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5 Best Camping Apps in 2026

For campers in 2026, the right app can mean the difference between staring at a sold-out sign and securing a coveted pitch. After evaluating the landscape of camping tools, the five best camping apps are Campnab, Hipcamp, Camperguru, GlampingHub, and TrailWise. Each serves a distinct need, from snagging cancellations to booking treehouses or tracking summit conquests.

This list is for anyone who loves spending time outdoors—whether you’re a weekend tent camper, a vanlifer crossing Europe, a glamping enthusiast, or a hillwalker ticking off Wainwrights. Use it to find the app that matches your camping style and trip-planning habits.

How we picked these camping apps

We focused on feature depth, pricing clarity, fit for the use case, and reliability. Each app had to solve a real camping problem: booking, discovering spots, monitoring availability, or tracking progress. We prioritised apps with active user bases, clear pricing (free tiers or transparent subscriptions), and platforms that work on both iOS and Android. No app was included solely for brand recognition—only those that deliver a focused camping utility made the cut.

Also worth a look: Top 7 Hiking Apps in 2026 and Top 5 Activity Tracking Apps in 2026.

Tool Best for Key features Pricing Free trial
Campnab campers who need to book popular, sold-out campgrounds without manually refreshing pages Monitors over 3,200 parks and 7,000 campgrounds, Scans more than 650 permits and tickets, Filter scans by site type, hookups and specific campsites Good — $10/month (3 active scans) or $90/year —
Hipcamp campers who want a wide variety of stays from tent pitches to treehouses on private and public land Tent camping, glamping, cabins and treehouses in one marketplace, Search by amenities like dog-friendly sites, fires and hot tubs, Over 1,000 UK campsites plus listings in France, Spain, US, Canada and Australia Pricing on request —
Camperguru travellers who prefer a curated, hand-verified selection of camping and vanlife spots across Europe 864 hand-verified camping spots across Europe, Filters for beach camping, family sites, dog-friendly and remote-work locations, Free camping and toll-road maps included Free — spot collection, basic search and favorites —
GlampingHub travellers seeking comfortable outdoor stays like domes, treehouses, and yurts with a lowest-price guarantee 18,000+ glamping properties across six continents, Search by destination, dates and guest count, Lowest price guarantee claimed on the site Pricing on request —
TrailWise UK hikers who want to track completed fells and peaks against classifications like Wainwrights and Munros Offline region maps, no signal required on the hill, Route composer for loops and multi-day hikes, Summit logging with elevation stats Free — forever, no card required 14-day free trial

The best camping apps in 2026

Here are the top five camping apps, ranked from the most universally useful to the most niche. Each entry includes what it does best and who it suits.

1. Campnab

Campnab — campsite availability monitoring dashboard

Campnab is best for: campers who need to book popular, sold-out campgrounds without manually refreshing pages

Campnab monitors over 3,200 parks and 7,000 campgrounds for cancellations and sends SMS alerts the moment a site opens up. It supports filters by site type, hookups, and specific campsites, with plans ranging from pay-per-use to monthly subscriptions. Ideal for anyone tired of seeing 'sold out' on their favourite campground.

Key Campnab features

  • Monitors over 3,200 parks and 7,000 campgrounds
  • Scans more than 650 permits and tickets
  • Filter scans by site type, hookups and specific campsites
  • SMS alerts when a sold-out site opens up
  • One-on-one support included with membership plans

Campnab pricing

  • Good — $10/month (3 active scans) or $90/year
  • Better — $20/month (5 active scans) or $180/year
  • Awesome — $30/month (7 active scans) or $270/year
  • Pay-per-use scans from $10

Visit Campnab

2. Hipcamp

Hipcamp — map of bookable campsites and outdoor stays

Hipcamp is best for: campers who want a wide variety of stays from tent pitches to treehouses on private and public land

Hipcamp is a marketplace for booking camping, glamping, and outdoor stays on private land, farms, and public parks. It lists over 1,000 UK campsites plus locations in France, Spain, the US, Canada, and Australia. The app lets users search by amenities like dog-friendly sites, fires, and hot tubs, and book directly with hosts.

Key Hipcamp features

  • Tent camping, glamping, cabins and treehouses in one marketplace
  • Search by amenities like dog-friendly sites, fires and hot tubs
  • Over 1,000 UK campsites plus listings in France, Spain, US, Canada and Australia
  • Direct booking with property hosts
  • Host program with insurance and listing support
  • iOS and Android app

Hipcamp pricing

  • Pricing on request

Visit Hipcamp

3. Camperguru

Camperguru — curated camping and vanlife spot listing

Camperguru is best for: travellers who prefer a curated, hand-verified selection of camping and vanlife spots across Europe

Camperguru offers 864 personally visited and photographed camping spots across Europe, filtered by beach, family, dog-friendly, and remote-work criteria. The free tier covers basic search and favourites; Premium+ at €29/year unlocks full contact details and trip-planning extras. Perfect for those who want quality over quantity.

