Your smartphone is simply the perfect tool for finding your way around. With GPS, a big screen and easy access to the latest information, it can help you avoid holdups, find destinations, and tell you what to do when you get there. But not all mapping apps are created equal. Our maps and navigation apps guide will help you find your way.
Enjoy the journey
Combine a handy GPS device with the power of the internet, and all kinds of magic is possible. Your smartphone can help you get to new places – whether you’re driving, walking or going by public transport. More than that, it can help you find yourself when you’re lost, and help others find you in an emergency. So what is it that makes phones so much more helpful than a map?
First up, smartphones can receive signals from one or more of the various global positioning (GPS) systems in orbit. With a bit of maths wizardry, they can work out where they are on the earth’s surface to an accuracy of just a few metres, and show the position on a map.
Second, they’re connected to the internet nearly all of the time. This lets them download completely up to date map information as they go along, so you’re never caught out by, say, a new road junction. Updates aren’t just limited to mapping, though. Navigation apps are linked to databases of routes and journey times – powerful servers crunch the numbers, factor in the latest traffic information, and come up with the best route in an instant.
A phone’s communication features can be invaluable when you’re off the beaten path, too. Mapping apps can help you pinpoint where you are and where you’re heading, while location sharing ensures that contacts can keep an eye on you while you explore. And if it all goes wrong, being able to pass on simple coordinates can ensure you get any help you need quickly.
So which mapp apps are a must-have, and how will you find your way? Read on for our map and navigation apps guide.
Google Maps
Price
Android Google Maps Free, ad-supported
iOS Google Maps Free, ad-supported
Mozillion rating
Why install? The most accurate and powerful map app
Why avoid it?Google knows where you are
If you want the best general-purpose mapping app available, it’s Google Maps. Offering detailed maps of 220 countries, enhanced with satellite and street view data, it’s the single most effective way to find out where you are. The same features also make it great for investigating new places, and for discovering the shops, amenities and other highlights of any particular area.
Search for any location in Google Maps and you’ll see quick links to get more information, like reviews or a relevant website, along with a link to get directions. Navigation helps you plan and make journeys on foot, bike, car or public transport, calculating even trans-contintental routes in just a few seconds. Best of all, routes are dynamic, updated to avoid road closures, traffic jams and other holdups.
Dig deeper and Maps supports other useful features, such as sharing your real-time location with friends or family either permanently or for a limited amount of time. The Timeline also shows where you were on a given date – great for reminding yourself of good times, or simply the places you’ve been.
While many of Maps’ smartest features depend on an internet connection, it can still find a route when offline provided you’ve previously downloaded offline maps. Doing this stores a local copy of a selected region – it’ll save your mobile data, too.
Google Maps is installed by default on an Android phone, and you can add it for free to any iPhone. It integrates with Android Auto to make a near-perfect SatNav. If all this sounds too good to be true for a free app, remind yourself that Google is getting your detailed location data in return. So long as you’re alright with that, it’s hard to imagine a better all-round mapping app than Google Maps.
Waze
Mozillion rating
Why install?A great, free SatNav app
Why avoid it?Not as comprehensive as Google Maps
If you need a navigation app as an alternative to an in-car GPS system, look no further than Waze. This app is free on iOS and Android, and uses a combination of mapping data, GPS, and community-sourced information to find the quickest and least busy routes.
Waze users swear by its ability to adapt routes to avoid developing situations, such as traffic jams or accidents. While services like Google Maps do this based on aggregated user data, Waze learns from user submissions. But while in theory this could give it an edge, in practice we’re yet to see it outperform Google.
This app undoubtedly offers better customisation than many, allowing a choice of voices, and pulling in pump prices to let you find the cheapest fuel en route. While it supports EVs, however, it doesn’t yet seem to include charging points in its directions.
You can run Waze on a phone in a car mount, or through integration with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. Like Google Maps, it really is good enough to outperform a car SatNav. However, unlike Google Maps, it doesn’t cater for walkers or cyclists, and it can’t help you with public transport.
What3words
Price Android what3words Free
iOS what3words Free
Mozillion rating
Why install?Find yourself anywhere
Why avoid it?Be careful with your spelling
If you’ve ever tried to guide a delivery driver through a quiet village, let alone would-be rescuers to a remote location, you’ll know how tricky it can be. What3words solves the problem by dividing the world into three-metre squares, and giving each a unique three-word address.
“Just off a bike path near Guildford” becomes aware.agent.drip, while “Lost in snow somewhere in the Highlands” becomes tolerates.revamped.postage. With the app installed, you can get help to your exact location without needing local knowledge, or exchanging error-prone map coordinates.
While the emergency services can get to what3words addresses, the app isn’t just for rescues. You can use it to navigate anywhere, or to meet up with friends a little off the beaten path. It’s particularly useful to anyone who lives remotely, or who enjoys sports or adventuring alone or away from built up areas. You may never use it, but it could be invaluable in a crisis.
Geocaching
Price Android Geocaching Free, with in-app purchases
iOS Geocaching Free, with in-app purchases
Mozillion rating
Why install?A modern-day treasure hunt
Why avoid it? Bye bye free time!
We’ve covered apps that help you find your way around, and apps that guide other people to you when you need help, so how about a bit of fun? Geocaching is a kind of outdoors adventure game where your phone’s GPS helps you track down and uncover the hidden caches left by other players.
The basic Geocaching app is free and, for casual users, will be all you ever need. Open it up, look for a cache nearby, then navigate, follow the clues and uncover the treasure. It’s a simple idea, but there’s enormous satisfaction in finding a cache – it’s a great way to entertain kids, too. There are plenty of ‘traditional’ caches available for free, both in cities and rural locations.
If you really catch the bug, you can use the app to help you hide, monitor and maintain your own cache for others to find. Premium access opens up the full range of caches available, and adds features including offline maps – the money from subscribers helps keep the basics free for everyone else.
Geocaching won’t be to everyone’s taste, but it’s a good way to liven up family walks. You might even use it as an incentive to do more walking, running or cycling – in which case you should check out our best health and fitness apps guide, too.
Sky Map
Price Android Sky Map Free
iOS Not available
Mozillion rating
Why install?Your guide to the night skies
Why avoid it?Poor without a gyroscope sensor
If you’ve ever gazed into the night sky and wondered what you were actually looking at, Sky Map is a must-install. Originally developed by Google, it’s now a free app for Android devices. Install it and hold your phone up to the sky to reveal the names of all the brightest stars and planets, along with their constellations. Move around and the map moves with you, helping you understand exactly what’s out there.
There’s not too much more to this app. Stars and planets are labelled with their names, but you can’t tap them to learn more, for example via a Wikipedia article. The experience is disappointing on cheaper devices without gyroscope sensors, as the map won’t track as faithfully to your phone’s movements – you may need to disable the gyroscope feature in the settings to get it to move at all. On most phones, however, Sky Map is a bit of simple and educational fun.