We’ve all been there – you’re out and about and the sudden urge to go to the bathroom strikes out of nowhere. You race to find a bathroom, praying to make it in time (and praying that the conditions of the facility are acceptable). This scenario is no fun at all. But luckily, there are some clever apps out there that make finding a bathroom a little easier, and give you more confidence when traveling, running errands, or socializing with friends and family.
Here’s our roundup of the 3 best Bathroom Finders available now.
(All are available on IOS and Android platforms.)
SIT OR SQUAT:
Sit Or Squat was developed by Charmin to help you find a public restroom near you, wherever you may be (even traveling outside the US). Boasting 100,000 listings, this app has you covered, and is easy and free to use. Sit or Squat allows you to view bathrooms in list or map view, and lets you filter locations for things like ‘handicap accessible’, or ‘baby changing table’. It also lets you rate bathrooms by cleanliness (a “Sit” rating indicates a clean bathroom while a “Squat” rating indicates a bathroom with less desirable conditions.) All in all, this is a great app with an easy to use interface.
Download the app: Google Play, iTunes
BATHROOM SCOUT
Bathroom Scout has over 1,800,000 bathrooms listed worldwide, including public toilets, or restrooms in restaurants and other facilities. The service offers turn by turn directions to bathrooms near you, the ability to see a Google Street View of the location (if images are available), and the ability to rate the condition of the bathrooms. The free version contains ads, but the paid pro version also offers a satellite view, no ads, and a waterfall sound for when you need a bit of sound cover when using a public restroom.
Download the app: Google Play, iTunes
FLUSH
Flush operates worldwide with 190,000 restrooms stored in it’s free app. Like others listed here, you can see restrooms by both map and list view and get directions to nearby toilets. Flush also lets you filter bathrooms by “disabled access, “requires key”, and “requires fee”. Another great feature is that the app works even when you don’t have an internet connection, allowing you to find a bathroom in an emergency even when cell service is spotty.
Download the app: Google Play, iTunes
Keep in mind that these apps are only updated when users add new information, such as new locations, information, or ratings. So they likely wont have every available toilet listed, and you may not know all the details on cleanliness or other features if users have not rated it. But, in a pinch, it can be nice to have one of these apps handy to help you out. And, if you add your own finds in places that you visit frequently, it can serve as a helpful tool for you day-to-day when you’re out and about in your community.
Do you know of any other helpful apps you think might benefit our readers? Share them in the comments below!
9 Responses
Great list! I never knew there were so many bathroom locator apps available. I especially love the idea of real-time updates on cleanliness. I’ll definitely be trying a few of these on my next road trip! Thanks for sharing!
Great post! I never knew there were so many bathroom locator apps out there. It’s super helpful to have options, especially when traveling. I can’t wait to try out some of the recommended ones!
Great post! I’ve tried a few of these apps and found them super helpful, especially when I’m out and about. It’s amazing how many times I’ve been in dire need of a restroom! Thanks for the recommendations!
Great insights! I never knew there were so many apps dedicated to bathroom locations. I can’t wait to try them out during my travels. Thanks for sharing!
Try this app… It’s free and you can help by adding new toilets ( new installed toilets ) “where is public toilet” it’s the name of the app. I do have IBS.
you can use osmand app
in de map setings by POI (points of interest) search for toilet
it will now show all the toilets OSM knows about on the map
Just an FYI, Sit or Squat is no longer available on Android. Also Bathroom Scout is ONLY the Pro version on Android, so you’re forced to pay to use it.
I’m recommending this app to all the customers of the brea mall. There is only one bathroom in the whole mall and they always come in our store to use the bathroom. They are so stupid 🙄
There is a new kid on the block called AnyFinder. It uses OpenStreetMap data in real time and helps you find over 200.000 toilets. It’s only available for iOS at the moment, but it’s a free download. More info at https://anyfinder.info. You can find the public toilets in the "Public Services" section.