# Best walking tour apps for London

Source: https://bestwalkingtourappslondon.com/
Updated: 12 November 2026

We compared 6 apps for self-guided walks in London, using each developer’s own website and the app’s UK App Store page. Prices are in pounds, as the UK store shows them.

## The short answer

For most visitors with an iPhone, Wanderwalk is our pick. It has about 4,500 London stories that play by GPS as you reach each place, so any walk becomes a tour. Pick VoiceMap if you need Android or turn-by-turn directions, or Rick Steves Audio Europe if you don’t want to pay.

- **You have an iPhone:** Wanderwalk. About 4,500 London stories that play by GPS wherever you walk.
- **You need Android or directions:** VoiceMap. 162 London tours on set routes, with turn-by-turn directions.
- **You don’t want to pay:** Rick Steves Audio Europe. Free London audio tours with maps to follow.
- **You want drama:** Cobble. Scenes performed by actors, researched by historians.
- **You’ll be offline or like to read:** GPSmyCity. 16 walks with offline maps and written notes.

## How the apps compare

Prices come from each app’s UK App Store page or UK website on 12 November 2026. "Not stated" means the developer doesn’t say, which doesn’t mean the app can’t do it.

| App | Best for | Phones | Directions | Price | Offline |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wanderwalk | Our pick: stories wherever you walk | iPhone only | No | £4.99 for 3 days, £7.99 for 7 days or £29.99 a year | Partly: downloaded stories keep playing, but the map needs data |
| Cobble | Stories performed by actors | iPhone, iPad and Android | Not stated | £4.99 for 24 hours or £19.99 a month; walks from £7.99 each | Not stated |
| GPSmyCity | Offline maps and reading | iPhone, iPad and Android | Yes, with the paid upgrade | £4.99 for the London guide, or £14.99 a year for every city | Yes, built for offline use |
| izi.TRAVEL | Trips to several cities | iPhone, iPad and Android | Not stated | Free app; premium from £1.29 a month or £9.99 a year; some tours cost extra | Yes, download over Wi-Fi |
| Rick Steves Audio Europe | Free tours | iPhone, iPad and Android | No, you follow a map | Free | Yes, download first |
| VoiceMap | Guided routes with directions | iPhone and Android | Yes | £3.99 to £11.49 a tour, or 3 tours for £18.99 (7-day pass) | Yes, download first |

## Four things to check before you pick

1. **Your phone.** Wanderwalk is iPhone only. The other five all work on Android.
2. **A set route, or wherever you go.** VoiceMap, GPSmyCity and Rick Steves follow set routes. Wanderwalk, Cobble’s CobbleGo and izi.TRAVEL’s Free Walk mode play stories about places near you, whichever way you walk.
3. **How many days you’ll walk.** Paying per tour makes sense for one or two walks. If you’ll be out most days, a pass can work out cheaper.
4. **Download before you leave Wi-Fi.** Most of these apps let you save tours to your phone first. Check each card for the details.

## Each app in detail

### Wanderwalk

*Our pick for iPhone.* By MT-DEVA Limited. App Store: 5.0 from 5 UK ratings.

Wanderwalk is our pick for iPhone. It has about 4,500 London stories (Cobble, the next biggest, lists 1,377 scenes), and each one plays by GPS as you reach the place, whichever way you walk. There are 35 set walks too, and one pass unlocks everything for 3 or 7 days.

- Phones: iPhone only
- Price: £4.99 for 3 days, £7.99 for 7 days or £29.99 a year
- London catalogue: About 4,500 stories and 35 set walks
- Offline: Partly: downloaded stories keep playing, but the map needs data
- Turn-by-turn directions: No
- Free to try: A 15-minute GPS trial, two free walks (Camden Black History and Bankside at Work) and the full Bow Street Police Museum story, which plays from anywhere.
- How it works: Stories last about 90 seconds and start by GPS, normally within about 40 metres of the place. Wander mode has no route or start point. The 35 set walks take 5 to 34 minutes. One narrator reads every story.
- Good for: The biggest London story count we found; No fixed start, so it works on a walk you were taking anyway; One pass covers every story and walk
- Watch out for: No Android app; No turn-by-turn directions; A pass starts when you buy it, so buy it on the day you walk
- App Store: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/wanderwalk-london-walks/id6775402494
- Website: https://wanderwalk.app
- Checked 12 November 2026. Sources: [Wanderwalk website](https://wanderwalk.app), [Wanderwalk prices](https://wanderwalk.app/pricing/), [UK App Store](https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/wanderwalk-london-walks/id6775402494)

### Cobble

*Best for stories performed by actors.* By Cobble Media Limited. App Store: 5.0 from 23 UK ratings.

Actors perform Cobble’s London stories, and historians research them. CobbleGo plays nearby scenes as you reach them, and full walks are sold separately.

