Navigation apps have revolutionized the way we travel, making it easier and more convenient to find our way around. With the increasing availability of GPS and internet connectivity, users can now access navigation features from a wide range of mobile applications. However, one major drawback of these apps is their dependence on a stable internet connection. This can be a major inconvenience, especially while traveling to remote areas with little or no network coverage. The solution to this problem lies in offline navigation apps, which allow users to navigate without the need for an internet connection. In this article, we will explore some of the best offline navigation apps available for Android and iOS devices.
We have compiled a list of 9 Best Offline Navigation Apps For Android & iOS for your consideration, which have undergone rigorous testing and evaluation by our team of experts.
Table of Contents
- 9 Best Offline Navigation Apps For Android & iOS
- 1. Sygic GPS Navigation & Maps
- 2. OsmAnd — Offline Travel Maps & Navigation
- 3. MapFactor GPS Navigation Maps
- 4. MAPS.ME – Offline maps, guides, and navigation
- 5. Genius Maps: Offline GPS Nav
- 6. Google Maps
- 7. Polaris GPS Navigation: Hiking, Marine, Offroad
- 8. CoPilot GPS Navigation
- 9. HERE WeGo – City Navigation
Sygic GPS Navigation is an offline navigation app that has been downloaded by over 200 million drivers worldwide. It provides access to offline 3D maps, updated multiple times per year for free, allowing for reliable navigation without an internet connection.
Users can navigate anywhere, with offline maps of all countries in the world from TomTom and other providers. The app offers voice-guided GPS navigation with precise directions and spoken street names, pedestrian GPS navigation with walking directions and tourist attractions, and millions of interesting Places (POI).
To help users escape traffic, Sygic GPS Navigation provides the most accurate real-time traffic information, with data collected from over 500 million users worldwide. The app also includes Android Auto Connectivity, allowing drivers to connect their phone to their car’s screen and control the app using the car’s touchscreen, knobs, or buttons.
Safety features are a priority for Sygic GPS Navigation, with advanced features that make driving in unfamiliar territories easier. Speed limit warnings show the current speed limit and upcoming speed limit changes, while the Dynamic Lane Assistant guides drivers into the correct lane. The Head-up Display (HUD) projects navigation onto the windshield of the car, making night driving safer. Other features include sign recognition, dashcam recording, and real view navigation, providing drivers with a safer and more comfortable driving experience.
Sygic GPS Navigation also helps users save money along their route by offering parking place suggestions and live information about prices and availability. The app provides live information about fuel prices and speed camera warnings, helping drivers avoid speeding tickets. Additionally, offline maps help users save money on roaming charges.
Users can test-drive all features in the Premium+ license for the first 7 days after installation. After 7 days, users can continue using the basic features or upgrade to the Premium+ subscription.
Please note that some features require an internet connection. Sharing videos from Dashcam is forbidden by law in certain countries.
OsmAnd is a navigation application that operates offline and is based on OpenStreetMap (OSM). The app enables users to plan routes that take into account preferred roads and vehicle dimensions, and record GPX tracks without an internet connection.
Being an open-source application, OsmAnd does not collect user data and allows users to decide what data the app will access. The app has several useful features, including selecting the types of places to be displayed on the map, searching for places by address, name, coordinates or category and displaying maps in different styles for various activities such as touring, nautical, topographic and others.
Other features of OsmAnd include plotting a route without an internet connection, customizable navigation profiles for different vehicles, changing the constructed route, displaying customizable information widgets about the route and recording routes using GPX tracks. The app also has features for creating points with different functionality, such as favourites, markers and audio/video notes.
Users of OsmAnd can make edits to OSM and update maps with a frequency of up to one hour. Additional features include a compass and radius ruler, Mapillary interface, night theme, Wikipedia, a large community of users worldwide, documentation and support.
Paid features of OsmAnd include Maps+ (in-app or subscription) which provides unlimited map downloads, topo data (contour lines and terrain), offline Wikipedia and Wikivoyage travel guides. OsmAnd Pro (subscription) includes all Maps+ features, OsmAnd Cloud for backup and restore, Pro features, and hourly map updates.
MapFactor Navigator is a GPS navigation application that offers free offline maps from OpenStreetMaps. It is the highest-rated free offline navigation app on Google Play with over 35 million installs. The app can be used in over 200 countries without an internet connection. It features voice turn-by-turn navigation, speed limits, camera warnings, and other useful features. Monthly updates are available for free.
