I tested Google Maps vs. Apple Maps to find the best navigation app - and this one wins

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Close Home Tech Services & Software I tested Google Maps vs. Apple Maps to find the best navigation app - and this one wins Apple Maps has improved over the years, but how does it compare to Google Maps today? Here's which one is best. Written by Elyse Betters Picaro, Senior Contributing EditorSenior Contributing Editor May 4, 2026 at 11:36 a.m. PT

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ZDNET's key takeaways

• Google Maps wins for fast routing, AI, and rich discovery features.
• Apple Maps is cleaner, simpler, and geared toward Apple users.
• Both apps are close, but Google Maps is more powerful overall.

I'll admit it: I'm a Google Maps person. I use it for driving, walking, looking up restaurants and businesses, checking out what a parking lot looks like, travel planning, and occasionally falling into a Street View rabbit hole that might begin with "What does my old childhood home look like today?" and end with me exploring the ancient streets of Rome, dreaming of visiting one day.

But I once preferred Apple Maps. As a longtime Apple user (I got my first Mac when I was 14, nearly 25 years ago, and I switched from Verizon to AT&T in 2007 just so I could get the first iPhone), I will always try everything Cupertino releases. So, back in 2012, when Apple Maps first launched, I gave it a shot. I can't remember how long I used it for, but it was a couple of years at least.

Also: Google Maps vs. Waze: I've used both, and one is much better

I ignored the haters. Let's be real, Apple Maps was a punchline after its disastrous launch. But at some point, I followed the crowd. Overtime, I became entrenched in Google apps. Eventually, it became obvious that Apple Maps was my backup maps app, the one I'd accidentally open instead of Google Maps. But I know Apple Maps has steadily improved.

I'm a tech editor by day, so I've seen and written about countless updates to Apple Maps over the last decade. For example, with iOS 26, Apple added a Preferred Routes feature, which learns the routes I take most often and warns me about delays before I leave.

With these kinds of updates in mind, I set aside my Google Maps bias and compared both apps feature by feature. Which one is better in 2026? Which one should I actually use? Has Apple Maps finally done enough to make me quit Google Maps for good?

Is Google Maps or Apple Maps better?

Let's look at all the major features of both apps to find a winner. I'm judging them on navigation, travel modes, traffic reports, speed alerts, offline maps, interface, AI, EV support, Street View and historical imagery, and compatibility.

Navigation with intelligent routing

Winner: Google Maps, for defaulting to the best, fastest route

Apple Maps is genuinely good at turn-by-turn navigation now. It gives clear lane guidance, stop sign and traffic light cues in supported areas, speed limit info, route overviews, and multi-stop directions.

I also like Preferred Routes, which learns where you typically drive, such as a work commute, and warns you about traffic delays or closures before you leave. So, if I always take a back road because I like to stop at a coffee shop, Apple Maps should learn that instead of push me onto the highway.

Also: 41 hidden Google Maps settings you should know

Google Maps remembers my route to a point, but it doesn't learn my routine in the same way. Instead, it defaults to the fastest route. It still does nearly everything Apple Maps does for navigation, including letting me save trips, choose between routes, add stops, or avoid tolls and highways.

Where Google Maps really shines is its depth of traffic data. It has live conditions and alerts, road type awareness, route comparisons, including eco-friendly options, and deep integration with search and place data. It even takes my vehicle into account. So, if you drive an EV, it can prioritize routes with charging stations.

I also like that it explains why a route is faster, slower, more fuel-efficient, or if there are issues ahead, like road jams or stops. Google has a feature called Immersive Navigation, which provides realistic 3D route previews, clear lane context, and easier-to-understand route trade-offs.

Google Maps can even use landmarks to provide navigation directions instead of just distances, so I might hear "Turn left after the Shell station," rather than "Turn left in 600 feet," which, in my experience, is very useful.

Apple Maps is clean and effective, but Google Maps feels like it's doing a lot more to get me from A to B faster and smarter, not just based on my usual route. Google Maps gets my vote here, but Apple Maps has come far.

