With the summer holidays approaching and the sunny weather lately, there is a good chance that you will get out and about. Whether on foot or by car, it's nice to get somewhere in the most efficient way. Navigation apps help you with that. You probably know Google Maps, but there is more beauty on Android. Here are our five favorite navigation apps.
Google Maps
We'll start with Google Maps, because it's so good that it shouldn't be missing from this list, even though it's so well-known. The navigation in Google Maps is good because firstly, Google regularly checks whether a certain traffic situation is still as it appears in Maps. In addition, it is distilled from the data of Maps users that, for example, an accident has occurred or there is a diversion due to work. And if you are in a location where you are completely unknown, Google Maps can also tell you where the nearest location is to eat, or even specifically to eat ice cream, or to get medicine: Google knows it all. The advantage of Maps is also that you can choose from car, walking, cycling and public transport routes and that you can download maps offline. Although in the latter case you may not have the most recent information about the traffic situation at that time. Recently, Google Maps also tells you how fast you are driving, so that you can also better monitor the speed at which you follow your navigation.
Sygic
Sometimes Google Maps lets us down a bit, especially in busy cities full of small streets. Sygic can then offer solace, because it does not use Google's maps, but TomTom's. You can also download maps offline in this app and unlike the major competitor, it is possible to navigate on offline maps while walking. There is a paid part in it, but that is mainly in the navigation with voice (which sounds less robotic than Google's) and the display of the maximum speed. Sygic works very easily and the map view of the app is experienced as clearer by people who find Google Maps too busy. There is, however, also some criticism: the app sometimes sends you unnecessarily up and down a road, but Google Maps also sometimes has a hand in it.
Waze
Waze is from Google, but it's not in Google Maps. The reason the two remain separate is that Google is based on data, while Waze is all about the input of people. Do you see an accident somewhere? Then you can pass that on to Waze, so that other users have specific information about the situation on the road. And, a big difference with Google Maps, is that speed cameras also belong to this. In short, you can keep each other a la Flitsmeister informed about where you potentially incur a speeding fine. Waze is also more of an assistant, because you can enter in the app what time you have to be somewhere and the app gives you an indication of what time you really have to leave the door. You can also more easily share your expected arrival time with others, via WhatsApp or email. Or with yourself, by adding it to your Google Calendar via the app. Waze is really a motorist app: you will not use this application for bicycles.
TomTom
When you talk about navigation, TomTom comes up pretty quickly. This Dutch company grew mainly through physical navigation systems for the car, but it also has great virtual maps for your mobile. It is not without reason that the aforementioned Sygic makes use of this, for example. The big advantage of TomTom compared to other maps is that it only downloads what it needs. So you only need to have a Netherlands card if you never leave our country with your car, and that saves a lot of space on your device. In addition, they are updated weekly. With the latest update, the app also includes support for CarPlay. Another useful feature is the so-called moving lane guidance, which shows you which lane you need to be in to take the exit ahead - something many other navigation apps miss.
HERE WeGo
It has a somewhat striking name, but it is also a striking app. HERE WeGo has always been seen as the main competitor of Maps, coming from Nokia. It's pretty much the same app in all its features. You can also download offline maps around the world here, plus plan public transport or by bike. As with Sygic, HERE WeGo is mainly praised for its beautiful interface, which is slightly clearer than that of Google. What is special is that you can create and adjust your own maps, so that you can adjust your navigation even more to your liking.
