17 Must-Have Thailand Travel Apps In 2025
Visiting a new country can be a challenge, especially when you don’t speak the local language. I’ve been in your situation so I’ve put together a list of the best Thailand travel apps which I recommend.
The days of holding a paper map trying to figure out which street is which are over. Or holding a Lonely Planet guidebook to decide where you want to go next, it’s a changed world.
When I visited Thailand for the first time, I made sure I was well prepared with all of the most important apps downloaded. And I want to make sure you’re in the same boat I was.
So without further ado, let’s get into what you need downloaded on your phone for your Thailand trip.
Thailand Travel Apps
From transport to activities, translation to navigation, and everything in between, there is an app for anything you can imagine in Thailand.
Some of them are the same as home, some of them you can use in any country, but some are specific to Asia, and some are specific to Thailand.
I recommend downloading all of these and putting them into a folder. I named mine “Thailand travel apps” so it was easy to find.
1. Grab
The number one app you need when travelling in Thailand is Grab.
There is no Uber in Thailand and Grab is the best alternative. In my opinion, it’s much easier to use too.
Grab is an “all in one” sort of app as you can get transport, food deliveries and grocery deliveries all from the same place.
As well as booking experiences and hotels – but Grab is best known for its transport.
Taxis in Thailand are very expensive, usually overpriced to rip off tourists, but Grab is a much more affordable option.
If you want to save even more money, you can take Grab bikes. This is what I did when I backpacked Bangkok – it’s not only transport, but it’s fun to be amongst the organised chaos that is the roads in Thailand!
It is available to download on the App Store and Google Play Store.
2. Klook
When you’re in Europe or the US, you probably use Viator or GetYourGuide for activities, and while it’s possible to use these platforms to book things to do in Thailand, I don’t actually recommend it.
Instead, I recommend downloading Klook and using it. It’s what the locals use when they travel, which means within Thailand, it has the most options for things to do, and also the best prices.
When I was comparing the platforms to see if it was worth downloading and using Klook, I found the same tour on all 3 platforms but on Klook it was like 30% cheaper. It’s a no brainer!
Though to be honest, Thailand makes it very easy to be spontaneous. You can easily book things in person for last-minute tours and get the best prices – one of my favourite backpacking hacks is to book tours in person in Thailand.
It is available to download on the App Store and Google Play Store.
3. Airalo
In my opinion, the best eSIM for Thailand is Airalo.
If you aren’t familiar, an eSIM means you can connect to mobile data in Thailand without the need for a physical SIM card.
It’s super convenient and the coverage across Thailand is incredible. I even had 5G while jungle trekking in Chiang Mai.
Most of the apps on this list won’t work without a connection to the internet, so Airalo is a must-have in order to make the most of the rest of these apps for Thailand.
It is available to download on the App Store and Google Play Store.
4. 12GO
If you’re backpacking Thailand or visiting the country for an extended period of time, you’re going to need a way to get between destinations.
Whether it’s from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, or Phuket to Koh Tao, there’s a way to get between anywhere and everywhere in Thailand using 12Go.
12Go works throughout all of Southeast Asia and allows you to book buses, trains, vans, ferries and any other modes of transport required to get you from A to B.
I use it all the time and it’s so easy and convenient. The only downside is that usually, the journeys take longer than it says they will – but that’s just Southeast Asia for you.
It is available to download on the App Store and Google Play Store.
5. BTS Skytrain
Getting around Bangkok is really easy – and cheap too.
Obviously, you have Grab as the main option for getting between exact places, but if you want to save money, or experience Bangkok in a different way, then you could use public transport.
The bus system is a bit of a mess and the trains are average, but the underground and BTS Skytrain in Bangkok are really good.
You can download the app to save money on fares and have your tickets easily accessible on your phone.
I would recommend everyone take a journey on the Skytrain at least once while in Bangkok. If nothing else, it offers some nice views over the city.
It is available to download on the App Store and Google Play Store.
6. LINE
In the West, most people use Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp as their main messaging service app.
In Thailand and other parts of Southeast Asia, they use LINE to send messages to each other.
To be honest, it’s very similar to WhatsApp in terms of design, but there are some differences. One thing I’ve noticed is that Thai people love to send stickers.