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Transit modes beyond driving

Winner: Tied, as both apps offer multiple modes

Both apps cover the basics: driving, walking, cycling, public transit, and ride options. So, if you don't own a vehicle but still need to get somewhere, either app can help you find the best route.

Apple Maps is a pretty low-clutter map, and one hikers might prefer to use. A couple of years ago, it added detailed, curated, and downloadable hiking information for all 63 US national parks. You can browse trails, filter by length and elevation, create routes, and save favorites in your Places Library.

I have to say, though, Google Maps is great in cities. Whether I'm headed somewhere on foot or on a multi-leg transit trip, it offers detailed routes, live schedules, and real-time updates. And if I'm ever confused by the bird's-eye view and can't tell which way to walk, AR Live View can overlay 3D arrows onto the street to guide me.

But if I'm being objective and focusing on travel modes alone, this category is a tie, since both apps support a wide range of ways to get around, even if Google Maps often feels more robust and mature.

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Traffic and incident reporting

Winner: Google Maps, for more alerts and driver reports

Apple Maps lets me report incidents such as accidents, speed checks, traffic, roadwork, hazards, and road closures. I can report using Siri, from the iPhone app, or through CarPlay.

Google Maps also supports incident reporting, including crashes, slowdowns, police, construction, lane closures, objects on the road, low visibility, flooded roads, and unplowed roads. It offers way more options.

I can report from the app, including with Gemini, or through Android Auto, and it benefits from a massive user base. In 2024, CEO Sundar Pichai said Maps surpassed 2 billion users, while Apple Maps was estimated at about 500 million. Neither company has shared updated figures, but Google Maps likely still has the wider reach.

Also: I use Android Auto, and these 5 changes solved my issues

So while Apple Maps is getting better, Google Maps is more detailed and often more accurate, in my experience. When something is off, whether a slowdown, crash, lane blockage, closure, or police activity, Google Maps is better at showing that something is happening and giving me enough context to decide whether to reroute.

This is not a landslide, however. Apple Maps can absolutely get me through a messy drive. But for live traffic and incident awareness, Google Maps still feels like the better option, with more alert types and eyes on the road.

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Police and speed trap alerts

Winner: Tied, as both offer limited police reporting

This comparison isn't about Waze, but I'm mentioning it because it pioneered user-led reporting, especially for police activity. I can report not only police, but also mobile cameras, hidden enforcement, and whether officers are set up on the other side of the road. The TL;DR is that it covers a wide range of potential speed traps.

So, what about Apple Maps and Google Maps? Apple Maps lets me report a "speed check," with no other options, while Google Maps lets me report "police," also with no additional detail. They're very basic. In my opinion, these are not the apps to use if your main concern is knowing whether there is police activity ahead.

They earn a tie for this category, and both could use an update if you ask me.

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Offline maps and data use

Winner: Tied, as both offer offline maps

Google Maps has long been great for offline use. I can download areas ahead of time and still get turn-by-turn directions. It's a feature I often rely on, because I live rurally and drive around with little to no service. Google Maps can also auto-download recommended areas and lets me control whether downloads happen over Wi-Fi.

Also: I found a free Google Maps alternative that doesn't track me

But Apple Maps now supports offline maps, too. On iPhone, I can download entire map areas and manage how and when they update, including limiting downloads to Wi-Fi, and I get turn-by-turn directions.

There is no clear winner here anymore.

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Interface and design

Winner: Google Maps, for its rich discovery options

Apple Maps is the cleaner app, by far. Google Maps is more like a Swiss Army knife packed with 47 different tools, while Apple Maps keeps things simple.

When I open Apple Maps, I can search for a route, pick a saved place, or jump back into a recent trip or guide. I can then toggle between map modes like explore, driving, transit, and satellite, and I can access saved places, reports, offline maps, and settings from my profile. That's about it, and honestly, that's part of the appeal.

Google Maps is far more powerful, but it can also feel like a lot.

