Do you know what is worse than being late to an important appointment, meeting, or gathering? Getting lost on the way!  

Nowadays, not many drivers are getting lost on the roads due to the help of a global positioning system, otherwise known as a GPS. Even though the use of a GPS is convenient and reliable, there are so many different GPS smartphone applications for iOS and Android.

Deciding on the best navigation app can be quite a challenge, there are many great free options available as well as some awesome paid options.  Today, we are going to break down the pros and cons of the best free GPS navigation apps on the market.

Waze

Waze is a free GPS map that is owned by Google.  Waze has grown in recent popularity due to the advanced real-time data that it stores.  

Waze is a community-driven GPS that allows users to point out traffic, accidents, and road closures in real-time.  Users can simply click a button on the app to allow future drivers to be aware of what is ahead on the road.  

There is even an option to point out where a police officer might be sitting, so people on the road can double-check that they are driving safely and at the correct speed limit while passing the police officer’s vehicle.  

Google Maps

Google Maps is one of the most popular free GPS options available on the market.  Google navigation has been around for many years, and they are constantly improving it.  

Google Maps comes equipped with satellite imagery and street view via the use of augmented reality.  This feature makes the app perfect for not only automobiles but also pedestrian walkers and bikers.  

Google Maps, similarly to Waze also offers real-time traffic notifications, however, this is not community-driven to the same extent as Waze.  

Maps.Me

This GPS auto map is not nearly as popular as our last two, but it does stand out with some unique features.  This app is one of the best apps for your smartphone’s battery life because the app can work completely offline.  

The map is also frequently updated which is great for someone who constantly has to travel to different places.  The only major drawback is that businesses are not as frequently updated, and since the app works offline, it can take a while to re-route wrong turns.  

Since the application works offline, there are no real-time traffic notifications as well, which could be seen as a disadvantage when you are trying to get to a location at a certain time.  

Apple Maps

Sadly for Android users, this option is unavailable but for iOS users, this is a great option for daily use on the road  Apple Maps is sleek and extremely simplistic to use.  

Apple Maps remains user-friendly due to having a very limited amount of options, which can be seen as a good thing or a bad thing depending on if you are a person who likes to have a lot of options or not.  

Apple Maps does a great job at user privacy as well, and it links to your apple watch and Siri.  

Driving Tips

While there are other free GPS options for your smartphone out there, we believe these are the best options on the market right now due to their sleek, convenient, and popular designs and infrastructure.  

You will want a GPS that is reliable and will get you from point A to point B with ease, but if you are looking for something with even more features and complexity, there are a vast amount of paid options from standard one-time fees to monthly costs.

No matter what GPS you decide is best, you will always want to stay protected from the unexpected on the road.  That is why having a DriveSmart extended auto warranty, would give you that right peace of mind in the event that your vehicle suffers from a malfunction or breakdown.    

Written By: Stephen Lubas