Whether you’re going on a weekend camping trip or you’re full-timing in your rig, there’s a ton of different things to consider when you’re hitting the road in your RV- where are you going to camp? Will there be internet? Will the weather suck and keep you trapped inside all weekend? Luckily, there’s tons of awesome apps to help you have the best camping experience possible, so here are the 15 best RVing apps to ensure you’ll have an incredible time on the road.
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Best RVing apps for finding campsites
Before we dive in, I want to flag that each RVer has different needs- for example, I have a 17-foot travel trailer and prefer to boondock in dispersed campsites, as opposed to paid campgrounds with hookups.
So, given my style of camping, the most useful apps for me help locate free campsites with stellar views and ensure that I’ll have all the things I need once I’m at those sites, like solar, internet, and water.
While some of the apps on this list are geared more towards folks that like to camp like me, I included apps that will be helpful no matter what kind of RVer you are.
So with that, let’s get to it!
1. Campendium
Available for: iPhone only (a Web version is also available)
My personal favorite app to find free or affordable campsites is Campendium. Within the app, you can search for a certain location and find campsites of all kinds, from casino parking lots to state park campgrounds and fancy RV resorts, as well as dump stations.
There’s helpful filters to help you identify the right campsite for you, like price per night, the type of hookups you need, and even by specific amenities (I mean, if you’re paying RV resort prices, it might as well have a hot tub, amirite?). When you click on a particular campsite you’re interested in, you’ll be provided with a ton of helpful information about the site- what kind of rigs previous campers have stayed there with, whether there’s cell signal for each of the big carriers, how much a nightly stay costs, and reviews from other campers.
There’s also a paid version for $50 a year (that also comes with a membership to RoadTrippers, RVillage, and To Go RV) that allows you to filter campsites by cell phone coverage for AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon or by whether land is designated as public (e.g., U.S. National Forest (USNF) or Bureau of Land Management (BLM)).
Plus, unlike some other sites, the campsites or dump stations listed on the app are vetted by moderators, which helps ensure the information provided is accurate and consistently formatted throughout the app.
We live in our RV and Campendium is definitely our go to app to find not only cool free campsites, but also sites that provide fast and reliable internet speeds so that I can work remotely from my RV. All in all, I can’t say enough about Campendium- it’s clear it’s an app that was developed for campers, by campers.
2. iOverlander
Available for: Android and iPhone (a Web version is also available)
iOverlander functions similar to Campendium, allowing you to search across a map for not only campsites, but also for a ton of other RVing essentials, like places to fill up your water tanks for free, showers, or propane refill stations.
It’s been our experience that sites on this app largely depend on user reports, which results in a TON of spots being listed on the app. For example, if I can’t find a dump station along our route in Campendium, I’ll usually double check if there’s one in iOverlander.
Additionally, there’s more fluidity in some of the categories than on the other apps. For example, you can filter, for example, by “wild camping” and “informal camping” sites, which can be anything from a Walmart parking lot to a street in an urban area that allows 24 hour parking (i.e., this would be a super helpful feature for vanlifers!).
On the other hand, this can mean that some of the information is not always the most up-to-date or accurate. One time, my husband, Justin, and I drove about twenty minutes out of the way to fill up our fresh water tank at a site listed on the app, which turned out, instead, to be one of those water bottle fill-up machines (similar to the kind you see at the airport).
Another drawback about iOverlander is that you can’t search for a location by simply typing it in. Instead, you have to manually drag around the map to get to whatever area you’re interested in. Accordingly, when I’m a bit unfamiliar with an area and aren’t totally sure where it’s located within a state, I can wind up spending more time than I’d like cross-referencing Google Maps so that I can find the right location.
Generally, iOverlander is a super helpful (and FREE!) app- you just have to be sure to check the recency and number of the user reviews and make an informed decision about the trustworthiness of the report.
3. The Dyrt
Available for: Android and iPhone (a Web version is also available)
Similar to Campendium, The Dyrt allows you to search for campsites in a certain area and filter based on what kind of site you’re looking for, the nightly price, or even how good the air quality is! And like Campendium, each of the site’s individual pages are consistently formatted, easy to digest, and packed with helpful information, including whether the site gets cell signal.
While I generally think that Campendium’s listing of campsites is more comprehensive than the Dyrt (especially on the non-traditional side, like Cracker Barrel parking lots and the like), the Dyrt’s paid membership program, the Dyrt Pro ($36/year), has some really cool features, like a road trip planner that helps you select campsites along the way, a filter to find off-the-grid campsites on USNF or BLM land, and even a discount program at more than 1000 campsites across the United States.
