Google Maps vs. Waze: Which is Better for 2025 and Beyond?
Navigation apps have become indispensable in daily life, guiding millions of users to their destinations with ease and precision. Moreover, this has led to comparing Google Maps vs. Waze, arguably two of the most popular navigation apps, to determine which app is better.
Whether it is navigating through daily commutes, planning a long road trip, or exploring new places, having a reliable navigation app is crucial for a smooth journey. Among the many available options, Google Maps (GM) and Waze are the two most popular and widely used navigation apps worldwide, each with its unique strengths and features.
Both apps provide essential functionalities such as real-time traffic updates, turn-by-turn directions, and more, but they serve different types of users and needs.
In this Google Maps vs. Waze comparison blog, we will offer a detailed comparison of Google Maps vs. Waze across several key categories to help you make an informed decision. We will compare these two navigation giants in 10 rounds to determine which software is the better choice for various use cases.
Overview of Google Maps vs. Waze
When it comes to navigation apps, Google Maps vs. Waze are the top contenders, each offering unique features tailored to different user preferences and needs. Let’s dive into an overview of these two popular apps to understand their core functionalities and what sets them apart.
Google Maps Overview
Google’s navigation app is a comprehensive navigation app that provides elements such as:
- Detailed maps,
- Turn-by-turn directions,
- Real-time traffic updates
- Information about local businesses and landmarks.
This platform is known for its accuracy and reliability, offering various map views like satellite and terrain.
It also integrates seamlessly with other Google services, making it a versatile tool for everyday navigation, trip planning, and even exploring places with Street View.
This app caters to a broad audience, including commuters, travelers, and those searching for local information.
Businesses often embed Google Maps on their website to show their visitors the location of their physical stores.
If you are looking to display your physical locations on your website, then you can easily do so by using a store locator software, such as Agile Store Locator, to embed a store locator on your website.
A store locator widget consists of the following elements:
- A large map (such as Google Maps) that shows all your physical store location
- A store list
- A search bar
A store locator widget on your website is used to direct visitors from your website to your physical stores in case they want to make an in-store purchase.
Waze Overview
Waze, on the other hand, focuses heavily on community-driven navigation. It provides real-time traffic updates, accident alerts, road closures, and speed trap notifications, all contributed by its active user base.
This crowdsourced approach allows Waze to deliver highly dynamic and timely traffic information, making it ideal for drivers looking to avoid congestion and find the fastest routes.
Unlike its contender, Waze incorporates social features, such as reporting hazards or chatting with other drivers, creating a more interactive experience.
Both apps are powerful in their own right, but they cater to different types of users. In the following sections, we will delve deeper into a side-by-side comparison to help you decide which app wins in the Google Maps vs. Waze battle.
Why are Google Maps and Waze Compared?
The comparison of Google Maps vs. Waze is common because these two apps dominate the navigation space, each offering distinct features that cater to different user needs. The question of Google Maps vs. Waze often arises when users want to choose an app that best fits their daily commuting, road trips, or exploration needs.
When comparing Google Maps vs. Waze, users can decide which app better suits their requirements, whether it’s detailed public transit routes or live traffic alerts.
The debate of Google Maps vs. Waze is essential as both apps bring unique strengths to the table. Understanding the differences between Google Maps and Waze helps users optimize their navigation experience.
Ultimately, comparing Google Maps vs. Waze ensures that users can select the app that offers them the most value for their specific needs and preferences.
Discover another popular comparison between two other mapping applications.
Google Maps vs. Waze Side-by-Side Comparison
Now that you know a little bit about each platform and what each offers, it’s now time to compare both apps side-by-side in 10 rounds that will explore the key features of both these navigation apps.
At the end of each round, we will determine a winner of that round, and at the end of this article, we will tally the scores and find out which app is the overall winner in this Google Maps vs. Waze comparison.
Round 1: The User Interface and Design
In the first round of our Google Maps vs. Waze comparison, we will be looking at the user interface and design for both these platforms.
