3 best navigation apps.

A solid navigation app offers turn-by-turn directions, bike routes, traffic updates, and access to offline maps, crucial if you need to preserve iPhone or smartphone data and battery life. android phone.

And if you’re looking for extra functionality, there are apps to find the fastest route to dozens of stops, apps to plan the ultimate road trip, and apps to get you through traffic jams.

We’ve rounded up five of our favorite navigation apps including route maps below.

In this article, solid navigation applications like route maps.

Great for dodging traffic: Waze

This comprehensive navigation app has extra power in the traffic alerts department. It collects traffic information from other drivers using the app, with a user-friendly map interface that displays icons for accidents, hazards, road closures, speed cameras, and police officers waiting for the next one. driver passes at full speed. Red lines indicate the duration of traffic jams, and the app can automatically reroute you to an alternate route.

You can help other Waze users by reporting nearby traffic conditions, including a handy feature to add a photo and a note to show if the issues are on your side or on the opposite side of the road.

The search function works with places as well as addresses and suggests places based on your location and previous entries. You can also navigate to car services, public transportation, restaurants, stores, and more by leveraging Google and Foursquare.

Once you’ve selected your destination, Waze offers you alternative routes you can take and remembers your preferred routes after you’ve driven them multiple times. And, you can create a planned trip by entering the time and date you need to arrive and Waze will recommend the best time to leave. A nice touch: you can send your estimated time of arrival by email, SMS or Whatsapp to your contacts, and sync Facebook and phone calendars so that upcoming events appear in the list of navigation options, including including Planned Conducts.

• The voice directions turn by turn? Yes
• Cycle routes? No, only driving routes
• Traffic reports? Yes
• Offline maps? No
• Add stops? Yes

You’ll love: accurate, up-to-date traffic information and good rerouting to get you around heavy traffic.

But: some of the info submitted by users is not complete or edited (for example, place names may not be in all capitals).

The best offline maps app: CoPilot GPS

Paid navigation apps don’t have a big argument against free ones like Google Maps and Waze – except when it comes to offline use. A full navigation app like CoPilot GPS is a good idea if you’re abroad, for example, and don’t want to use data roaming or rely on Wi-Fi stops to update Google Maps.

You will only need to download the maps once, ideally over Wi-Fi as they are quite data intensive but once it’s done you can get turn-by-turn voice directions, plan new routes. and use Google powered search to save new places or addresses for times when you’re offline. In addition to a clear interface showing the next two turns, you get lane guidance for highway driving. And if you end up missing your exit, the rerouting feature quickly gets you back on your way.

• Turn-by-turn voice directions? Yes
• Cycle routes? Yes and walking
• Traffic reports? Yes, free for 12 months then 9.99 euros / month after
• Online maps? Yes
• Add stops? Yes

You’ll love: the excellent location and address search function; a complete navigation interface that shows the estimated time of arrival, the next turns and the overall route; offline use means minimal consumption of your smartphone battery.

But: if you don’t often drive where you can’t access the internet, CoPilot may not offer much more than the free Google Maps.

Ultimate all-rounder: Google Maps

Apple Maps, preloaded on iPhones, may have improved the accuracy of its data since its faltering launch, but as a mapping app that always avoids cycle routes, it loses to Google Maps for daily navigation.

You open Google Maps to find out where that bar or restaurant is and you tap the navigation icon at the bottom right of the screen to instantly get some driving directions from your current location. You can also tap “Explore Nearby” to view the best user-rated restaurants, bars, and entertainment venues, along with a filter showing how much time you’re willing to walk or drive to get there. And, you can search your route for gas stations, cafes, restaurants or whatever else you need nearby and add them to your current route.

The turn-by-turn directions are well-synchronized, while the search function is top-notch, with automatic suggestions and predictions based on past research. Once you’re on your way, the app continually checks the speed of alternative routes, bringing up options to switch to faster routes when available.

• Turn-by-turn voice directions? Yes
• Cycle routes? Yes, as well as directions for walking and public transport
• Traffic reports? Yes
• Add stops? Yes

You will love: excellent integration with other Google software. If you’re using the Chrome browser on your smartphone, you can search for a location, then tap the map result to open it directly in Maps. Android users can mark routes and places on custom maps in a web browser, save them in My Maps and then access them in the smartphone app.