Mindtrip vs Layla vs Wanderlog in 2026: who plans the days, and who books them
Three trip planners compared on the slow part of planning: turning activities into days that work, and getting them booked.
Aino team, 6 min read
Aino publishes this guide and is building a trip planning app of its own, launching in winter 2027. Every other app here is described from its own site and store listings, with prices dated.
Quick answer. The three apps split the work in different places. Layla builds a day by day plan that its site says uses live prices and availability, and its human advisors book hotels, flights, transfers and activities for you.
Mindtrip is an AI assistant for finding places, with booking for flights, stays and restaurants, on iPhone and the web. Wanderlog leaves the planning to you, with travel times on a map, and doesn't book activities itself. As of October 2026:
- Pick Layla if you want someone else to plan and book the whole trip.
- Pick Mindtrip if you're on an iPhone and want an AI that finds places and turns saved links into a trip.
- Pick Wanderlog if you want to build each day yourself, for free, on any phone.
Mindtrip vs Layla vs Wanderlog side by side
We compared the three on 13 October 2026 using each company's website and US App Store listing, and checked Google Play for Android apps. We didn't pay for a plan or book a trip through any of them.
The rows follow the order you plan in: building the days, checking what's free, then booking. Prices are as of October 2026, and none of the sources say whether VAT is included.
| Mindtrip | Layla | Wanderlog | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who builds the day by day plan | The AI, from your chat, and you edit it | The AI, then a human advisor if you want one | You, with an AI assistant and a tool that reorders stops |
| Travel times | Map with distances and routes | Routes between places on multi-city trips | Distance and travel time between places |
| Checks availability | Price alerts for flights and hotels | Says it uses live prices and availability | Not described |
| Books activities | Not listed on its homepage | Yes, through its advisors | Not described |
| Books travel and stays | Flights, stays and restaurants | Flights, hotels and transfers | Compares prices for stays; keeps bookings you forward |
| Human help | No | Travel advisors | No |
| Plan with friends | Share and edit trips with others | Not described on its homepage | Live editing together |
| Platforms | iPhone (iOS 26+), web | iOS, Android, web | iOS, Android, web |
| Price (October 2026) | Free | Site says free; App Store lists $9.99 a month or $49.99 a year | Free; Pro $5.99 to $16.99 a month or $31.99 to $59.99 a year |
| US App Store rating | 4.7 (831) | 4.7 (204) | 4.9 (36K) |
How much do Mindtrip, Layla and Wanderlog cost?
Mindtrip is free. The iPhone app costs nothing on the US App Store, we found no paid plan on its website, and you pay for whatever you book through it.
Layla gives two answers. Its website FAQ says Layla is free, advisor help included, with no subscription fee, so you only pay for the travel you book.
The US App Store listing for its iPhone app, checked the same day, shows two subscriptions: $9.99 a month and $49.99 a year. Neither page says what a subscription adds, so look for a paywall in the app before you pay for anything.
Layla's ready-made trips have their own prices. Its 8 day Lapland in the snow trip around Rovaniemi starts from about 2,277 € per person, with 1 hotel and 3 experiences.
Wanderlog's core app is free. On the US App Store, Pro costs $5.99 to $16.99 a month or $31.99 to $59.99 a year, and we couldn't confirm which plan a given account sees. Live flight updates and automatic Gmail scanning are Pro perks.
Where Mindtrip wins
Mindtrip is built for catching ideas. Its Start Anywhere feature takes an article, a video, a photo or a Google Maps list and turns it into a trip plan, and the chat learns what you like.
On the trip, the app shows nearby places with distances and routes, finds local events and can translate signs and menus through the camera. You can set alerts for flight and hotel prices, and your itinerary works offline.
Flights, stays and restaurants can be booked on Mindtrip or handed to its assistant. The app is for iPhone only and needs iOS 26 or later; we found no Mindtrip app on Google Play, so on Android you'd use the website.
Where Layla wins
Layla is the only one of the three that books activities, and it does it through people. Its advisors take the AI's plan, adjust it to your budget and wishes, then book the hotels, flights, transfers and activities once you agree.
Layla says its support carries on during the trip, around the clock. The AI side builds a day by day plan from your dates, budget and travel style, and Layla has an Android app as well as iPhone and web.
The full service runs through a chat with an advisor, so it suits trips where you want that kind of help. Settle the price question above before you start.
Where Wanderlog wins
Wanderlog gives you the most hands-on control. Your itinerary and map sit side by side, each day shows the distance and travel time between places, and a route tool can reorder a day's stops.
Friends can edit the same trip at once, which helps when four people are planning one weekend. You can forward confirmation emails, split costs and open your plans offline.
Wanderlog says more than 8 million trips have been planned with it, and the iPhone app is rated 4.9 from about 36,000 ratings. It doesn't book activities itself, so you book each one with the operator or a booking site. Our Wanderlog alternatives comparison covers similar planners.
What none of them covers
Activities are usually the slowest part of a trip to plan. Picture one winter day in Rovaniemi: a husky ride in the morning, a reindeer farm after lunch and a northern lights tour with a pick-up from your cabin.
Each one comes from a different operator, with its own start times, pick-up points and a fixed number of places. The day only works if those times fit around the drives, and then all three need booking.
None of the three describes doing both for activities in one step. Wanderlog shows the drive times and you do the booking, while Mindtrip helps you find activities and books restaurants.
Layla's advisors can book the activities for you, and the site doesn't say how activity times are fitted around the drives. If you're doing this part yourself, our guide on how to plan activities for a trip walks through it, and the Lapland book-ahead guide covers what sells out first.
For more apps beyond these three, see our Mindtrip alternatives roundup.
Frequently asked questions
Is Layla better than Mindtrip?
It depends on what you want done. Layla fits better if you want a human advisor to book the whole trip, activities included, or if you use Android. Mindtrip suits iPhone users who want an AI assistant for finding places and booking flights, stays and restaurants.
Is Layla free or paid?
Layla's website FAQ says it is free to use with no subscription fee. Its US App Store listing shows subscriptions at 9.99 dollars a month and 49.99 dollars a year (October 2026). Check the app before you pay.
Does Wanderlog book activities?
Its website and App Store listing don't describe booking activities. Wanderlog keeps the reservations you forward by email in one place and compares prices for places to stay.
Which of the three works on Android?
Layla and Wanderlog both have Android apps. We found no Mindtrip app on Google Play when we searched on 13 October 2026; Mindtrip runs on iPhone and the web.
Which one checks availability?
Layla says it builds plans using live pricing and availability. Mindtrip tracks flight and hotel prices and sends alerts. Wanderlog doesn't describe availability checks.
Sources
- Mindtrip, homepage, accessed 13 October 2026
- Mindtrip: AI Travel Companion, US App Store listing, accessed 13 October 2026
- Google Play, search results for mindtrip, accessed 13 October 2026
- Layla, homepage, ready-made trips and FAQ, accessed 13 October 2026
- Layla: AI Trip Planner, US App Store listing, accessed 13 October 2026
- Layla: AI Trip Planner, Google Play listing, accessed 13 October 2026
- Wanderlog, homepage, accessed 13 October 2026
- Wanderlog, US App Store listing, accessed 13 October 2026