- Phones: iPhone, iPad and Android
- Price: £4.99 for 24 hours or £19.99 a month; walks from £7.99 each
- London catalogue: 1,377 scenes on its website (the App Store says more than 1,250)
- Offline: Not stated
- Turn-by-turn directions: Not stated
- Free to try: Three free CobbleGo stories a month.
- How it works: In CobbleGo, short scenes play as you reach each place, with no set route. Walks are separate guided routes that you buy one at a time. Cobble says up to 20 people can listen together on their own phones.
- Good for: Performed scenes with sound design; Groups can listen together on separate phones
- Watch out for: Walks cost extra, on top of the day or monthly pass; Cobble doesn’t say whether stories work offline
- App Store: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/cobble-london-history-walks/id6739493497
- Website: https://cobble.london
- Checked 12 November 2026. Sources: [Cobble website](https://cobble.london), [UK App Store](https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/cobble-london-history-walks/id6739493497)

### GPSmyCity

*Best for offline maps and reading.* By GPSmyCity.com, Inc.. App Store: 3.8 from 258 UK ratings.

GPSmyCity has 16 London walks with offline maps, photos and written notes, and 8 of them have audio. It suits people who like to read at each stop or plan their own route.

- Phones: iPhone, iPad and Android
- Price: £4.99 for the London guide, or £14.99 a year for every city
- London catalogue: 16 walks, 8 with audio
- Offline: Yes, built for offline use
- Turn-by-turn directions: Yes, with the paid upgrade
- Free to try: You can browse the sights and the offline map before paying.
- How it works: Each walk has a route map, photos and notes on every stop. You can also build your own walk from its list of sights. Voice-guided turn-by-turn directions come with the paid upgrade. GPSmyCity doesn’t say whether audio starts by itself when you arrive.
- Good for: Works fully offline; Build your own walk from its list of sights; One subscription covers more than 1,000 cities
- Watch out for: Half the London walks have no audio; Rated lower than most apps here
- App Store: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/gpsmycity-walks-in-1k-cities/id417207307
- Website: https://www.gpsmycity.com/gps-tour-guides/london-530.html
- Checked 12 November 2026. Sources: [GPSmyCity London page](https://www.gpsmycity.com/gps-tour-guides/london-530.html), [UK App Store](https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/gpsmycity-walks-in-1k-cities/id417207307)

### izi.TRAVEL

*Best if your trip covers other cities.* By Informap Technology Center LLC. App Store: 2.4 from 9 UK ratings.

izi.TRAVEL lists 25,000 audio tours in 2,500 cities, made by many different publishers, and many are free. Quality varies from tour to tour, and its UK rating is low, though only 9 people have rated it.

- Phones: iPhone, iPad and Android
- Price: Free app; premium from £1.29 a month or £9.99 a year; some tours cost extra
- London catalogue: Not stated (25,000 tours worldwide)
- Offline: Yes, download over Wi-Fi
- Turn-by-turn directions: Not stated
- Free to try: Many tours are free.
- How it works: Tours play stories by GPS as you approach each stop. Free Walk mode plays stories about places nearby with no set route. A museum mode scans QR codes.
- Good for: Free Walk mode for wandering without a route; Same app for other cities on your trip
- Watch out for: Doesn’t say how many tours cover London; Tour quality depends on who published it
- App Store: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/izi-travel-audio-tour-guide/id554726752
- Website: https://izi.travel
- Checked 12 November 2026. Sources: [izi.TRAVEL website](https://izi.travel), [UK App Store](https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/izi-travel-audio-tour-guide/id554726752)

### Rick Steves Audio Europe

*Best free option.* By Rick Steves Europe, Inc.. App Store: 4.8 from 67 UK ratings.

Rick Steves Audio Europe is free, London tours included. They cover walks through Westminster and the historic City, plus the British Museum and St Paul’s Cathedral, and you follow a map while you listen.

- Phones: iPhone, iPad and Android
- Price: Free
- London catalogue: Westminster and City walks, plus museum tours
- Offline: Yes, download first
- Turn-by-turn directions: No, you follow a map
- Free to try: Everything is free.
- How it works: Audio tours based on the Rick Steves guidebooks, with maps to follow. The pages we read don’t say whether GPS starts the audio for you.
- Good for: Costs nothing; Download at home and use no data on the day; MP3 versions also play on a computer
- Watch out for: Far fewer London walks than the paid apps; Doesn’t say whether the audio starts by GPS
- App Store: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/rick-steves-audio-europe/id414357125
- Website: https://www.ricksteves.com/watch-read-listen/audio/audio-europe
- Checked 12 November 2026. Sources: [Rick Steves Audio Europe](https://www.ricksteves.com/watch-read-listen/audio/audio-europe), [UK App Store](https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/rick-steves-audio-europe/id414357125)

### VoiceMap

*Best for guided routes with directions.* By Audio Guide Pte. Ltd.. App Store: 4.9 from 1,552 UK ratings.

