It seems that GPS navigation – such an important, universally identical service – should have equally simple yet efficient mobile applications. Live maps and a comfortable interface, adapted to the mobile OS – what more can a user request?
Yet, when ranking the best navigation apps, it seems very hard to find an equalizing top ten. Different features, strengths and weaknesses lead to niche classifications: the best apps for iOS, for Android, the best in the USA, the best across the pond, the best free navigation apps, the best grossing navigation apps, and the ultimate nuance: best for outdoors, boat trips, car trips and so on.
However, after scouring quite a few online sources and testing the GPS apps general knowledge of our colleagues, we’ve established a top seven most recommended navigation applications, regardless of the operating system or other particular conditions.
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Waze navigation
This community-based, catchy app comes with real-time traffic and road info coming from other drivers. It is available for Android, iOS and Windows Mobile.
Formerly named “Freemap”, Waze sprung from the “FreeMap Israel” project. The app now belongs to Google since 2013, although with Waze being one of the few competitors of Google Maps, this acquisition had to go through FTC’s scrutiny – but it keeps its standalone app status.
Labeled by a source as the best application “for dodging traffic”, Waze’s big advantage is the real-time community feedback, each user contributing with traffic info. Users also benefit from a points-based system, and also from the disputed reports of “speed traps and DUI checkpoints”.
Waze received an update in March 2016, which enables the app to predict traffic trends.
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Google Maps navigation
This app is perhaps the most frequent navigation app among mobile users, since it comes with all the Android smartphones. It is also available for iOS, where it integrates with Apple’s Spotlight Search since the iOS’s March update.
This app is appreciated for its benefits in everyday navigation, including cycling, walking and public transport indications. It also provides suggestions via its “Explore Nearby” feature, and constantly checks for alternate routes. When offline, it offers one route cache saving, as long as the user searched and saved the route when online; it also has seamless integration with other Google software products.
Covering 220 countries and over 15,000 urban locations, Google Maps is a massive application.
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Apple Maps navigation
What should be the iOS counterpart of Google Maps, Apple Maps lacks from most of the tops. Since it comes by default with all Apple devices, and it has gone a long way from the times the tech community ironized its poor capabilities, it makes our list for its over time improvements and its status of “above-average, respectable” GPS application.
The team behind Apple Maps is set to continue the race ahead, and is aiming for the Street View feature in time for iOS 10.
According to Apple’s reports translated into the media (late 2015), it even became 3 times more popular than Google Maps among iOS users.
And to take a fun walk down memory lane, here is an article on how bad Apple Maps used to be, endowed with a photo gallery.
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TomTom GPS Navigation Traffic
Listed as the best GPS navigation app in 2016 for the European area, TomTom Go Mobile is a device-associated free and excellent application (extra features come at a price; only the freemium first 50 miles come with turn-by-turn navigation, then it’s just free map browsing; for the paid version, speed camera and traffic data are included).
The TomTom GPS Navigation Traffic smartphone/tablet app is available for iOS and Android – their maps cover over 100 countries and come in offline storage, while the traffic information is provided in real-time via the application.
You may check here the Google Play app page and user reviews.
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CoPilot navigation
While the above-mentioned source also lists CoPilot Premium in comparison with TomTom and describes it as a less effective, yet cheaper when considering the full-services package, Android Pit appreciates the ability of CoPilot GPS to synchronize with the user’s social network accounts in order to provide directions for his or hers events’ locations.
The same app entered Android Authority’s 2015 best GPS and navigation app top, on user request – its merits consist of the voice-guided, turn-by-turn navigation, the 3D guidance display, traffic reports and “fun” map features.
The application’s Google Play page comes with a few encouraging user reviews, some related to North America maps and service, others from all over the world. Judging by the way ALK Technologies (the producers) have answered the negative reviews, their customer service is also very active, be it automated.
The app has a free 7 days trial period, so anyone can easily pre-check its limits and capabilities.
In the niche category tops, CoPilot won at the best offline maps application. The reviewers underline its excellent search feature, comprehensive navigation interface and minimal battery drain when in offline mode.
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Here Maps from Nokia
This free GPS navigation app entered the market in 2014 and received good reviews, both for its interface and its core services.
Considered a reliable solution, Nokia Here Maps benefits from Navteq’s database and expertise (the largest mapmakers in the world, owned by Nokia since 2011). Voice directions, offline mode, quality maps – all make Here Maps a serious contender in the navigation apps sector.
Check here or here for details and user reviews on this “offline navigation, directions & public transport journey planner”. The app comes with public transit routes as well.
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Sygic: GPS Navigation
Sygic is powered by TomTom Maps and it is a winner in the offline navigation apps category. It is free to install, but the in-app purchases do not come cheap. Check the app webpages on Google Play and iTunes.
The app is popular, and its number of downloads proves just how much drivers appreciate its features, both usual (voice-guided and turn-by-turn directions, alternate routes and speed limit notifications), and less usual (text-to-speech, route editing, HUD display, 3D Cities and Landscape orientation, house number search, city guide, geo-tagging images and others).
Many of its maps are included in the free version. Android Authority calls Sygic a “solid’ app, while the iOS navigation app search results place Sygic on the 12th place in the free apps category (12 May 2016).
In the hope that we have at least made you curious on today’s topic, we suggest you further explore mobile navigation apps with the help of the previously quoted search tool from App Annie – refine your search and compare the results.