Google Maps offers a clean and straightforward interface that emphasizes ease of use and accessibility.
The design is minimalist, focusing on delivering essential information without overwhelming the user. Key elements such as the search bar, navigation options, and map layers are intuitively placed, making it easy to find directions or explore nearby places.
The interface provides multiple map views—default, satellite, terrain, and even Street View—allowing users to choose their preferred perspective.
This navigation platform also integrates seamlessly with other Google services, such as Google Search, Google Calendar, and Google Photos, enhancing its usability for both everyday navigation and trip planning.
This simple yet functional design ensures a smooth experience for a wide range of users, from casual explorers to daily commuters.
Highlights of Google Maps
- Minimalistic design with easy navigation.
- Seamless integration with Google’s ecosystem (e.g., Google Search, Calendar).
Waze, in contrast, takes a more dynamic and interactive approach to its user interface and design.
The app features bright, customizable themes and uses fun icons to represent various elements, like vehicles and hazards, creating a more engaging experience.
The interface is heavily focused on real-time, user-generated content, which is prominently displayed on the map. Users can see live traffic conditions, accidents, road closures, and speed traps reported by other Waze users.
This crowdsourced information is easily accessible and provides a more immediate and interactive navigation experience. However, the amount of real-time data can sometimes make the interface feel cluttered, particularly for users who prefer a simpler layout.
Highlights of Waze
- Highly interactive with user-generated traffic updates and alerts.
- Customizable themes and icons for a personalized experience.
Winner: Google Maps
In this round of the Google Maps vs. Waze comparison, Google’s app offers a more intuitive and clean interface that caters to a broader audience. While Waze’s design is highly interactive and great for real-time traffic updates, it can be overwhelming for users who prefer a straightforward navigation experience.
Round 2: Google Maps vs. Waze: Availability
In the second round of our Google Maps vs. Waze comparison, we will see how accessible both of these apps are.
Google Maps is available on nearly every platform, making it a highly accessible navigation tool for users worldwide.
The app can be used on Android and iOS devices, desktops, and even on smartwatches and car navigation systems through Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Additionally, this app supports offline maps, allowing users to download specific areas and access them without an internet connection.
This broad availability, combined with multi-platform synchronization, ensures that users have seamless navigation experiences, whether they’re on a smartphone, tablet, or desktop. This versatility gives this app a significant advantage in terms of accessibility and convenience.
Highlights of Google Maps
- Available on Android, iOS, desktop, smartwatches, and car systems.
- Supports offline maps for areas with poor connectivity.
Waze is primarily focused on providing a mobile experience and is available on Android and iOS platforms, as well as integration with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
While Waze excels in offering real-time traffic updates and user-generated content on mobile devices, it lacks a dedicated desktop app or web-based interface. As a result, users looking for a comprehensive navigation tool across multiple platforms may find Waze somewhat limiting. However, for drivers who prioritize live traffic updates and social features on the go, Waze remains an excellent choice.
Highlights of Waze
- Mobile-focused with support for Android, iOS, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto.
- Specializes in real-time updates and driver community engagement.
Winner: Google Maps
Once again, in the second round of our Google Maps vs. Waze battle, Google’s app offers wider availability across multiple platforms, including desktop and offline access, making it more versatile for various navigation needs compared to Waze.
Round 3: Google Maps vs. Waze: Navigation
In this round of our Google Maps vs. Waze comparison, we will be comparing the “bread and butter” of both platforms, which is their ability to provide accurate navigation.
Google Maps provides a comprehensive navigation experience that caters to a wide range of users, from daily commuters to long-distance travelers.
The app offers multiple route options, real-time traffic updates, turn-by-turn directions, and alternative routes to avoid congestion. It also provides lane guidance, helping drivers know which lane to stay in or turn from, and offers navigation for walking, cycling, and public transport.
With its ability to predict traffic patterns based on historical data, this app ensures a reliable and efficient navigation experience that is easy to follow, making it an ideal choice for diverse navigation needs.
