Image description: Two women sitting at a bench by the river. They’re smiling and looking at a phone screen.

7 must-have apps when travelling around Australia

Koala bears, beaches and ‘shrimps on the barbie’ — Australia’s got a lot to offer.

For any visitors, it’s easy to get overwhelmed when trying to figure out what to do and where to visit. It’s all fun and games at first, but what if you miss out on that restaurant/bar/tour?

To avoid disappointment (and running out of time), we’ve come up with seven must-have apps that’ll help you get the most out of your travels Down Under.

Image description: A woman patting a koala.

1. Zomato
Have you ever travelled somewhere and couldn’t find where all the good restaurants were?

When hunger strikes, it’s easy to compromise and settle for the closest option to where you’re staying. Rather than wasting a meal and your mobile data — not to mention unnecessary screen time — get Zomato, the app used by locals in the area when deciding what to eat.

Zomato is your go-to when looking for the best-rated restaurants, bars and clubs in neighbouring areas, making it easier to decide what’s worth your hard-earned cash. This app has tons of categories for you to sort through, so you can find whatever restaurant suits the cuisine or dining style you’re feeling.

Image description: A cat in clothes sitting at a dinner table. Human hands reach past either side of the cat, holding a fork and a drink.

2. TripIt
Staying organised while on the road is difficult, regardless of where you’re based.

Anything that saves time is always worth considering, which leads us to one of the most underrated apps for travellers, TripIt.

Rather than getting lost with all the admin, refer to TripIt, which will quickly become your online travel agent. It helps organise your booked-in flights, transport and accommodation. Easy!

Once you’re up and running, TripIt keeps track of all your separate bookings and keeps them ready for you in one place. But it doesn’t stop there — the app also collates all your travel dates and converts them into a timeline.

It all starts by emailing your confirmed itinerary to TripIt by email, and you’re good to go. There’s now no excuse to get caught scrolling through your emails, as this all-in-one-app will be waiting for you.

3. The Belong app
Getting the most out of your experience on the road is important. With that in mind, getting an Australian SIM card here will help keep you connected and ready with some data!

If you get yourself a Belong SIM card, the Belong app will help you keep track of how much data you’ve used and offers quick and easy data top-ups.

Belong also offers a feature on the app that allows you to share data with any active Belong mobile customers. If you’re travelling with a friend or family member, you’ll never have to worry about being offline.

4. Airbnb
One of the most rewarding things to do when travelling is to experience what life is like for locals — with Airbnb you get to do just that!

Staying in a local’s home and experiencing their neighbourhood is a sure-fire way to get yourself familiar with Aussie culture. You also get all the luxuries of staying in a house that some fancy hotels may not be able to offer, all away from the bustle of other travellers.

More than that, Airbnb also offers experiences hosted by locals with expert knowledge of their neighbourhood, so if you’re looking for some things to fill up your day, they’re definitely worth considering.

Image description: A mobile phone screen scrolls through listings on the Airbnb app.

5. Netflix
Not interested in paying for entertainment on the plane? We aren’t either, especially if you already have access to one of the biggest streaming services in the world.

A common problem when trying to enjoy content on a plane is a lack of data, especially when it isn’t offered by your airline of choice. Don’t worry, we’ve got a solution. The Netflix app has a handy feature that allows you to download titles to your device, which can be enjoyed later, data-free.

Image description: Spongebob sitting while eating popcorn and watching TV.

Once you’ve reached your destination and hop back online while in Australia, Netflix recognises that you’re in another country, and shows a whole bunch of different titles to choose from — you won’t be running out of entertainment anytime soon.

6. Google Maps
Each state in Australia has its own public transport app, unfortunately, they aren’t that great. To save you the headache, stay ahead of the curb by downloading Google Maps.

Image description: A man driving a car while trying to read a paper map.

You’re probably familiar with the app already, and if you aren’t, it’s pretty simple to learn. When it comes to operating hours and business information, the app is usually up-to-date (unless it’s a public holiday).

Unlike many other navigation services, you can also download specific maps of different areas to use when you don’t have internet access.

7. Ride-share: Uber, Ola, Sheba and Didi (or all of them!)
Catching a taxi can be pretty expensive in Australia, so your best bet is to download one of the ride-share apps.

Image description: A man sitting in his car as his seatbelt automatically fastens around him.

Many of the drivers in Australia are across all of them, so no matter what app you use, you’ll find a driver pretty fast depending on the area. Keep in mind — Shebah is an app with female drivers and was created specifically for women. So if you’d feel more comfortable with a female driver, this is the app for you.

It’s also a good idea to download a bunch of the ride-share apps and chuck them into a folder on your phone. While you’re there, you can compare the charges before you travel, so when you’re looking to catch a ride, you have the option to see which one is the cheapest.

Just a heads up — each app covers different destinations in Australia so before you download them, check that you can use them in the location you’re travelling to.

Travelling without a SIM? We’ve got you covered. Check out our great value SIM Only plans here.