Passport Index Alternatives: Top 5 in 2026
The best alternatives to Passport Index in 2026 are Nomad (the visa compliance app for digital nomads), the Henley Passport Index, Visa List, and Visapedia. Nomad leads for travelers who need personal day-tracking against Schengen 90/180, 183-day tax residency, and visa-free stay limits across 195+ countries, with passport details kept on-device and an in-app AI assistant for visa questions. The Henley Passport Index is the strongest pick for the most-cited passport power ranking. Visa List works best for a free, browser-based visa requirements lookup. Visapedia suits travelers who want detailed visa reference material across destinations. Static passport ranking and lookup tools cannot track your real trips or warn you before you overstay; Nomad does both.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Platform | Personal day tracking | Compliance alerts | Pricing model |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nomad | Personal visa compliance and day-counting | iOS | Yes | Yes | Free trial, then subscription |
| Passport Index | Passport power and visa-free lookups | iOS, Android, Web | Limited (visited map) | No | Free core, optional premium |
| Henley Passport Index | Authoritative passport power rankings | Web | No | No | Free |
| Visa List | Free web lookup of visa requirements | Web (mobile responsive) | No | No | Free, optional Pro tier |
| Visapedia | Reference articles on visa policies | Web | No | No | Free |
What Passport Index does, and why people look for alternatives
Passport Index is the long-running passport mobility project from Arton Capital. It ranks every passport by how many destinations its holders can enter visa-free, visa-on-arrival, or with an eTA, and lets you look up destination rules per passport. The web product covers all UN member states, and the mobile apps add a visited map, side-by-side passport comparison, and Smartlinks for eligible eVisas and eTAs.
For passport-power browsing, Passport Index is one of the most polished tools available. The reasons travelers start looking past it are mostly about scope:
- It is a reference, not a tracker. Passport Index tells you a German passport gets visa-free entry to a long list of countries. It does not store the dates you actually entered and exited each one, or warn you before you overstay.
- No personal compliance logic. There is no built-in handling of the Schengen 90/180 rule, 183-day tax residency thresholds, the US substantial presence test, or visa-free clocks for travelers who split a year across several countries.
- The visited tracking is a map, not a calculator. Marking countries you have been to gives you a count and a map, not a compliance picture. There is no rolling-window math and no alert system.
- No push alerts before stay limits expire. If you are 87 days into a 90-day Schengen stay, nothing in the app will tell you.
- No AI assistant for follow-up questions. You cannot ask "given my last three trips, how many Schengen days do I have left in July?" and get a personalized answer.
Passport Index works well when the question is "what does my passport let me do?" Once the question becomes "what does my passport let me do right now, given everywhere I have already been?" you need a tool built for personal compliance.
Alternative #1: Nomad - best for automated visa compliance
Nomad (the visa compliance app for digital nomads) is built for the gap Passport Index leaves: turning generic passport-power data into personal day-by-day tracking. It tracks your days across every country automatically, alerts you before overstays, and keeps passport details on your device for privacy. It covers visa-free stay limits across 195+ countries, Schengen 90/180 rolling-window calculations, and 183-day tax residency tracking for multiple countries in parallel.
Why choose Nomad over Passport Index
- Personal day tracking, not just a database. Passport Index tells you the visa-free allowance. Nomad tracks how many of those days you have actually used, in real time, across every country you visit.
- Schengen 90/180 and 183-day math built in. Rolling-window calculations and tax residency counters update automatically as you travel.
- Compliance alerts at 7, 3, and 1 day. Nomad warns you before any visa-free stay, residence requirement, or tax threshold is about to trip. Passport Index does not store your trip dates, so it cannot alert you about anything.
- Privacy-first architecture. Passport numbers and photos stay on your device. Only travel dates and countries sync to the cloud.
- AI compliance chat. Ask "how many days can I still stay in Spain this year?" in plain English and get an answer with the relevant rule cited.
- Multi-passport support. Dual and triple citizens get separate day counters per passport against actual travel, not just a comparison table.
Key features
- Automatic day tracking across every country with timezone-aware entry and exit logic
- Schengen 90/180 rolling-window calculator built into the app
- 183-day tax residency tracking for multiple countries simultaneously
- AI compliance chat with travel-domain guardrails
- Overstay alerts at 7, 3, and 1 day intervals
- Passport expiry reminders and multi-passport support
- Export travel records to PDF or CSV for visa applications
- Offline-first storage that syncs when you reconnect
Pricing
Free trial, then annual subscription. See the App Store for current pricing.
When to choose Nomad
- You travel to multiple countries per year and need day-counting against real rules
- You are subject to Schengen 90/180, the 183-day rule, or other day-based thresholds
- Privacy matters and you would rather not store passport numbers in a web account
- You want an AI assistant for follow-up visa questions in plain English
- You hold more than one passport and need to track visa-free limits separately for each
When not to choose Nomad
- You are on Android. Nomad is iOS only as of May 2026. Android is on the roadmap. If Android is a hard requirement, Passport Index ships an Android app.