Highlights of Google Maps:
- Offers multiple route options and lane guidance.
- Supports navigation for walking, cycling, driving, and public transport.
Waze takes a more dynamic approach to navigation by leveraging its user-generated data. The app provides real-time updates on traffic conditions, road hazards, speed traps, and accidents, all reported by its active community of drivers. This allows Waze to suggest the fastest routes, often using less-known roads to avoid heavy traffic.
Unlike its rival, Waze is primarily designed for drivers and does not offer navigation for walking or cycling. However, for drivers looking to save time and avoid traffic jams, Waze excels in providing the quickest and most efficient routes.
Highlights of Waze
- Real-time, user-generated traffic, and hazard updates.
- Focused on providing the fastest routes for drivers.
Winner: Waze
While Google Maps offers a more versatile navigation experience for various modes of transport, Waze excels in providing real-time, community-driven navigation that helps drivers avoid traffic and reach their destination faster.
Round 4: Google Maps vs. Waze: Advertising
In this round of our Google Maps vs. Waze comparison, we will see which platform is more advertisement-friendly.
Google Maps incorporates advertising subtly within its interface, making it less intrusive for users.
Businesses can use Google Ads to appear as “Promoted Pins” on the map, showing their location along with special offers, opening hours, and customer reviews. These ads are highly targeted, based on user searches, location, and browsing history.
This integration allows businesses to attract local customers effectively without overwhelming users with too many ads.
The advertising strategy of this mapping software is designed to blend seamlessly into the user experience, providing helpful information rather than causing distractions.
Highlights of Google Maps
- Subtle “Promoted Pins” integrated into the map.
- Targeted ads based on user search behavior and location.
Waze, on the other hand, is more aggressive with its advertising approach, leveraging its active driving community.
Waze Ads allow businesses to display banner ads, “Branded Pins,” and “Takeover Ads” that appear when vehicles are stopped. These ads are designed to be eye-catching and can directly influence drivers to visit nearby stores, gas stations, or restaurants.
While effective in driving foot traffic, the ads can sometimes be perceived as intrusive by users, particularly when they pop up during navigation.
Highlights of Waze
- “Branded Pins” and “Takeover Ads” that capture attention.
- Effective for driving local traffic and influencing immediate decisions.
Winner: Google Maps
While Waze offers more attention-grabbing advertising options, Google’s application wins this round in our Google Maps vs. Waze comparison because it provides a more seamless and user-friendly ad experience. Its subtle, targeted approach integrates better with the overall navigation experience, minimizing disruptions.
Round 5: Google Maps vs. Waze: Data
We have reached the halfway mark in our Google Maps vs. Waze comparison.
In this round of our Google Maps vs. Waze comparison, we will see which platform has a better data library that is used when operating a map.
Google Maps relies on a vast amount of data collected from various sources, including satellite imagery, Street View, public transportation systems, and user-generated information. This comprehensive data collection allows it to provide highly accurate and detailed maps, real-time traffic updates, and route recommendations.
With access to years of historical traffic data, Google’s mapping software can predict traffic patterns, helping users avoid congestion before it occurs. Furthermore, the app offers detailed business information, reviews, photos, and opening hours, making it a versatile tool for both navigation and exploration.
Highlights of Google Maps
- Extensive data sources, including satellite imagery and Street View.
- Historical traffic data for accurate traffic predictions and route optimization.
Waze, on the other hand, relies heavily on real-time, user-generated data from its community of drivers.
The app gathers information on traffic conditions, accidents, road closures, and police traps, all reported live by users on the road. This crowdsourcing approach allows Waze to provide highly dynamic and up-to-date traffic information, often faster than its rival platform. However, Waze’s reliance on real-time data means it lacks the historical depth that Google’s application has for predicting future traffic conditions.
Highlights of Waze:
- Real-time, user-generated data for immediate traffic updates.
- Dynamic and up-to-date information based on current road conditions.
