Quick answer: a good travel document app sorts passports, visas, boarding passes, tickets and insurance by type, locks them behind a PIN or Face ID, and still opens them when you have no signal. TripCache's document vault does all three on its free Basic plan, with the same storage on every plan. Its lock is an app lock on your phone, not encryption, and a digital copy never replaces your actual passport or visa.
What a travel document app should do
- Why it matters
- You need the passport or visa in two taps at a counter, not a scroll through your photos
- How TripCache handles it
- Categories for tickets, boarding passes, passport, visa, insurance and hotel
- Why it matters
- Your phone gets handed to staff, friends and kids
- How TripCache handles it
- Optional PIN, with Face ID or fingerprint unlock
- Why it matters
- Border control, planes and roaming dead zones are where you need documents most
- How TripCache handles it
- Trips and cached documents open without a connection
- Why it matters
- Visa letters, insurance cards and printed tickets still exist
- How TripCache handles it
- Built-in camera document scanner
- Why it matters
- Airlines send PDFs; people take photos
- How TripCache handles it
- PDF, JPEG and PNG
- Why it matters
- Insurance policies and visa approvals run to several pages
- How TripCache handles it
- Up to 10 files per document, 15 MB per file, 50 MB per document
- Why it matters
- Storage shouldn't be the upsell
- How TripCache handles it
- The vault and its limits are identical on Basic and Pro
- Why it matters
- A hotel confirmation belongs beside the stay
- How TripCache handles it
- Documents sit in the same app as each trip's bookings and reminders
| What to look for | Why it matters | How TripCache handles it |
|---|---|---|
| Sorting by document type | You need the passport or visa in two taps at a counter, not a scroll through your photos | Categories for tickets, boarding passes, passport, visa, insurance and hotel |
| A lock | Your phone gets handed to staff, friends and kids | Optional PIN, with Face ID or fingerprint unlock |
| Offline access | Border control, planes and roaming dead zones are where you need documents most | Trips and cached documents open without a connection |
| Scanning paper | Visa letters, insurance cards and printed tickets still exist | Built-in camera document scanner |
| Common file types | Airlines send PDFs; people take photos | PDF, JPEG and PNG |
| Room for multi-page files | Insurance policies and visa approvals run to several pages | Up to 10 files per document, 15 MB per file, 50 MB per document |
| The same limits for everyone | Storage shouldn't be the upsell | The vault and its limits are identical on Basic and Pro |
| Connection to the trip | A hotel confirmation belongs beside the stay | Documents sit in the same app as each trip's bookings and reminders |
How TripCache's document vault works
- Open the Documents tab in TripCache on iPhone or Android.
- Add a document. Scan paper with the camera, or choose a PDF or photo from your phone.
- Pick a category: tickets, boarding passes, passport, visa, insurance or hotel.
- Turn on the PIN and allow Face ID or fingerprint unlock, so the vault stays closed even when your phone is unlocked.
- Open the files you'll need once before you fly, while you have a connection, so they're saved on the phone for offline use.
Boarding passes have a shortcut: scan the barcode (QR, PDF417 or Aztec) and TripCache adds or updates the flight in your trip.
All of this is on the free Basic plan. TripCache Pro adds forwarded-email import, live flight-status alerts and Live Activities and widgets, but no extra document features or storage.
What TripCache's vault doesn't do
Being clear about limits matters more for documents than for anything else:
- It isn't encryption. The PIN and Face ID lock is an app lock on your phone. Read the privacy policy and the Data safety section on Google Play before storing identity documents.
- Storage isn't unlimited. The limits above apply to everyone.
- It doesn't add passes to Apple Wallet or Google Wallet. If your airline offers a wallet boarding pass, keep that too.
- It doesn't replace official documents. A passport copy can help if the original is lost, but border officers and airlines need the real thing or an official digital version.
Other ways to keep travel documents on your phone
- TripIt stores documents with each trip: 3 per trip on the free plan and 25 per trip on TripIt Pro ($49 a year).
- Apple Wallet and Google Wallet are the best place for boarding passes and tickets that the airline or venue issues as wallet passes.
- Cloud drives such as iCloud Drive, Google Drive or Dropbox can keep files offline if you mark them for offline use, but they don't know which trip a file belongs to.
- Your photo library is fast but mixes passport scans with everything else, and anyone with your unlocked phone can scroll through it.
A dedicated travel document app is worth it when you travel often, carry documents for several people, or want the files locked and grouped by trip. Compare more trip apps in our best TripIt alternatives guide.
Documents to keep together for a trip
- Passport and a passport copy.
- Visas, entry approvals and any invitation letters.
- Boarding passes and e-tickets.
- Hotel confirmations and rental car agreements.
- Travel insurance policy and emergency phone numbers.
- Vaccination or health documents, if your destination requires them.
- Event tickets, tour vouchers and restaurant deposits.
- Receipts and invoices you'll need for expenses.
Example: an international airport-day pack
Passport copy, visa or entry approval, flight ticket, boarding pass, travel insurance, the first night's hotel confirmation, an airport transfer voucher, and a return or onward ticket. With those in one place you don't jump between email, photos, airline apps and messages at the counter.
Example: a business trip pack
Flight receipt, hotel invoice, car rental agreement, meeting agenda, parking and meal receipts. TripCache stores receipts as trip documents, and its free CSV or PDF export turns the trip's expenses into a report. See the business travel expense reporting guide.
For the bookings themselves, the travel booking organizer guide shows how to keep flights, stays and cars in one itinerary.
Travel document app FAQ
What is the best app for travel documents?
Choose one that sorts documents by type, locks them, and works offline. TripCache does that on its free plan and keeps documents in the same app as your bookings. TripIt is an option if you already use it, with 3 documents per trip free and 25 on Pro.
Is it safe to keep a copy of my passport on my phone?
A copy is useful if your passport is lost or stolen, but treat it as sensitive. Lock it behind a PIN or Face ID, keep your phone's own lock on, and read the app's privacy policy and store disclosures first. Our travel app privacy checklist covers what to check.
Can I see my travel documents without internet?
In TripCache, yes: trips and cached documents open offline. Open each file once while you're online so it's saved on your phone before the trip.
Is TripCache's document vault free?
Yes. The vault, its PIN and Face ID lock, the document scanner and the storage limits are the same on the free Basic plan and on Pro.
How much can I store?
Up to 10 files per document, 15 MB per file and 50 MB per document, in PDF, JPEG or PNG.
Keep the documents with the trip
The best system is the one you can trust while standing in line. Keep originals with you, keep copies sorted and locked, and keep them in the same place as the trip they belong to. TripCache is free to try on the App Store and Google Play.
If a visa form asks for your past trips, see how to find your travel history, including the US I-94 record. TripCache's free Travel History and Visa / Immigration Summary exports cover trips you've stored in the app.
For entry requirements, check the relevant government and your airline before you travel. The IATA Travel Centre is a useful starting point, not a substitute for official destination guidance.
