Planning with friends has a predictable failure mode: the itinerary lives in one place, costs in another, confirmations in someone’s inbox, and the latest decision in a chat thread. Apps solve different pieces of that problem, so “best” is less useful than “best for this particular trip.”
This guide compares Troupe, Wanderlog, Tripsy, TripIt, Splitwise, Splittr and Roadtrippers. We checked product and pricing pages on September 13, 2026. Prices can change by country, platform, promotion and tax; check each linked store or checkout before buying. Feature labels describe publicly documented capabilities, not a hands-on test of every current build.
What changed in Troupe 1.1.1: trips now move through planning, active and completed phases, with a finished-trip summary; settlement includes payment links, paid dates, reminders and an unsettled-only filter; and the release adds a trip activity stream, more actionable alerts, offline PDF export with document photos and emergency contacts, plus Hen/Stag, Ski and Concert/Festival templates. These updates make the comparison more than a static list of itinerary features: the organizer can follow a trip through planning, travel and close-out.
Quick answer
- For a shared trip plan plus trip costs in one iPhone workflow: Troupe is designed around itinerary, bookings, packing, documents and balances together.
- For a collaborative, map-led planner across web and mobile: Wanderlog offers a broad planning surface, including maps, budgeting and group editing.
- For an itinerary built from confirmation emails and flight alerts: TripIt’s inbox-to-itinerary workflow and Pro travel alerts are its clear distinction.
- For a polished Apple travel companion with extensive trip utilities: Tripsy combines itineraries, guest sharing, reservations, documents and expenses.
- For tracking who owes whom across everyday life: Splitwise is the expense ledger specialist, not a complete trip itinerary.
- For focused group expense splitting: Splittr’s published feature set emphasizes offline entry, currencies and minimizing repayments; its site also says a new app rollout is underway.
- For road-trip discovery, including RV-oriented routing: Roadtrippers focuses on route stops, destinations and vehicle-aware planning, with its road-trip coverage focused on the US and Canada.
Feature matrix
“Yes” means the capability is explicitly described by the linked product source. “Partial / Pro” means availability is limited by plan or the feature does not cover the whole workflow. This is a scope comparison, not a quality score.
| Need | Troupe | Wanderlog | Tripsy | TripIt | Splitwise | Splittr | Roadtrippers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shared trip itinerary | Yes; iCloud collaboration | Yes; web + apps | Yes; guests and shared trips | Yes; itinerary sharing | No; expense groups | Not its stated focus | Yes; stops planned by day |
| Trip expense balances | Yes; balances and settle-up | Yes; trip budget / split bills | Yes; expense management | Not a core feature | Yes; core product | Yes; core product | Fuel estimates / trip budgets; no settlement ledger listed |
| Payment follow-through | Payment links, paid dates, reminders, outstanding-only filter | Budgeting and bill-splitting; no payment-link workflow listed in reviewed source | Expense management; no trip settlement-link workflow listed in reviewed source | Not a core feature | Debt simplification and payment integrations | Smart settle-up is listed | Not listed as a core feature |
| Trip lifecycle / close-out | Planning → active → completed, summary and activity history | Shared plans; lifecycle summary not listed in reviewed source | Broad trip archive; lifecycle summary not listed in reviewed source | Organized itineraries; lifecycle summary not listed in reviewed source | Expense-group focus | Expense-splitting focus | Waypoint planning; close-out summary not listed |
| Booking / confirmation import | Yes; Share Sheet import | Yes; booking imports | Yes; email forwarding / import | Yes; forward confirmations | No | Not listed | Trip details on stops; import flow not listed |
| Packing / trip documents | Yes; packing + offline booking files | Yes; lists + documents | Yes; documents | Documents; plan limits differ | No | Not listed | Not listed as a core feature |
| Offline use | Yes; local trip details remain available | Offline access is a Pro feature | Check current app/platform details | Itineraries available offline | Offline mode listed; cloud sync also available | Offline expense entry listed | Offline maps depend on paid membership |
| Account / invite friction | No Troupe account; shared via iCloud | Collaborators join a shared trip | Family sharing / guests; account details vary | TripIt account workflow | Accounts and groups | Official site says no registration needed | Collaborative editing; account and tier details apply |
| Published US pricing checked | $0 starter; $3.99/mo or $29.99 lifetime | Free tier; US App Store lists multiple Pro offers* | Free tier; web plans $59/yr or $299 lifetime; App Store lists multiple annual offers and a $299.99 lifetime option | Free tier; Pro $49/yr on web, $48.99 in US App Store | Free; Pro varies by store / market | US App Store: $10.99 lifetime, $0.99 monthly, $3.49 yearly* | US App Store annual tiers: Basic $35.99, Pro $49.99, Premium $59.99* |
*The US App Store currently lists several Wanderlog Pro offers, including annual options from $31.99 to $59.99 and monthly options from $5.99; introductory offers and availability vary. Tripsy’s web checkout and App Store list multiple US price points, noted separately above. Splittr’s App Store prices are for its currently listed app; its developer also says a new iOS/Android app is in development. Splitwise explicitly notes prices can vary by country, date, tax and promotion. Splittr’s listed US iPhone app showed $0.99 monthly, $3.49 yearly and $10.99 lifetime. Troupe’s US App Store listing showed $3.99 monthly and $29.99 lifetime at review time. Roadtrippers' US App Store lists three annual membership offers; its help center lists Premium at $59.99/year or $19.99/month. Plan features and prices vary, so check the live offer.