Winner: Google Maps
While Waze excels in providing real-time traffic updates through its user-driven data, its contender offers a more comprehensive dataset with both real-time and historical data, allowing for accurate traffic predictions and a more detailed navigation experience.
Round 6: Google Maps vs. Waze: Discovery
In this round of our Google Maps vs. Waze comparison, we will see which platform is better for discovering new places such as restaurants, businesses, landmarks, shopping avenues, etc.
Google Maps excels in the area of discovery, offering a wide range of features that help users explore and find new places.
The app provides detailed information about nearby businesses, restaurants, landmarks, and attractions. Users can view ratings, reviews, photos, and even menus, making it easy to decide where to go.
The “Explore” tab allows users to find recommendations tailored to their preferences, such as trending restaurants, popular tourist spots, or hidden gems. Google Maps also integrates with Google Search, providing up-to-date information about places and services. This makes Google Maps ideal for users looking to discover new experiences in both familiar and unfamiliar locations.
Highlights of Google Maps
- Extensive business listings with reviews, ratings, and photos.
- “Explore” feature for personalized recommendations and popular spots.
Waze is less focused on discovery and more on efficient navigation and traffic avoidance. While Waze does offer “Waze Ads” and “Branded Pins” to help users discover nearby businesses like gas stations, restaurants, and stores, it lacks the in-depth details and variety of information that Google Maps provides.
The app’s primary focus is on getting users to their destination quickly, rather than helping them explore the area. For drivers who want quick stops or specific services, Waze provides basic discovery features, but it is not designed for comprehensive exploration.
Highlights of Waze
- “Branded Pins” for discovering nearby businesses.
- Focused on quick stops and essential services for drivers.
Winner: Google Maps
In this round of our Google Maps vs. Waze comparison, Google Maps comes out on top because it offers a much richer and more detailed experience for discovering new places and services.
With its vast business database, user reviews, and tailored recommendations, Google Maps is superior for users who want to explore and learn more about their surroundings.
Round 7: Google Maps vs. Waze: Traffic and Hazards
In the next round of our Google Maps vs. Waze comparison, we will see which platform is better at providing traffic and hazard reports.
Google Maps provides reliable traffic information by combining data from multiple sources, including historical traffic data, real-time data from sensors, and user reports.
The app offers real-time traffic updates, alerts about road conditions, and estimated time of arrival (ETA) adjustments based on current traffic. Furthermore, it also suggests alternative routes to avoid congestion and provides lane guidance to help drivers navigate traffic smoothly.
While Google Maps offers accurate traffic information, it updates less frequently compared to Waze, making it more suited for general navigation and planning rather than immediate traffic avoidance.
Highlights of Google Maps
- Real-time traffic updates with ETA adjustments.
- Alternative route suggestions and lane guidance for smoother navigation.
Waze, in contrast, is built around real-time, user-generated reports from its active driver community.
The app excels in providing immediate alerts on traffic conditions, accidents, road closures, police traps, and other hazards.
Waze users can report incidents directly from the road, and these updates are immediately shared with other drivers. This highly dynamic approach allows Waze to reroute drivers quickly to avoid delays, making it ideal for users who need real-time traffic solutions. However, the frequent updates can sometimes cause distractions for some drivers.
Highlights of Waze
- Real-time, user-driven reports on traffic, accidents, and road hazards.
- Immediate rerouting to avoid delays and traffic congestion.
Winner: Waze
While Google Maps provides comprehensive traffic information, Waze excels in real-time traffic updates and hazard alerts due to its user-generated data, making it the better choice for drivers who want to stay ahead of traffic and hazards in real time.
Round 8: Google Maps vs. Waze: Hands-Free Control
In this round of our Google Maps vs. Waze comparison, we will see which platform can more easily be used through hands-free controls.
Google Maps offers robust hands-free control capabilities through integration with Google Assistant.
Users can use voice commands to search for destinations, start navigation, check for alternate routes, and even search for nearby gas stations or restaurants without taking their hands off the wheel.
