Google Maps alternatives: What map services are there?

OpenStreetMap, has been around since 2004 and is probably one of the best known Google Maps alternatives. The navigation app uses an “open data” concept, whereby users enter map data themselves, collaborating to create as detailed a world map as possible. This data is free for everyone to use since it is run under the Open Database License. This means that it can be reused without restrictions – unlike Google Maps, which is governed by American Corporation licensing terms.

OpenStreetMap can be used on a browser, and also has apps for Android and iOS. You can easily print maps or share them with your friends and the app stores images and data like house numbers, or the number of floors in the building to make the map as comprehensible as possible. Private data is not part of the project framework and will not be saved. Private lands and any private pedestrian pathways, lawns or driveways that are connected to them are not visible. The route planner (provided for Europe through the related OpenRouteService project) distinguishes between different types of motorised vehicles, cyclists, pedestrians, and even wheelchair users.

The project is entirely funded through donations and does not require advertising. Donations are collected at “mapping parties” to help finance new projects and the collection of other map data. Since the maps are freely usable, numerous other map apps make use of it as a resource. To use the app offline, you need to download the maps, which requires a significant amount of storage space.

Maps.me is one of the free apps that make use of OpenStreetMap’s material. If enough space is available on the device, the app is automatically stored offline so that it can be retrieved at any time without consuming any data. In addition, the data is compressed as much as possible so that the app requires less storage space. 

The Maps.me app is popular among users because it’s very detail-oriented and includes a few features missing from Google Maps. Some details include having various well-thought out categories for entertainment, hotels, restaurants, and food. If you select the category “Food” for example, along with what kind of cuisine you’re looking for, the app will bring up relevant results in your area.

A disadvantage of this navigation app is that the directions are not always necessarily accurate and sometimes it shows detours instead of the most direct route. Unlike Google, it does not always prioritise the fastest/quickest way, instead opting for the most comfortable journey, which can then take longer. The app also takes up a lot of storage space on your phone. However, you can also download maps of individual cities or regions, which is extremely convenient when travelling abroad.

The app Navmii, created by the eponymous Navmii Publishing Ltd, is now available as free-of-charge, offline-functioning software. Navmii also uses OpenStreetMaps’s maps. In addition, the service extends the functionality of their maps with professional features like geocoding or real-time navigation.  It also saves maps offline after a manual download, so that you can easily access and use them, even if network reception is low or you are running low on data. However, updates for Navmii are not as fast as Google Maps.

When used online, Navmii combines voice-based navigation, real time traffic information, local searches and driving statistics, making it an above standard navigation system.  The navigation app displays up-to-date reports of accidents and construction sites, as well as providing additional integrated information on TripAdvisor and other similar sites. The app is free of charge for Android users, and free for iOS users in their first country since 2017. While the company’s previous country apps required a separate app for each national map, Navmii GPS World now provides access to maps for 197 countries within a single app. The new app saves you having to install multiple apps, but also requires more storage space. The amount required will vary depending on what type of device you have.

Waze is also often cited as a good alternative to Google Maps. However, Google bought Waze in 2013 so it doesn’t really count as a genuine alternative, instead, it’s more of a supplement to Google Maps. Google did not integrate the app into their products but they use Waze’s information to help develop their own programs. Maps on Waze are not freely available, coming under a proprietary license (like other Google apps) instead.

The map app is available for Android, iOS and Windows phones. Its basic function is to provide data on current traffic situations. It is based on the simple principle that users automatically share information with Waze as they use the app. This can be both an advantage and a disadvantage: without consent to use this data, the principle doesn’t work. Users joining the data-sharing community is the only way that everyone can benefit from the information available.

Another special feature is that you can network in smaller groups and share information with them, like cheap petrol stations or current speed camera locations. In addition, when members of a group connect the service to Facebook, they can see who is located where, and how long everyone will need to get to the meeting point. Privacy-sensitive users, however, have rightly shown skepticism: since all data is connected to individual Waze accounts, they are individually personalised. If you prefer anonymity online, using this app is not an option.

HERE WeGo is the successor of Here, a navigation app founded in Berlin that belonged to Nokia Maps. Car manufacturers Audi, BMW, and Daimler are the main shareholders in the company. HERE WeGo has its own map material sourced from Navteq, a geodata provider that merged with the Nokia group in 2011. The main feature of this app is that offline maps are available free of charge for around 100 countries for Windows, macOS, Android and iOS users. After Google Maps, HERE WeGo offers the most comprehensive maps. However, satellite images are only available in online mode. A user-friendly route planner is also integrated. HERE WeGo is considered a great alternative to Google Maps.

The map app provides directions, traffic and public transport information, including subways, suburban trains, buses, etc. They also have detailed city maps of more than 1,300 cities around the world. Whether on foot, by bicycle, car, bus or train: the Google Maps alternative HERE WeGo provides precise information on all routes and does not omit car sharing options or taxi rides. It is also very practical to compare different routes and means of transport directly with other users.

Offline maps for individual companies or cities can be downloaded manually with the app and can then be used for address searches, navigation, and route planning. HERE WeGo also provides a voice output for up to 46 languages. In online mode, users have access to real-time traffic data and information on individual locations as with many other comparable map services. However, the app is missing a feature like Google Street View, allowing you to view public places online from a more natural perspective.

One downside is that some information is out of date and does not get updated as quickly as Google Maps. This includes information about restaurants and ATMs for example. In order to seriously compete with the leader, these little details would need to be included and/or improved on. It is unclear, however, if this will be pursued, considering the owners of this app – car manufacturers may be more interested in further developing the service into an automated driving app.