Lonely Planet vs GoWāndr
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Lonely Planet
Discover curated travel advice from local experts for over 400 destinations worldwide. Explore guides, walking tours, and interactive maps to find hidden gems, save points of interest, and build custom itineraries. An AI assistant provides quick answers to your travel questions.
- Expert-vetted destination guides
- Interactive maps with local recommendations
- Save points of interest to travel collections
- Build custom itineraries
- AI-powered travel assistant
- Exclusive member content
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Travel the world with the Lonely Planet app. Every recommendation, route and restaurant we share is vetted by our global community of 450+ local experts for different kinds of travelers. Explore their curated travel advice inside our trusted guides to 400+ places all across the globe: Italy, Vietnam, Ireland, Spain, Japan, Costa Rica, Portugal and Greece. More on the way, too. Not sure where to go, or what to do once you're there? Browse destination guides, explore walking tours and use our interactive maps to uncover locals’ favorite restaurants, places to stay, museums and hidden gems. Save whatever catches your eye to travel collections to use whenever you’re ready to plan your next trip. Then build an itinerary from everything you've saved, or just edit one of ours. Or just ask our AI Assistant your burning travel questions – such as, where to eat in Rio. Faster answers, always and only rooted in actual advice from real Lonely Planet experts. The Lonely Planet app is your travel app for discovering, saving and planning to make the most of every vacation. Unlock even more as a Lonely Planet member with exclusive access to premium itineraries, walking tours and experiences in our app plus more travel perks and Lonely Planet benefits. See our Terms&Conditions: https://www.lonelyplanet.com/legal/app-terms
GoWāndr
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GoWāndr helps you decide which trip is worth taking, then keeps the details close once you commit. Real trips usually begin with scattered ideas: a place someone mentioned, a restaurant link, a hotel screenshot, a video, or a quick note. Save each idea to a trip draft and compare the trips you are actually considering. DECIDE BEFORE YOU PLAN Review several trip drafts side by side. See which option has enough reasons, what still needs thought, and which trip feels ready. Share a comparison when you want clearer input from friends. COMMIT AND KEEP MOVING When one trip wins, move it into planning and track what needs to happen next. KEEP DETAILS IN POCKET Store the travel information you need quickly, including flights, stays, confirmation codes, screenshots, links, parking reminders, and notes. Pocket keeps those details together so they do not disappear in email, texts, or your camera roll. THE GOWĀNDR FLOW - Capture scattered ideas in trip drafts - Compare possible trips - Share a comparison for feedback - Commit to one trip - Track the next steps - Keep important details in Pocket Save the idea. Compare the options. Commit to the trip. Keep the details. SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION GoWāndr Pro Yearly renews each year. Payment is charged to your Apple Account when you confirm the purchase. The subscription renews automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the current period ends. Manage or cancel it in your Apple Account subscription settings. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://www.inspire-ux.com/privacy-policy-gowandr
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is chart position: Lonely Planet at #86 against GoWāndr's unranked. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Lonely Planet sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $72.00 per year and GoWāndr sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Lonely Planet ships an update every 2 weeks, GoWāndr every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on November 9, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Lonely Planet | GoWāndr |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (221 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 54.5% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 221 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Every 8 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Freemium | — |
| Best chart rank | #86 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 15.1 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 148 MB | 43 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Lonely Planet Global, Inc. | Christopher Bell |
In-app purchases
Lonely Planet
- Annual Membership$72.001 Year
- Trip Pass$30.00
GoWāndr
- GoWandr Plus Monthly$3.991 Month
- GoWandr Plus Yearly7 Days trial$29.991 Year
Questions
Is Lonely Planet free?
Is GoWāndr free?
Do Lonely Planet or GoWāndr have ads?
Which is updated more often, Lonely Planet or GoWāndr?
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