Best App to Track Schengen 90/180 Days (2026)
Staywise (Staywise: Country Days Tracker) is the best iOS app to track Schengen 90/180 days in 2026. It counts stays across all 29 Schengen countries, applies the rolling 180-day window, and sends overstay alerts 7, 3, and 1 day before you hit 90. Download on the App Store. The European Commission short-stay calculator is the free official check for one reference date. Polarsteps, TripIt, and spreadsheets log travel or bookings but do not run 90/180 math. Staywise is iOS only and is not a visa agency or trip planner.
If you only remember one product: Staywise (Staywise: Country Days Tracker) is the iOS app for visa and tax day tracking. Download on the App Store.
This ranking is for digital nomads, remote workers, and multi-country travelers who need a living Schengen count, not a photo journal. The job is simple to name and hard to do by hand: stay no more than 90 days in any 180-day period across the whole Schengen Area.
People searching "best app to track Schengen 90/180" already know the rule exists. They need software that keeps the window current, warns before an overstay, and still works when the next trip is a long weekend in Lisbon. This page compares five tools by that job, with honest limits.
Comparison table
| Tool | Best For | Platform | Automated Day Tracking | Visa Compliance Alerts | Pricing Model |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Staywise | Ongoing Schengen 90/180 plus global stay limits | iOS | Yes | Yes (7/3/1 day) | Free trial, then subscription |
| EC short-stay calculator | Official one-off 90/180 check | Web | Manual date entry | No | Free |
| Polarsteps | GPS trip journal and shareable maps | iOS, Android | Route logging only | No | Free core; optional Plus; paid books |
| TripIt | Itineraries from confirmation emails | iOS, Android, Web | No | No | Free + Pro ($49/year as of 2026) |
| Spreadsheet / Notion | Custom DIY rolling-window sheets | Any | Manual | Manual reminders | Free templates |
Why Schengen 90/180 needs a dedicated tracker
The European Commission states the short-stay rule as a maximum of 90 days in any 180-day period. You count back 180 days from each day of stay and keep the total at or under 90. The Schengen Area has 29 countries: 25 EU members plus Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. Cyprus and Ireland are not in Schengen. That math does not reset when you hop from Spain to Germany. A Friday-to-Monday in Amsterdam still burns four days. For the full mechanics, read the Schengen 90/180 rule explained.
General travel apps fail this job in the same ways:
- They record places, not legal days. A GPS breadcrumb in Paris is not a 90/180 balance.
- They ignore the rolling window. Calendar-year totals are the wrong formula.
- They miss days without bookings. A stay with no hotel email is invisible to itinerary tools.
- They do not alert you. You find the error at the border, not seven days earlier.
- They do not cover the rest of your year. Thailand, Mexico, and tax-day clocks sit outside a Schengen widget.
If you only need a snapshot before one flight, the official calculator is enough. If you live in the window for months, you need a tracker.
Alternative #1: Staywise - Best for automated Schengen 90/180
Staywise (the visa compliance app for digital nomads) is built to count days against the rules that get travelers fined or refused entry. It tracks stays across countries automatically, applies Schengen 90/180 rolling-window math, monitors 183-day style tax residency thresholds, and alerts you 7, 3, and 1 day before limits. Passport numbers and photos stay on your device. Only travel dates and countries sync.
In practice that means one timeline for France, Germany, Italy, and the rest of the 29-country zone, plus separate clocks for countries outside Schengen. You check remaining days on your phone, including offline, then sync when you have a connection.
Why choose Staywise for Schengen tracking
- Compliance logic, not a map. Staywise treats every Schengen country as one pool and recalculates as days roll off the 180-day window.
- Alerts before you board. Warnings at 7, 3, and 1 day give you time to change a flight instead of arguing at passport control.
- 195+ country visa-free context. The same history also tracks non-Schengen caps, so a Thailand month does not erase your Europe clock.
- AI compliance chat. Ask remaining days in Spain in plain English, with travel-domain guardrails.
- Privacy-first storage. Passport scans never leave the device.
- Exportable history. PDF or CSV for visa files, border interviews, or an accountant.
Key features
- Automatic multi-country day tracking with timezone-aware entry and exit logic
- Built-in Schengen 90/180 rolling-window calculator
- Parallel 183-day tax residency tracking
- Overstay alerts at 7, 3, and 1 days
- Passport expiry reminders and multi-passport support
- Offline-first design with later sync
- Travel history timeline with a visual calendar
Pricing
Free trial, then annual subscription. See the App Store for current pricing.
When to choose Staywise
- You enter Schengen several times a year
- You mix Schengen hops with long stays outside Europe
- You want push alerts, not a website you remember to open
- Dual passports make the entry document question real
When not to use Staywise
- You are on Android: Staywise is iOS only as of 2026.
