For navigation when driving or navigating complex public transport systems, and in other areas like ratings, remembering where you parked your car, CarPlay vs Android Auto, and more, these navigation apps are constantly evolving.
User Interface (UI)
Let's start with the overall user interface. Both apps are polished, but there are some differences in design choices.
With Google Maps, you see all the transport options at the top of the screen and how long each method will take. With Apple Maps, you have to tap into each option to see the duration.
However, Google has its search bar at the very top, while Apple has it at the bottom, making it easier to access with your thumb.
Generally, though Apple takes a minimalist approach, Google Maps' UI provides more information and requires fewer taps to access features, giving it an edge in this category.
Usability - Road vs Public Transport
How well do these apps perform their primary function of getting you from point A to point B? This depends on your location and which areas Apple and Google have mapped better.
In my experience, both apps are generally comparable for driving navigation, with some minor quirks. Google's traffic reporting seems better, though Waze-like crowdsourced incident reporting hasn't been integrated as expected.
However, when it comes to public transport, Google Maps shines. In places like Barcelona, I found Google Maps to be much more reliable for recommending the best routes for metro, bus, and train.
There's no clear winner here since it depends on your location and whether you primarily drive or take public transport. If you drive, give a point to Apple, and if you use public transport, give a point to Google.
Voice Commands
For voice navigation, Apple Maps provides much earlier and more detailed instructions, giving you a heads-up before approaching a turn or intersection.
Google Maps, on the other hand, often waits until the last moment to give basic instructions, which can leave you feeling lost or confused.
A clear win for Apple Maps in this category.
Reviews & Recommendations
Unfortunately, this isn't a fair competition. With Apple recently pulling ratings and reviews in-house, it's been reduced to simple thumbs up or down, with limited options for specific categories.
Google Maps, however, excels with its detailed star rating system, allowing users to leave written reviews and search within them. It also provides direct links for bookings, information on busy times, and much more.
Google Maps wins outright in this area, leaving Apple with a lot of ground to catch up on.
CarPlay vs Android Auto
Both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto have their strengths and weaknesses when it comes to in-car navigation experiences.
CarPlay makes better use of the screen by displaying directions separately, and it intelligently shows and hides elements based on your context.
Android Auto, on the other hand, allows quick replies to messages with pre-generated responses, but it can be frustrating when it locks out text input while the car is moving, even at crawling speeds.
Overall, Apple CarPlay takes the win in this category.
Extra Features
Both apps offer features like creating lists of favorite locations, but Google takes it a step further by allowing you to share and make these lists editable with others.
Google also has the upper hand with its built-in ability to find friends or family members, while Apple's "Find My" feature is a separate app.
However, Apple Maps has a killer feature: automatically remembering where you parked your car, without any manual effort required.
Google offers a similar feature but requires manual input each time, making it less useful in practice.
Apple also wins with better lock screen integration, displaying directions on the Always-on Display, while Google Maps requires tapping to wake the screen.
Both apps work with the Dynamic Island on iPhones and provide navigation windows on Android for multitasking.
Summary
Overall, Google Maps narrowly takes the win, but it's not that simple. It depends on your use case.
While features like reviews are great for discovering new places on Google Maps, some users may only care about navigation, in which case Apple Maps seems to perform better in recent tests.
Let us know which app works best for you and why in the comments below.