In fact, if you’re interested in trying out the Dyrt Pro for FREE for a week, give it a try here!
All in all, a very handy tool to have in your campsite-finding arsenal!
4. Harvest Hosts/ Boondockers Welcome
Available for: Android and iPhone (a Web version is also available)
If you’re not familiar with these programs, buckle up- they’re pretty neat! Harvest Hosts is a network of almost 5,000 wineries, breweries, museums, farms, churches and other small businesses spread across the United States and Canada.
By becoming a member ($99/year- use this link, which will give you a unique discount code!), you can book a stay at any of these unique host locations (think family winery in California wine country or an apple orchard in Massachusetts). Your stay with the host will be totally free, although you’re expected to purchase something that’s worth at least $30 on your visit. Getting to stay someplace cool and supporting a small business? Win win!
We outline this in more detail in our Harvest Hosts review, but it’s worth mentioning here that the program isn’t right for every RVer. For one, you need a self-contained RV, with a toilet, water waste system, and indoor kitchen facilities. You’re also subject to the hosts’ availability (and some of them book up fast!) and the host business’s opening hours so that they can tell you where to park and you can purchase their products or services.
Finally, you can only stay at most locations for one night at a time (and, occasionally are not allowed to unhitch if you’re in the travel trailer fam), so it’s usually best-suited for places you’re just driving through, rather than your final destination.
Justin and I use Harvest Hosts ALL THE TIME to stay overnight to break up long drives or as an affordable campsite in areas with expensive campgrounds. For example, we just stayed for two nights with a church in the Florida Keys, where most campgrounds are easily $150 a night!
Boondockers Welcome is up the same alley- so similar, in fact, that Harvest Hosts purchased Boondockers Welcome and integrated it into their app! With a BW membership, private individuals act as hosts and allow other RVers to park in their homes’ driveways or backyards. The annual memberships are $79, but use the code “BWFRIENDS15” at checkout for 15% off!
You still need a self-contained RV, but, unlike Harvest Hosts, there’s usually a bit more flexibility around arrival time and how long you can stay (each host sets their limit- I’ve seen some hosts allow folks to stay for up to a week at a time). Many hosts even offer electrical and water hook-ups for a nominal fee (or even free!).
This program is awesome for finding affordable campsites in otherwise expensive or even urban areas- Justin and I have camped in the middle of an artsy neighborhood of Portland, as well as snagged a last-minute site in Reno, Nevada after our Plan A campsite fell through. We’ve also spent the majority of this winter in Florida, where it’s extremely challenging to find cheap campgrounds- but we’ve been able to stay here pretty affordably by relying heavily on Boondockers Welcome.
If you camp in RVs for long periods, are on a budget, or want to explore more urban areas, Boondockers Welcome is an absolute must, in my opinion!
5. Recreation.gov
Available for: Android and iPhone (a Web version is also available)
If you’re trying to book a campsite that’s managed by the U.S. Federal government (think the National Parks and the US Forest Service), Recreation.gov will be your best friend, showing you site amenities and availability, and offers the ability to reserve a site directly through the app.
Having this handy app (and an account set up!) is key to snagging a coveted reservation to some of the more popular campsites in the country, like the campgrounds at Yosemite, which often book up minutes after the sites become reservable. Also, if you’re a hiking enthusiast like me, you can use this app to register for lotteries for permitted hikes or backcountry campsites for federally-managed lands.
6. AllStays
Available for: iPhone only (a Web version is available, but is basically unusable without a AllStays Pro membership, which costs $34.95 per year)
AllStays is similar in a lot of ways to Campendium, The Dyrt, and iOverlander.
The app, available for a one-time $9.99 purchase, allows you to search and filter through over 30,000 campgrounds, plus additional free sites, like Elk Lodges, grocery stores, and RV stores that allow overnight parking. Plus, if you keep the app open while you’re driving, the app will update in real-time to show camping options along your route and, once you select a site, you’ll be provided turn-by-turn directions to your final destination.
There are also some nifty navigation features that aren’t available in the other apps in this category, like the ability to search along your route to find whether there’s any low clearance bridges or steep grades to avoid.
Best RVing apps for navigation
Given that the whole idea of owning an RV is to have a tiny home on wheels, GPS apps that provide reliable directions and keep you safe on the road are kind of imperative to the whole lifestyle.
