1. Should you try Wanderlog? Overview

What it is	Wanderlog (Travelchime Inc., SF; launched 2019) = map-first collaborative trip planner that fuses a Google-Maps-embedded itinerary builder, reservation importer (Gmail/forwarded email), multi-currency expense splitter, and a light AI assistant — you.
Country / HQ	San Francisco, USA
Best for	Friends/couples/small groups co-building multi-stop city or intl trips
Check before buying	Watch out: Strict-privacy users unwilling to grant Gmail scope
Pricing signal	Free tier + paid from $39.99/mo

2. Features What it does

Feature	What it does
Map build	Embed Google Maps, drop unlimited places, color-code by day, route lines auto-draw, drag-reorder — Split list/map view, desktop planning + mobile viewing
Itinerary	Day-by-day timeline, start/end times, categories (stay/eat/see/transport), notes/links per stop — No native bus/train segment type
Import	Forward booking emails or Gmail connect → flights/hotels/cars parsed into timeline — Free tier has auto-import; Gmail perms broad (privacy knock)
Collab	Real-time multi-cursor edit, share link, view/edit roles, no paywall for collaborators — “Google Docs for trips”
Money	Budget setter, multi-currency expense log, Splitwise-style settle-up — Built-in, no extra app
AI	Assistant suggests places/answers trip Qs, 5 msgs/trip free, unlimited on Pro — Not a full itinerary generator; needs hand-cleanup
Road	Route optimizer (reorder to cut backtrack), drive times/distances, export to Google Maps — Pro-only optimizer; free can add stops manually
Offline	Download itinerary+maps to phone — Pro only — biggest complaint
Surface	🌐 Web · 📱 iOS/Android · 🧩 Chrome clipper · 🔌 no public REST API — Desktop-heavy plans, mobile for on-ground

Plan	Price / mo	Key limits & who it fits
Free	$0	Unlimited trips/places, collab, email import, budget, 5 AI msgs/trip, ads shown, no offline, no route optimizer, no G-Maps export, 20 attachments/trip Core manual planning workflow
Pro	$39.99/yr (annual only, ~$4.99/mo equivalent, 7-day trial)	— + Offline access, route optimizer, unlimited AI, G-Maps export, auto Gmail scan, unlimited attachments, flight/car deal alerts, dark mode, ad-free
(Legacy mention)	$49.99/yr seen on some app-store pages	regional variance same Pro feature set

Access type	Details
Access	access_type: web-app, mobile-app access_display: 🌐 Web · 📱 iOS/Android · (Chrome clipper; no API, no desktop app)

Source	Rating	What it says
Reviews	—	Recurring praise: kills spreadsheet+Maps-tab sprawl, route lines stop backtracking, group co-edit beats Google Docs, expense split saves Splitwise, free tier genuinely usable.
Reviews	—	Recurring gripes: offline behind $39.99 is harsh for international/backpackers, AI is 5-msg teaser not planner, Gmail scope too broad, complex 15-day itineraries scrub lag, no train/bus segment, export-to-GMaps locked, performance drops on 40+ pins/d

✔ Suitable	✘ Not suitable
• Friends/couples/small groups co-building multi-stop city or intl trips • Road-trippers (US/CA/EU) who want drive-order optimized • Visual planners who think in “map clusters by day” • People replacing Sheets + Maps lists + Splitwise • Travel bloggers clipping recos via Chrome ext	• Strict-privacy users unwilling to grant Gmail scope • Ultra-budget backpackers needing offline but not paying $40 • Business travelers wanting auto-flight-track + receipt parse (TripIt wins) • AI-prompt users expecting “give me a 5-day Kyoto plan” (use TripGen/MonkeyTravel) • Public-transit-heavy trips (no bus/train row type)

Competitor	How it differs	Best for
TripIt	Email-parse booking timeline + flight alerts	Free / Pro $49/yr
Roadtrippers	NA road-trip POI + scenic routing	Free / $35.99–59.99/yr
Google Maps + My Maps	Free pin lists / custom layers	$0
Sygic Travel	Map itinerary + attractions DB	Free / $14.99/yr
Opus-style AI gens (TripGen, MonkeyTravel)	Prompt→day-by-day draft	Free
Polarsteps	Auto-track + journal	Freemium
Rome2Rio	A→B multimodal feasibility	Free

Who should pick it	Friends/couples/small groups co-building multi-stop city or intl trips
Who should skip it	Strict-privacy users unwilling to grant Gmail scope