Key Takeaways: Google Maps is the go-to navigation app that works on almost any smartphone. Waze helps you dodge traffic jams by letting drivers share real-time updates. Apple Maps comes built into iPhones and keeps things nice and simple. MapQuest still exists. It’s free and gives you voice directions on any phone. Note: We’ve recently reviewed and updated our list of software to include the latest releases and customer favorites. New features are highlighted where applicable so you can make informed decisions with the most up-to-date information. “I know a lot of people use multiple navigation apps depending on the situation, but, if you could only have one, which would you choose and why? ~ Reddit user As rightly pointed out, you can pick a navigation app based on the situation or purpose. Whether it’s locating a new address, finding driving directions, or sharing a route map with travel partners, there’s a GPS app for it. However, choosing the ‘best’ navigation app may become overwhelming given the plethora of options available on the market. To help you cut through the clutter and make an informed choice, we’ve compiled a list of the best navigation apps. ⚡ Quick Question: Making multiple stops daily? While these navigation apps are great for single trips, multi-stop drivers are switching to Upper for a reason. Try it free for 3 days! Table of Content Comprehensive List of the Best Navigation Apps for Android and iOS What Is a Navigation App? What to Consider When Choosing a Navigation App? FAQ Conclusion Comprehensive List of the Best Navigation Apps for Android and iOS 1. Google Maps Price: Free Available on: iOS, Android Ratings: Play Store: 4.2/5 (18.8 mn reviews) App Store: 4.7/5 (6.5 mn ratings) Highlight features: Route Planning, Google Assistant, Live traffic updates Google Maps, with its data-driver simplicity, offers real-time traffic information and ETAs to the users. Travelers like the vast library of events, activities, bars, local restaurants, and must-try places curated by experts and Google Maps itself. This is one of the most popular navigation apps and can be extremely useful for people on road trips. Google Maps includes offline maps to search and navigate routes with turn-by-turn directions using your GPS device without Wi-Fi or data coverage. Google Maps also integrates with Android Auto / Car Play and provides satellite imagery and street view, making it one of the most favored GPS apps. Take Your Routes Further While Google Maps limits you to 10 stops Maximize your Google Maps experience by pairing Google's navigation with Upper's route optimization to handle hundreds of stops. Try it Free! Pros Google Maps provides the most efficient route for biking, walking, and driving Updates you about live traffic. Google Maps Offers street view, accurate ETA, and offline navigation. Cons The GPS drains your phone battery very quickly. Google Maps can only create a route with up to 10 stops, including the starting point. Collects user data. The social media sharing option is unavailable Learn how to create routes on Google Maps. 2. Waze Price: Free Available on: iOS & Android Ratings: Play Store: 4.1 / 5 (8.8 mn ratings) App Store: 4.8/5 (3 mn ratings) Highlight features: Map navigation, real-time traffic updates, parking notifications Waze was acquired by Google back in 2013 and further developed as a community-based GPS navigation app. This Google-owned navigation app stands out for its real-time crowd-sourced social networking features. Waze route planner provides its users with alerts regarding road hazards, accidents, police activity, speed traps, road closures, etc., that may require the user to change the route. Waze users can listen to music from platforms like Spotify from within the app. Waze comes with a more playful interface and has a strong preference for driving mode, speed camera warnings, real-time traffic, etc. The GPS app works in alliance with Android Auto or Apple CarPlay. However, if you seek offline functionality, Waze doesn’t provide it, unlike Google Maps. Pros User community base is Waze’s strongest feature. Waze lets users share current fuel prices. The GPS app also allows users to connect to Facebook and Google Calendar. It helps find event addresses and create directions. Cons Waze’s design has icons that are difficult to understand leading to a cluttered layout of the maps. The battery power and data resources that Waze consumes are high, due to the numerous icons and large data sharing. Difficult to find directions from places that are not your current location. Multi-Stop Route Optimization + Navigation Made Easy Why settle for apps that limit your stops or skip optimization? With Upper, you get the complete package: optimize routes, navigate seamlessly, and handle hundreds of stops. Get Upper 3. MapQuest Price: Free Available on: iOS & Android Play Store: 4.3/5 (19.6k ratings) App Store: 4.1/5 (67.2k ratings) Highlight features: Custom maps, Live gasp price information, webcams Mapquest is one of the original and best driving GPS apps and mapping tools available in desktop and app formats. Even with options like Google Maps and Waze around, MapQuest is still a good app because it includes real-time traffic data and access to live traffic cams. The user interface is pretty straightforward and requires a minimal learning curve. While initially available only on Android Auto, MapQuest launched