That being said, no GPS app is a substitute for your eyes and brain- be sure to stay alert for low-hanging bridges, one-way streets, and other shenanigans in the road while you’re driving. Fun fact: while towing our trailer, Justin and I passed a gentleman driving a motorized wheelchair in the middle of the street, with an 18-pack of Henieken in his lap- no GPS app can help you navigate around that!
7. Google Maps
Available for: iPhone and Android (a Web version is also available)
There is perhaps no app I use more on a day-to-day basis than Google Maps (available here for Android and here for iPhone). Not only can you plan your route in the app with multiple stops, but it allows you to move around the pit stops along your route to figure out the most efficient path and helps you determine how much time a certain detour will take.
I could wax on forever about the benefits of Google Maps: while you’re en route, it will automatically reroute you to a faster path if there’s traffic or an accident; you can download offline maps to use when you’re out of cell phone range; and you can easily search for and add a variety of different businesses, like gas stations or grocery stores, along your route. And did I mention it’s totally free?
The one downside is that Google Maps will not account for your RV’s height, weight, or length, so, if that’s an issue for your particular rig, you’ll have to keep an eye out on your route for low-hanging bridges and tight mountain switchbacks.
8. RV Life
Available for: iPhone and Android
More rig, more problems? RV Life (formerly RV Trip Wizard) is a super helpful GPS app that allows you to plan a customized route around the restrictions of your RV’s height, weight, and length. It’s kind of like Google Maps, but built specifically for RVers in mind- it provides turn-by-turn directions (including helpful information, like what turn lane to be in) via audio navigation, so your eyes don’t have to be glued to your phone; real-time traffic updates; and the ability to download offline maps, so you can use the app when you’re in remote areas without cell signal.
Plus, it offers a bunch of features similar to Campendium and other campground-finding apps, allowing you to search for about 20,000 campgrounds and even filter by particular membership programs, like KOA or Good Sam, to help you find the right place for you. The app is $49.99 per year after your initial 7-day free trial and is totally worth it if you have to worry about navigation limitations, due to the size of your rig.
Best RVing apps for the road
9. Gas Buddy
Available for: iPhone and Android
One of my least favorite things about RVing? How much more frequently we have to stop and purchase gas.
Good news, though- Gas Buddy is here to solve your gas-guzzling woes, helping find gas station prices near you or along your route so you can find the most affordable option. Given how much more frequently we have to fill up when we’re towing our trailer, it’s also super helpful for evaluating our upcoming route and confirming whether there’s a gas station within our gas tank’s range, to make sure we don’t get stuck on a remote stretch of road without any gas stations around.
In addition to providing gas station prices, there’s other benefits through the app that you can sign up for, like a free gas card that provides a discount at most gas stations (usually a couple cents off per gallon but can be anywhere up to 25 cents) and a portal, similar to Rakuten, where you can accrue points from everyday purchases, from brands like Home Depot or Advanced Auto Parts, and use those points towards your gas card purchases. There’s even a premium membership ($9.99/month) that provides 20 cents off your first 50 gallons of gas each month- and provides 24 hour roadside assistance, similar to AAA.
10. AccuWeather
Available for: iPhone and Android (a Web version is also available)
Before I started RVing, I would have never guessed how frequently I would check the weather forecast before we take out our trailer. Will there be good solar to recharge our battery? Will it get below freezing so we have to worry about our pipes freezing? Will it be too hot to RV with our dogs? Will it be raining the whole weekend so that we won’t really enjoy camping (when we were living in Seattle, the rain struggle was REAL)?
AccuWeather (available here for Android and here for iPhone) not only provides helpful forecasts and alerts, but, unlike some other weather apps, provides real-time radar maps that can help you find an area around you that may have better camping conditions.
Best RVing apps for while you’re at the campsite
11. SpeedTest
Available for: iPhone and Android(a Web version is also available)
As mentioned above, Justin and I intermittently work remotely from our RV and need rock-solid internet connection while we’re at a campsite. The first thing that we do when we pull up to a possible campsite is whip out our phones and, with one tap of our finger in the Speedtest app, run a speed test to see whether the site gets decent download, upload, and ping speeds.
While we usually care the most about upload speeds while we’re working, SpeedTest also specifically allows you to test your network’s ability to stream video, by measuring your max resolution, load time, and buffering and is one of the only apps that can measure 5G coverage.
12. Skyview Lite
Available for: iPhone and Android
If you rely on solar or prefer to camp in the shade, Skyview Lite (available here for Android and here for iPhone) is a handy free tool to help you figure out where the sun will be during different parts of the day.