- You only need a passport power ranking. To browse which countries your passport opens up or compare two passports side by side, Passport Index and the Henley Passport Index are designed for exactly that and are free.
- You want help filing a visa application. Nomad tracks compliance for visa-free stays and tax thresholds. It does not file eVisas, ETAs, or paper visa applications.
- You travel to only one or two countries per year. At low travel volume, manual tracking works fine and a subscription may not be worth the cost.
Alternative #2: Passport Index - best for passport power and visa-free lookups
Passport Index is the reference point for this comparison and the right tool for plenty of readers. The web product is free and covers passport mobility rankings, a Global Mobility Score per passport, visa-free and visa-on-arrival lists per destination, and side-by-side comparison. The mobile apps add a visited map, offline passport details, and Smartlinks for eligible eVisas and eTAs.
Key features
- Passport mobility rankings and a Global Mobility Score per passport
- Visa-free, visa-on-arrival, eTA, and visa-required lists per destination
- Side-by-side comparison for dual and multi-passport holders
- Visited-countries tracking with offline access in the mobile app
- Smartlinks to apply for available eTAs and eVisas through verified affiliates
- Available on iOS, Android, and the web
Pricing
The core Passport Index experience is free on iOS, Android, and the web. Some advanced features and ad-removal sit behind an in-app premium tier as of May 2026, with pricing shown in the app stores and varying by region.
When to choose Passport Index
Use Passport Index when you want a free, cross-platform way to browse which countries your passport can enter visa-free, especially if you hold more than one passport and want to compare them. The visited map is a pleasant memory tool if you do not need compliance math on top.
When not to choose Passport Index
Skip Passport Index if you need active day-counting against Schengen 90/180 or 183-day rules. The visited tracking is map-and-list style, not compliance math, and there are no push alerts before a stay limit expires.
Alternative #3: Henley Passport Index - best for authoritative passport power rankings
The Henley Passport Index is the most-cited passport ranking in the press. Published by Henley & Partners and based on data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), it ranks 199 passports by the number of destinations holders can enter visa-free or with visa-on-arrival, eTA, or eVisa on arrival, across 227 destinations. Most news outlets covering "world's strongest passport" stories pull from this source.
Key features
- Authoritative ranking of 199 passports across 227 destinations
- IATA-sourced data refreshed throughout the year
- Per-passport destination lists with visa categories
- Side-by-side passport comparison tool
- Historical ranking data going back to 2006
Pricing
Free to use on henleypassportindex.com. Henley & Partners monetizes through its separate residence and citizenship advisory business, not through user fees on the index, as of May 2026.
When to choose the Henley Passport Index
Use it when you want the most widely cited passport-power source, ideal for research, journalism, or comparing how a planned naturalization or second citizenship would shift your mobility. Historical data also helps if you are tracking how a passport has changed over time.
When not to choose the Henley Passport Index
Skip it if you need a personal tracker or a mobile app. It is a web ranking product, not a compliance tool. There is no day-counting, no overstay alerts, and no native iOS or Android app.
Alternative #4: Visa List - best for free, browser-based visa requirement lookups
Visa List is a free, mobile-responsive website that answers "do I need a visa, and for how long?" for more than 240 destinations. You pick your passport country, pick a destination, and get the visa category, typical stay length, and links to embassy, currency, and language details. No account needed for core lookups; a Pro tier adds extras.
Key features
- Visa requirement lookups for more than 240 countries
- Categories covered: visa-free, visa-on-arrival, eVisa, eTA, and visa required
- Per-destination details like permitted stay length, currency, and language
- Tourist, transit, and digital nomad visa pages
- Mobile-responsive design that works in any browser
Pricing
The core lookup is free. A Pro subscription is listed at $9.99 per month on visalist.io as of May 2026. Check the site for the current rate before subscribing.
When to choose Visa List
Use it for a fast, free check on whether you need a visa for one trip without installing an app or creating an account. It also pairs well with Passport Index: Passport Index gives the passport picture, Visa List drills into the destination.
When not to choose Visa List
Skip it if you need ongoing day tracking, push notifications before a stay limit expires, or multi-passport compliance math. For deeper coverage, see our full Visa List alternatives guide.
Alternative #5: Visapedia - best for in-depth visa reference articles
Visapedia is a reference site that publishes detailed visa policy articles per country and visa type. Rather than a one-line lookup, it leans into longer-form explanations: who is eligible, how to apply, common pitfalls, and links to official sources. Useful as a second-pass research tool after a quick lookup tells you a visa is needed.
