Which apps should a traveller have on their phone? (beyond maps and a translator)

Fill your phone's memory not with selfies but with utilities that turn you from a confused tourist into an unshakeable digital nomad. Beyond the obvious maps and translator, here's the 'iron champion' set. For navigation: Maps.me or OsmAnd — offline maps with walking, driving and transit routes; download a country and forget roaming, with saved spots working offline. GuruWalk or local walking-tour apps — not guides but locals running informal walks for tips, the best way to see a city from the inside. For money and documents: a scanner app (or CamScanner) — scan your passport, visa, insurance and licence and send them to your email and the cloud; a digital copy saves you at the consulate if you lose the originals; plus your bank apps (for UnionPay and other cards) to quickly block a card or track spending. For transport and lodging: 2GIS (for the CIS and Kazakhstan) — a local monster with detailed maps, transit routes and building plans; and your airline and booking aggregator apps, where the boarding pass, online check-in and booking status are often fastest. For connectivity and info: Airalo or Nomad for buying and managing an eSIM; a reviews/maps app for menu food photos, current reviews and venue geolocation. For safety and comfort: XE Currency — a converter with an offline rate so you don't puzzle at the counter; and a notes app (Google Keep) for addresses, names, local phrases and impressions. Tip: make a 'Travel' folder with all these icons and check everything is updated a week before the trip. Your phone is your main survival tool — set it up.