When you’re talking about iPhone navigation apps, you already have one by default: Apple Maps. However, there are other alternative options available, each with its own set of characteristics. So, we’ve compiled a list of the 15 best navigation apps for iPhone users.
Top navigation apps for iPhone | Best 15 picks
Whether you want to avoid traffic, locate a new restaurant or a place, plan a trip or seek the best hiking trail, you’d use a GPS navigation app. You’ll find two types of navigations apps for iPhone, those where you’d have to download the maps and those where you access the maps on the go. A crucial factor to remember is that a place may change; there may be a new building or a new road. So your GPS navigation map needs to be updated frequently to provide correct information to users.
List of 15 best navigation apps for iPhone:
1. Google Maps
iPhone Compatibility: iOS 12.2 or later
Price: Free
When it comes to the best navigation app for iPhone, Google Maps comes out the top. It is a free app where you can get real-time GPS navigation, traffic, and transit data. Over the years, Google Maps have meticulously mapped over 220 countries and territories and identified millions of locations on their map. You can locate your favorite takeouts, find which business is open, or make a list of important places.
Google Maps provides the best routes via foot, car, bicycle, air, and public transportation. You also get very clear satellite images and 360° surroundings. You also get the real-time estimated time of arrival (ETA) to beat traffic. You’re also provided the best route based on live traffic data, road closure, and incidents. A key feature of Google Maps is voice-guided turn-by-turn navigation. Google Maps also supports offline navigations and even offers indoor maps for big places such as airports, malls, or stadiums.
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Read More: 10 Best iPhone Compass Apps
iPhone Compatibility: iOS 13.0 or later
Price: Free
Waze is a free navigation app that specializes in traffic management. Interestingly it is owned by Google, and they use its traffic management software in their Google Maps. Waze is the most popular community-based traffic navigation app, where drivers exchange real-time traffic and road data.
The Waze app uses on-the-go maps, meaning you require an internet connection to navigate and get traffic info. If you use this app, they will notify you in real-time of any accidents, constructions, road closures, police, or other traffic-related events. This will assist you in choosing a different route to avoid traffic. In addition, Waze will also locate the cheapest gas station along your route. Most importantly, Waze provides reliable and up-to-date information to its users, making it one of the best navigation apps for iPhone.
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3. Sygic GPS Navigation & Maps
iPhone Compatibility: iOS 12.0 or later
Price: Free (Offers In-App Purchases)
With more than 200 million users, the next app on our list is the Sygic GPS Navigation & Maps. A key feature of Sygic is its ability to offer offline navigation and maps to its user. If you get this app, you’ll get a smart 2D navigation view or 3D offline maps of the world. It is perfect for planning trips or traveling as a tourist, with its multi-lingual voice-guided navigation instructions and directions to famous tourist spots or millions of other exciting places.
Sygic also offers real-time traffic updates and parking suggestions from information collected from millions of drivers. In addition, they also share locations of speed cameras to avoid getting speeding tickets or the location of fuel stations with their prices.
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4. MapQuest GPS Navigation & Maps
iPhone Compatibility: iOS 10.0 or later
Price: Free
Another free navigation app that you should check out is MapQuest. Initially, it started its journey on a desktop, and now it is also popular in app format. You get turn-by-turn navigation instructions for walking, driving, exploring places of interest. This app has a live traffic camera that allows you to see how many cars are on the road. Also, a built-in speedometer that compares your vehicle speed with the speed limit of the road you’re on.
MapQuest also finds fuel stations with the best gas prices, lets you book a hotel or make a restaurant reservation. Their live traffic update and the best route options help you to reach your destination faster. What’s disappointing with MapQuest is that you get pop-up ads that can be sometimes irritating. Also, its navigation features don’t work in offline mode.
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5. Gaia GPS Hiking, Offroad Maps
iPhone Compatibility: iOS 13.0 or later
Price: Free (Offers In-App Purchases)
If you’re setting out on a hiking trail or any other outdoor travel, Gaia is one of the best navigation apps for iPhone. This app focuses more on outdoor and offroad navigation than driving routes. This app is for you if you’re a backpacker, mountaineer, hiker, or hunter. You get up-to-date weather forecasts which are essential for any offroad activities. With this app, you’ll be able to share maps, locate campsites, or mark waypoints with others.
If you’re a hunter, you can share or access maps that identify private or public hinting zones. In addition, search and rescue teams can use this app to evacuate people during wildfires. However, you cannot do much with the free version. You’d need to subscribe to download most of their maps.
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6. Roadtrippers – Trip Planner
iPhone Compatibility: iOS 14.1 or later
Price: Free (Offers In-App Purchases)
If you want to plan the perfect road trip with your friends or families, try Roadtrippers, as it is the best trip planning app. With this app, you can schedule a road trip with many waypoints in between and discover many new places along the way. You get a turn-by-turn navigation guide for your planned route.
You’ll get suggestions to try a local café, explore some roadside attractions, or check in a great hotel during your trip. Unfortunately, this amazing map has content for road trips if you’re in the USA, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia.
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7. MAPS.ME: Offline Maps, GPS Nav
iPhone Compatibility: iOS 11.0 or later
Price: Free (Offers In-App Purchases)
Are you looking for a navigation app that works fully offline and uses up less of your battery power compared to other apps? Then try the Maps.Me offline map and navigation app for iPhone. With this app, you can search for a location, navigate, and look for several points of interest without connecting to the internet. The maps on this app are updated by millions of OpenStreetMap contributors. The OpenStreetMap (OSM) is an open-source rival to Google Maps and Apple Maps. However, some businesses or points of interest are not frequently updated, which sometimes causes frustration among its users.
