Best GPS and Navigation Apps for Android

Traveling and visiting friends or relatives has been loved by people in every decade. But in the past decade, people might be facing difficulty in going to unknown places, actually when they don't have the actual and right information about the route. But now, in this technological era, it is not so. People have now advanced devices (smartphones) with them to find the best route to reach their destination in an easy way. People use GPS and Navigation apps to find their road map to their destination. GPS and Navigation applications use an internet connection to suggest directions (voice and map) on maps about how to arrive at a given destination.

When we think about navigation or GPS apps, we mostly think about Google Maps. It is one of the most common and recommended and comes pre-installed on Android phones and highly popular app among people. Including the Google Maps app, there are tons of GPS navigation apps available to download and use on your Android and iOS phone. This article illustrates some of the best GPS and Navigation apps for Android smartphones.

10 best GPS and Navigation apps for Android phones and tablet

1. Google Maps
2. OsmAnd - Maps & GPS Offline
3. Sygic: GPS, Navigation, and Maps
4. Me
5. Waze Navigation & Live Traffic
6. HERE WeGo Maps & Navigation
7. MapQuest
8. Polaris GPS Navigation
9. Scout GPS Navigation
10. TOmTOm GO Navigation - GPS Sat Nav

Google Maps

Google Maps is an excellent GPS app for navigating locations. It is a full-featured navigation and GPS app that has tons of locations, directions to visit destinations, street-level photography of most places, means of travel, places to explore, etc. It is one of the widely used and recommended apps to navigate your world faster. If there are any unhappening hazardous incidents and road closures in real-time on your selected route, Google Maps displays it on a map so that you can choose an alternate way for your destination. The app comes pre-installed on most Android smartphones. If it is missing in your device, download it from the Play Store or Apps Store based on your device.

PROS:

• Works for many different transportation types including catching buses, trains, or ride-share
• Show the live (real-time) traffic issues to get ready for an alternate way
• Shows the departure and arrival times for driving
• Displays the real-time estimated arrival time based on traffic conditions
• It automatically reroutes a way to your destination due to roadblocks, accidents, or other road conditions and maintenance
• Support offline access

CONS:

• There is no option to share the map's location on social media
• Some reviews complain about next-turn directions that are incorrect
• Using GPS for navigation drains phone battery faster than normal
• If you make a wrong turn, Google Maps often redirects you back to the original route, even if the newly selected route is shorter

Download Google Maps from the Play Store

Sygic: GPS, Navigation, and Maps

Sygic GPS Navigation is a reliable app for getting a route map from one point to another point. It is a popular navigation app for mobile phones that has completed more than 50 million downloads over Pay Store to date. This GPS and navigation app allows downloading maps for offline use. Users can also use this app for 3D maps offline for GPS navigation without an internet connection. It regularly updates the maps of entire countries of the world that can be accessed offline.

Sygic GPS Navigation & Maps application facilitates some other useful features like turn-by-turn voice-guided map directions that speak street names to focus on driving. It also displays the speed limit on the screen. You can unlock more additions and advanced features by using its paid versions.

PROS

• It also facilitates the use of maps offline of the entire country of the world
• There is voice-guided map direction or driving navigation
• You will find real-time traffic information
• It included driving safety features like speed limit alerts and a heads-up display for safe night driving

CONS

• You have to go for its premium version for some advanced features after 7 days of use. Premium subscription costs vary depending on features, subscription period (monthly, quarterly, or yearly), and country.

Download Sygic GPS Navigation & Maps from the Play Store.

OsmAnd - Maps & GPS Offline

OsmAnd is a unique map and navigation app that works offline to display world maps based on OpenStreetMap (OSM). Use this app to find the best route for on-foot and vehicle dimensions. The OsmAnd - Maps & GPS Offline app contains filters to use maps for different kinds of locations, including convenience stores, restaurants, health centers, and more. The app allows you to plot a route from place to place using one or multiple navigation profiles.

The OsmAnd map app is best suited for people who love off-the-road exhibitions and adventures rather than prefer vehicle journeys. The app is open source and does not collect any user data unless you allow what the app will access.

PROS:

• You can use map online or offline
• Search places by name, address, coordinates, or category
• Shows the estimated time of arrival to set the destination location
• Route recording using GPX tracks

CONS:

• Some users complain about its poor UI
• Difficult to find app functions
• The searching function needs more improvement

Download the OsmAnd Map for Android and iOS

Maps.Me

Maps.Me is another popular GPS and navigation app that offers features of offline maps. The app provides turn-by-turn directions as travel guides for locations around the world. It also offers a feature to bookmark location, offline search for location, and traffic data. The app is supported in most countries across the world and also allows the booking of hotels within the app itself.

The app is free to use, but it contains some ads to support developers which are not a big deal. However, some users reported minor issues with app crashes.

PROS:

• Provides several features such as turn-by-turn direction, up-to-date traffic information
• Offline function to search places, navigate, and find ATMs and restaurants
• Bookmark the location you love and share it with your contacts
• As the map runs offline, it saves mobile data and also consumes less battery power
• Use navigation for different needs like walking, cycling, and driving

CONS:

• Businesses on the maps need to be updated more frequently
• Many users reported that updates make map loading slow
• The user interface is difficult to use

Download the Maps.Me from Play Store

Waze Navigation & Live Traffic

As the name indicates, the Waze Navigation & Live Traffic app displays real-time road (traffic) alerts and suggests routes for you. Waze networks save your time by notifying alerts about traffic, crashes, constructions, cops, and lots more. The Waze app is a full-featured navigation app that could be used as a substitute for Google Maps. The live traffic information and its smart route suggestions keep your travel shorter than it can be. Some of its key features include displaying a faster route for your destination, a live speedometer, live updates from Waze community drivers, accurate estimated time of arrival, etc. The Waze Navigation app is free to use but contains ads.

PROS:

• Suggest the best routes with the least traffic to get faster
• Aware of where cops, speed cams, and red-light cameras are located to avoid tickets
• Display the very accurate estimated arrival time based on the live traffic situation
• Live updates come from the community-based driver of Waze
• Find the cheapest fuel on your route
• Sync the application with Android Auto display

CONS:

• Signs of road work and other obstacles can clutter the map and cast a shadow over your view
• Getting several notifications with sounds from social aspects can distract you

Download the Waze Navigation app from the Play Store

HERE WeGo Maps & Navigation

HERE WeGo maps and navigation app has a simple and elegant user interface that guides local and international travelers on their journeys. Download the app to use its map feature offline in your region and easily reach your destination. The HERE WeGo map app shows you the traffic data and public transit maps. This feature helps you to take public transport in thousands of cities around the world.

PROS:

• Save your frequently visited place in the collection
• Option to book hotel and vehicle parking slot on your way
• Notify real-time traffic information
• Find a common interesting place for your trip
• The app can be used offline worldwide

CONS:

• It contains ads
• In some phone models, maps do not open in full-screen

Download the HERE WeGo Maps & Navigation from the Play Store