As a tourist, you probably don’t exactly need this app, but if you want to communicate with locals by messages, it’s best to do it with LINE.
It is available to download on the App Store and Google Play Store.
7. Stippl
Planning a trip to Thailand can be difficult. On top of using my blog posts about Thailand as guides to help you, I also recommend downloading and using Stippl.
Stippl is the best planning app for travelling, and is an app that I took a long time to find but I’m so glad I did. Before I found it, I must have used 10+ different planning apps and I didn’t like a single one of them.
The layout is super clean and simple, and it’s so easy to use. It makes planning straightforward and it shows your itinerary in a really clear way.
You can also invite other people you’re travelling with to create a shared plan across your two phones. It plans everything from transport to things to do, and even your accommodation.
Here’s an example of my itinerary from my latest Southeast Asia backpacking trip. Yes, I really stayed in Chiang Mai that long. It’s one of my favourite places in Thailand – the Gate Market plays a big part. It has some of the best street food in the world IMO!
It is available to download on the App Store and Google Play Store.
8. Teenee
To help you plan your trip on Stippl, try out Teenee. It’s one of the most underrated apps for travelling Thailand.
Teenee is essentially an interactive map of Thailand with all of the best recommendations and suggestions of things to do, places to eat and where to stay.
It’s been put together by locals and expats living in Thailand, so it goes a lot further than the typical touristy things to do.
If you ask me, it’s one of my favourite apps and one that not many people know about – yet it’s so useful and helps to fill those days where you’re like “What should we do today?”
It is available to download on the App Store and Google Play Store.
9. Bolt
While Grab is my personal go-to as an equivalent to Uber in Thailand, in some parts of the country, Bolt (another alternative) is cheaper.
This is the case in the south from my experience in the likes of Krabi and Phuket.
I’ve no idea why it’s cheaper sometimes, but it’s just one of those things I guess.
It’s worth having both Bolt and Grab downloaded and going with whichever one is cheaper for each specific ride.
It is available to download on the App Store and Google Play Store.
10. Google Translate
While Google Translate is a good app to have when visiting anywhere in the world, it’s also a good app to have when visiting Thailand.
In the big cities and the most popular destinations, most Thai locals will speak English pretty well, but if you go further afield or somewhere a bit more remote, the levels of English will likely drop.
That’s why I always have Google Translate on my phone. It helps in situations where there is no common language between the two of you, and it allows you to communicate with anybody in the world.
One of my top tips is to download the language, in this case, Thai, as it means you can translate between English (or your mother tongue) into Thai and vice versa without a mobile signal.
I recommend using it even if the local speaks English in important scenarios, such as if you have an allergy when ordering in a restaurant.
It is available to download on the App Store and Google Play Store.
11. Google Maps
Another Thailand travel app that is useful to have anywhere in the world is Google Maps.
To be honest, I have no idea how people travelled before using Google Maps. I have so much respect for anyone who backpacked in the days before technology – I can’t imagine how I could do it without my phone.
Whether it’s for walking between attractions, choosing a local restaurant or figuring out whether it’s worth taking a Grab or not, you never know when you’ll need Google Maps.
Another tip I have is to download the map of the destination you’re in (I don’t recommend downloading the whole of Thailand as it will take up a lot of storage) so you can use it offline.
It is available to download on the App Store and Google Play Store.
12. Revolut
One of my favourite tips for travelling on a budget is to use Revolut, but I also recommend it to anyone, regardless of if you’re on a budget.
Revolut allows you to pay in foreign currencies without charging you a fee for exchanging between currencies.
It’s so much better than normal bank cards, and for every £100 I spend in Thailand (in baht), I save £3, which is roughly what my exchange fee is with my normal bank.
Revolut in Thailand does work, but it does not waive ATM fees, which are set at 220 baht across the country. Still though, who wouldn’t want to save money?
It is available to download on the App Store and Google Play Store.
13. WhatsApp
Even though I said that Thai people use LINE to communicate with each other, many tour companies use WhatsApp to accommodate tourists and will use it for important communication such as hotel pick-up times, or for simply sending you photos afterwards.
I would guess that most people will already have WhatsApp downloaded, but if not, I would recommend getting it downloaded before heading to Thailand as you’ll probably be asked for it at some point.