This seamless integration allows for comprehensive voice-activated navigation and interaction with other services, such as sending messages, making calls, or controlling music playback, enhancing safety and convenience.
The voice commands are generally intuitive, allowing users to interact naturally without needing to remember specific phrases.
Highlights of Google Maps
- Full integration with the Assistant feature for a wide range of voice commands.
- Hands-free navigation, searches, calls, and multimedia controls.
Waze also supports hands-free control, integrating with both Google Assistant (on Android) and Siri (on iOS).
Waze’s voice commands focus on navigation and traffic-related tasks, such as reporting hazards, changing routes, and avoiding traffic jams, while driving.
Users can customize voice prompts and even record their own navigation instructions, adding a unique personal touch. However, Waze’s voice command functionality is somewhat limited compared to Google Maps, as it doesn’t offer as many non-navigation-related voice commands, like sending texts or making calls.
Highlights of Waze
- Voice command integration with Google Assistant and Siri.
- Customizable voice prompts for a personalized navigation experience.
Winner: Google Maps
Google Maps provides a more extensive range of hands-free control options, allowing users to manage navigation, communications, and multimedia all in one app.
While Waze offers solid hands-free navigation, it lacks the broader functionality that makes its contender a more versatile choice for voice-activated control.
Round 9: Google Maps vs. Waze: Offline Maps and Customizations
In this round of our Google Maps vs. Waze comparison, we will see which app offers better offline maps and customization options.
Google Maps offers a strong offline map feature, allowing users to download specific geographic areas and navigate without an internet connection. This is particularly useful for travelers going to areas with poor network coverage or data restrictions.
The offline maps provide turn-by-turn directions, but they lack real-time traffic updates until the user reconnects to the internet.
For customizations, Google Maps offers several options like map views (default, satellite, terrain), route preferences (avoiding tolls, highways, etc.), and personalized recommendations based on user history. These customization options enhance user experience and make it adaptable to different preferences.
Highlights of Google Maps
- Allows downloading of offline maps for navigation without the internet.
- Customizable map views and route preferences for tailored navigation.
Waze does not support full offline maps, as it relies heavily on real-time, user-generated data for traffic updates, hazards, and rerouting.
While Waze can provide basic directions if the route is already loaded before losing connectivity, its core functionality diminishes without an internet connection.
For customizations, Waze allows users to personalize the app experience with different themes, customizable vehicle icons, and even the ability to record custom voice prompts for navigation instructions. This makes Waze a more personalized and fun option for users who like to engage with the app creatively.
Highlights of Waze
- Limited offline capability; relies on preloaded routes.
- High level of customization with themes, vehicle icons, and voice prompts.
Winner: Google Maps
When comparing both platforms in this Google Maps vs. Waze round, Google’s Mapping platform provides comprehensive offline map support and a variety of customization options that make it more versatile for different navigation needs.
While Waze offers unique personalization features, its reliance on real-time data limits its usability when offline, giving Google Maps the upper hand in this round.
Round 10: Google Maps vs. Waze: Public and Alternate Transportation
In this round of our Google Maps vs. Waze comparison, we will see which platform is better at providing public and alternative transportation navigation such as walking, cycling, etc.
Google Maps excels in offering a wide range of navigation options beyond driving.
The app provides detailed routes and schedules for public transportation, including buses, trains, trams, and ferries, making it ideal for urban commuters. Furthermore, users can view real-time public transport updates, departure times, and estimated travel durations.
Additionally, Google Maps includes walking and cycling directions with elevation information and dedicated bike lanes. It even integrates ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft directly into its interface, allowing users to compare options and book rides seamlessly.
These comprehensive features make Google Maps a versatile tool for users who prefer alternate transportation methods over driving.
Highlights of Google Maps
- Supports navigation for public transport, walking, cycling, and ride-sharing.
- Real-time public transport updates and schedules for efficient commuting.
Waze, in contrast, is primarily focused on driving and does not offer support for public or alternate transportation modes.
