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The Most Popular Google Maps Alternatives on Android

Google Maps is most of the time the preferred navigation application, but Android users turn to alternatives specifically looking for certain capabilities.
Navigation apps for Android 9 photos
Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution
Android navigation appsAndroid navigation appsAndroid navigation appsWaze on AndroidWaze on AndroidAndroid navigation appsAndroid navigation appsAndroid navigation apps
Waze is living proof in this regard. Despite being owned by Google, Waze sports a completely different focus from Google Maps. Its primary target is to beat traffic jams, and using a crowdsourcing engine, it makes the road more predictable.

Users can send traffic reports on speed traps, potholes, accidents, broken traffic lights, and more. The rest of the community is then alerted of reported incidents when their routes go through the flagged locations.

Finding a Google Maps replacement isn’t necessarily difficult, especially because the number of navigation apps keeps increasing on Android and iPhone. To determine the most popular Google Maps alternatives, I turned to data provided by appfigures.

Google Maps is not included in the charts because it’s the native mapping service on Android. It comes pre-loaded with every device that runs the operating system, so its download count isn’t relevant to such rankings.

Additionally, the charts also include other apps that fall in the navigation category in the Play Store but don’t necessarily provide route guidance. I eliminated those, as my goal was specifically to find direct Google Maps alternatives.

The king: Waze

Waze is unsurprisingly the leading Google Maps replacement on Android. In appfigures’ data, it’s ranked third after Uber and Lyft (both of which have been eliminated, according to the reasoning detailed above).

Waze can search for faster routes and generate ETAs based on traffic data and user reports. Its main shortcoming is the lack of offline maps, but working without an Internet connection would defeat the app’s purpose. To download up-to-date traffic data, Waze needs to be online, so an offline mode wouldn’t make much sense.

Waze also supports Android Auto. It, therefore, provides users with route guidance on the screen in the cabin. Traffic reports are supported in the car as well.

Android navigation apps
Photo: Google Play Store

The runner-up: GPS, Maps, Voice Navigation & Directions app

Chances are you have never heard of it, yet this app from AppStar Studios is currently the second most popular Google Maps alternative in the U.S. on Android.

With over 50 million downloads on the Play Store and a 4.3-star rating, this application promises to do it all. It sports offline maps, traffic alerts, and voice guidance.

The app’s reviews are mixed, to say the least. Most people complain about the ads, which are a big no-no in a navigation app, while others claim it’s severely lacking in terms of features versus Google Maps.

Some of the latest reviews also signal problems with satellite maps, the terrain mode, and the user experience when trying to interact with the map.

Android navigation apps
Photo: Google Play Store

Number three: GPS Maps, Navigation & Traffic

This application claims it has more than 10 million users, as it offers essential features, including offline maps, traffic alerts, and turn-by-turn guidance.

Most negative reviews, however, criticize the app for its aggressive ads, so if you’re not a big fan of this approach, you should probably stick with Google Maps or Waze.

Paying for a premium subscription isn’t a good idea, some users claim, as certain features, including offline maps, aren’t working as advertised.

The overall rating of the app is 4.2 stars out of a maximum of five.

Android navigation apps
Photo: Google Play Store
At first glance, Waze is by far the preferred alternative to Google Maps in the United States, as most of the other apps are developed by less high-profile developers. These apps typically come with premium subscriptions to unlock more capabilities.

TomTom GO Navigation, which is often described as a fully featured Google Maps competitor, is only the 34th name in the charts.

Waze is also the number one Google Maps replacement in China, followed by Yandex Maps. The same application also dominates the navigation space in France, with Mappy securing the runner-up spot. Google’s traffic navigation app leads the pack in Germany too. TomTom GO Navigation is a popular choice here, and so is Sygic’s GPS Navigation & Maps app. Waze is by far the top navigation app in the United Kingdom.

At the end of the day, despite the navigation software world coming with plenty of choices for Android users, the most popular Google Maps alternatives still come from high-profile developers. Waze has one big advantage: it’s available free of charge and uses a system that only a large company can build.

A crowdsourcing engine needs a gigantic user base to do its magic, and in the case of Waze, everything works like a charm. Apple has also tried to copy the crowdsourcing-powered incident reporting system, but so far, this feature is yet to gain traction. As such, coming across a traffic report on Apple Maps is a rare thing, including in the United States. The availability of the feature is still limited in the rest of the world.
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About the author: Bogdan Popa
Bogdan Popa profile photo

Bogdan keeps an eye on how technology is taking over the car world. His long-term goals are buying an 18-wheeler because he needs more space for his kid’s toys, and convincing Google and Apple that Android Auto and CarPlay deserve at least as much attention as their phones.
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