There are pins, labels, photos, reviews, lists, transit layers, and more. It's great for exploring neighborhoods, researching businesses, or finding restaurants, parks, and stores. I can use Street View to preview a location and switch between layers like satellite, terrain, air quality, wildfires, and 3D buildings.

It also has an AR-powered Lens feature, which lets me point my camera at shops or landmarks and get more information. More recently, Google Maps added Gemini-powered "insider tips," an updated Explore tab with trending places and curated lists, and Ask Maps, which lets me search using natural, conversational questions.

It can feel overwhelming if I just want directions, but it's still impressive how much Google Maps can do. It's evolved into a full travel and discovery tool, not just a navigation app. So, for pure functionality, I prefer Google Maps. I like having a feature-rich interface with plenty of tools that help me get around and understand an area.

But I'll admit this category can come down to personal preference.

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AI and voice assistance

Winner: Google Maps, for deep Gemini integration

This one is not particularly close.

Apple Maps is integrated with Siri, and Siri can handle basic navigation, incident reports, and route requests. But Apple Maps doesn't currently offer anything as deep or as smart as Google Maps' Gemini integration.

Google Maps has Ask Maps, a Gemini-powered conversational experience that can answer complex questions about places and make recommendations. I can ask for something specific, such as a vegan restaurant along my route with parking, and it will use its massive database of places, reviews, and photos to narrow things down.

Also: Gemini in Google Maps: Keep your hands on the wheel 

With the AR-powered Lens feature, I can also ask follow-up questions about whatever I'm seeing. Google Maps added Gemini to navigation, too, and can provide more natural, landmark-based directions. There's also Immersive Navigation, which is powered by Gemini. It turns 2D maps into a more realistic 3D experience using Street View and aerial imagery to give me a clearer sense of my surroundings before and during a trip.

Also: How to share your location on Android: 5 quick ways

Google Maps is using AI to not only be conversational but also more visual and context-aware. It wins, easily.

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EV navigation and charging

Winner: Google Maps, for broader EV trip planning

Apple Maps lets you find charging stations. It technically offers EV routing, but it's currently limited to select vehicles and regions. When and where it is supported, it can help you plan trips with charging stops and monitor your battery level during the drive. You can set it up through CarPlay or in the iPhone app before starting a route.

Google Maps does much more here. It offers AI-powered EV battery predictions and trip planning for more than 350 Android Auto EV models in the US. It can use your vehicle and current charge to estimate battery levels at arrival, recommend charging stops, factor in charging time, and update ETAs.

Google Maps also lets you specify your EV model, search for charging stations, and filter by plug type and charging speed. So while Apple Maps is still building out this feature, Google Maps offers better tools for EV drivers, along with wider availability and broader compatibility as of 2026.

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Street View and historical imagery

Winner: Google Maps, and it's not even close

This is the easiest category to compare.

Google Maps has Street View, which lets me explore just about any road in the world. I have used it to preview entrances, check for parking, scope out rentals, walk through neighborhoods, and even go back in time. Google supports historical Street View imagery in many places, so I can see how just about any place looked years ago.

It can be a little emotional if you use it to revisit old homes, closed businesses, or places that no longer exist.

Also: Your iPhone tracks every place you visit - how to turn off

Apple Maps has Look Around, which is its version of street-level imagery. It looks great... where it is available. That's the issue: coverage. Look Around is still limited to select cities across North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. I live in upstate NY and seldom see the binoculars icon in Apple Maps.

Google Maps, on the other hand, offers Street View in far more places, including all around where I live. So it wins here. And if you want historical imagery, it wins by an even wider margin.

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Availability and compatibility

Winner: Google Maps, for being almost everywhere

Google Maps works on iPhone, iPad, Android, the web, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and cars with Google built in. It's preinstalled or deeply integrated on many Android devices and vehicles, and it's one of the few apps that feels equally useful whether you are on a phone, in a browser, or using a car display.

