The sheer volume of mobile travel apps these days is overwhelming. Is there one, ultimate app that really “does it all”? The “app to end all apps”?
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Free mobile app SafeTravels (available for iOS and Android) isn’t quite promising that, but it does provide a number of tools that are useful and essential to every traveler. Think of it as one central digital location to store your most important planning, logistic, and documentation details.
The Skinny
The best way to describe SafeTravels is via this short, explainer video:
The elevator pitch goes like so:
SafeTravels allows you to easily create and share an Emergency Profile with other contacts – giving them access to your important travel and medical information in the event that something goes wrong.
The Traveler’s Take
Upon initially launching the app, the first thing that catches my eye is the smart, well-thought out design. It’s immediately clear that this isn’t just another fly-by-night, me-too travel app. Someone put serious consideration into the interface, including the theme, buttons, graphics, etc.
The app’s primary function is to serve as a repository for your most critical emergency information. To do this, you simply fill out the details of your profile as completely as possible. This includes standard personal information such as name, date of birth, country of origin, emergency contact details, and the like. But the app also stores health information like blood type, a list of serious medical conditions (asthma, bone problems, diabetes, etc.), and your current health insurance info.
Once your details are entered, you can easily share your full profile with anyone you like. This could be friends and family back home, someone you’re traveling with (even if just temporarily), or a tour group operator. If you’re ever in an emergency, your trusted contacts can easily access your details and respond accordingly by calling your health insurance provider, your family, etc. The best part is that all of this info is available offline which is key considering that you’re likely to be offline during your most risky travel endeavors.
One clever feature of the built-in sharing functionality is the ability to add an expiration date to each of your contacts. For example, if you’ll just be traveling with someone for two weeks, you can ensure that that someone only has access to your personal info for that period of time. Afterward, their access automatically expires.
A “My Tours” feature allows tour guides and travelers to stay in sync regarding their group’s itinerary (if applicable). Guides can ensure that their guests have the most updated tour schedule and push any updated times, locations, or other details out in real-time.
In practice, the app is extremely intuitive and user-friendly. The design is clear and concise without any extraneous fluff to distract from its primary purpose.
In addition, the app also offers a number of ancillary “Travel Tools”. These include things like a currency converter, travel planner, and world festival guide. The tool I find most useful is “My Vault” — a central location for your pertinent travel documents. Simply snap a photo of your passport, visa, flight confirmation, etc., upload it to the vault, and it’s there whenever you need it.
Pricing + Availability
Free download now available for iOS and Android.
The Bottom Line
SafeTravels provides a central location to store and share your most critical personal information, including health information, travel details, and tour itinerary. The design, ease of use, flexibility, sharability, and price (free!) ensure it’s an incredibly valuable tool for any traveler.