Pilot vs. TripIt: feature comparison, ratings, and FAQ
A data comparison maintained by Pilot (pilotplans.com). Full comparison: https://www.pilotplans.com/compare/tripit-alternative.
Summary
Pilot is a free trip booking and planning app: plan a whole trip in one place with a flexible itinerary, a map of your stops, notes, real-time collaboration, and AI itinerary generation, and book hotels in the app at private rates across 3,000,000+ stays, with real human support. Pilot is rated 4.7 by 50,000+ travelers.
TripIt: Email-forwarding itinerary aggregator. Category pioneer. SAP Concur owned.
Both organize your trip and auto-import your confirmations. Pilot adds a flexible, free planner you can shape any way you want, and lets you book your stays at private hotel rates instead of just filing the itinerary.
Key facts
- Pricing
- Pilot: completely free to plan and book. TripIt: Free / $49/yr (TripIt Pro).
- Overall rating
- Pilot: 4.7 from 50,000+ travelers. TripIt: Trustpilot 1.9, App Store 4.8, Google Play 4.7.
- Founded
- Pilot: 2022. TripIt: 2006.
- Books hotels in the app
- Pilot: yes, at private rates across 3,000,000+ stays. TripIt: no.
- Full comparison
- https://www.pilotplans.com/compare/tripit-alternative
Feature comparison
Each row shows whether Pilot and TripIt offer the feature: Yes, No, or Partial. A [n] marker cites the source in References.
| Feature | Pilot | TripIt |
|---|---|---|
| Planning | ||
| Itinerary builder | Yes | Yes |
| Drag and drop reordering | YesDrag anything anywhere and reshape the plan however you want; TripIt files items into a fixed itinerary you can't rearrange freely | No |
| Customizable map pins and routes | YesSee your whole trip on a map, customize pins, and route between stops; TripIt doesn't have a customizable map | No |
| Add activities, transportation, or stays from anywhere | Yes | Yes |
| Attach info to any item | Yes | Yes |
| Notes and checklists | Yes | Yes |
| Note and list format toggle | Yes | No |
| Rich text formatting in notes | Yes | No |
| Undo and redo | Yes | No |
| Duplicate trips | Yes | No |
| Manual file import | Yes | Yes |
| Email-forwarding file import | YesForward your confirmations and the details are pulled into your itinerary, the same auto-import people use TripIt for | Yes |
| AI parsing of imported confirmations | YesForward a booking confirmation and its details are added to your itinerary automatically | Yes |
| Export to PDF | YesExport your itinerary to PDF to share or keep offline, free; no Pro plan needed | Yes |
| iOS and Android mobile apps | Yes | Yes |
| Offline access on mobile | YesYour trip details are available offline on mobile, free, the same as TripIt | Yes |
| Shortlist items | Yes | No |
| Wishlist / wanderlist | Yes | No |
| Wishlist images | Yes | No |
| Fun sound effects | Yes | No |
| Structured itinerary sections | Yes | Yes |
| Keyboard shortcuts | Yes | No |
| Multiple transportation types | Yes | Yes |
| Flight code auto-fill | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-leg flight support | Yes | Yes |
| Consistent IATA codes on mobile | Yes | Yes |
| Collaboration | ||
| Invite friends | Yes | Yes |
| Real-time collaborative editing | Yes | Yes |
| Edit or view-only permissions | Yes | Yes |
| Heart items for voting | Yes | No |
| Custom trip name and cover photo | Yes | Yes |
| Dedicated group chat per trip | Yes | No |
| Shared notes, files, and saved lists | Yes | Yes |
| Travel profile and stats | Yes | Yes |
| Edit profile details | Yes | Yes |
| Leave a trip | Yes | No |
| Trips dashboard | Yes | Yes |
| Trip menu actions | Yes | Yes |
| Maps | ||
| Map view of itinerary | Yes | Yes |
| Add items from map | Yes | No |
| Routes tool | Yes | Yes |
| Reorder route stops | Yes | No |
| Dynamic map search | Yes | No |
| AI | ||
| AI itinerary generator | YesBuild a full itinerary in minutes with AI; TripIt organizes what you forward in but won't generate a plan | No |
| AI activity suggestions | Yes | No |
| AI planning with filters | Yes | No |
| Booking | ||
| Book hotels in the app | YesBook your stay in the app; TripIt only organizes bookings you make elsewhere | No |
| Member-only hotel rates | YesPrivate deals straight from hotels, the kind usually saved for travel agents, across 3,000,000+ stays | No |
| Add accommodation to itinerary | Yes | Yes |
| Transportation cost tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Flight deals | Yes | No |
| Files tab | Yes | Yes |
| Attach files to itinerary items | Yes | Yes |
| Instant booking confirmation | Yes | No |
| Checkout without upsells | Yes | No |
| Reviews from real travelers | Yes | No |
| No hidden fees or taxes | Yes | No |
| Budgeting | ||
| Trip budget tracker | Partial | No |
| Per-person cost split | Partial | No |
| In-trip expense logging | Yes | No |
| Group expense splitting | No | No |
Ratings
| Source | Pilot | TripIt |
|---|---|---|
| Trustpilot rating | 4.4 | 1.9 |
| App Store rating | 4.8 | 4.8 |
| Google Play rating | 4.2 | 4.7 |
Pricing
| Pilot | TripIt | |
|---|---|---|
| Plan | Free to plan and book | Free / $49/yr (TripIt Pro) |
Frequently asked questions
What is TripIt?
TripIt is an itinerary organizer app that auto-organizes booking confirmations into a single itinerary, but you book your stays on other sites, and some features sit behind a paid plan.
What is Pilot?
Pilot is a trip booking and planning app: you build a flexible itinerary with a map and notes, then book your hotel at private rates straight from hotels. Where TripIt organizes a trip booked elsewhere, Pilot keeps planning free and books your stay in-app.
Is TripIt legit?
Yes, TripIt is a real itinerary organizer owned by Concur (SAP) that parses confirmation emails into a master itinerary, though on Trustpilot it sits around 1.9. Pilot does the same auto-import, adds a flexible planner you shape yourself, and books your stay at private rates.
Is TripIt free?
TripIt has a free tier that builds a master itinerary from forwarded confirmations, while flight alerts and seat tracking sit behind TripIt Pro at about $49 a year. Pilot is completely free, including auto-import, a flexible itinerary, a map, AI, offline access, and PDF export.
How does TripIt work?
You forward confirmation emails to TripIt and it arranges each into a chronological itinerary, but it only organizes bookings made elsewhere. Pilot does the same auto-import, then lets you reshape the plan with drag and drop, a map, and AI, and book at private rates.
How does TripIt make money?
TripIt earns from its TripIt Pro subscription, about $49 a year, and as part of Concur's broader travel and expense business. Pilot is free because it earns from hotels when you book rather than charging you to plan, which keeps the whole planner free.
Can you book hotels in TripIt?
No; TripIt organizes hotel bookings you've already made elsewhere by reading your confirmation emails, but it doesn't let you search or book hotels itself. Pilot books over 3,000,000 hotels at private rates straight from hotels, so the booking lives with your trip; flights link out.
Is TripIt worth it?
TripIt is worth a look if you want a passive filing cabinet for confirmations booked elsewhere and don't mind $49 a year for Pro. To plan the trip, not just file it, Pilot does the same import free and books at private rates.
TripIt vs Pilot: which should I use?
Use Pilot if you want a free, flexible planner that auto-imports your confirmations and books your stays at private hotel rates in one place. TripIt fits the narrow case where you want a passive organizer for bookings elsewhere and will pay its $49 Pro plan.