MapFactor GPS Navigation app offers various key features such as voice navigation in multiple languages, door-to-door route planning, an overview of upcoming maneuvers and distance shown on the screen, free offline maps, points of interest, speed limit and camera warnings, favorite routes and places, 2D/3D mode, day/night map mode, and routing modes for car, bus, truck, pedestrian, bicycle, mobilehome, and route avoidance. Maps can rotate in driving direction or north up, and customization is possible.
Optional features include professional TomTom maps, premium features such as alternative routes, Head-Up Display, no ads, app color themes, live HD Traffic info (available in 80+ countries), online search, and remote commands. OSM maps are created by a community of volunteers at www.osm.org and are updated every month for free.
Navigator Truck (TomTom maps) is a version of the app for large vehicles that avoids restrictions like low bridges and narrow lanes. MapFactor also offers the NavigatorFREE GPS navigation software for PC, Pocket PC, WinCE, and iOS. For help or feedback regarding GPS navigation, users can email android@mapfactor.com.
MapFactor offers free maps for over 200 countries, including complete postcode information for the UK. The maps are created by a community of volunteers at www.osm.org and are updated every month for free. The app supports Europe, America, Asia, Australia, and Africa.
Maps.me is a mobile app that offers offline maps and turn-by-turn navigation for travelers worldwide. The app has been trusted by over 140 million users. Maps.me allows users to save mobile data by providing offline maps that do not require an internet connection. Users can use driving, walking, and cycle navigation anywhere in the world. The app also offers travel guides that can save time in planning trips and ensure that interesting places are not missed.
Maps.me is known for its detailed maps that provide directions to points of interest (POI), hiking trails, and places that may not be included in other maps. The maps are updated daily by millions of OpenStreetMap contributors, making them up-to-date and reliable. The app offers offline search, GPS navigation, and optimized maps to save memory space. Users can bookmark their favorite locations and share them with friends. Maps.me is available worldwide and covers popular destinations like Paris, Amsterdam, Barcelona, New York, and London.
In addition to maps and navigation, Maps.me provides traffic data and updates on traffic information and the fastest driving routes in 36 countries. Users can search for different categories such as restaurants, cafes, hotels, tourist attractions, ATMs, and public transport (metro, bus, etc.). The app also allows users to make hotel bookings through Booking.com directly from the app.
When cycling or walking, the app shows whether the way is uphill or downhill. However, it should be noted that the continued use of GPS running in the background can significantly decrease battery life. For questions, users can visit the Help Center at support.maps.me or contact the app’s support team at android@maps.me. Maps.me can also be followed on social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter.
Genius Maps is a free offline route planning, exploration and navigation app that operates on mobile devices without requiring an internet connection. It allows users to access maps and POI (points of interest) for free, without incurring roaming costs or quickly depleting their battery. The app also offers a seven-day trial of its fully-functional Pro Guidance and Live Traffic features. Users can upgrade to Pro Guidance or opt to continue exploring with the free professional-grade maps for route planning and pedestrian navigation.
Genius Maps aims to improve the way people navigate global roads with their smart devices. Its professional navigation maps can be downloaded and removed as often as desired, even after the trial period has ended. The app boasts a rich feature set that is on par with or exceeds that of other professional navigation systems.
The app offers several in-app purchase options, including Pro Guidance, Live Traffic, Vehicle Connectivity, and Safety Cameras. Pro Guidance provides turn-by-turn voice instructions, rerouting, speed limit alerts, and POI along the route, along with unlimited map updates for the selected region. Live Traffic notifies users of traffic congestion, road works, and accidents and automatically reroutes trips. Safety Cameras informs drivers of approaching safety camera locations to help them stay alert and drive more safely. Pro Guidance, Live Traffic, Vehicle Connectivity, and Safety Cameras are all paid options that come with a lifetime license for the selected region.
Unlimited map updates for Pro Guidance users are included in the purchase price for as long as the product is supported. Users can check pricing and availability for Pro Guidance and Live Traffic under the app’s Settings menu. To check Safety Camera availability, users can go to Manage Maps and select a country. Lifetime license refers to the useful life of the device and means the period of time that Mireo continues to support the app with updates.
Genius Maps offers coverage for several regions, including Europe, North America, Central/South America, Middle East/Africa, and Asia/Pacific.
6. Google Maps
Google Maps is a navigation tool that provides real-time information about businesses and locations in over 220 countries and territories. Users can access GPS navigation, traffic, and transit information to make traveling easier and faster. The app also offers neighborhood exploration features that provide information about restaurants, activities, and events in localized areas.
