Pappus Travel Planner

Pappus Travel Planner is a free trip-planning app for building day-by-day itineraries, tracking costs and keeping trip data in a portable file. It suits travelers who value offline access and control over their data; its unsigned Windows builds and lack of an Android store listing make downloading less straightforward.

Overview

Pappus brings itinerary planning, optional transport searches, maps, attachments and expense tracking into one trip database. It works offline except for connection searches and map tiles, which rely on network services. There is no account or server requirement, and the app says it uploads nothing. That makes it a strong fit for travelers who want their plans in a file they control, though it does not sync calendars automatically.

Key features

Itineraries can include destinations, transport legs and times, shared-ticket groups, alternative plans and reorderable entries. The structure can handle more than a simple checklist, while preserving alternatives for trips that may change. Optional Transitous searches find public transport, trains, buses and other operator routes; results can be imported and live times refreshed. These searches are an add-on to the planner, not a requirement for offline trip management.

Maps use OpenStreetMap tiles, and GPX tracks can be imported onto itinerary legs. Costs can be recorded in multiple currencies with custom categories and exchange rates; spending statistics and settle-up calculations help groups understand who paid what. Photos and documents can be attached to a trip, group or itinerary entry and remain inside its database file.

Trips can be shared as importable .tpt bundles that include attachments, or exported as PDF and .ics. The latter formats are one-way exports: they cannot be imported back into Pappus. That makes .tpt the better choice for handing a complete editable trip to another user.

Pricing

Pappus is free software under GNU GPL version 3 or any later version, with no warranty. The Free software plan costs nothing. There are no paid tiers to weigh against its itinerary, route-search, map or cost-tracking features, but the GPL license and warranty disclaimer may matter to users seeking a commercial support commitment.

Platforms

Pappus supports Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, web and Windows. The README provides Android, Linux and Windows builds from Releases; Android has no store listing yet, and Windows builds are unsigned. Those download caveats may deter users who prefer app-store installation or signed Windows software. Calendar sync is not supported, although trips can be exported as .ics files. English and German are supported, with light, dark and system themes.

Who it's for

Pappus is best for independent travelers and groups who want detailed itineraries, shared expense calculations and offline access without putting trip data on an account-based service. Its portable SQLite database and attachment support suit people who prefer to retain their own records. It is a weaker fit for travelers who need calendar sync, or who want a polished store download on Android or a signed Windows installer.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Day-by-day plans combine places, transport, times and alternatives, giving complex trips more structure than a basic task list.
• Pro: Multi-currency costs, exchange rates and settle-up calculations address a practical pain point for group travel.
• Pro: Offline use and a portable SQLite file provide control over trip data; attachments stay with the database.
• Con: Calendar sync is absent, so .ics export is the available calendar route—and exported calendars cannot be imported back.
• Con: Android has no store listing and Windows builds are unsigned, adding friction for those platforms.
• Con: Connection searches and map tiles require network access, so those features are not fully offline.

Alternatives

Browse Travel Itinerary Apps for more trip-planning choices, or To-do list apps if your trip planning is closer to task management.

Choose Lambus if you want a free basic app on Android, iOS or web and are open to a separate PRO plan, which costs €24.99 a year. TREK is another free option, including Linux and self-hosting, for users comfortable with its AGPL-3.0 license and personal or internal company use terms.

TripIt may suit travelers who want a document-organizing option: its free plan allows three documents per trip, while Pro costs $49 a year and allows 25. Pilot is a free Android, iOS and web alternative with a flexible itinerary builder, route and map tools, file and reservation import, and real-time collaboration.

Stippl is worth considering if calendar sync matters: its free plan includes unlimited trips, co-planners and expenses, plus PDF export and calendar sync. TripCraftr offers a free plan with unlimited trips and invitees, but caps documents at five per trip and Lorenzo replies at five per day on the nearest trip. TripMapper has a free Trip plan and a paid Trip+ plan at £3.99 a month. Tripomatic may fit shorter plans: its free tier caps planned activities at five days per calendar month and places and hotels at 25 per trip, and includes ads.

Verdict

Choose Pappus if you want a free, offline-capable planner that combines detailed itineraries with group expense tracking and keeps trip data in a portable file. Look elsewhere if calendar sync is essential or you want straightforward store installation on Android and signed Windows builds.