Waze vs Google Maps vs Apple Maps

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Best GPS Navigation Application for your Car or Truck

What is the best GPS navigation application for your car or truck?

Depending on your age, you might recall the days of watching the odometer to count down the miles until the next turn, an emergency road atlas, and printed directions to guide you on long drives. These days, digital NAV is available on nearly every brand-new vehicle and mobile phone. While nearly all navigation applications give the same general info, how and what information they present can be very different. With so many unique choices, how can you know which is the best navigation service for you? We’ve narrowed it down to our top 3 suggestions, Apple Maps vs. Google Maps vs. Waze. CarPlay® may feel like the frontrunner because it is an option in so many brand-new vehicles, but Google Maps and Waze have their own unique advantages as well.

Google Maps

The most robust navigation application in this comparison is Google Maps because all of the data is provided by Google itself.

Biggest Benefits of Google Maps

• Available offline – No cellphone reception, no problem. Download your map.

• Google Exclusive: Street View – View actual pictures of your map location.

• Real-time traffic updates – See how much time that traffic jam is going to add to your trip.

• More than just cars – Google Maps can help you on your next walk, bike ride, or train ride.


Apple

Thanks to the CarPlay® integration with many brand-new vehicles, Apple Maps might be the most used NAV app on the market. ​The one issue with Apple Maps is that it’s only available on iOS devices.

Apple Maps Benefits

• Pit Stops – Find gasoline stations that are nearby and other unique attractions.
• Several different options for Navigation – Apple has maps for public transportation, driving, and even walking routes.
• Look Around presented by Apple – See both a map of your location and images. This feature can be useful if you are lost.

Waze

Despite other NAV apps now featuring some sort of crowd-sourced traffic data, Waze was the first NAV app to use the technology as well.

Advantages of Waze

• Updates on traffic as they happen – Waze users update info as they are driving, which is then used to calculate the quickest route based on road conditions.
• More than just directions – Get info about detours, accidents, and police alerts.
• Integration with Facebook – Share your road trip with friends by posting your location on your timeline.

The Winner

It should be no surprise, but the best NAV App really depends on what drivers need. If you happen to get lost easily, you can use the Look Around feature on Apple Maps. If you use NAV for your next big cycling road trip, Google Maps is for you. However, if you just want to get from Point A to Point B in the fastest time, Waze is your only choice. Google Maps, Apple Maps, and Waze all have unique standout features and you really can not go wrong, no matter which one you select.