Essential Apps for Traveling in the USA

The United States is built around smartphones: rides, restaurant bookings, transit tickets and park information all live in apps. Download these before you leave so you can sign in while you are still on your home network.

Getting around

• Uber and Lyft — ride-hailing in every major city and most towns. Both accept international cards.
• Google Maps or Apple Maps — driving, walking and public transit directions, with offline maps for areas you download in advance.
• Transit — live departures for buses, subways and trains in many US cities.
• Tap to pay on transit — many systems, including New York’s subway and buses, accept contactless bank cards and phones directly at the gate, so you may not need a separate transit card.

Eating out

• OpenTable and Resy — restaurant reservations, often with same-day availability.
• Yelp and Google Maps reviews — opening hours, menus and photos.
• Food delivery apps such as DoorDash and Uber Eats deliver to most hotels.

Tipping is customary in the US: around 18–20% in sit-down restaurants and a small tip for taxi and ride-hailing drivers.

Road trips and national parks

• NPS App — the official National Park Service app with maps, alerts and park information; you can download content for offline use.
• GasBuddy — compares fuel prices nearby, useful on long drives.
• Recreation.gov — reservations and timed-entry permits for some popular parks and campgrounds.

Paying and staying in touch

• Apple Pay or Google Pay — contactless payments are accepted almost everywhere.
• WhatsApp, FaceTime and other calling apps — your USA eSIM is data-only, so these are how you call home.

All of these work on your USA eSIM data. Get your plan from our USA eSIM plans and install it before you fly.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a US phone number to use Uber or Lyft?

No. Both apps work with international phone numbers. Keep your home SIM active so you can receive the sign-in text, and use your eSIM for data.

Which map app works best in the USA?

Google Maps and Apple Maps both work very well. Download offline areas in Google Maps before visiting parks or remote regions where signal is patchy.

Can I pay for the subway with my phone?

In many cities, yes. New York’s subway and buses, for example, accept contactless bank cards and phones directly at the gate.