Apple’s CarPlay navigation capabilities in 2022, pitching it as a strong contender against Apple Maps. Using it, you can create custom maps and mark favorite locations. Besides, MapQuest also has a speed limit display and on-demand roadside assistance. However, you need an active internet connection as MapQuest can’t work offline. Pros Offers multi-segment routing and built-in traffic information. Gives you live traffic camera. Lets you find the best prices. Driving-friendly features like night mode, driver speeds display, and real-time traffic data. Cons Doesn’t offer directions or details for public transit. Can be used only by 1 driver. Recurring pop-up ads. No offline use. 4. Apple Maps Price: Free Available on: iOS App Store: 2.4/5 (41.1k ratings) Highlight features: GPS-enabled Apple maps, integration with Apple device, 360-degree map view Apple Maps comes preinstalled on all Apple devices and is also available in the App Store. Following the criticism it accrued at its launch, Apple Maps has since been working to fix its initial bugs. With Apple’s map app, you can use Siri for voice command inputs and advice. Apple Maps features include turn-by-turn voice-guided directions, interactive maps in 3-D, and proactive suggestions for choosing the right lane. Apple Maps can automatically record the parking spot you left your car in and let you select public transport, car services, or walking options on the map. Overall, when exploring the best GPS apps for iPhone, Apple Maps stands out for its seamless integration with Apple devices (including Car Play) and user-friendly features. You can also download a saved map and access it offline, just like in Google Maps. Pros Excellent map design and visual style, including 3D map view and buildings A virtual tour guide feature Apple Maps gets you weather and AQI for the selected location Cons Users mention that Apple at times has issues locating destinations. No recommendation points of interest on Apple Maps In Apple Maps, ‘Look Around’ doesn’t work for every user. Cross-Platform Compatibility + Advanced Routing Upper integrates seamlessly with Android and iOS and optimizes your routes to make your navigation hassle-free. Try it Free! 5. CoPilot GPS Price: starts from $14.99 per year Available on: iOS & Android Play Store: 3.2/5 (106k ratings) App Store: 3.5/5 (1.9k ratings) Highlight features: Custom route plan, 3D maps, Offline Maps CoPilot GPS is a navigation app that focuses on route planning for cars, RVs, and larger trucks. It offers customization options for routes for all vehicle types by considering factors like road width or low clearance. It offers driver-friendly directions with clear driving views, uncluttered maps for offline access, and easy-to-read instructions. Drivers can easily add up to 100 stops on a single multi-stop route. The premium version of the app offers audio navigation, 3D maps, and traffic information. However, you may need an active internet connection s it doesn’t work offline. Pros Offers navigation for pedestrians and cycling. It is possible to navigate using offline maps. It has 3D maps. Cons There are often errors while navigating. After your first year of use, you need a subscription to get access to traffic details. You can only add up to 52 stops per route. Why Jump Between Apps? Get the best of both worlds: Use Upper to optimize your route, then navigate with your favorite navigation app. Try Upper 6. Maps.Me Price: Free Available on: iOS, Android, Blackberry Play Store: Not available App Store: 4.7/5 (71.1k reviews) Highlight features: Offline maps, pedestrian navigation, auto-follow mode Maps.Me is another free GPS app for travel tips and navigation. Maps.Me is known for offering high-quality maps around the world. It offers turn-by-turn directions, offline map options, and updated maps via OpenStreetMap. Using Maps.Me, users can bookmark a GPS location, search offline, get traffic data, and receive worldwide support. It offers full offline functionality, including a search feature, navigation, and searching for a destination or stop. Since users can do everything offline on Maps.Me, it saves battery power on your smartphone or mobile device. Pros Provides auto-follow mode with turn-by-turn directions. Allow you to share the location. The night mode option is quite good. Cons Not all businesses are available on the maps. There is no way to distinguish between the fastest, shortest, or most efficient route. No way to hide buttons or configure language. Save Up to 20% Fuel Costs Create super-efficient navigation routes to minimize distances to visit your favorite spots with Upper. Travel less distance to cover more destinations and save big on fuel costs with Upper. Get Upper 7. Here WeGo Price: Free Base plan Available on: iOS & Android Ratings: Play Store: 4.3/5 (501k ratings) App Store: 3.7/5 (1.3k ratings) Highlight features: Heavy traffic and parking information, routing, and complete offline access Here WeGo is a slightly lesser-known mapping and navigation app, designed specifically for city travel but one of the best road map apps. It also offers offline maps of cities in over 100 countries and access them offline. Here WeGo can help users find major points of interest like restaurants, tourist spots, ATMs, etc. Here WeGo offers real-time updates, price information, and public transport directions in a select number of cities. It also lets you