One thing I do like about WhatsApp is that it allows you to continue using your phone number from home even if you have a different SIM card in. It means you can stay in touch with family at home too – which is another reason to have it downloaded.
It is available to download on the App Store and Google Play Store.
14. Shopee
Shopee is Thailand’s equivalent of Amazon.
You can buy literally anything and have it delivered to your door. It’s just as easy to use as Amazon and in most cases, it’s cheaper too.
This one only really applies to anyone staying in Thailand for a longer period of time, or anyone who is considering moving to Thailand, as otherwise, you probably won’t be in one place long enough to have anything delivered.
Though that being said, you can also use it for food and grocery delivery, which would only take a matter of minutes or hours.
It is available to download on the App Store and Google Play Store.
15. Currency Converter
In Thailand, the currency is the Thai baht, and it can get pretty hard to work out the conversion rates.
For example, $1 USD is 35.67 Thai baht. You can do some quick mental maths to get a rough idea, but for difficult numbers or if you want complete certainty, I recommend downloading a currency-converting app.
There are a lot of options and I don’t have one in particular which I recommend but they all pretty much do the same thing. You simply type in the number in Baht and it will convert it to the selected currency of your choice. You can use them offline too usually.
There are a lot of options available to download on the App Store and Google Play Store.
16. Foodpanda
While Grab and Shopee both offer food delivery services, if you want an app completely dedicated to food delivery, then I suggest checking out Foodpanda.
But in all honesty, I don’t overly recommend using them, or recommend ordering food in Thailand at all. There are restaurants and street food stalls everywhere in the country, and it’s so easy to find good places to eat.
The food is delicious and the cuisine has a really big variety of dishes – you don’t ever need to order food. But if you really want to, then Foodpanda is a good option.
It is available to download on the App Store and Google Play Store.
17. Flush
Last but by no means least of these apps to have for visiting Thailand is Flush.
It’s one of the most niche and unique apps I have ever seen, and when someone asks the question “What is the most random app you have on your phone?”, it’s always this. And yes, that’s a common question – it’s a good icebreaker when staying in hostels.
What Flush does is it shows you all of the available public toilets near you on a map. It works in pretty much every country in the world, and it’s really helpful to find somewhere to go if you’re desperate.
It even includes instructions to find the toilet if it’s in a building, if it costs to use, and some other bits of information about bathrooms which you would probably have never thought you needed to know – but proves useful once you know it.
It is available to download on the App Store and Google Play Store.
FAQs
Below are some commonly asked questions relating to the best travel apps for Thailand along with my answers to each question.
The most used travel app in Thailand is Grab. It’s the equivalent of Uber in Thailand and it’s really convenient for getting between two places. It is also very affordable and there are always lots of cars and bikes available.
You can use the BTS Skytrain app to get around Bangkok, and the 12Go app allows you to find buses, trains, vans and ferries between locations in Thailand for affordable prices. Both apps are must have when it comes to public transport in Thailand.
Thai people use LINE to communicate with each other. It is a messenger app similar to the likes of Whatsapp and Facebook Messenger. It is popular in Asia including Thailand, and it is how locals speak to each other online.
Thailand uses Grab, as there is no Uber or Lyft in Thailand. It is a similar concept but much more affordable. There are always lots of drivers available. Another ride app is Bolt, but it is usually more expensive than Grab.
Final Thoughts
And there you have it, a complete list of all of my favourite apps for Thailand.
Each one of them provides something a bit different, and they all come together to help you have the best trip possible in a country which is so incredible to visit.
If you only download 3 apps from this list I would recommend it to be Grab for transportation, Klook for activities and Stippl for planning your trip.
Now that you know what you need on your phone before visiting Thailand, it’s time to start finding things to do. I suggest starting with a Bangkok temple tour.
Read more about Thailand:
- Are There Sharks In Thailand? Know Before You Go
- Drinking Age In Thailand & Other Important Laws
- Thailand UK Time Difference (With Current Times)
- Is Thailand Expensive To Visit?
- Phuket Pronunciation: How to pronounce Phuket, Thailand
- Does it snow in Thailand? Thailand in Winter
- Can You Drink The Water In Thailand?
