Tech Today: Here are the best alternatives to Google Map to make your travel simpler

What has been the best thing since sliced bread? For most of us who move around a lot, it is Google Maps. But there are times when the app directs you to nowhere as up-to-date data isn’t available. If you’re looking for alternatives, fret not. Here are some free navigation apps that you might want to try.

Community Power| Waze

A popular community-based app for navigation, Waze was launched in 2008. And its popularity led to it’s acquisition by Google for around $1 billion in 2013. Designed for car and motorbike users, Waze has a clean interface and suggests the best routes based on user-collected data. It also changes routes instantly to avoid traffic. Users can also update information such as traffic, crash, hazard, and more on the map with just a tap. And if you love listening to music, you are going to love Waze as the music controls from apps such as Amazon Prime Music and Spotify appear on the top. This makes it really simple to manage music while driving.

Available on: Play Store; App Store

Made for India | Mappls

Very similar to Google Maps, this made-in-India solution from MapMyIndia is very good with street-level addresses and points of interests. Just like Google Maps, it shows all the routes to the destination with an estimated time of arrival. But I found Mappls’s suggestions to be more accurate than Google’s, not just in cities but also in rural areas. Also, given the surfeit of flyovers in metro cities, the app’s interface changes the view to clearly indicate when to take one and when not. That is definitely a life-saver. The app also has speed monitoring. The only thing missing is an option to share the progress of your live trip. The app also has a panoramic street view, which MapMyIndia calls RealView.

Available on: Play Store; App Store

The Simple Life | HERE WeGo

Remember the good old days of Nokia? The default maps for navigation were good with directions. They were called Nokia Maps then; now called HERE WeGo, this app is currently owned by HERE Technologies. Also accessible on a web browser, you can also download the maps for offline functionality in areas that have a patchy network. But unlike Google Maps, where you can download only a particular region, HERE WeGo lets you download territories or even countries. The route search displays options such as estimated time of arrival, traffic delay time, distance and the route it would take. It also accurately displays the best public transport navigation route (in my case, the Delhi Metro). Other options include routes for walking and biking. But you can’t book an app-based cab from the app, like you can on Google Maps in some countries.

Available on: Play Store; App Store

iChoice | Apple Maps

Apple Maps, the default iPhone navigation app, has improved a lot since it was first introduced in India. The first thing I noticed about it was its relatively clean interface with small text and icons, and also readings for temperature and AQI of the current location displayed at the bottom right. The search bar appears at the bottom, and the option to choose the map from explore, driving, transit and satellite appears on the top right. When searching for a destination, it not only shows the location, but also the detailed address and phone number wherever available. While using the app, it offers the option to share your ETA with your friend. If you’re exploring a new route, it can be added to favourites. If you are an iPhone user, Apple Maps is worth a try.

Available on: App Store

@nidhisingal