Ranking updated
Best apps to share trips with friends in 2026
Sharing a trip means different things. To find out that a friend will be in the same city on the same dates, Will U Be There matches booked trips by city and dates, without live location. To plan a group trip together, Wanderlog works like a shared document. To send friends your flights and hotels, TripIt. To let family follow your route as you travel, Polarsteps. Full breakdown below.
How we picked: we sorted the apps by what they share, because that decides who sees what: your dates and city, a plan you edit together, your bookings, or your route as you move. We checked each app’s own store description for how sharing works and what is free, and we note which ones need your live location.
App to see when friends are in the same city
You add the trips you already booked, each one a city and two dates, and your friends add theirs. When two trips land in the same city on dates that touch, Will U Be There sends both of you a push, so you find out while there is still time to meet. The app never gets your GPS position, only the city and dates you typed in. Each trip also lists concerts, exhibitions, festivals and markets near where you stay within your dates, and groups join by a link, without friend requests. It is free, with no ads and nothing to buy.
Plan a group trip together
Wanderlog is free, with an optional Pro subscription. Add tripmates by email or with a link to the itinerary, and everyone edits in real time, like a shared document; you choose who can edit and who can only view. It keeps flights, hotels and places on a map, and with Pro you can link your Gmail account and export the trip to Google Maps.
Share your itinerary or let family follow along
TripIt builds one itinerary from your confirmation emails, and you can share your plans with anyone you choose or sync them to your calendar; TripIt Pro, a subscription, adds sharing of real-time flight alerts. Polarsteps tracks your route automatically on a map, and friends and family follow along to see where you are and what you have been up to; privacy controls let you show a trip to everyone, to followers only or to no one. If you want a live location on a map rather than a trip, that is what location sharing apps like Apple’s Find My are for.
| App | Best for | What friends see | Platforms | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Will U Be ThereCensuusApp StoreGoogle Play | knowing when a friend is in the same city | the city and dates you typed in, no GPS | iOS, Android | free, no ads, nothing to buy |
| WanderlogApp StoreGoogle Play | planning a group trip together | a shared itinerary they can edit or view | iOS, Android | free; optional Pro subscription |
| TripItApp StoreGoogle Play | sharing flights and hotels | your itinerary, if you share it | iOS, Android | free; TripIt Pro subscription |
| PolarstepsApp StoreGoogle Play | letting family follow your route | your tracked route, photos and stories | iOS, Android | free to download |
Frequently asked questions
Is there an app that tells me when a friend is in the same city?
Yes. Will U Be There matches the trips you and your friends add by city and dates and sends both of you a push when they overlap, without sharing live location.
Which app is best for planning a group trip with friends?
Wanderlog lets everyone you invite edit the same itinerary in real time, with view-only access if you prefer, and it is free with an optional Pro subscription.
How can family follow my trip?
Polarsteps tracks your route and lets friends and family follow along, with privacy controls for who sees it. TripIt lets you share your itinerary with anyone you choose.
Do these apps share my live location?
Will U Be There does not: it only uses the city and dates you type in. Polarsteps tracks your route to show it to the people you allow, and live location sharing is the job of apps like Find My.