While July may have been a little grey, we’re still in for some warm days this summer. There are trips to take and barbecues to attend, and no matter who’s joining us on these outings, our smartphones surely will. So here are some apps to help you make the best of the season.
Whether you’re trying to find your tent in a sea of identical blue and green at a festival (as I did at Glastonbury) or trying to figure out the best time to run to the loo during a Barbenheimer marathon, these apps might be lifesavers.
What3Words
(Android/iOS, free)
“Suitcase.regularly.limitless”. That’s where I pitched my tent according to this app, which has divided the Earth into 3m by 3m squares and assigned a unique three-word address to each of them. It makes sharing your location with others so much easier, and is especially useful in remote areas without street names or house numbers. Since it works offline, you can use it even when you don’t have a signal.
Splitwise
(Android/iOS, free, with paid-for features)
Take the awkwardness out of splitting bills on a night out or a trip with an expense-tracker that does it for you. Popular among London flatshares, Splitwise lets you create groups, track individual payments and set up reminders to get paid back. The app also includes a history of your transactions, so you can see what you owe and who owes you.
Merlin Bird ID
(Android/iOS, free)
Take your mental-health walks to another level with this app, which helps you identify birds in your area. It does so by using a combination of sound, vision and location and can even walk you through the identification process step by step.
Tripcoin
(iOS, free)
If you have trips planned, you will want this budgeting app to manage your finances while travelling. Create categories for your expenses, track your spending in real time, and set up alerts to inform you when you are nearing your spending limit.
Night Sky
(iOS, free, with paid-for features)
August is meteor shower season, so you’ll want a good stargazing app along with binoculars and telescopes to spot the ongoing Perseids display. Night Sky will also alert you about meteor showers and auroras, and even tell you when the international space station or Starlink satellites are flying overhead. Its AR (augmented reality) Sky Blending feature uses your device’s internal accelerometer and camera to overlay a 3D rendering of space on your surroundings as you move your phone over the sky.
AllTrails
(Android/iOS, free, with paid-for features)
Find and plan outdoor adventures with this app’s massive database of trails, which includes walking, biking, running and more. You can find routes near you, filter by difficulty, length and other criteria, and read reviews from other users. Download maps for offline use and track your progress.
Carrot Weather
(Android/iOS, free, with paid-for features)
If you want your weather forecast with a side of fun, this is the app for you. Known for its snarky humour and witty forecasts, Carrot also provides accurate weather information. Since we can never tell with British weather, this app will help you stay dry by alerting you before it’s about to pour.
iNaturalist
(Android/iOS, free)
Using your phone to get closer to nature might feel counterintuitive, but this app might help you do just that. It uses your smartphone’s camera to identify plants and animals in your surroundings and includes a community forum where you can make nature-loving friends.
BringFido
(Android/iOS, free)
Make sure your dog has a great summer too. This app’s searchable database of more than 500,000 pet-friendly businesses and locations around the world includes hotels, restaurants, bars, parks, beaches and more. Other users can leave reviews and ratings of the spaces so you can get an idea of what to expect.
Shazam
(Android/iOS, free)
Wondering what that tune wafting through the window from your neighbours’ barbecue is? Just ask Shazam. It uses your smartphone’s microphone to listen to the music and identify the song based on its audio fingerprint. It’s a great way to discover new music around you, whether at a festival or a street party.
Google Translate
(Android/iOS, free)
When it comes to translation apps, Google Translate remains a reliable favourite – allowing you to translate text, voice, and images in more than 100 languages. With new updates, the app can even translate a menu for you if you just point your phone’s camera at it.
Maps.me
(Android/iOS, free, with paid-for features)
Don’t you hate it when you’re travelling and have trouble finding wifi? This app solves that by letting you use maps in 200 countries even when offline. It also comes with turn-by-turn navigation and public transport directions.
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Omio
(Android/iOS, free)
If Europe is your destination this summer, then you’ll want this app, which lets you compare and book train, bus, and plane tickets. It includes price alerts, seat selection and mobile boarding passes. Omio also has a travel planner and helps you find the best deals.
Dice
(Android/iOS, free)
If you’re looking for music and comedy events, this great app uses your location to find gigs near you. It also allows you to follow your favourite artists and venues, and includes a social media component that lets you connect with other music lovers and share your experiences.
FlightAware
(Android/iOS, free, with paid-for features)
Stay on top of flight delays and cancellations with an app that tracks flights in real time. Get live tracking data, including the aircraft’s location, altitude, speed and estimated arrival time. It also includes a map that shows all flights in the air.
RunPee
(Android/iOS, free, with paid-for features)
It’s perfect for your Barbenheimer summer. When you are sitting through the three-hour saga that is Oppenheimer, you will be glad of this app to plan your bathroom breaks. It works by crowdsourcing (spoiler-free) cues for when you can nip to the loo without missing anything important, with a timer that alerts you when it’s time to get back.
Geocaching
(Android/iOS, free, with paid-for features)
This allows you to join a worldwide treasure-hunting community by finding hidden containers, called geocaches, all over the globe. It uses GPS to track your location and is a great way to get outdoors and explore new places.
Wanderlog
(Android/iOS, free, with paid-for features)
This makes group travel planning easier by allowing you to arrange trips with your friends collaboratively. Add information about your flights and stays, create itineraries, add photos and notes. It’s also a great way to share your recommendations and tips with friends back home.
BeReal
(Android/iOS, free)
Popular among gen Z, this relatively new social media app challenges you to live in the moment by posting a selfie and your immediate surroundings at a random time once a day. Designed to encourage users to be more authentic in their social media posts, it’s a fun way to see what everyone’s up to this summer.
Citymapper
(Android/iOS, free, with paid-for features)
This app is a no-brainer to help you get around some of the major cities of the world. It shows transport options to get you from A to B in the most efficient way possible. Plus, it’s updated with real-time information on traffic and public transport delays so you can plan accordingly.