Where each app is strongest
Troupe: the whole group-trip handoff
Troupe is aimed at the organizer who is keeping the moving parts together: bookings and day plans, packing, documents, expense entries, balances and settlement. In version 1.1.1, its settlement tools go beyond calculating a balance: the group can add payment links, mark a payment with its date, set a reminder and filter to unsettled items. A trip also gets planning/active/completed phases, a completion summary and a visible activity stream. Its differentiator is not the deepest map database or flight-alert network; it is bringing the shared plan and the shared costs into one iPhone-first place. The organizer can use Pro while invited travelers collaborate without each buying it. Its iCloud-based approach is a fit for Apple groups, not for every mixed-device group.
Read Troupe vs Wanderlog · Troupe vs Tripsy
Wanderlog: maps and collaborative research
Wanderlog is compelling when choosing places and arranging a route are central to the trip. Its free product spans itinerary building, maps, budgeting and collaboration, and its web version makes it easier to plan on a larger screen. Pro adds power features such as offline access and route optimization. Its US App Store currently displays several annual and monthly Pro offers rather than one universal price, so compare the exact option shown to you. If your group’s main friction is “where should we go, and in what order?”, compare it closely with Troupe.
Tripsy: a broad travel companion
Tripsy’s official Pro page lists a wide set of travel utilities: forwarded reservations, guests, expenses, documents, flight updates, calendar feed, exports and more. Its one-year and lifetime plans may suit a frequent traveler who wants a broad trip archive and Apple-oriented companion. Current US prices differ slightly between its official web checkout ($59/year or $299 lifetime) and App Store listing ($59.99/year or $299.99 lifetime), so confirm the route you intend to use. Read the detailed Troupe vs Tripsy comparison for how the planning-and-cost workflow differs.
TripIt: bookings first, alerts second
TripIt’s distinctive path starts after you book: forward confirmation emails and let it assemble the itinerary. Its free plan organizes and shares plans; Pro adds operational flight features for $49/year on the web pricing page. The US App Store currently lists $48.99 annually. It is a strong fit for travelers who value reservation capture and flight disruption support more than shared expense settlement. See Troupe vs TripIt.
Splitwise: the money ledger
Splitwise shines when the question is “who paid, and who owes whom?” across roommates, trips, friends and family. Its Pro features include unlimited expenses, currency conversion, receipt scanning, itemization and charts; the free plan has a documented daily expense limit. It is not positioned as the place to build a full day-by-day itinerary, store the trip’s bookings and run a packing list. See Troupe vs Splitwise.
Splittr: focused splitting with an app relaunch in progress
Splittr’s public feature list is focused: group expenses, offline use, multiple currencies, exports and settlement simplification. Its currently listed US iPhone app remains available and showed a $10.99 lifetime purchase, $0.99 monthly and $3.49 yearly at review time. The developer separately says a brand-new iOS/Android app is in development without a public release date. Check your local store to confirm which version and price are available. It is a closer comparison for the money-only job than for itinerary planning. See Troupe vs Splittr.