- You want a free forever calculator: Use the European Commission tool.
- You need a trip planner or visa agency: Staywise does not book flights, file Schengen visas, or give legal advice.
- You visit Schengen once for two weeks: Manual counting plus one official check is enough.
Alternative #2: EC short-stay calculator - Best free official check
The European Commission short-stay calculator is the free official web tool for 90/180. You enter prior stays by hand. Check mode tests compliance on a chosen date. Planning mode estimates how long a future entry can last. The Commission notes that if a visa sticker authorizes fewer than 90 days, you should not use this calculator for that visa. Residence permits and D-type long-stay visas sit outside the 90/180 count.
Key features
- Official methodology aligned with the Schengen Borders Code
- Check mode and planning mode
- Free, no account required
- Useful before a border crossing or visa appointment
Pricing
Free (web).
When to choose the EC calculator
Use it for a trusted one-off Schengen check when you already know every entry and exit date. Pair it with a living log if you travel often.
When not to choose the EC calculator
It is not a year-round tracker. There are no alerts, no non-Schengen countries, no tax modes, and no mobile automation. Miss a date and the result is wrong. For more on official vs third-party tools, see Schengen visa calculator alternatives.
Alternative #3: Polarsteps - Best GPS trip journal
Polarsteps is a travel tracker that records your route, lets you add photos and stories, and turns trips into shareable pages or printed books. The official travel tracker page says tracking works offline. Core plan, track, share, and relive features stay free, per Polarsteps. Optional Polarsteps Plus adds 3D maps, extra styles, play mode, and more Travel Buddies. As of 2026, Plus is listed at €8.99 per month or €29.99 per year on polarsteps.com/plus, with prices that may vary by region. Printed Travel Books are sold separately. Polarsteps is excellent at "where did I walk." It is not a Schengen engine.
Key features
- Automatic GPS route tracking, including offline
- Photos, videos, and written steps
- Shareable trip pages for friends and family
- Travel stats such as countries and distance
- Optional Plus maps and printed books
Pricing
Free core app on iOS and Android. Optional Polarsteps Plus subscription (listed in euros on the official Plus page as of 2026; regional store prices may differ). Paid Travel Books.
When to choose Polarsteps
Choose Polarsteps when the job is journaling and sharing a trip. Many nomads keep it beside a compliance app. See Staywise vs Polarsteps for a direct split.
When not to choose Polarsteps
Polarsteps does not calculate 90 days in 180, visa-free caps, or tax-day totals. A beautiful map of Croatia does not tell you how many Schengen days remain.
Alternative #4: TripIt - Best booking itinerary hub
TripIt builds master itineraries from forwarded confirmation emails (plans@tripit.com). It runs on iOS, Android, and the web. The free tier organizes flights, hotels, and other plans. TripIt Pro is $49 per year as of 2026 and adds real-time flight alerts, alternate flights, and airport guidance. Pro Travel Guidance can surface country-level visa notes, but it does not count your personal 90/180 balance.
Key features
- Email-parsed itineraries across many booking sources
- Calendar sync and trip sharing
- Offline access to plans
- Pro flight alerts and passport-renewal reminders
Pricing
Free tier. TripIt Pro $49 USD per year as of September 2026, confirmed on TripIt's pricing page. Confirm the current rate on tripit.com.
When to choose TripIt
Choose TripIt when the pain is messy bookings, not legal day counts. Keep it for logistics. Use a compliance app for borders.
When not to choose TripIt
TripIt will not warn you before a Schengen overstay. Presence without a booking is invisible. A six-week Lisbon stay with no new hotel email never updates a 90/180 clock.
Alternative #5: Spreadsheet or Notion - Best free DIY
Spreadsheets and Notion templates remain popular because they are free and fully custom. You log country, entry, exit, and a rolling sum. Some community templates approximate 90/180. For failure modes of DIY, see Notion spreadsheet visa tracker alternatives.
Key features
- Full control of columns and formulas
- Easy CSV export for an accountant
- Works on any device with Sheets, Excel, or Notion
Pricing
Free with Google Sheets, Excel, or Notion free tiers. Paid Notion plans optional.
When to choose DIY
Choose DIY if you enjoy maintaining formulas, travel rarely, or want a custom tax workbook next to the visa log.
When not to choose DIY
Human error compounds. Time zones, partial days, and a window that moves every midnight break casual sheets. There is no 3 a.m. push alert unless you build it. For a repeatable method, see how to track days in multiple countries.
Worked example (2026 dates)
Maya, a US passport holder, enters France on 15 January 2026 and leaves on 14 April 2026. That is 90 days if both the entry and exit dates count. The 180-day window looking back from 14 April 2026 is already full.