The real-time updates feature allows users to receive ETAs and traffic conditions, catch public transportation, and automatically reroute based on live traffic, incidents, and road closures. Users can also discover local restaurants, trending places, and activities that matter to them. Additionally, users can create a shortlist of options and vote in real-time, create lists of their favorite places, and follow recommended places by local experts, Google, and publishers.
Other features of Google Maps include offline maps, street view, indoor imagery for restaurants, shops, and museums, and indoor maps for airports, malls, and stadiums. It is important to note that some features may not be available in all countries, and navigation is not intended for use by oversized or emergency vehicles.
Polaris Navigation GPS is a high performance GPS system that can be used without the need for account setup or subscriptions. It can turn any smartphone into a powerful navigation system that does not require an internet connection. With Polaris Navigation GPS, users have the ability to navigate any waterway, explore wilderness or cities, and create destinations using offline maps and an arrow. This app is mostly used for hiking, off-road, nautical, and trail GPS, but it can also be used as a backup or replacement for handheld GPS satellite navigation units.
Polaris Navigation GPS is equipped with various features that make it ideal for outdoor adventures, such as hiking, boating, fishing, hunting, camping, mountain biking, and backpacking. It also has a compass orienteering feature that is useful for navigation. The app is known for its stability, reliability, and flexibility, and is used by millions of people worldwide, including land-sea search and rescue and military personnel.
The app provides unlimited free access to offline vector and raster maps, nautical charts for the USA, and high-detail maps with large, easy-to-read labels. It also includes the Polaris Places Picker feature, a GPS compass and magnetic compass, GPS info panel, odometers, altimeters, speedometers, chronometers, split distances on tracks, and the ability to connect waypoints and navigate the track they define.
Polaris Navigation GPS can access various map types, such as Google Maps, OpenStreetMap-Mapnik, Topographic Maps, Cycle Route and Hiking Maps, Vector Maps, USGS Topo, NOAA Marine Charts, Aviation Operations Charts, and Canada Toporama. It also has a comprehensive set of GPS tools and diagnostics, as well as a waypoint navigation system that includes a dynamic waypoint-finding compass.
CoPilot GPS is a navigation app that caters to the needs of different types of drivers and vehicles. It is trusted by millions of drivers globally and is used by many of the world’s leading delivery fleets. The app provides voice-guided offline navigation, route planning, and traffic. Users can try the app for free for 14 days without any commitment, and if they like it, they can subscribe at any time.
CoPilot GPS offers specific features for truck, car, and RV navigation. For truckers, the app uses PC*MILER routing to help drivers avoid low bridges and truck-restricted roads. It also provides driver-friendly guidance that is optimized for the vehicle and load, which can help save money by avoiding fines and out-of-route mileage. Real-time traffic information ensures that drivers can deliver on time and get precise ETAs.
For car drivers, CoPilot GPS offers a choice of up to three routes and offline maps that function without a mobile signal. The app includes millions of pre-loaded Places, which can help drivers discover what is around them. Real-time traffic information and automatic rerouting around congestion help drivers avoid delays.
For RV drivers, CoPilot GPS provides routes and directions that are designed for RVs based on the vehicle size, ensuring that drivers never get stranded. Reliable offline maps and millions of preloaded Places, including campgrounds and rest areas, are also available. The app provides lane indicator arrows and exit sign information to keep drivers informed about their turns.
CoPilot GPS is continually expanding its map coverage. For detailed information about map coverage, users can visit copilotgps.com/map-coverage. The app’s social media channels provide a way for users to stay connected and up-to-date on the latest developments.
One important note is that real-time traffic information requires a mobile internet connection, while an additional map upgrade is necessary to access maps of the world.
HERE WeGo is a navigation app that allows users to travel both locally and globally. The app has recently undergone a redesign to improve its usability. With HERE WeGo, users can easily get to their destination through various modes of transportation, such as walking, public transport, or driving. The app offers turn-by-turn voice guidance for driving and provides directions to the nearest parking spots. Users can also save their frequent destinations in a collection or use shortcuts to access directions in a single click. Additionally, they can add waypoints to their routes as needed.
One of the app’s notable features is its ability to allow users to download maps for a region, country, or continent to use while offline. This feature is useful for those who want to save mobile data or find themselves without internet access while travelling. The app also promises more features in the future, such as bike and car-sharing options, hotel booking and parking services, and the ability to organize trips with others. Users are encouraged to send feedback to appsupport@here.com.
In summary, HERE WeGo is a comprehensive navigation app that offers various transportation options, customizable routes, and offline maps. Its recent redesign has improved the usability of the app, and it plans to expand its features in the future.