Organizing a group trip is a lot of fun: planning nights out, bucket-list activities, and meals that you’ll be talking about for months. But it can also be a lot of work, especially if you’re the trip organizer. You’ll need to wade through things like scheduling conflicts, budget constraints, and differing opinions on what to do, where to stay, and what to see.
Thankfully, there are tools to help. And the right group travel planning app can alleviate some of the stress of coordinating schedules, managing money, and getting everyone on the same page.
Keep reading to learn about five group trip planning apps that will help you get organized for your next trip.
1. TripIt: best for planning and sharing your itinerary
TripIt is the all-in-one group travel planning app. Once your bookings are made, simply forward your confirmation emails to plans@tripit.com and TripIt will create a seamless itinerary you can access anywhere. You can then share this itinerary with everyone in your group, so they’re always in the know about where to be and what’s happening next.
Tip: You can share your plans with anyone—even if they’re not traveling with you. That way, loved ones stay in the know about your trip without having to ask you for an update.
Points-and-miles expert Jenna Hansen shares her itinerary with her mom: “I always send our travel plans to her so she can follow along—whether it’s knowing our flight times or keeping up with the activities we have planned each day.”
Plus, you might inspire someone to join your trip. In fact, that’s how solo-travel expert Abigail Akinyemi often gets the planning process started.
“I book on my own first, then let people know where and when I’m going,” she said. “That way, if they don’t book, my trip still happens. And if they do? I can add them to the plans in TripIt. They know to expect it. It’s a thing with my friends: ‘Oh, you booked? Abigail will add you to TripIt.’”
TripIt also has loads of features to help keep your group trip on track. For example, Neighborhood Safety Scores gives you hyperlocal data about the safety of the areas you’re planning to visit. Nearby Places helps you locate local amenities, like an ATM, pharmacy, or gas station. And if you have TripIt Pro, you can access Travel Guidance, which provides destination-specific intel like any visas or vaccinations you might need ahead of your trip.
2. WhatsApp: best for communicating before and during your trip
Communication on a group trip is key. From planning your itinerary to navigating daily decisions, everyone needs to be connected so they can weigh in with their preferences and opinions.
Enter: WhatsApp. This app allows those on your trip to text, voice call, and video chat—for free—on one platform. It’s great for those who are planning with folks abroad, so you don’t have to worry about the cost of international text exchanges adding up. Plus, it works internationally, meaning all you need is a data connection to avoid roaming charges.
Tip: Create a group chat just for those going on the trip. That way, there’s one central place to keep everyone in touch and in the know.
WhatsApp is also a great way to share locations and pictures—so everyone knows where to meet up and who to give photo cred to.
3. Splitwise: best for managing group trip expenses
Even if you’re planning a trip to a budget-friendly destination, group trip costs can add up quickly. Flights, accommodations, and ground transportation are just the start. There’s also everyday costs. Think: coffee runs, meals, activities, and bar tabs.
Splitwise helps you keep track of your group trip expenses, including who paid for something for the group—and who owes money. You can create running tabs and set reminders for payments that are due. It also takes foreign currencies into account to help with any international money transactions.
Tip: Decide ahead of your trip how you’ll handle group costs. Some folks might want to split everything in real time; others might want to tally everything up at the end of the trip. Get everyone on the same page so there’s no stress when the bill comes.
4. Venmo: best for quick, on-the-go cost sharing
If you decide to split expenses while you’re on your trip, Venmo is a great app to download. Then, you can easily send money to each other and include a note for what the transfer is for. You can also request money (this works well when you’re the one footing the bill) and access your transfer history to confirm transactions went through.
If you or someone in your party doesn’t have access to Venmo, you can try another money-transfer app like PayPal or Xoom to send money internationally.
5. PackPoint: best for taking the guesswork out of packing
Want to coordinate fits with your friends? Planning to bring a carry-on only? Keep it cute without overpacking with PackPoint—the app that lets you coordinate who’s bringing what on your trip when it comes to clothes, shoes, accessories, and other necessities (e.g., do you really need four hairdryers?).
With PackPoint’s help, you can also plan what to bring based on the weather forecast, as well as your planned activities. That way, you only pack what you’ll need, and leave what you don’t at home.
Frequently asked questions
1. What is the best tool for group trip planning in 2026?
TripIt makes it easy to plan and share group trip itineraries all in one place. Simply forward all of your bookings (e.g., flights, hotels, vacation rentals, rental car) and TripIt will create a seamless itinerary everyone on your trip can access.
2. Which tool is best for managing payments?
Splitwise helps your group manage their expenses before and during a trip by tracking who paid for an expense (and how much), as well as who owes money. Pair it with a money-transfer app like Venmo to make it easy to share costs on the go.
3. What app can I use to help me create a packing list?
PackPoint is a game changer when it comes to packing for a group trip. You and your travel buddies can create packing lists based on the weather and what you have planned—and then divvy up what to bring to avoid overpacking.