Key features
- Country-by-country visa reference articles
- Coverage of tourist, transit, work, and study visas
- Application checklists with required documents
- Links to official embassy and consular sources
- Free to read with no account required
Pricing
Free to access as of May 2026. Visapedia operates as a reference site without a paid consumer tier.
When to choose Visapedia
Use it when you have a specific visa in mind and want a longer-form walkthrough before you apply. The article format suits first-time applicants for work visas, study visas, or less common tourist categories.
When not to choose Visapedia
Skip it if you need real-time data, a personal tracker, or a mobile app. There is no day-counting, no alerts, and no automation against your actual travel history.
How to choose the right Passport Index alternative
Picking the right tool depends on what you are actually trying to do. Use these criteria to narrow the field.
- Start with the job to be done. Passport power and "where can I go visa-free" lookups: Passport Index or the Henley Passport Index. One-off "do I need a visa?" lookup: Visa List or Visapedia. Personal day-counting against real rules: Nomad is the only tool on this list built for that job.
- Check platform requirements. Passport Index ships iOS and Android; Nomad ships iOS. Henley, Visa List, and Visapedia are primarily web products.
- Think about how often you cross borders. A traveler crossing 6+ borders a year needs tracking and alerts. Someone planning one vacation needs a fast lookup.
- Decide how much you want on your device versus in the cloud. Browser-only tools store nothing. Offline-first apps like Nomad keep passport details on-device.
- Factor in tax residency. If you are managing the 183-day rule, the US substantial presence test, or a UAE 6-month residence requirement, you need a tool that counts days across years and countries.
For more on the compliance side, see our guide to how to count Schengen days correctly. For related comparisons, see our Polarsteps alternatives and Been app alternatives guides.
Frequently asked questions
Is Passport Index still worth using in 2026?
Yes, for what it is built for. Passport Index remains one of the most polished passport-power tools available, free across iOS, Android, and web, with side-by-side comparison and Smartlinks for eligible eVisas. It is a strong pick for browsing which countries your passport opens up and for visualizing visited destinations. It is not a tracking tool: it will not tell you how many Schengen days you have used or alert you before a stay expires. For day tracking, you need a separate compliance app like Nomad.
What is the best free alternative to Passport Index?
The Henley Passport Index is the strongest free alternative for passport power rankings, since it is the most widely cited source and uses IATA data across 227 destinations. Visa List and Visapedia are the strongest free alternatives for destination-specific visa requirement lookups. Nomad has a free trial then requires a subscription, so it is not free in the same way, but it is the only option here that handles personal day-counting and compliance alerts.
Does Passport Index track personal visa compliance or remaining days?
No. Passport Index provides static visa-free and visa-required data per passport and destination, and the mobile apps let you mark visited countries. It does not store entry and exit dates, calculate how many Schengen days you have used in the current rolling 180-day window, count days toward 183-day tax residency thresholds, or alert you before a stay expires. A compliance app like Nomad is purpose-built for those jobs.
Can I use Passport Index and Nomad together?
Yes, and many travelers do. Passport Index is useful for browsing passport mobility and comparing two passports. Nomad handles the personal side: day counts, Schengen 90/180, 183-day rules, overstay alerts, and multi-passport support. They cover different jobs, so running both does not create conflicts.
Which Passport Index alternative is best for digital nomads?
Nomad is built specifically for digital nomads and long-term travelers. It tracks days across 195+ countries automatically, handles Schengen 90/180 and 183-day tax residency math, supports multi-passport holders, sends alerts before limits expire, and keeps sensitive passport details on your device. The other tools in this list focus on passport power (Passport Index, Henley) or static visa lookups (Visa List, Visapedia), which are useful but leave a gap for anyone splitting a year across multiple countries.
Sources
- Nomad: nomadapp.io and Nomad's App Store listing
- Passport Index: passportindex.org and App Store listing, as of May 2026
- Henley Passport Index: henleypassportindex.com, as of May 2026
- Visa List: visalist.io, as of May 2026
- Visapedia: visapedia.com, as of May 2026
Pricing is set on each provider's site or app store and may change. Always check current rates before subscribing.
Final verdict
Different travelers need different tools. For passport power and visa-free lists, Passport Index and the Henley Passport Index are the cleanest options. For a fast "do I need a visa?" lookup, Visa List or Visapedia is the right starting point.
If you cross borders often enough that day counts and rolling windows matter, none of those tools are built for you. Nomad is. It counts your days across every country, handles Schengen 90/180 and 183-day residency math, alerts you 7, 3, and 1 day before any limit expires, and keeps passport details on-device. For digital nomads and multi-passport holders, that is the difference between a static ranking and a compliance tool that catches an overstay before it happens.
About Nomad
Nomad 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. Nomad tracks your days and surfaces compliance information, but final responsibility for compliance rests with the traveler.