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8. Apple Maps
iPhone Compatibility: iOS 10.0 or later
Price: Free
You cannot have a list of navigation apps for iPhone without including Apple Maps. This app is a native map app for iPhone and comes pre-loaded. Although touted as a rival to Google Maps, it falls short in many aspects. However, it has gradually improved its function ever since its launch in 2012. Only available on iOS devices such as your iPhone, you get turn-by-turn directions with voice navigations.
This app also offers you the best route, traffic data, and weather forecast. Apple Maps has a street view function, but it is not as extensive as Google Maps street view. You can only see street view locations for some US locations, and it’s only available in a few other countries.
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9. Scout Maps: GPS Navigation App
iPhone Compatibility: iOS 14.0 or later
Price: Free (Offers In-App Purchases)
Scout is a navigation and a social app, or what they like to call themselves, “a social navigation app.” Like most navigation apps for iPhone, you have turn-by-turn voice-guided navigation and real-time traffic and speed updates. You also get to find interesting places from your routes such as cafés, ATMs, hotels, gas stations, etc.
However, unlike most navigation apps for iPhone, Scout gives you a group chat feature. You can use this feature to plan a meet or a trip, share your locations, and keep track of each other’s ETA. When navigating to your destinations with this app, you’ll notice your icon and your friends’ icons moving towards the destination. So you can find out who’s going to be late and who’s on time.
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10. TomTom GO Navigation
iPhone Compatibility: iOS 13.0 or later
Price: Free (Offers In-App Purchases)
You don’t need an internet service to navigate using the TomTom GO app as it is an offline app. However, you’d have to download the maps you need before you start navigating, and this process could take up lots of space. If you’re planning an international trip, then this app has got you covered as its supports maps from 150 other nations.
This app offers all the standard navigation app features such as live traffic updates, 3D maps, and voice navigations. It has some special features such as speed camera warnings and the “Drive to a photo” feature where you get directions to the photo you upload on the app. This app also has some downsides, the major one being that you get only 50 miles of free navigation each month. You’d have to purchase a subscription if you want more.
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11. CityMaps2Go – Offline Maps
iPhone Compatibility: iOS 13.0 or later
Price: Free (Offers In-App Purchases)
CityMaps2Go is an offline navigation app that is considered essential for travelers. This app has received highly positive reviews from tourists because of its detailed content. For instance, you can use this app to easily navigate around national parks, remote areas, and major cities. Your map will display pathways and contour lines of any terrains, so you don’t get lost. CityMaps2Go also offers tips, in-depth details, and as well as photos of the places that you’d want to go. This feature is rare for any offline navigation app.
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12. CoPilot GPS Navigation
iPhone Compatibility: iOS 9.3 or later
Price: Free (Offers In-App Purchases)
CoPilot GPS app is slightly different from other navigation apps for iPhone in this list. It supports navigational routes for multiple vehicle types such as SUVs, trucks, or RVs. The CoPilot app is popular among the delivery fleet and millions of other drivers globally. This app can work offline with voice-guided navigation and route planning. So, if you lose your mobile network or internet connection, then you could use their offline maps for safe navigation.
If you’re using big vehicles like trucks or RVs, you get specialized navigational routes for smooth driving. You’ll get your route information based on your vehicle size and road width. CoPilot GPS also offers information for various places of interest, even when you’re offline.
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13. HERE WeGo Maps & Navigation
iPhone Compatibility: iOS 13.0 or later
Price: Free
Want to find your way around a city using your iPhone? Then try the HERE WeGo navigation app, which has been specially tailored for city dwellers. This app is the best option, whether you’re driving a car, riding a bicycle, jogging, or looking for a public transit system. You get enough information to plan the best routes whether you’re walking, bicycling, or driving.
HERE WeGo offers information for more than 1900 cities worldwide. Although there are more cities globally, this app covers all the major ones. This app is fully free with no in-app purchases, and you can also use it offline.
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14. inRoute – Intelligent Routing
iPhone Compatibility: iOS 13.4 or later
Price: Free (Offers In-App Purchases)
Plan your trip by making your own routes with multi-stop waypoints with this intelligent trip planner app called inRoute. This app offers unique features that you wouldn’t usually find on other navigation apps for iPhone, such as planning your route based on weather forecasts, road elevation, and curviness. You also get turn-by-turn navigation guidance during extreme weather conditions. Nevertheless, this service is only available in the USA, Canada, and the EU.
A key downside of this app is that it doesn’t offer live traffic alerts, which is a common feature of most navigations apps.
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15. Karta GPS Navigation & Maps
iPhone Compatibility: iOS 11.0 or later
Price: Free (Offers In-App Purchases)
Karta GPS app is a decent offline navigation app for iPhone. It uses the OpenStreetMap (OSM) maps for GPS turn-by-turn navigations. It also provides live traffic updates, but it is only supported in select countries. Voice-guided navigations and millions of points of interest can be found on this app. Karta GPS also offers speeding alerts as well as lane assistance for traveling on highways. However, there are reports that Karta doesn’t report other traffic-related hazards such as construction or road closures.
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Finishing remarks
There are so many navigation apps out there, and we’re unfamiliar with most of them. So in such cases, we often stick with the ones we know. Google Maps or Apple Maps are among the most well-known navigation apps as they are native apps for many phones. However, there are also other navigation apps for iPhone that provide similar and, in some cases, better navigation experience. So hopefully, our in-depth review of the best navigation apps for iPhone was helpful.
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