Apple Maps works beautifully across Apple devices, including iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and CarPlay. Apple Maps also launched on the web in 2024, finally bringing driving and walking directions to browsers. That makes Apple Maps much more accessible than it once was, though it still does not have a native Android app. 

Google Maps therefore gets the edge for its wider reach across devices, browsers, and vehicles. But both services are available in more than 200 regions and countries across the world. 

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The final scorecard

Let's tally up which app wins based on the categories above.

Category	Winner	Why it wins
Navigation and routing	Google Maps	Faster routing, stronger traffic data, eco routing, Immersive Navigation, and landmark-based directions.
Transit modes	Tied	Both support driving, walking, biking, transit, and more.
Traffic and incident reporting	Google Maps	More detailed alerts, broader reporting options, and a larger user base.
Police and speed trap alerts	Tied	Both offer limited, basic police reporting options.
Offline maps and data use	Tied	Both now support offline maps with turn-by-turn directions.
Interface and design	Google Maps	More powerful tools and discovery features, despite a chaotic UI.
AI and voice assistance	Google Maps	Deeper Gemini integration with Ask Maps, Lens, and contextual navigation.
EV navigation and charging	Google Maps	Broader EV support, battery predictions, and charger planning.
Street View and historical imagery	Google Maps	Extensive Street View coverage and historical imagery support.
Availability and compatibility	Google Maps	Wider reach across devices, platforms, and vehicles.

Total

• Google Maps: 7 wins
• Apple Maps: 0 wins
• Ties: 3

And there it is. Google Maps beats Apple Maps by a wide margin, according to my scorecard. But that does not mean Apple Maps is bad or unusable. In fact, Apple Maps is good enough that I get why iPhone users rely on it from day to day, especially if they love how it remembers preferred routes, or if they use CarPlay, or just enjoy a cleaner, simpler interface.

But Google Maps is still the better overall navigation app. It has richer search, stronger live traffic data, deeper AI integration, better EV planning, Street View, historical imagery, broader compatibility, and more tools for discovering and exploring what's around you.

FAQs

When should I use Apple Maps over Google Maps?

Apple Maps is much simpler and easier to use and works fantastic across Apple devices, including CarPlay, but Google Maps is still my go-to when I need to get somewhere fast, see what's nearby, or check what a place looks like before I show up. It's packed with useful tools and absolutely worth having installed, no matter what. Here's a quick decision tree to help you, if you're still undecided.

Use Apple Maps if...

• You want the cleanest, least cluttered interface.
• You use iPhone, Apple Watch, Mac, and CarPlay every day.
• You want built-in offline maps on iPhone.
• You mostly drive familiar routes and want Preferred Routes alerts.

Use Google Maps if...

• You want the most feature-packed navigation app.
• You want to get somewhere fast with smarter, data-driven routing.
• You want to see what's nearby or research places before you go.
• You like to use Street View or historical imagery.
• You want more detailed and accurate incident reporting.
• You prefer Gemini and want deeper AI integration and discovery tools.
• You drive an EV and want better charging and battery planning.
• You use Android and want maximum availability and compatibility.

Is Apple Maps better for privacy?

Apple Maps is designed with Apple's privacy-first approach. That means features like Visited Places are protected with end-to-end encryption and cannot be accessed by Apple. Google Maps offers privacy controls, including an Incognito mode that doesn't save activity to your account, but it's also much more tied into Google's larger search, advertising, reviews, and personalization systems.

Is Apple Maps available on Android?

Not as a native app. Apple Maps is available on the web, including through mobile browsers on Android. Google Maps has native apps for both iOS and Android, plus deep support for Android Auto, CarPlay, and Google built-in vehicles.

Do Apple Maps and Google Maps offer location sharing?

Yes. Both Apple Maps and Google Maps offer location sharing.

In Apple Maps, you can share your current location with a contact (it appears as a pin on the map) or share your ongoing route and estimated time of arrival. Google Maps is a bit more robust, providing continuous, real-time updates, including movement and estimated arrival time. You can choose how long to share your location or keep it on until you manually turn it off.

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