Google Maps custom lists are the tidiest way to plan a trip and the least-used feature in the app. You save a restaurant, a viewpoint, a museum, tag them with a list name, share the link, and everyone on the trip sees the same pins. What Maps still does badly is the layer around those pins: notes on what you actually want to order, opening hours per traveller’s day, offline packaging when the roaming plan goes flat. The seven apps here fill that gap, either by making Maps lists better or by replacing them with something that syncs back.
What to look for in a trip-list app
- Shared editing, so a partner or friend can add pins without a screen-share
- Two-way sync with Google Maps or a clean export/import, not a walled garden
- Offline access after the phone goes into airplane mode at the border
- Day-by-day itinerary view, because a flat pile of pins does not show what to do Tuesday
- Notes on each pin longer than a place’s own review
- A free tier that survives real trip planning, not a seven-day teaser
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | Platforms | Free plan | Starting price/mo | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google Maps | The shared list itself | Android, iOS, Web | Full | Free | 4.3 Play Store |
| Wanderlog | Day-by-day itineraries with Maps import | Android, iOS, Web | Generous | $4.99 (Pro) | 4.7 Play Store |
| TripIt | Auto-parsing bookings from email | Android, iOS, Web | Free | $4.99 (Pro) | 4.6 Play Store |
| Polarsteps | Trip journalling on the actual route | Android, iOS, Web | Full | $2.99 (Premium) | 4.7 Play Store |
| Google Keep | Notes tied to Maps pins | Android, iOS, Web | Full | Free | 4.4 Play Store |
| Sygic Travel | Offline maps with travel time between pins | Android, iOS, Web | Basic | $2.49 (Premium) | 4.4 Play Store |
| Notion | Fully custom trip planning docs | Android, iOS, Web, Desktop | Generous | $10 (Plus) | 4.4 Play Store |
1. Google Maps, best for the shared list itself
Google Maps got the underrated feature right first. Tap Save on any place, add it to a Wishlist, a Favourites, or a custom list, then hit Share and anyone with the link can view or edit. Lists sync across every device signed in to the same account, and Google Assistant can now read a list back to you turn by turn. The custom list URL works in messages, in Notion, in an email, without account-gating the recipient.
Where it falls short: No per-day view, no ordering beyond alphabetical or recency, and no notes past a short caption.
Pricing: Free.
Platforms: Android, iOS, Web.
Download: Aptoide | Google Play
Bottom line: Start every trip here. The list is the shared source of truth.
2. Wanderlog, best for turning a Maps list into a day-by-day itinerary
Wanderlog is the app that most Google Maps power users end up on. Paste a Maps list URL, and Wanderlog imports the pins with notes and photos, then lets you drop them onto a calendar. Travel time between two pins is computed with actual Google Maps directions, so if you tried to fit five museums into a Rome afternoon, it will call you out. Free users get up to five active trips and offline access to imported pins.
Where it falls short: The mobile UI leans on tap-and-hold gestures that are unintuitive at first.
Pricing: Free plan covers most trips. Pro is $4.99 per month or $34.99 per year, adds unlimited trips, budget tracking, and premium maps.
Download: Aptoide | Google Play
Bottom line: The default upgrade path from Google Maps lists.
3. TripIt, best for the flight, hotel, and rental car layer
TripIt solves the other half of the trip: everything already booked. Forward a confirmation email to [email protected] and the itinerary shows up already parsed with confirmation numbers, terminal, and gate. It does not compete with Maps lists on places to visit, it complements them, so the Wanderlog itinerary knows when your flight lands and when hotel check-in opens.
Where it falls short: Some hotel booking formats still confuse the parser, especially chain loyalty confirmations.
Pricing: Free plan covers itinerary parsing. Pro at $4.99 per month adds real-time flight alerts, better fare tracking, and point tracking.
Download: Aptoide | Google Play
Bottom line: Pair it with Maps lists so the trip has both the plan and the plumbing.
4. Polarsteps, best for journalling the trip that actually happened
Polarsteps records the trip as you take it, GPS trail, photos, notes, so what you saved in a Maps list becomes a shareable journal by the end. Automatic clustering means each stop gets its own page without you tapping to check in, and a printed photo book can be ordered from the app. Family and friends who follow the trip see the pins update in near real time.
Where it falls short: The recording drains battery. A power bank is not optional on multi-day trips.
Pricing: Free plan is generous. Premium at $2.99 per month adds unlimited photos, offline maps, and better print options.
Download: Aptoide | Google Play
Bottom line: Turns the pre-trip list into an actual souvenir.
5. Google Keep, best for notes on each pin
Google Keep is the least glamorous pick and the one that most travellers end up using. A note per city, checklists for what to eat, quick voice memos, and the search box that actually finds “cactus taco” three months later. Paired with a Google Maps list, Keep becomes the notebook the pins never had.
Where it falls short: No trip-specific structure. You are building your own.
Pricing: Free with any Google account.
Download: Aptoide | Google Play
Bottom line: The right pick for travellers who already live in the Google ecosystem.
6. Sygic Travel, best for offline pins with routing
Sygic Travel is the offline safety net. Download a city, get every pin from your saved list on a proper offline vector map, plus walking and public-transport time between them. The auto-itinerary picks up a Maps list export well enough that you can plan a day in the airport and follow it once roaming disappears.
Where it falls short: The place database is thinner outside major cities.
Pricing: Free tier is limited to a few cities. Premium at $2.49 per month or $18 per year unlocks unlimited offline maps.
Download: Aptoide | Google Play
Bottom line: The one to install before boarding.
7. Notion, best when the itinerary is the whole plan
Notion is not a travel app, and that is exactly why it works for people who want a trip page that pulls together everyone’s Google Maps lists, the TripIt itinerary, packing checklists, and budget spreadsheets in one canvas. Templates are plentiful, and mobile Notion has finally caught up to the desktop editing experience.
Where it falls short: No offline access on mobile without a paid workspace, and no map view unless you embed one.
Pricing: Free personal plan is generous. Plus is $10 per member per month.
Download: Aptoide | Google Play
Bottom line: Pick this when a spreadsheet-and-checklist trip page is what you actually want.
How to pick the right one
For a weekend trip with one friend, Google Maps plus Google Keep is enough. Save the pins, drop the shared notes, done.
For a week or longer with anyone who cares about hitting specific spots in a specific order, Wanderlog is the shortest path to a real itinerary. Its Google Maps import is why it exists.
Add TripIt as soon as flights or hotels are booked. It saves the fifteen minutes of copying confirmation numbers into whatever else you use.
Sygic Travel earns its place before an international trip, when data plans get shaky. Polarsteps earns its place when the trip is over.
Notion is the pick for people who plan trips like they run projects. If you already live there, use it.
FAQ
Can I share a Google Maps custom list with someone who doesn’t use Maps?
You share a link that opens in a browser. The recipient can view the pins without a Google account. To edit, they need one.
Does Wanderlog actually import my Google Maps saved places?
Yes, both the saved-place lists and any custom list you tag. It pulls the pin name, address, and any note you added.
What is the best free trip-planning app in 2026?
For most travellers, the pairing of Google Maps for pins and Wanderlog’s free tier for the day-by-day view covers everything without touching a paid subscription.
Can these apps work offline once I’m abroad?
Google Maps offers offline map downloads by area. Wanderlog and Sygic Travel let you download a whole trip. Notion needs a paid workspace for real offline access.
Are shared Google Maps lists editable by everyone with the link?
By default they are view-only. Toggle collaborators on in the list settings for shared editing.
