Which app keeps a group trip together?

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 and Splittr. We checked product and pricing pages on September 12, 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.

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.

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.

*Wanderlog’s official pricing details found during this review are in its published help/editorial material; confirm the current App Store or web checkout price in your region. Splitwise explicitly notes prices can vary by country, date, tax and promotion. Troupe’s US App Store listing showed $3.99 monthly and $29.99 lifetime at review time.

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. 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. 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. 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 a published $49 per year. 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 a changing availability picture

Splittr’s public feature list is focused: group expenses, offline use, multiple currencies, exports and settlement simplification. Its official site currently says the iOS app received an update and that a new iOS/Android/web product is in progress; check the current store listing and availability before choosing it. It is a closer comparison for the money-only job than for itinerary planning. See Troupe vs Splittr.

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. 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, and the Splittr landing page did not publish a price during this review.

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

1. Write down the one thing currently scattered: places and routes, confirmations, shared costs, or all of them.
2. Check the devices in the group. A web-first mixed-device trip points toward different tools than an iPhone/iCloud group.
3. Ask whether invitees must install, register or pay. The organizer’s experience is only half the workflow.
4. Compare the exact paid features you need and the current regional price, not a headline “Pro” label.
5. Try one real upcoming trip with the free plan before migrating all your historical travel data.

Detailed comparisons

Sources and update notes

Official pages reviewed September 12, 2026. Feature access and prices can change; recheck before making a purchase.

• Troupe — US App Store listing
• Wanderlog — product comparison and published plan details
• Tripsy Pro — official plans
• TripIt — official free vs Pro pricing/features
• Splitwise Pro — official feature list · Splitwise Help Center — plan details
• Splittr — official product and availability status

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.