A real pre-departure app does four things. Check for all four before downloading:
1. Countdown engine: days to departure driving a task schedule. Generic to-do apps do not do this. 2. The big four modules: forex setup, insurance purchase, SIM plan, banking. If it only covers packing, it is a packing app. 3. Document vault: passport, offer letter, CAS/CoE, vaccine records, scanned and offline. 4. City handoff: your budget and housing shortlist waiting on arrival day. Sources: EducationUSA MoveReady ($9.99 one-time unlock) was built as exactly this: pick your city, get the monthly budget, and work a countdown checklist through forex (Wise/Revolut), insurance (SafetyWing), SIM (Airalo), and banking. Free for 2 cities to try. The $9.99 unlocks the full checklist and partner offers. Download it 6 weeks out, not 6 days.
