10 Great Smartphone Apps for Drivers

Image via Complex Original

Price: $2.99
Available On: iOS

The best road trips are the ones that get weird. A drive through America's most ignored regions isn't complete without stopping at an oddly specific museum or the world's largest whatever. Once you buy the app, Roadside America will give you access to all the destinations in a region for $1.99 or access to all of the United States and Canada for $5.99.

Price: Free
Available On: iOS, Android

You should never go into a shop, get an estimate, and automatically roll with it. Always price out repairs. RepairPal will give you a fair estimate and tell you which nearby shops are recommended. If a mechanic tries to fool you, show him the app and be all like, "Nah, son. Nah." 

Price: $0.99
Available On: iOS

We should all know the tricks to using your phone to remember where you parked your car-drop a pin on the map and take a picture. Honk has the advantage of letting you do both in one app, as well as keeping voice or handwritten memos. You can also input your meter time. Why use maps, the camera, notes, and the clock when you could streamline everything into one app?

Price: $12.99
Available On: iOS

Dynolicious is for the hardcore gear heads. Using your iPhone's built-in accelerometer, the app will give you your car's time for 0-60 and the quarter-mile. It'll also churn out horsepower, g-force, and other metrics. For every tweak you make to the car, you can re-record the data and compare against the old numbers. Nine bucks might seem steep, but the app developer promises accuracy comparable to equipment that costs hundreds more.

Price: Free
Available On: iOS, Android

You don't have to be a AAA member to enjoy the benefits of the organization's app. The iPad version has a travel guide that'll show you the best destinations wherever you are. If you are a member, you can get roadside assistance through the app instead of dealing with a drawn out, boring phone call. Unfortunately, the app won't guarantee the guy who comes to fix a flat in the middle of nowhere will laugh at your jokes.

Price: Free
Available On: iOs, Android, Windows Phone

All you have to do to be part of the Waze community is leave the app open while you drive. The app automatically self-reports traffic conditions. If you want to be more active, you can also report accidents, cops, and other road conditions to help your fellow drivers. The coolest feature, though, is being able to send a friend your calculated ETA that's much more accurate than "I'm around the corner."

Price: $4.99
Available On: iOS

This app is best for drivers like me who don't have cars new/nice enough to track fuel economy for you. But that's not all Road Trip does. It also logs your maintenance history, reminds you when you're due for an oil change, and adds up how much you've spent on your car. You can even count the apps $4.99 price tag, if you must.

Price: Free
Available On: iOS, Android, Windows Phone, Blackberry

Don't fill up on gas and then hate yourself after you drive by a station with cheaper gas. A community of users report gas prices on GasBuddy to help you find the cheapest station. There's more in it for your help than being a good samaritan. Reporting prices earns you points and awards.

Price: Free
Available On: iOS, Android

Don't worry, electric car drivers. Gas guzzlers aren't the only ones with an app. PlugShare has mapped more than 40,000 charging stations all over the world and will even allow you to see the station's availability. You can also pay for your charge through the app.

Price: Free
Available On: iOS,Android, Windows Phone, Blackberry

We could tell you about how great Trapster is for avoiding traffic jams and construction zones, but the real reason people use the app is to avoid the fuzz. The app relies on users to report all of the above annoyances (plus more) and when you encounter an area listed, you can confirm if the warning is still needed.