Hoku vs Wanderlog
Two apps that both promise to get your group out of the chat and onto a plan. They overlap a lot and differ where it matters. Here is where each one is stronger, with our own biases declared.
Group-first: RSVPs, chat, splits, Discover, AI
Map-first: route planning, offline maps, big free tier
We make Hoku, so read this as an informed opinion rather than a neutral review. Competitor facts are as of September 2026, taken from Wanderlog's published pricing and public app store listings. If something has changed, tell us at support@hoku.travel and we will fix it.
Same problem, different centre of gravity.
Wanderlog is built around the map. You drop places on it, it draws the route, and on Pro it optimises the order and works offline. That makes it excellent for road trips and for the kind of traveller who wants every stop plotted. Its free tier is generous: unlimited trips, collaboration, expenses and the map are all included, and Wanderlog reports over a million monthly users, so it is a safe, well-trodden choice.
Hoku is built around the group. The itinerary is still day by day, but the features around it are about people: an RSVP so you know who is actually coming, a chat and reactions attached to each activity, expenses that settle up per person, Gmail import of bookings and AI planning on Premium, and a Discover tab with tours, sights and restaurants for your destination. If your trip is mostly a coordination problem, that is the difference you will feel.
What each app does, as of September 2026.
| Feature | Hoku | Wanderlog |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | iOS, Android and web. | iOS, Android and web. |
| Shared day-by-day itinerary | Up to 10 members free, 100 on Premium. | Collaboration is included on the free tier. |
| RSVP / who's in | Per trip: in, maybe or can't go, so headcounts are real. Reactions on each activity show who is up for what. | Not a feature we can find in their published materials. |
| Group chat, reactions, comments | Trip chat plus reactions and comments on each activity. | Collaborative editing and comments; no dedicated trip chat that we can find. |
| Expenses and settle up | Even or custom splits, per-person balances, settle-up view. | Expenses are included on the free tier. |
| Flights and stays on the plan | Add bookings by hand or import from Gmail on Premium. No booking or live status; an iOS widget counts down to the trip. | Organises flights and hotels booked elsewhere. |
| Email import of bookings | Connect Gmail and Hoku scans it for confirmations; Premium feature. | Inbox scanning is a Pro feature. |
| AI planning | AI itinerary generation and Trip Genie chat, on Premium. | AI chat is gated behind Pro. |
| Discover: tours, sights, restaurants | Viator tours and experiences, sights and restaurants for your destination. | Place suggestions and guides on the map. |
| Route optimisation | Hoku does not optimise routes. | Pro feature, and a genuinely good one for road trips. |
| Offline maps | Hoku has no offline maps. | Pro feature. |
| Google Maps export | Not offered. | Pro feature. |
| Public shareable trips | Public trips with a link; PDF export on Premium. | Trips can be shared publicly. |
| Free plan | 2 active trips, 10 members per trip, with ads. | Unlimited trips, collaboration, expenses and map. |
| Paid plan | $4.99/month or $70/year. Up to 20 active trips, 100 members, Gmail import, AI planning, PDF export, no ads. | Pro is annual only, roughly $40 to $50 per year per their published pricing. |
| Common complaints | Young product; smaller user base and fewer guides than Wanderlog. | Performance, and a forced trial prompt at signup, come up often in reviews. |
Who should pick which.
Pick Hoku if
- The hard part of your trip is people, not places: a bachelor weekend, a reunion, a family trip with cousins in four cities.
- You want a real RSVP instead of counting thumbs-up emoji.
- You would rather split the Airbnb and settle up in the same place as the plan.
- A concert, game or show is the reason for the trip and you want the weekend built around it.
- You prefer a monthly price you can turn on for one big trip.
Pick Wanderlog if
- It is a road trip and you want stops optimised into the best order.
- You will be somewhere without signal and need offline maps.
- You plan many trips a year and want unlimited trips on a free plan.
- Exporting to Google Maps matters to you.
- You want the reassurance of a large, established user base.
Both apps let you try the free plan without a card, so for a big trip it is reasonable to build the skeleton in both and see which one your group actually opens.
Common questions.
Is Wanderlog free?
As of September 2026, Wanderlog's free tier includes unlimited trips, collaboration, expenses and the map. Wanderlog Pro is sold annually only, at roughly $40 to $50 a year per their published pricing, and unlocks route optimisation, offline maps, unlimited attachments, inbox scanning, AI chat and Google Maps export.
Is Hoku free?
Yes. Hoku's free plan includes 2 active trips with up to 10 members per trip. Premium is $4.99 a month or $70 a year and adds up to 20 active trips, up to 100 members, Gmail booking import, AI planning with Trip Genie, PDF export and no ads.
Does Wanderlog have RSVPs or a trip chat?
Not that we can find as of September 2026. Wanderlog has collaborative editing and comments, but no headcount RSVP or dedicated trip chat. Hoku has a Who's in RSVP on the trip (in, maybe or can't go), a trip chat, and reactions and comments on each activity.
Does Hoku have offline maps or route optimisation?
No. Those are Wanderlog Pro features and Hoku does not offer them. If a road trip with optimised stops and no signal is your main use case, Wanderlog is the better fit.
Try Hoku with your next group.
Free for 2 active trips. Invite the group with a link and see who's in.