You are at a new place for a trip. The last thing you would want for yourself is to be lost and waste your time roaming around to get back on track. That is why a reliable mobile navigation and GPS app is a must-have on your phone.
You never know when you will need one. So, let us at Insiderbits show you how you can choose the best one for yourself so that you can navigate to the correct destination no matter where you are in the world.
Ahead we will show you the features that you must look for before picking a GPS app for yourself, 5 best options for you, and more. Read on to find out.
6 Must-Have Features in a Mobile Navigation and GPS App
Modern-day GPS apps need to be versatile to be able to meet the demands of users because these apps not only act as a travel guide in foreign locations but also as a navigator to help move through your native streets with utmost efficiency.
For that, we have made a list of X features you must look for in such apps before using. Here is it:
- Real-time traffic updates – Let’s say you want to go to the office and your usual route is jammed with traffic or out of service. This feature updates you ahead of time so you can find the next best route to reach your destination.
- Offline maps – Internet access can be an issue if you go to a remote location or foreign country. Thus, the best mobile navigation apps make sure that you can download the maps for offline use.
- Voice-guided navigation – If you are using GPS as you drive a car or bike, your focus should be on the road ahead and not wander constantly to your mobile to check for the next turn. This is where voice navigation helps as it communicates the instructions automatically with audio.
- Points of Interest (POI) search – The GPS app should have a comprehensive database of important and frequently visited locations like restaurants, gas stations, hotels, tourist attractions, and more.
- Route optimization – What would be the fastest route or most efficient route to a destination? The route optimization feature of a GPS app helps you answer this. Apart from that, you can also customize your route to avoid toll roads, highways, and more.
- Safety feature – Safety features like speed limit alerts, speed camera warnings, and school zone alerts help you stay safe and avoid traffic violations while driving.
3 Best Mobile Navigation and GPS Apps Compared
| Google Maps | Waze Navigation & Live Traffic | MAPS.ME | |
| Notable features | Extensive map coverage Get real-time traffic updates Download maps for offline use Search for restaurants, gas stations, and more Get directions for public transport | Real-time traffic and hazard reports from users Get more accurate ETAs Syncs with the car’s built-in display Look out for tolls and cheapest gas stations | Extensive offline maps Focus on privacy Get turn-by-turn navigation Points of interest search like restaurants, etc. |
| Positives | Most comprehensive and detailed maps Reliable navigation Integrates with other Google services | Highly accurate and up-to-date traffic information Avoids traffic jams Large and active user community | Completely offline functionality Saves data usage Detailed and up-to-date maps |
| Negatives | Can be data-intensive, Privacy concerns for some users | Relies heavily on user input May not be accurate in all areas | Limited online functionality May require frequent map updates |
| Best suited for | Users who need the most feature-loaded GPS app for free | Drivers who want to avoid traffic congestion and get the fastest route possible | Travelers who need reliable offline maps and don’t mind limited online functionality |
Related: How to find an app in the App Store if I don’t know its name?
Final word: How to Assess any GPS App
No GPS app is perfect. However, these 3 are the ones most reliably used by people all over the world to navigate outdoors more confidently and efficiently. These 3 check off the 2 most important factors to look for when using such an app – reliability and accuracy
But you need not to rely on our word. There are other good apps as well. You can test them yourself as you go outside next time.