VoiceMap has the most London tours we found, with 162 on its London page, and far more UK App Store ratings than any other app here (4.9 from 1,552). Each tour follows a set route from a fixed start, and you pay per tour or buy a pass.

- Phones: iPhone and Android
- Price: £3.99 to £11.49 a tour, or 3 tours for £18.99 (7-day pass)
- London catalogue: 162 tours on its London page, some of them indoors
- Offline: Yes, download first
- Turn-by-turn directions: Yes
- Free to try: Two free London tours, including the 90-minute Theatreland tour with Ian McKellen.
- How it works: GPS plays the audio as you reach each point on the route. Local writers and guides make the tours, and the App Store listing names tours voiced by Ian McKellen and Stephen Fry. Virtual Playback lets you listen at home.
- Good for: The widest choice of London routes; Works on Android as well as iPhone; Virtual Playback for listening before or after your trip
- Watch out for: Paying per tour adds up if you want several walks; Every tour starts at a fixed point, so you plan your day around it
- App Store: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/voicemap-audio-tours-guides/id852027939
- Website: https://voicemap.me/tour/london
- Checked 12 November 2026. Sources: [VoiceMap London page](https://voicemap.me/tour/london), [VoiceMap walking tour app page](https://voicemap.me/walking-tour-app), [UK App Store](https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/voicemap-audio-tours-guides/id852027939)

## Try Wanderwalk on your next walk

Your first 15 minutes of GPS stories are free, and the clock only starts when a story plays on a London street. Two walks, Camden Black History and Bankside at Work, are free with no time limit.

## Also considered

We looked at these too, but they aren’t walking tour apps or haven’t been updated recently.

- **Blue Plaques of London (English Heritage):** A free official finder for more than 900 blue plaques, with themed routes. Its last update was in December 2020, so it’s outside our two-year rule.
- **Smartify:** Audio guides for museums and galleries, including London ones. It has no outdoor walking tours.
- **Visit London Official Guide:** London & Partners’ free city guide, rated 4.7 from 3,116 UK ratings. It’s a general visitor guide, without audio walking tours.

## Common questions

### What is the best walking tour app for London?

For most visitors with an iPhone, Wanderwalk is our pick: about 4,500 London stories that play by GPS wherever you walk, from £4.99 for 3 days. VoiceMap is the better choice for Android or turn-by-turn directions, with 162 London tours and a 4.9 rating from 1,552 UK App Store ratings. Rick Steves Audio Europe is the best free option.

### Is there a free walking tour app for London?

Rick Steves Audio Europe is free, London tours included. Several paid apps also have free walks: VoiceMap has two free London tours, including Theatreland with Ian McKellen. Cobble gives three free stories a month, and Wanderwalk has two free walks plus a 15-minute GPS trial.

### Which London walking tour apps work offline?

VoiceMap, GPSmyCity, izi.TRAVEL and Rick Steves Audio Europe let you download tours before you go. Wanderwalk keeps playing stories you’ve already downloaded but needs data to load its map. Cobble doesn’t say.

### Which London walking tour apps work on Android?

VoiceMap, Cobble, GPSmyCity, izi.TRAVEL and Rick Steves Audio Europe. Wanderwalk is iPhone only.

### Can I explore London without following a set route?

Yes. Wanderwalk plays a story when you pass a place it knows, whichever way you walk. Cobble’s CobbleGo and izi.TRAVEL’s Free Walk mode work in a similar way. VoiceMap, GPSmyCity and Rick Steves follow set routes.

### How much does a London audio tour app cost?

Single tours cost roughly £4 to £12: VoiceMap tours run from £3.99 to £11.49, and Cobble’s walks start at £7.99. For a few days of unlimited listening, Wanderwalk costs £4.99 for 3 days or £7.99 for 7 days, and Cobble’s 24-hour pass is £4.99 (its walks cost extra).

### Can I listen before or after my trip?

With some apps. VoiceMap’s Virtual Playback plays tours anywhere. Wanderwalk’s paid access plays full stories at home, and Rick Steves has MP3 versions you can play on a computer.

## How we put this together

We checked each app’s website and its UK App Store page on 12 November 2026. Ratings are UK App Store ratings. Prices are in pounds, as the UK store or the developer’s UK site shows them.

This guide compares what each app offers. We haven’t walked every tour in every app, so we don’t score how good the stories are.

Apps that haven’t been updated in two years or more are left out.

This guide is published by the team that makes Wanderwalk, one of the apps compared here. We describe every app, including our own, from what its developer publishes.