Key Camperguru features

  • 864 hand-verified camping spots across Europe
  • Filters for beach camping, family sites, dog-friendly and remote-work locations
  • Free camping and toll-road maps included
  • iOS and Android apps
  • Community suggestions for new locations

Camperguru pricing

  • Free — spot collection, basic search and favorites
  • Premium+ — €29/year (reduced from €39/year)

Visit Camperguru

4. GlampingHub

GlampingHub — glamping property search results

GlampingHub is best for: travellers seeking comfortable outdoor stays like domes, treehouses, and yurts with a lowest-price guarantee

GlampingHub lists over 18,000 glamping properties across six continents, searchable by destination, dates, and group size. The platform includes guest dashboards with wishlists and trip tracking, and claims a lowest-price guarantee. Best suited for those who want a more luxurious outdoor experience than standard tent camping.

Key GlampingHub features

  • 18,000+ glamping properties across six continents
  • Search by destination, dates and guest count
  • Lowest price guarantee claimed on the site
  • Host dashboard for property owners
  • Guest dashboard with wishlists and trip tracking
  • Multiple currency options for booking

GlampingHub pricing

  • Pricing on request

Visit GlampingHub

5. TrailWise

TrailWise — summit log and route planner

TrailWise is best for: UK hikers who want to track completed fells and peaks against classifications like Wainwrights and Munros

TrailWise is a summit-tracking app that logs completed fells and plans routes with offline region maps. It manages gear lists and syncs completions to Strava, with on-device processing for privacy. The free tier is ad-free; Premium at 99p/month adds advanced features. Great for hikers who love structured progress tracking.

Key TrailWise features

  • Offline region maps, no signal required on the hill
  • Route composer for loops and multi-day hikes
  • Summit logging with elevation stats
  • Gear management by category and usage history
  • On-device processing that keeps data off the cloud
  • Badges and milestones across fell lists

TrailWise pricing

  • Free — forever, no card required
  • Premium — 99p/month (prices include VAT)
  • Free trial: 14-day free trial

Visit TrailWise

Which camping apps should you choose?

If you often find your favourite campground fully booked, start with Campnab. Its automated scanning and SMS alerts take the frustration out of cancellations. For a broad selection of stays—from basic tent pitches to glamping yurts—Hipcamp is the go-to marketplace, especially for UK and European travellers who want variety. When you value quality over quantity and prefer hand-vetted spots, Camperguru offers a curated collection of Europe’s best camping and vanlife locations, backed by personal visits.

For those who love comfort while still sleeping under the stars, GlampingHub provides over 18,000 properties across six continents, from domes to treehouses. Finally, if your camping trips involve serious hiking and peak-bagging, TrailWise is the perfect companion for tracking summits and planning routes offline. Each app serves a different slice of the outdoor experience, so pick the one that fits your next adventure.

Frequently asked questions

Look for offline maps, campsite search or booking, availability alerts, and filters for amenities like pet-friendly or hookups. Some apps also offer trip planning, gear management, or summit tracking.

Yes. Camperguru offers a free tier with basic search and favourites. TrailWise has a free forever tier with no card required. Other apps like Campnab have pay-per-use or subscription options.

Hipcamp and GlampingHub allow direct booking of stays. Campnab doesn't book but alerts you when a site becomes available so you can book through the park's system.

TrailWise includes offline region maps that work without signal. Most other apps require internet for searching and booking, though saved content may be accessible offline.

Apps like Campnab monitor reservation systems for cancellations. You set your desired park, dates, and site type, and the scanner checks repeatedly. It sends an SMS alert when a matching site opens up.

Glamping (glamorous camping) includes stays in domes, treehouses, yurts, and tiny homes. GlampingHub and Hipcamp both offer glamping listings with amenities like beds and electricity.

Camperguru includes free camping and toll-road maps in its Premium+ membership. Hipcamp also lists some free or low-cost sites on private land.

Topics: Camping appsHealth & FitnessOutdoor recreationTravel Planning

David Hall

About the author

David Hall

Senior Editor at ShortlistMag

David Hall is the Senior Editor at ShortlistMag, where he researches, compares and ranks the software and products that make our shortlists. He spent more than a decade covering technology and consumer products for trade and business publications before moving into product research full-time, and has evaluated hundreds of SaaS tools, apps and gadgets along the way. His method is simple: start with what a category is actually for, check every feature and price on the maker’s own site, and keep only the picks he would recommend to a friend. Nothing on his lists is paid for, and every shortlist is revisited as products change. Away from the desk he is usually trialling a new note-taking app he will probably abandon, cycling, or hunting for the perfect flat white.

All shortlists by David Hall