order a taxi, receive a price estimate for your trip, and get bike line navigation and path information with elevation details. Moreover, it seamlessly connects with both Android Auto and Apple’s Car Play. Pros A user-friendly app that works perfectly without the internet. Offline navigation gives the names of the streets as well as the names of places, landmarks, businesses, etc. The navigation can find you routes using public transportation. Cons Not very accurate at indicating traffic jams and recalculating routes. It displays a lot of ads. 8. InRoute Price: Free Available on: iOS Ratings: App Store: 4.6/5 (8.8k ratings) Highlight features: Multi-stop routes, non-direct trips, weather alerts When you initially download InRoute, the app is free. But you have to pay for access features like turn-by-turn navigation. If you are planning a long trip and want to incorporate weather data, InRoute is a useful app. InRoute GPS is a decent app for navigation, but it offers limited service until you opt for premium upgrades. Also, the interface isn’t so easy to navigate. If you’re specifically seeking the best navigation app for iPhone, it’s worth considering InRoute, especially if you value its integration with weather data for long trips. Coming to offline usage, it shows previously planned routes but doesn’t suggest reroutes without an active internet connection. Pros Efficient trip planning with info like weather forecasts and road conditions. Offers the “drag and drop” features to find the exact location. Allows exporting routes to other mobile apps. Cons Only available on the App Store and is thus limited to Apple devices only (iPhone, iPad, Mac, iPod Touch, Apple CarPlay). Allows 7 extra routes in a free version. If you go off route, it can’t seem to figure out where you are and even get you back to where you were going. 9. MapFactor Navigator Price: Free Available on: iOS & Android Ratings: Play Store: 4.2/5 (995k ratings) App Store: 4.7/5 (788 ratings) Highlight Features: Download maps, street view, audio navigation MapFactor Navigator is a free navigation app. It comes with free offline maps from OpenStreetMaps. It offers intuitive turn-by-turn voice guidance navigation, speed limits, camera warnings, 2D/3D mode and other useful features. You can navigate without an internet connection in 200+ countries. MapFactor Navigator is one of the best navigation apps for Android. It is a very reliable app that even works offline and integrates with both Android Auto and Car Play. For unparalleled map navigation convenience, MapFactor Navigator stands out as the best map app. Pros It offers free map updates every month. Users can define vehicle type, and road preferences (highway, secondary roads, local road). MapFactor warns you if you approach a speed camera or exceed the speed limit. Cons Usually gets you the wrong traffic data. Sometimes the navigation or alternate routes suggested by it are questionable. You can’t exit without being nagged to install other apps. 10. TomTom Go Price: Starts from $4.99 / month Available on: iOS & Android Ratings: Play Store: 4.1/5 (259k ratings) App Store: 4.2/5 (2.3k ratings) Highlight features: Customizable maps, real-time traffic updates, driving guidance TomTomGo is among the best app for directions and a powerful navigation device. The interface is functional and easy to navigate, with large, easy-to-tap buttons and vibrant colors. Thanks to the responsive touchscreen and a new processor, it is the fastest sat nav you’ll ever use. Coming to offline access, TomTom Go lets you download offline maps with the latest live traffic patterns and speed camera alerts. It is also compatible with both Car Play and Android Auto. Pros Tomtom is the only mapping system that is efficient and has an audible warning of speed and red light cameras. It has navigation assistance and provides key details like speed limits and traffic camera alerts (driver a photo feature). It allows the sharing of ETA with others. Cons The navigation app often freezes and requires a restart while driving. It can be annoying and sometimes very difficult to do safely./li> The maps won’t download in the background. So you must keep the app open and primary in your phone. TomTom didn’t get frequent updates. Stop Playing Navigation App Roulette Find your favorite navigation app from our list and pair it with Upper's route optimization to handle hundreds of stops and real-time route adjustments Try it Free! 11. Sygic Price: Starts from $13.99 Available on: iOS & Android Ratings: Play Store: 4.3/5 (1.89 mn ratings) App Store: 4.6/5 (55.7k ratings) Highlight features: Lane guidance, voice-enabled navigation, driving instructions Sygic is a world-class navigation app that includes high-quality 3D maps. It guides you safely to your destination even if you do not have access to an internet connection. Sygic offers the most up-to-date information about fuel prices at petrol stations. It helps you avoid speeding tickets with warnings for speed limit and speed camera. It also offers voice-guided GPS navigation with precise directions, spoken street names, and pedestrian GPS navigation with walking directions and tourist attractions (POI). It also connects with Android Auto and Car Play and provides offline access to saved maps. Pros A lot of issues in the app are now fixed with new updates. Offline 3D maps are great. Real-time sign detection is extremely