A plug adapter changes the shape of the plug only. A voltage converter changes the electricity itself. Most modern phone, laptop and camera chargers handle 100–240V automatically (check the small print on the charger) and need only a plug adapter; older appliances like hairdryers or straighteners often don't and may need a converter too.
Plug shape and voltage are two completely separate problems that get lumped together in most people's minds as "do I need an adapter." A plug adapter only changes the physical shape of the pins so they fit a foreign socket — it does nothing to the actual electricity flowing through it. If your destination runs a different voltage than home and your appliance isn't built to handle that range, a shape-only adapter will let the appliance plug in just fine and then potentially damage it, or in the worst case create a safety hazard, the moment it's switched on.
The overwhelming majority of phone chargers, laptop power bricks, camera battery chargers and USB adapters manufactured in the last decade or more are built as "dual-voltage" or "wide-range" devices, designed to accept anything from around 100V to 240V without any extra equipment. You can confirm this yourself by checking the small print on the charger itself or its input rating label, which will show something like "INPUT: 100–240V~50/60Hz" if it's dual-voltage. For these devices, a simple plug shape adapter is genuinely all you need, regardless of how different the destination's voltage is from home.
The devices that actually need a voltage converter are typically higher-wattage heating appliances built for a single voltage standard — hairdryers, hair straighteners, kettles and some older electric shavers are the classic examples. These are far more likely to be built for only their home country's specific voltage, and using one on a meaningfully different voltage without a proper converter can damage the appliance or pose a fire risk. For short trips, it's often simpler and safer to buy or borrow a low-cost equivalent at the destination rather than travel with a voltage converter for one or two single-use appliances.
The plug types shown by this tool (like A, C, G) follow a widely used international lettering system that classifies plugs by physical shape, used by electricians and travel guides worldwide to avoid needing to describe pin count and shape from scratch every time. Many countries actually support more than one plug type in everyday use, since older buildings and imported appliances mean a mix of shapes tends to coexist even within one country — this tool shows every commonly found type for both your home and destination country to reflect that.
For most trips, a single universal travel adapter that covers the destination's plug shape, plus confirming your existing electronics are dual-voltage, covers the large majority of travellers' needs without any extra converter equipment. If you do need to travel with a genuinely single-voltage appliance, look specifically for a converter rated for that appliance's wattage, since undersized converters can fail or overheat under load from higher-wattage devices like hairdryers.
One last thing worth keeping in mind: hotel rooms in many countries now include at least one universal socket or USB port at the bedside specifically because international guests run into this exact mismatch so often, so it's always worth a quick look at the room before assuming you'll need your adapter for every single socket.
Check the small print on the charger itself, near the input rating — look for something like 'INPUT: 100–240V'. If it lists a range spanning both your home and destination voltage, no converter is needed, only a plug shape adapter if the sockets differ.
Only if the hairdryer's label confirms it's dual-voltage. Most hairdryers, straighteners and kettles are single-voltage and need a genuine voltage converter, not just a shape adapter, if travelling to a country with meaningfully different voltage.
At best it may simply not work properly; at worst it can damage the device's internal components or create a safety hazard such as overheating. It's not worth the risk for a device you actually plan to use.
Only if the plug shapes differ between the countries on your route — many neighbouring countries or regions share the same plug type, so check each destination individually using this tool rather than assuming you'll need a separate adapter for every stop.