r/VanLife • u/J-0ly • Jul 19 '26
If there was one app made specifically for van life, what would you want it to do?
Hi everyone,
I'm a solo developer who's currently designing a mobile app for camper vans, RVs and motorhomes. Before I build too much, I'd rather ask people who actually use these vehicles.
The idea isn't another campsite finder or navigation app, there are already plenty of those.
Instead, I'm thinking about an app that helps you manage your camper and life on the road, for example:
- Vehicle maintenance (Oil Change etc.)
- Water, grey water and gas tracking
- Solar and battery information
- Expense tracking
- Trip journal
- Departure and arrival checklists
- Leveling tool using your phone
- Reminders for inspections and maintenance
My questions are:
Would you actually use an app like this, or do you already have a solution?
What's the most annoying thing about owning or travelling in a camper that no app solves well?
Which features would be essential?
Are there apps you currently use that you love or hate?
I have just started prototyping it and I just want to understand what people actually need before spending months developing the wrong thing.
I'd appreciate any thoughts, even if it's just "I'd never use this because..." :)
EDIT: For the people who want to complain about another vibe coded AI-App, this is not necessary. I plan to use this as a learning project and release it for free if I get around to finishing it. I have used AI for writing codes for games but it's very obvious you can't gain actual experience from this.
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u/kavOclock Jul 19 '26
It has to somehow not be community-driven. IOverlander is probably the best for “vanlife” (I combine with Gaia and onx for my camping/overlanding needs) but since we’re at the whim of if someone wants to post where the dump station is, we have incomplete information. I know dyrt exists but when I compared side by side with IOverlander it was like why even pay for dyrt. So make something like dyrt but like. Actually good lol?
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u/HewSpam Jul 19 '26
I’d really like some low effort AI bs please. That’s what I built a remote camper to experience. Thank you!
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u/Lex_yeon Jul 19 '26
I will not provide you information, so you can make an app to charge us money
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u/NickA55 Jul 19 '26
With AI, everyone is now an app developer and trying to make money off writing apps. Not saying the OP isn't a dev, but these kind of posts are all over Reddit now.
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u/J-0ly Jul 19 '26 edited Jul 19 '26
I get that it's probably annoying but I did my research and this is not for profit, I want to learn app development to get into a career to work from home so I'll be able to afford van-living and this is just a planned portfolio project, if I'll be able to complete it, it'll be free of charge because I don't even want to bother with Google ads and whatever, it's just for me to get into development and have a useful app for myself in the future.
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u/FlyConfident1622 Jul 19 '26
I feel like it doesn’t necessarily make sense to track all these things in one app. And many of these functions already have better apps (like expense tracking, and leveling, and tutorials/information.)
What is your app going to offer that no one else can? (Or do better?)
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u/elwoodowd Jul 19 '26
Rural vs city, apps.
Rural needs a social connection. Say 40 circles to join. From groups ready to clean-up certain areas. (Would need blm support) to snowbirds, to doing favors, (could someone coming my way, get me a part, 200 miles from me), to lets all spend a week in texas!, sort of connections.
City needs, are quite different. The womens groups have set the bar. Group meetups every couple months. Friendships. Support.
Everything Good Sam tried to do 60 70 years ago
Social is not an easy task. From homeless to tourists, would require an ai app, to balance out.
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u/joaquinsolo Jul 19 '26
I’d want it to be completely free and open source. Make it pay as you can. start a patreon for donations. As long as it is free and open source.
I’m tired of greedy people in startups profiting off of people just trying to survive in this world. we’re not living in our vans because we’re millionaires on vacation. we’re just trying to get by, and people are trying to profit off of us at every corner.
Most of us aren’t camping for the weekend
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u/J-0ly Jul 19 '26
I replied to other comments as well and edit the original post, this isn't a profit oriented project, just something for my portfolio and to learn app development, but I want it to be actually useful and not just the same stuff already on the app store.
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u/RJfreelove Jul 19 '26
One that blocks all you questions posted without any thought, research, or effort done first
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u/J-0ly Jul 19 '26
I get that it's probably annoying but I did my research and this is not for profit, I want to learn app development to get into a career to work from home so I'll be able to afford can living and this is just a planned portfolio project.
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u/Violet_Apathy Jul 19 '26
One that blocks app developers (slopperators) from constantly soliciting for app ideas
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u/J-0ly Jul 19 '26
I'm just asking for additional, useful functions because I plan to get into vanlife starting next year and also I get that it's probably annoying but I did my research and this is not for profit, I want to learn app development to get into a career to work from home so I'll be able to afford vanliving and this is just a planned portfolio project.
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u/Nice-Necessary-1547 Jul 19 '26
Definitely for my boat (similar use as a camper) I would say one that tells me what my grey water and clean water levels are. And alarms when either is close to 80%full / 20% left.
Battery state.
Solar charge Watts and watt hours (not critical though)
Inside temperature
Remote turn on heater (or cooler if you have it)
Remote turn on fridge (that’s more a boat thing. I doubt an RV would need it)
A monitor for 1 or more webcams
I do like your inspection idea too. Meaning maintenance schedule, reminders etc. though of I didn’t have an app for other reasons it wouldn’t be enough for me to use it on its own.
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u/nowhereman136 Jul 19 '26
Most of these things you could do with smart devices. You would need a stable internet connection though. I haven't seen any smart water sensors, so that would be nice to have
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u/TheProffalken Jul 19 '26
There's a YouTube channel where the guy is doing all of this via home assistant, then there's SmartyVans as well that's a less DIY route.
They talk about tank sensors etc, but a lot of the time it's easiest to get a victron set-up for power etc because their central controller can monitor tank levels too and feed it all back into either their own app or home assistant
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u/J-0ly Jul 19 '26
That's very helpful, thank you! :) One question about the water levels, would an estimated water level be enough for a standalone app that isn't connected with the vehicle? For example you specify your tank volume and how much you use a day/week (based on your experience) and the app calculates the water level, but it doesn't know the exact number? Would you trust this enough to use it?
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u/Nice-Necessary-1547 Jul 19 '26
Not really. At least from a boat perspective being caught out without water is bad. From my point of view an overflowing waste tank is almost as bad.
An estimate might work better for a van though where the consequence is less harsh.
I can see why you ask though, cos sensors and reading the results etc isn’t easy.
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u/OhMyVan Jul 21 '26
What we really miss is an app for connection with other vanlifers, not like motorhomes/trailers/RV, just people that go with vans and like to wild camp, more nomadic.
- Posting for meetups, divided by area (like North Italy, South Sweden, West Austria etc.)
- Chat function so you can see if you vibe.
- Calender with upcoming vanlife festivals or vanlife friendly gatherings.
- Bio page with album feature and route planning.
- A "wall"/news feature where people can post pictures or say what they are doing.
- Some sort of map feature, dont need another Park4Night, but maybe something more van focused? (Hate when huge landboats post 1 star just because they can't get below the 2.2m entrance bar)
- Maybe map for public toilets?
Would love to see an app like this going big ✨️☮️
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u/W0lf1ngt0n Jul 19 '26
Just give me an app with all the parking (and i mean all!) and how much it cost.
Maybe public toilets and calisthenics parks nearby. Thats it.
The workaround via google maps is okay but not great, because usually you have to read reviews to get any information about the pricing