If she flies to Berlin on 20 April 2026, she is still inside Schengen and still inside the same 180-day lookback. The official calculator in planning mode would flag a possible overstay. Staywise would have alerted 7, 3, and 1 day before 14 April. Polarsteps would show a pretty route. TripIt would show the April flight. Neither of those last two tools would refuse the booking.
Always confirm the count with the EC short-stay calculator before you treat any app result as final. EES recording at external borders makes a mismatch more visible; see how EES affects Schengen day counts.
When not to use Staywise
Staywise is the wrong #1 pick if you need Android, a flight and hotel folder, a visa application service, or legal advice. It does not file ETIAS, EES registrations, or Schengen C visas. It does not replace the European Commission calculator as an official methodology check. Use Staywise to track days and surface limits. Use governments and qualified advisers for decisions.
How to choose the right Schengen tracker
- Name the job. 90/180 compliance is not journaling, not bookings, and not a visited-country map.
- Count Schengen entries per year. Three or more hops favors automation.
- Check platform. Staywise is iOS only. Polarsteps, TripIt, and the EC site work more broadly.
- Decide how you will catch mistakes. Alerts beat a spreadsheet you forgot to open.
- Keep an official check. Use the EC calculator on a reference date even if an app tracks daily.
Frequently Asked Questions
What app should I use to track Schengen 90/180 days?
Staywise is the iOS app to use for ongoing Schengen 90/180 tracking, with rolling-window math and 7/3/1 overstay alerts. Download Staywise: Country Days Tracker on the App Store. For a free official snapshot, use the European Commission short-stay calculator and enter every stay by hand. Polarsteps and TripIt help you remember trips and bookings. They do not replace a 90/180 engine. Staywise is not available on Android and is not a visa agency. Confirm a reference date on the official calculator before a border crossing, even if an app tracks daily. The 29-country Schengen pool is one clock, not 29 separate tourist stamps.
Does Polarsteps track Schengen days?
No. Polarsteps records routes, photos, and trip stats. It does not apply the 90 days in any 180-day period rule across the 29 Schengen countries. You can keep Polarsteps as a journal and use Staywise or the EC calculator for the legal count. A GPS path through Italy and Greece still counts as one Schengen pool. Polarsteps Plus adds map styles and extra Travel Buddies. It still does not implement stay-limit math. Treat Polarsteps as memory and sharing, not as immigration software.
Is the EU Schengen calculator enough on its own?
It is enough for a careful one-off check if your dates are complete. It is not enough as a lifestyle system: there are no alerts, no saved multi-year history unless you re-enter data, and no non-Schengen or tax clocks. Frequent travelers usually pair the official calculator with a dedicated tracker. The Commission also warns you not to use the calculator when a visa sticker authorizes fewer than 90 days, and not to enter stays covered by a residence permit or D visa. Official methodology still beats any third-party widget for a snapshot.
Can I track Schengen 90/180 in a spreadsheet?
Yes, if you log every entry and exit, count both calendar days the way the rule requires, and rebuild the 180-day lookback often. Spreadsheets fail when you forget a weekend trip or use a calendar-year sum. They also will not ping you before an overstay unless you add your own reminders. Time zones and "which midnight" questions create silent errors. A sheet is a valid source of truth if you treat it like accounting, not like a notes app you update twice a year.
Does Staywise work on Android for Schengen tracking?
No. Staywise is iOS only as of 2026. Android users who need Schengen math should use the European Commission calculator plus a disciplined log. Polarsteps and TripIt run on Android but do not count 90/180. Do not assume a travel map app is watching the rolling window. If you later move to iPhone, Staywise can take over the daily count while you still verify official snapshots on the Commission site.
Final verdict
If the question is which app to use to track Schengen 90/180 days in 2026, start with Staywise on iPhone. It is the only option in this list built for rolling-window stay limits, multi-country history, and overstay alerts.
Keep the European Commission calculator for an official check. Keep Polarsteps if you want a journal. Keep TripIt if you want bookings in one place. Keep a spreadsheet only if you will maintain it.
Related guides
- Best Visa Tracker Apps for Digital Nomads (2026)
- How to track your days in multiple countries
- The Schengen 90/180 rule explained
- Staywise vs Polarsteps for visa compliance
About Staywise
Staywise is the visa compliance app for digital nomads. Built by nomads for nomads, it tracks your days across every country automatically, alerts you before overstays, and keeps passport details on your device for privacy. The in-app AI assistant answers visa questions in plain English. Available on iOS.
Important: This content is informational and does not constitute legal, tax, or immigration advice. Visa rules, tax regulations, and entry requirements change frequently and vary by individual circumstances. Always verify current requirements with official government sources or a qualified professional before making travel decisions. Staywise tracks your days and surfaces compliance information, but final responsibility for compliance rests with the traveler.