useful. Cons It seems to expect you to know the full address as there is no way to get address suggestions. It tells your speed and distance but there are no cues to warn you about exits or turns. The inaccurate city navigation makes it difficult to know where to turn next. 12. Polaris GPS Navigation Price: Free Available on: Android and iOS Ratings: Play Store: 4.3 /5 (44.1kratings) App Store: 4.5/5 (2.4k ratings) Highlight features: Turn-by-turn driving directions, waypoint navigation, track records Polaris is an easy-to-use GPS navigation app for wherever you need guidance in your travels. Users are not required to set up an account setup or get a subscription. Polaris is used primarily for hiking, back country exploration and outdoor adventure, trail recording, Sailing, boating, fishing GPS, hunting, geocaching, or camping. If you download your maps ahead of time, it lets you access them offline. It integrates with both Android Auto and Apple’s Car Play, making it cross-platform compatible. Pros It has accurate navigation services. The ability to get a position even without cell service and send a location quickly via text when you get a bit of signal is great. GPS works great for walking or driving. Cons There are too many full-screen ads after almost every click. The app is quite inaccurate for tracking time and distance. It is not made for daily use. 13. BackCountry Navigator Price: Starts from $9.99 Available on: Android & iOS Ratings: Play Store: 3.4/5 (6.9k ratings) App Store:2.8/5 (36 ratings) BackCountry Navigator is an off-road topo mapping handheld GPS app to explore beyond cell coverage for hiking and other recreation. It lets you explore the outdoors with the help of its huge selection of maps. You can download maps for the US and many other countries, you don’t need cell coverage for the navigation. To make things even more easier and handy for users, BackCountry Navigator’s app supports Android Auto and other Android wear as well. Talking of the user interface, it is easy to use and can get you started fast. However, you may not find it compatible with iOS, making it unfit for CarPlay users. Pros The app provides you with maximum up & down speeds, time moving, and other statistics. It works great offline, no cell service is needed. You have to choose areas to download onto your device before you go out and use it. It takes a bit of practice, but it’s a powerful navigation system that works well. Cons It just keeps crashing when you’re trying to start it. The maps are also quite outdated compared to other map apps out there. Importing waypoints is difficult and downloading maps takes hours sometimes. Plan Less, Travel More Leave manual guesswork and estimations behind with Upper’s advanced route optimization algorithms. Automate your route planning to make the most of your journey. Get Started 14. Roadtrippers Price: Starts from $ 6.99 Available on: iOS & Android Ratings: Play Store: 2.9/5 (8.38k reviews) App Store: 4.6/5 (60k reviews) Highlight features: Trip guides, preplanned routes, built-in compass Roadtrippers is one of the efficient tools for navigating routes. Especially, for those who are fond of organizing an adventure trip, this is the best app for maps. It lets you create a route plan and once you are ready to step out, you can access the turn-by-turn navigation via mobile app. It also allows you to add extra stops while creating a route map. The app itself recommends you add a new stop so that travelers can also explore new places. Users can even download and share the map with travel partners. RoadTrippers currently doesn’t support Android Auto. Further, you can use Roadtrippers with AutoCarPlay only if you are a Pro or Premium user. Pros Roadtrippers provides accurate information about new places. Navigation for outdoor activities such as off-roading adventures and hiking. There’s a built-in compass for route navigation. Offline maps downloads. Cons The navigation app is only suitable for daily commuters and not for complex routing needs. It lacks a user-friendly display in a mobile app. Shows you ads while you access the map. A premium version is quite expensive. 15. CityMapper Price: Free (with premium subscription options) Available on: iOS & Android Ratings: Play Store: 4.8/5 (313k ratings) App Store: 4.9/5 (83.8k ratings) Highlight features: Multimodal route planning, real-time transit updates, offline maps Looking to master your city commute? Citymapper serves as your comprehensive transit companion, designed to make urban navigation effortless. It lets you find the best routes based on your transportation medium, including buses, trains, trams, ferries, bike-sharing, or walking. Citympper’s clean and intuitive interface makes trip planning easy and fast. The offline functionality lets you access downloaded maps even without an active internet connection. The app seamlessly integrates with both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, making it useful for both Android and iOS users. The “GO” feature provides clear turn-by-turn directions based on your mode of transport. By offering detailed comparisons of travel times and costs, Citymapper helps you make informed decisions about your daily commute. Pros A unified platform for comparing multiple transport options. Real-time updates and disruption notifications. Reliable offline navigation capabilities. Cons Available only in selected cities. Premium