantic connections
- Explore new destinations with a travel companion
Cons:
- Focus on dating overshadows platonic travel buddies
- Limited matching info
- Potential privacy concerns
Who Should Think Twice:
- Seeking Strictly Platonic Connections: While platonic connections are possible, the romantic element is prominent.
- Limited Matching Options: Success might depend on browsing profiles and initiating contact.
Travelfriend
This one bills itself as your “passport to thrilling adventures and lasting friendships.” It’s a travel buddy app aiming to connect you with like-minded adventurers for unforgettable experiences.
What Makes it Unique:
- Focus on Friendship: It emphasizes building friendships alongside shared travel experiences.
- Trip Creation: Craft your dream itinerary and invite potential travel companions to join.
- Advanced Search: You can narrow down your search for a perfect buddy by age, language, location, and more.
Pros:
- Niche focus on building travel friendships
- Ability to craft your dream itinerary and find a companion
- Advanced search filters to target ideal travel partners
Cons:
- Subscription cost
- Reliance on users creating interesting trips
- Safety factor of meeting strangers online (common to most travel buddy apps)
Who Should Think Twice:
- Control Freaks: Planning every detail solo might be your pref. It involves some compromise and flexibility when coordinating with your travel buddy.
- Budget Travelers: Make sure to discuss finances openly with potential travel companions.
Have a look at: 11 Best Vacation Tracker Apps
Parindey
This isn’t your typical travel buddy app. Sure, it helps you find travel companions, but it goes beyond simple matching. It’s a travel social network where you can share travel moments, vids, and even create mini-vlogs.
What Makes it Unique:
- Travelogue Creation: Craft detailed travel blogs with the built-in editor and earn in-app currency (Parindey coins) for your efforts.
- Travel Forum: Ask questions about destinations, local guides, or travel services, and get insights from the Parindey community.
- Upcoming Video Call Feature: Connect with potential travel companions face-to-face for a more personal touch (available soon).
Pros:
- Great for finding travel companions with shared interests
- Collaborative trip planning tools
- Potential to earn rewards for content creation
- Simple UI
Cons:
- Focus on social features doesn’t suit everyone
- Some key functionalities (video calling) are not there yet
Who Should Think Twice:
- Privacy-Conscious Users: Sharing travel plans and vlogs might not be for everyone. Consider your comfort level with online communities.
- Focus On Finding A Local Guide: It might not be the best platform to find a knowledgeable local guide.
nomadtable travel friends
If you love travelling but don’t want to explore the world alone, SoloMatch (also known as Nomadtable: Travel Friends) is an app designed to help solo travellers connect, meet, and share experiences with like-minded explorers. It’s a social travel app that combines real-time meetups, shared activities, and future trip planning into one simple platform.
At its core, the app makes solo travel feel more social and less intimidating.
After creating a profile with your age, home country, travel interests, languages you speak, and destination plans, SoloMatch shows you other travellers who are nearby or heading to the same place. You can join meetups for dinners, sightseeing, or casual hangouts with people who are also exploring solo.
One of the features people appreciate is the ability to plan future trips together. You can add your upcoming destination and dates and connect with others going at the same time—bringing a real sense of community to your travel plans.
Group chats and in-app messaging keep coordination easy and fun, so you’re not juggling multiple platforms while planning your adventure.
Tourlina
This app is made to link solo female travelers with each other. It focuses on creating a safe and supportive space for women to find travel buddies who share their interests and destinations.
What Makes it Unique:
- Women-Only: Tourlina prioritizes female friendships and avoids the potential awkwardness of a dating app situation.
- Verified Users: Every acc goes through a verification to ensure you connect with real women.
- Focus on Friendship: The app is made to find travel buds, not romantic partners.
Pros:
- Safe and secure environment for women
- Verified user profiles
- Matching based on trip details and interests
- Links you with both fellow travelers and locals
- Free to download
Cons:
- Limited to female users only
- Upgraded plan needed for unlimited chats
- Newer app, so user base is smaller
Who Should Think Twice:
- Those Open to Mixed-Gender Travel: If you’re comfortable traveling with anyone, regardless of gender, it might be limiting. Other travel buddy apps offer a wider pool of potential companions.
- Budget Travelers: Chatting with multiple travel partners requires an in-app purchase. Consider if this fits your budget.
You may also check: 7 Best Vacation Calendar Apps
TripBFF
This app connects you with like-minded adventurers to explore the world together. It lets you find travel buddies, create trip plans, and embark on unforgettable journeys together.
What Makes it Unique:
- Shared Trip Planning: Collaborate with potential travel buddies by creating and sharing trip itineraries.
- Official Group Trips: Discover and join pre-planned group adventures organized by the TripBFF community.
- Travel-Focused Community: Gain travel tips, share experiences, and access insider recommendations from fellow travelers.
Pros:
- Easy to find companions
- You can find pre-planned group trips
- You can access travel tips and recs
Cons:
- Limited control over group trip itineraries
- Matching algorithms might not always find perfect personalities
- Requires vetting potential travel companions before meeting
Who Should Think Twice:
- Precise Planners: This app may include rigid travel plans, so you need to be ready for flexible for group dynamics.
