I tested Google Maps vs. Waze to find the best navigation app – and this one wins
Waze has personality, thanks to its colorful, cartoony design, big icons, and in-your-face alerts. It also has fun, quirky features. You can stream music through the built-in audio player (Spotify, anyone?), pick a voice “sidekick” like Halo’s Master Chief or comedian Nate Bargatze, and set a mood that will be displayed to other Wazers.
For those who want less fluff, Waze is rolling out a less chatty mode globally on Android and iOS. It still warns you about critical hazard, turn, and lane-change reminders, but the voice prompts are shorter and less frequent.
Google Maps isn’t quite as caricatured, though it is loaded with features. It’s fantastic for exploring neighborhoods, researching business info, or finding restaurants, parks, and stores. You can hop into Street View to preview a location before heading out, and switch between layers and details to learn more. For example, you can toggle among satellite, terrain, air quality, wildfire zones, and even 3D building layers.
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Google Maps has an AR-powered Lens feature as well. It lets you use your phone camera to identify shops, restaurants, or landmarks, and you can ask follow-up questions about what you’re seeing. More recently, Google Maps added Gemini-powered insider tips, an updated Explore tab with trending nearby places and curated lists, and something called Ask Maps, which lets you search with more conversational questions.
It might feel like too much if you’re just trying to drive, but it’s fun to see just how much it can do. Google Maps has morphed far beyond a navigation app into something you can use for travel, trip planning, and discovery.
I’ll admit this can come down to personal preference. If you’re into quirky extras and playful design, Waze has that covered. But since I’m not big on the gimmicky stuff and prefer a more feature-rich interface with plenty of options that actually help me get around and learn about the area, I’m giving the edge to Google Maps.