Waze lacks detailed information on buses, trains, or other forms of public transport and does not provide walking or cycling routes. Its core strength lies in optimizing driving routes based on real-time traffic conditions and user reports, making it a specialized tool for drivers.
For users seeking guidance on public transport or other alternatives, Waze does not offer the necessary functionality, limiting its use case to road-based navigation only.
Highlights of Waze
- Exclusively focused on driving with no support for public or alternate transportation.
- Real-time traffic updates tailored for drivers.
Winner: Google Maps
In this Google Maps vs. Waze round, Google’s app provides comprehensive support for multiple modes of transportation, including public transit, walking, cycling, and ride-sharing, catering to a broader audience. Waze is limited to driving routes, making its rival the clear winner for users looking for diverse transportation options.
Final Scores
Google Maps: 8
Waze: 2
In our Google Maps vs Waze comparison, Google Maps comes out as the overall winner with a score of 8 to 2, showing its versatility and comprehensive features that cater to a wide range of users and use cases.
Waze excels in specific areas like real-time traffic updates and user-generated content, making it a great option for drivers looking for real-time, community-driven navigation. However, for a broader range of navigation needs, Google Maps proves to be the more robust and versatile choice.
Why Google Maps Won?
Google Maps emerged as the clear winner in this Google Maps vs. Waze comparison, scoring 8 out of 10 rounds. Its victory is attributed to its versatility, extensive feature set, and user-friendly design that caters to a broader audience beyond just drivers.
Here’s a breakdown of the key reasons why it won:
- Comprehensive Navigation Options: Unlike Waze, which focuses primarily on driving, Maps supports multiple modes of transportation, including walking, cycling, public transit, and ride-sharing. This flexibility makes it suitable for diverse users, from daily commuters to travelers exploring new cities.
- Detailed Data and Discovery Features: GM provides extensive data about businesses, landmarks, and attractions. Its “Explore” feature, combined with user reviews, ratings, and detailed information, offers a superior experience for users looking to discover new places or plan outings.
- Offline Accessibility: Google Maps allows users to download maps for offline use, providing seamless navigation even in areas with poor connectivity. This feature is crucial for travelers and those in remote regions.
- Seamless Integration and Customization: The application integrates well with other core services like Search, Calendar, and Photos. Its customizable options, such as route preferences and map views, enhance user experience and usability.
- Hands-Free Control and Safety: With advanced hands-free features powered by Google Assistant, users can navigate, search, and perform other tasks without touching their device, promoting safety while driving.
- Wider Availability Across Platforms: The application is accessible on various devices, including smartphones, tablets, desktops, smartwatches, and car systems, making it a more versatile tool compared to Waze.
While Waze excels in providing real-time, user-generated traffic updates and dynamic rerouting, Google Maps stands out as the more well-rounded navigation app, offering robust features, broader accessibility, and a better overall user experience.
These are the reasons why Google’s navigation app emerged as the winner in this Google Maps vs. Waze comparison.
Uses of Online Maps
Online maps, such as the ones mentioned in this article have a variety of uses. Hopefully, this article helped you decide which map is better suited to your needs.
For example, if you are looking to embed an online map on your website, you can use a store locator widget, such as Agile Store Locator, to instantly add a store locator widget (that uses Google Maps) on your website.
A store locator widget is an excellent tool for business owners who want to bring more traffic to their stores via their website(s).
Conclusion
In the battle of Google Maps vs. Waze, Google Maps comes out on top, winning 8 out of 10 rounds. Its victory is driven by its comprehensive features, including support for multiple transportation modes, detailed data for discovering new places, robust offline navigation, and seamless integration with other core services.
Google Maps also excels in user interface design, hands-free control, and availability across platforms, making it suitable for a wide range of users.
Meanwhile, Waze stands out for its real-time, community-driven traffic updates and dynamic rerouting, making it a great choice for drivers focused on avoiding traffic and hazards. Ultimately, for versatility, detailed navigation options, and a user-friendly experience, Google Maps proves to be the superior choice for most users.