features require a subscription. Feature-rich interface may require initial familiarization. What is a Navigation App? A navigation app is an application on your mobile phone or any portable electronic device that uses GPS technology to offer real-time turn-by-turn directions with an estimated time of arrival and other useful information. A good navigation app will provide you with features like turn-by-turn voice-guided navigation, traffic updates, estimated arrival time, bicycle routes, and access to offline maps. These apps must also be functional on the most popular platforms like the web, iOS, and Android. What to Consider When Choosing a Navigation App? 1. Real-time traffic updates Your navigation app must provide real-time traffic updates and information on jams or obstructions. This is essential as it helps avoid congestion and hence, delays. 2. Offline access Your navigation app must allow you to download maps to use them offline. It is even more crucial if your daily service areas consist of areas with poor cellular data coverage or dead zones. 3. Route planning and optimization Precisely planned routes are important to save time, fuel, and associated operational costs. So, your navigation app must let you plan routes with multiple stops most efficiently. 4. Turn-by-turn navigation Your navigation app must provide hands-free, voice-guide, turn-by-turn directions so your drivers don’t need to look at the screen. It helps them stay undistracted and focused on the road. 5. Alternative route suggestions In instances such as congestion, traffic, or closures, your navigation app must suggest different alternative routes. This feature helps drivers meet delivery timelines and avoid delays. 6. Safety features To ensure drivers stay safe and legally compliant, your navigation app must provide features such as lane guidance, speed limit alerts, and hazard alerts. 7. User-friendly interface Not all drivers are tech-savvy. Therefore, your app’s interface must be simple and easy to use so there is minimal learning curve involved. It will help drivers focus more on delivering orders and less on understanding how the app works. 8. Frequent updates Regular updates are pivotal in keeping the app up-to-date and fresh with the latest features that help meet evolving routing needs. General FAQs About Navigation Apps Which app is best for navigation? It usually depends on the user’s requirements. However, if you are looking for a top navigation app for route planning, Google Maps, Apple Maps, or MapQuest are ideal for you. But, if you want an all-in-one app for navigation, Upper Route Planner is the best navigation app for you. Is there a better navigation app than Google Maps? Google-approved mapping platform is best used for route planning up to 10 stops. However, if you need more than Google Maps, switch to Upper Route Planner. The online route planning and optimization software helps you find optimized routes including 500 stops. What is the best GPS navigation app that comes free of cost? Below are the best GPS apps that are completely cost-free. MapQuest Google Maps Apple Maps Waze Maps.me What is the best GPS app? Google Maps or Apple Maps are widely used for GPS and navigation purposes. These two popular apps are considered the best app for directions in comparison to other apps. Which app is better than Google Maps? Upper Route Planner is a perfect alternative option for Google Maps as it allows optimization with advanced routing features. Google Maps vs Apple Maps: which is better? Google Maps collects and displays data more comprehensively. It also provides a more user-friendly interface when compared to Google Maps. Last but not least, Google Maps is available for both Android and iOS users, while Apple Maps can work only on iOS. All these factors cumulatively give Google Maps a competitive edge over Apple Maps. Is there a better alternative to Waze? Google Maps provides supports multiple transportation modes, including walking, cycling, public transit, and ride-sharing. Google Maps further lets you access maps offline if you have them saved on your phone. Moreover, it provides exhaustive information on businesses, including reviews, ratings, and operational hours. All this combined with advanced features such as street view, integration with Google services, and customized route preferences makes Google Maps better. Conclusion With the best technology, we have top navigation apps with accurate location information, street view, and real-time traffic data, to safely navigate our desired location. Also, they offer many other features that help users in dodging traffic, real-time road incidents, toll checks, etc. Navigation apps are used to reduce the hassle and enhance your journey to your destination. Whether you are looking for a GPS app to suit your new device or one to suit your changing navigation needs, the navigation apps mentioned above will help you. Author Bio Riddhi Patel Riddhi, the Head of Marketing, leads campaigns, brand strategy, and market research. A champion for teams and clients, her focus on creative excellence drives impactful marketing and business growth. When she is not deep in marketing, she writes blog posts or plays with her dog, Copper. Read more. Share this post: 💡 Smart Driver Alert While these navigation apps help you reach your destination, Upper helps you reach more destinations faster. Try it free!