Roadtrippers: route discovery and road-trip logistics
Roadtrippers starts with the drive: discover stops, shape a route, estimate fuel and plan a road trip by day. Its official materials also describe RV-specific routing and membership features such as offline maps; check the selected plan and region because access varies. Troupe is not a substitute for a route database or vehicle-aware navigation. Its role is to coordinate the group around the agreed journey—bookings, packing, documents and shared costs. Some groups may sensibly use both. See Troupe vs Roadtrippers for the route-planning comparison and current published pricing notes.
Pricing: compare the job, not just the sticker
At the checked US prices, Troupe’s $29.99 lifetime option is a one-time payment, while Wanderlog Pro and TripIt Pro are annual subscriptions, and Tripsy offers both annual and lifetime plans. Splittr’s currently listed iPhone app also has subscription and lifetime options, while a separate new app is in development. That does not make one automatically cheaper for every person: feature scope, how many trips you take, whether invitees need paid access, and local App Store pricing matter. Splitwise Pro’s current price is explicitly variable; Splittr’s App Store IAP prices are region-dependent.
Tripsy price note: its official web checkout currently lists $59/year or $299 lifetime. The US App Store listing contains multiple annual in-app purchase entries, including $39.99 and $59.99 labels, plus a $299.99 lifetime option. Use the purchase route and storefront you plan to use as the final price.
For an occasional group holiday, start with the free tier of whichever app matches the coordination problem. Upgrade only if a specific paid capability—offline maps, flight alerts, more trips, import, or advanced exports—will actually be used.
How to choose in two minutes
- Write down the one thing currently scattered: places and routes, confirmations, shared costs, or all of them.
- Check the devices in the group. A web-first mixed-device trip points toward different tools than an iPhone/iCloud group.
- Ask whether invitees must install, register or pay. The organizer’s experience is only half the workflow.
- Compare the exact paid features you need and the current regional price, not a headline “Pro” label.
- Try one real upcoming trip with the free plan before migrating all your historical travel data.
A fair side-by-side test using the same trip
Pick one upcoming weekend and add the same four things in the app you are evaluating: a confirmed stay, a timed activity, a shared expense with one person opting out, and an item that somebody else is bringing. Invite the least technical person in the group and ask them to find the next activity, open the confirmation and understand their current balance. Then switch off your connection and check which saved details are still accessible. This quick rehearsal tests real collaboration, expense meaning, offline access and setup friction without committing a group to move its entire travel history.
Keep a note of what each app does particularly well as you test. A map planner may be much better for discovering and arranging places; a specialist expense tool may produce clearer debt settlement; a booking-first planner may surface flight changes sooner. The useful comparison is the one that helps the group finish the trip with fewer missing decisions—not simply the app with the longest list of features.
Want one shared place for the trip?
Troupe combines the itinerary, bookings, shared packing list, trip documents and expense balances for an iPhone/iPad group. Start with one complete trip free for up to four people; the US listing showed Pro at $3.99/month or $29.99 lifetime for the organizer when this guide was checked. Invitees collaborate free.
View Troupe on the App Store →See Troupe features Try the free group trip cost calculatorDetailed comparisons
Practical guides for the group-trip workflow
Once you know which type of app fits, these Troupe guides cover the specific planning jobs that usually create follow-up messages:
- Plan a group trip with shared expenses
- Split expenses fairly on a group trip
- Build a group trip budget on iPhone
- Plan without losing decisions in WhatsApp
- Organise travel around a destination wedding
Sources and update notes
Official pages reviewed September 13, 2026. Feature access and prices can change; recheck before making a purchase.
For the Tripsy price difference, compare its official web plans with its US App Store listing.
- Troupe — US App Store listing
- Wanderlog — current product overview · Wanderlog Pro overview · free plan and Pro help article · US App Store listing and current in-app offers
- Tripsy Pro — official plans
- TripIt — official free vs Pro pricing/features · TripIt — US App Store purchase listing
- Splitwise Pro — official feature list · Splitwise Help Center — plan details
- Splittr — official product and availability status
- Splittr — currently listed US iPhone app and in-app purchases
This is an editorial product comparison by Yuzool, the maker of Troupe. It is not sponsored by the products listed. We aim to describe the fit and limitations of each fairly; use the linked official pages for current terms.