Main points
- Waze routes are faster than Google Maps because they avoid traffic jams.It also has accurate hazard reporting
- Waze is community-driven and reliable, allowing you to customize your experience with celebrity voices and icons.
- These are a few reasons why I’m a loyal Waze user and won’t be switching completely to Google Maps anytime soon.
There are many navigation apps on the market, from Apple Maps to TomTom GO, but two of the most popular are Waze and Google Maps. Both are free apps and both are owned by Google, but thankfully the tech giant is keeping Waze as a separate app rather than trying to merge its functionality into Google Maps. This means you can choose which Google Navigation apps to use, as their methods are very different.
Personally, I’ve been using Waze for many years, and although I still use Google Maps from time to time, I always find myself returning to Waze as my go-to driving navigation app. Here are the top five reasons I use Waze instead of Google Maps.
I tested Google Maps and Waze to see which one was better
Google has two navigation apps: Google Maps and Waze. I use Waze, but I downloaded Google Maps to see how it compares.
1 Better route planning
Get from A to B faster
Both apps are owned by Google, so you might want them to generate the same route for a specific journey. However, this rarely happens. That’s because Waze is designed to get you to your destination in the shortest possible time, and will happily take you on a slightly odder route if it needs to avoid traffic jams or accidents. Google Maps usually generates a more direct route, but may end up being slower.
For example, I tried entering the same destination on both apps. Waze gave me a route that was 325 miles long and took 5 hours and 31 minutes. Google Maps generated a shorter route of 324 miles, but took 5 hours and 53 minutes. Unless a route is really crazy, I always like to get there as quickly as possible, and I’ve found that Waze does a better job of that.
1:04
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2 better hazard reporting
Get real-time hazard reports
Waze is built on a social network of Waze users, whose data is shared with all other users. Waze will use information about how fast other users are traveling to estimate how busy the road is and use this information to build the most efficient route. However, users can also add their own data, such as traffic accidents, speed traps and other hazards.
These warnings are usually very accurate. For example, I frequently receive warnings about vehicles parked on the side of the road, and those vehicles are almost always exactly where the warning says they are. If not, I can quickly tap the screen to indicate that the danger is no longer present. Waze also recently added new hazard reporting options, including speed bumps and toll booths.
There is a hazard reporting feature in Google Maps, but the feature is still fairly new and relies on other users taking advantage of it. Many people may not know that Hazard Reporting is an option in Google Maps, but it’s been a key part of Waze for years. This makes hazard reporting in Waze more accurate.
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3 Customization options
Keep things interesting with new sounds and icons
Have you ever been so lost in your thoughts while driving that you couldn’t even hear the directions from your navigation app and then drove past the turn you were supposed to take? This is easy to do, especially when you have the same monotone voice talking to you every few minutes. Waze shakes things up a bit by giving you a choice of several different voices, including some great celebrity voices.
Many of these sounds are short-term options, used as promotional tools or only appear during the holidays. For example, I can now get directions through the voice of Ray Stantz, the character played by Dan Ackroyd in the movie Ghostbusters, which is promoting the latest installment in the series. The release of the film. There are plenty of other options that have been around too, like Zombies, Noir Detective, and 80s Aerobics Coach.
In addition to sounds, the icons displayed on the map can be customized to show your location to other Waze users and thus indicate your current mood.
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4 Faster rerouting
Quickly update routes when problems arise
The initial route generated by Waze is the best route based on current traffic conditions. However, things may change during your trip. Some roads may become busier, slowing you down, or accidents or other hazards may occur, making the current route less than ideal.
If this happens, Waze will suggest an alternative route and let you know how much time you could save by switching to that route. It will do this very aggressively; Waze will often notify you if a faster route is found, meaning the route may change multiple times during your trip.
Google Maps occasionally changes routes, but it doesn’t seem to be that often, possibly because there isn’t as much user-submitted information. If you want the fastest response to route changes, look no further than Waze.
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5 In-app fuel prices
Find the cheapest fuel faster
Both apps allow you to search for gas stations and electric vehicle charging stations on or near your route. However, Waze has one big advantage over Google Maps in this regard. While Google Maps will show you where gas stations are, you won’t get any information about how much you’ll have to pay.
In the Waze app, you can not only see the location of gas stations, but also the prices. This information can be submitted by the gas station itself or by other Waze users. This way you can quickly find the cheapest place to fill up without having to travel too far.
You’ll see the price on the map, but below the map you can see more information, including the date the price was added to the app. This means you can ignore prices that haven’t been updated in a while and only consider the most recently updated prices.
This is another benefit of Waze’s social features, which allow users to share information such as fuel prices, benefiting everyone who uses the app.
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FAQ
Q: Are there any reasons to choose Google Maps instead of Waze?
It’s a bit strange that Google has two distinct navigation apps and still runs them separately, but it does mean you have more options. The above are some of the key reasons why I still choose Waze as my navigation app, but Google Maps also has some features that work in its favor.
For example, Google Maps allows you to download maps for offline use so you can navigate even without an internet connection. Google Maps also provides walking and cycling routes, as well as public transport and flight information. When it comes to driving, though, I’m sticking with Waze for now.