Essential apps for your night out in London.

London is thought to be an expensive city when going out. However, if you know where to look, you can have a great time on any budget. If you’re coming to London and have your course booked, it is best not to wait and plan everything once you arrive at the last minute. Start planning now! The U.K and especially London have a thriving music & arts scene. Shows can sell out fast and people can be left disappointed when there are no tickets left. To avoid disappointment, here are four apps to help you prepare and have the best night out in London.

For music lovers, there are some useful apps you can download.

Bandsintown:

Like Songkick, GigAlert and other similar apps, Bandsintown allows you to follow your favourite bands and see when and where they are playing according your location. You can let the app scan the music on your phone through Spotify or Apple Music and it will automatically add the bands to your watchlist.

Set your location to the city you are planning to visit and the app will let you know if any of the bands you like are playing there. It will also recommend similar bands based on the music you like. If you see a show you want to attend, the app will direct you to the events ticketing page. Turn on your app’s notifications and you will be first to know when tickets go on sale.

Download Bandsintown on the App Store and Google Play.

Timeout London.

Timeout is the most used site in the U.K for people looking for bars, restaurants, theatre, arts and events. Simply go onto the app, find the type of event you are looking for and Time Out will have lots of suggestions for you.

You can swipe through the photos of each venue and see what Time Out and other users have to say about the place. Tap the details section to see the venues opening hours and admission prices (if any). It will show you the location and tell you the best way to get there either by public transport or how much it will cost you in an Uber taxi. It has all London’s free and paid events in one place and has exclusive discount offers to help you save some money.

Download TimeOut on the App Store and Google Play.

Drinki.

A favourite with our students. Drinki offers you one free drink a night in some of London’s best bars. Simply pick a bar, show the app to the bar person and get your free drink. If you are staying for more than one, they offer discounts of up to 50% off the next round of drinks.

Download Drinki on the App Store and Google Play.

Excel English App:

If you want to practise your English before you arrive, our free Excel English app lets you practise your English while on the go. In the ‘Get around town in English’ section, it has all the English you will need for your evening out. From booking a taxi to ordering a meal at a restaurant, it lets you practise through fun videos, speaking activities, pronunciation practise and more.

Download the Excel English App on the App Store and Google Play.

There are so many things to do for free in London. To read about more free activities, have a look at our ‘London for Free’ section and keep an eye on Facebook and Instagram for more tips and suggestions.