When someone hears the word AI, their mind typically gravitates toward ChatGPT immediately. You might not necessarily use it every day, and it might not even be your go-to AI tool. However, we've reached a point where ChatGPT has practically become synonymous with AI, regardless of how many alternatives are out there.
I'd say Google Maps is in pretty much the same boat. When someone mentions maps or navigation, Google Maps is probably the first app that comes to mind. You might not even be in the Google ecosystem, but Google Maps' chokehold on navigation is hard to escape. It's packed with features, works incredibly well, and does so much more than simply get you from point A to point B.
However, just because something is the default doesn't necessarily mean it's the best option for everyone. Privacy, for one, is a pretty good reason to consider looking elsewhere. So, I decided to put three privacy-focused Google Maps alternatives to the test to see whether I could actually give up Google.
I tried Organic Maps, OsmAnd, and HERE WeGO
I wanted to see if I could find my way without Google
For this test, I settled on three alternatives: Organic Maps, OsmAnd, and HERE WeGo. The first two are open-source apps that put privacy front and center. They both use OpenStreetMap data, support offline navigation, and don't rely on Google services to get you from point A to point B. You can download maps ahead of time, search for places, plan routes, and get turn-by-turn directions without needing an internet connection. More importantly, neither app relies on tracking your every move to function.
While Organic Maps keeps things relatively simple, OsmAnd takes customization to another level. It lets you customize map layers, fine-tune routes, and adjust the navigation experience to your liking. This makes it particularly appealing to hikers, cyclists, and anyone who wants more control over how they navigate.
HERE WeGo, on the other hand, takes a slightly different approach. While it isn't nearly as privacy-focused as the other two (but does offer certain privacy advantages over Google Maps), it comes with several features I've grown accustomed to with Google's navigation app, including real-time traffic information. It also supports offline maps, public transit directions, and a more conventional navigation experience.
Getting from point A to point B wasn't the problem
That's not to say there weren't any downsides
Google Maps might do a lot of things right, but beyond privacy, one area where it largely disappoints is offline navigation. You can't get walking or cycling directions offline, and features like live traffic information and alternative routes aren't available either.
I learned just how frustrating this could be when I was in Berlin for IFA recently. I needed to get a local SIM card, so I decided to head to the city center from my hotel. The problem was that I was running short on time, and most stores were about to close in an hour. Getting a SIM wasn't something I could put off until the next morning, either. So, there I was, heading out of my hotel into a city I was visiting for the very first time, completely unfamiliar with my surroundings, with no one by my side and no mobile data to fall back on.
I've made a habit of downloading offline maps on Google Maps whenever I travel, but this was probably the first time I genuinely needed to rely on them to get somewhere. And boy, was I disappointed. Without an internet connection, Google Maps couldn't give me walking directions to where I needed to go.
I could see the streets and roughly figure out where I was supposed to be heading, but actually navigating through an unfamiliar city was a completely different story. With the clock ticking and the stores about to close, I ended up asking strangers for directions along the way. Not exactly what you'd expect when you've already downloaded a map of the entire area onto your phone!
So, when I decided to test Organic Maps, OsmAnd, and HERE WeGo, offline navigation was one of the first things I wanted to put to the test. This time around, I was in my home country, navigating places I was already somewhat familiar with, so the circumstances weren't exactly the same as being stranded in an unfamiliar city with no mobile data.
Still, I wanted to recreate that experience as closely as possible. I downloaded the maps I needed beforehand, turned off my mobile data, and tried getting around using nothing but the three apps. And while it wasn't quite the same high-pressure situation I found myself in Berlin, the difference was immediately noticeable.
All three apps let me navigate offline without the same restrictions I'd encountered with Google Maps. I could get walking directions without an internet connection, which was precisely what I'd desperately needed back in Berlin. While offline maps might not be as fast and seamless to use as Google Maps with an active internet connection, the fact that I could actually get from point A to point B without worrying about losing my connection was a massive plus.
There's one major thing Google Maps has that the others don't
Real-time traffic, reviews, popular times, and everything in between
While getting from point A to point B using all three apps wasn't all that tough, both Organic Maps and OsmAnd lack built-in real-time traffic data. HERE WeGo does offer it, but in my experience, it wasn't anywhere near as accurate or reliable as Google Maps.
The thing is, Google Maps' real-time traffic data relies heavily on information collected from its users. I've talked about this in an article I wrote for MUO, every time you drive with Google Maps open and your location enabled, your phone can contribute data about how fast you're moving. Google combines this information with data from countless other devices to figure out which roads are moving smoothly and which ones are backed up.
It doesn't stop there, either. Google Maps also combines live traffic information with historical traffic patterns and uses machine learning to predict what traffic might look like by the time you reach a particular road. This is what allows it to estimate arrival times and suggest alternative routes before you even run into congestion.
When you think about it, that's a pretty difficult advantage for smaller navigation apps to compete with. Google Maps has an enormous user base feeding into its traffic predictions, and while that's impressive from a technological standpoint, it also highlights the very privacy trade-off that made me want to explore alternatives in the first place.
Traffic data is far from the only thing Google Maps gets from its users
Google Maps wouldn't be Google Maps without us
Real-time traffic information is far from the only Google Maps feature that relies on data from other people. Think about reviews, photos, and even features like Popular Times, which tells you how busy a place typically gets throughout the day. A lot of this information comes directly from other users, while features like Popular Times rely on aggregated location data from people who have opted into Google's relevant location settings.
These are all things I've grown so accustomed to that I barely even think about them anymore. If I'm heading to a restaurant I've never been to before, I almost instinctively check its reviews, scroll through photos, and see how busy it usually gets around the time I'm planning to visit.
That's where the three alternatives really struggled to compete. While they could help me find a place and navigate there, they couldn't give me nearly the same amount of information about what to expect once I arrived. That's a pretty big compromise when you're used to Google Maps doing so much more than simply showing you the way.
I'm not deleting Google Maps just yet
Beyond the features that rely on user data, Google Maps also has quite a few handy AI tricks up its sleeve, like Know Before You Go and Ask Maps. It's also, in my opinion, the easiest maps app to use. While some of the alternatives I tested either had too many settings to tweak or too few customization options, Google Maps strikes a pretty good balance between the two. It's packed with features without feeling unnecessarily complicated.
Combine that with everything else I've grown accustomed to, and I'm not quite ready to give up Google Maps just yet. This experiment made me realize that while replacing Google Maps for basic navigation is relatively easy, replacing everything else it does is a whole different story. For situations where I don't have an internet connection, I can absolutely see myself turning to one of these alternatives instead.