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Pin Drop vs Lonely Planet
Lonely Planet's new app puts expert-made destination guides, dynamic maps and day-by-day itineraries from over 450 local experts in your pocket for planning a trip. Pin Drop takes a different approach: it is your own personal map of every place you want to remember, unlimited and organised your way, that keeps growing across every trip and every day in between.
One map for life, not one trip.
Save places from every holiday and every weekend at home.
Unlimited places, always free to add.
Pin as many spots as you like, with no cap on your list.
Organised your way.
Tag, group and filter places however makes sense to you.
Yours to keep and share.
Your map travels with you on web, iOS and Android, and you can share it with friends.
How the two apps compare.
Lonely Planet launched a new app in 2026 that turns decades of guidebook expertise into a proper planning tool.
It gives you dynamic maps, day-by-day itineraries and destination guides written by more than 450 on-the-ground experts across 185 countries.
An AI assistant helps with planning and navigating, and for a limited time the whole app is free to use while paid membership tiers roll out later in the year.
For anyone planning a single trip who wants expert opinion on where to go, it is a genuinely strong option.
But it is built around trips. Places you save live inside itineraries and guides for the journey you are planning right now.
Pin Drop works differently. It is your own map that keeps every place you have ever wanted to remember, holiday spots and everyday ones alike, unlimited and organised your way, long after the trip ends.
Choose Lonely Planet for expert-made guides to a destination. Choose the map here for a personal record that lasts.
Side by side
How Pin Drop compares with Lonely Planet
The capabilities that matter when you move your map across.
Capability
Pin Drop
Lonely Planet
How it works
From scattered saves to one map you keep for good.
01
Bring your places across
Import everywhere you have already saved from a spreadsheet, export or another app. However many, they map instantly with no limits.
02
Make it yours
Tag and group places into trips, cities and wish lists, and add your own notes and photos.
03
Take it everywhere
One map on your phone and the web, kept in sync, so it is with you at home and on the road.
Why people switch
No limits, nothing lost, easy to share.
No pin limit
Keep saving without hitting a cap or deleting old places to make room.
A map that lasts
Your places stay put and keep growing, trip after trip, year after year.
Notes and photos
Remember why you saved somewhere, not just that you did.
Yours to share
Send a place or a whole list to the people you are travelling with, no sign up needed.
Move from Lonely Planet to Pin Drop.
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Questions you might have
How is Pin Drop different from Lonely Planet?
Lonely Planet is a travel brand with guides and curated recommendations for destinations. Pin Drop is your own saved map of places, the spots you have been, want to go and were told about, kept in one map across every trip.
Can I use Pin Drop alongside Lonely Planet?
Yes. Browse Lonely Planet for ideas, then save the places you like as pins in Pin Drop. Your personal map of favourites travels with you from one trip to the next.
Can I save and import places into Pin Drop?
Yes. Save places from anywhere, organise them into maps and add notes and photos to each pin. It syncs across your phone and desktop.
Is Pin Drop a good Lonely Planet alternative?
They do different jobs. Lonely Planet suggests where to go, Pin Drop remembers and organises the places you choose. Many travellers use both.
How much does Pin Drop cost?
Pin Drop has a free plan and paid plans. See the pricing page for current plans. Lonely Planet's own products are priced separately and change over time, so check their site.