The app is intended to show the user, using augmented reality, the path of galaxies, stars, and planets when the phone is pointed at the sky. The app also helpfully shows the sun’s trajectory across the sky (for example, if you arrive at your campsite in the dark or on a cloudy day), so you can figure out the best direction for your RV to be facing to soak up that afternoon sun- or alternatively, stay cool in the shade.
Plus, it’s a fun tool to whip out while you’re sitting around the campfire- who doesn’t like finding their favorite constellations in the beautiful nighttime sky?
Best RVing apps for everything else
13. YouTube
Available for iPhone and Android(a Web version is also available)
Literally, everything Justin and I know, we learned from YouTube.
Okay, okay, perhaps that’s a little dramatic, but seriously, anyone who thinks YouTube is only good for cat videos and Casey Neistat is seriously missing out. YouTube (available here for Android and here for iPhone) is a treasure trove of useful information- in fact, did you know it’s the second largest search engine in the world?
So do you want to watch exactly how someone winterizes their RV? You’ll find thousands of videos on that- and probably have a decent shot of finding a video of someone winterizing your specific model. What about how to change a tire on your RV in case you get a flat on the road? Yup, there’s tons of videos for that too!
When Justin and I were considering which travel trailer to buy, we fell deep into the YouTube abyss, watching endless tour and review videos for the models we were interested in.
So whether you’re looking for how-tos, campground reviews, or even what full-timing in an RV looks like, YouTube is an invaluable resource for all your camping queries.
14. Facebook
Available for iPhone and Android (a Web version is also available)
Putting aside Facebook’s problematic behavior, it is undoubtedly a fantastic resource for users looking to find communities. There’s so many organized communities (called Groups) on Facebook (available here for Android and here for iPhone) that are helpful to new RVers- full-time RVing, boondocking, women RVers, whatever group you’re looking for, there’s bound to be an existing community and, just as importantly, a knowledge source already out there on Facebook.
For example, Justin and I are active participants of the Altoistes, a group specifically for owners and potential owners of our brand of trailer, Safari Condo Altos. Whenever we have a question about literally anything in our trailer, we immediately turn to the Altoistes group, as there’s a really good chance someone has previously asked the question in the group- or if not, that somebody will undoubtedly know the answer. In fact, we even found and purchased our trailer through a Facebook group! You may need to search around to find a group that aligns with your RV or camping interests, but there’s a community out there, just waiting for you and your rig with open arms.
15. Amazon
Available for iPhone and Android (a Web version is also available)
Need an obscure charging cable or an extra headlamp? Amazon (available here on Android and here on iPhone) can help you with that, whether you’re at home or on the road. Now, I know you’re thinking, but “how do I get a package from Amazon while I’m camping in my RV for an extended period of time?”
I’m so glad you asked!
There are thousands of Amazon Lockers and Hubs in over 900 cities across the United States, in convenient places like grocery stores or gas stations. If you’re not close to home, you can search for an Amazon locker near you or your next destination when you select your shipping address at checkout. Once your package has been delivered to the locker you selected, you’ll receive an email from Amazon, including a code. Just show up at the locker location, input your code, and a locker with your package will pop open.
Justin and I have lived in our RV for months at a time and while there aren’t Amazon lockers available everywhere (especially more remote places), we’ve used Amazon lockers countless times to pick items up when we’re passing through towns and cities.
Couple that with Amazon Prime’s 2-day shipping (you can try Prime for free for 30 days here)? It’s pure technology magic!
Apps have made my experience RVing so much easier (seriously, how did people hit the road before cell phones existed) and more affordable! Between electricity, gas, water, sewer, and waste, we spend – at most – $50 a month on utilities which is almost one TENTH what we spent on the same utilities for our previous home in Seattle. Check out our video below to learn more.
Did I miss any of your favorites? Let me know in the comments below!
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I’m looking forward to trying out some of these apps!
Glad to hear it! Thanks for reading 🙂
Have you tried HipCamp? Private land owners and commercial campsites, inexpensive and varying degrees of amenities. I’ve stayed in some that have no amenities except pure unspoiled nature.
Hi there! I have looked at Hip Camp a few times and, in my experience, the campsites seem to be a little on the pricy side. It’s great to hear you’ve had good experiences with it though!
Looking for an app on holding tank dumps. When traveling across country or just a few hundred miles, if you boondoggle, when can you empty your tanks and get fresh water?
Hi Pete,
We use Campendium to find dump stations and iOverlander to find dump stations and water refill spots.
Thanks for reading!
Jess