5 reasons why I use Waze instead of Google Maps

There are numerous navigation apps available on the market, from Apple Maps to TomTom GO, however two of the preferred are Waze and Google Maps. Each are free apps and each are owned by Google, however fortunately the tech big is conserving Waze as a separate app quite than attempting to merge its performance into Google Maps. This implies you’ll be able to select which Google navigation apps to make use of, as their strategies are very completely different.

Personally, I have been utilizing Waze for a few years, and though I nonetheless use Google Maps sometimes, I at all times discover myself returning to Waze as my go-to driving navigation app. Listed below are the highest 5 causes I take advantage of Waze as a substitute of Google Maps.

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1 Higher route planning

Get from A to B quicker

Each apps are owned by Google, so you will most likely need them to generate the identical route for a selected journey. Nevertheless, this hardly ever occurs. That is as a result of Waze is designed to get you to your vacation spot within the shortest potential time, and can fortunately take you on a barely odder route if it must keep away from visitors jams or accidents. Google Maps will normally produce a extra direct route, however could find yourself being slower.

For instance, I attempted coming into the identical vacation spot on each apps. Waze gave me a route that was 325 miles lengthy and took 5 hours and 31 minutes. Google Maps produced a shorter route of 324 miles, however took 5 hours and 53 minutes. Except a route is de facto loopy, I at all times prefer to get there as rapidly as potential, and I’ve discovered that Waze does a greater job of that.

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2 higher hazard reporting

Get fast hazard stories

Waze is constructed on the social community of Waze customers, whose profiles are shared with all different customers. Waze will use data from different customers’ driving speeds to estimate how busy a highway is and use that data to construct probably the most environment friendly route. Nevertheless, customers may also add their very own knowledge, comparable to visitors accidents, velocity traps and different hazards.

These warnings are normally very correct. For instance, I continuously obtain warnings about automobiles parked on the aspect of the highway, and people automobiles are nearly at all times precisely the place the warning says they’re. If not, I can rapidly faucet the display to point that the hazard is now not current. Waze additionally lately added new hazard reporting choices, together with velocity bumps and toll cubicles.

There’s a hazard reporting function in Google Maps, however the function continues to be pretty new and depends on different customers taking benefit. Many individuals could not know that Hazard Reporting is an choice in Google Maps, however it’s been a key a part of Waze for years. This makes hazard reporting in Waze extra correct.

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3 Customization choices

Preserve issues attention-grabbing with new sounds and icons

Have you ever ever been so misplaced in your ideas whereas driving that you simply could not even hear your navigation app’s directions after which drove previous the flip you have been speculated to take? That is simple to do, particularly when you might have the identical monotone voice speaking to you each jiffy. Waze shakes issues up a bit by supplying you with a selection of a number of completely different voices, together with some nice superstar voices.

Many of those sounds are short-term choices, used as promotional instruments or solely seem throughout the holidays. For instance, I can now get instructions via the voice of Ray Stantz, the character performed by Dan Ackroyd within the film Ghostbusters, which is selling the collection Newest film releases. There are many different choices which have at all times been there, too, like Zombies, Noir Detective, and 80s Aerobics Teacher.

Along with sounds, the icons displayed on the map may be personalized to indicate your location to different Waze customers, indicating your present temper.

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4 Quicker rerouting

Shortly replace routes when issues come up

The preliminary route generated by Waze is one of the best route based mostly on present visitors circumstances. Nevertheless, issues could change throughout your journey. Some roads could turn out to be busier, slowing you down, or accidents or different hazards could happen, making the present route lower than supreme.

If this occurs, Waze will recommend an alternate route and let you understand how a lot time you possibly can save by switching to that route. It is going to do that very aggressively; Waze will usually notify you if a quicker route is discovered, which suggests the route could change a number of instances throughout your journey.

Google Maps sometimes adjustments routes, however it does not appear to be that frequent, most likely as a result of there aren’t that many user-submitted data. If you need the quickest response to route adjustments, look no additional than Waze.

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5 In-app gas costs

Discover the most cost effective gas quicker

Each apps allow you to seek for gasoline stations and electrical automobile charging stations on or close to your route. Nevertheless, Waze has one massive benefit over Google Maps on this regard. Whereas Google Maps will present you the place gasoline stations are, you will not get any details about how a lot you will should pay.

Within the Waze app, you can’t solely see the situation of gasoline stations, but in addition the costs. Info may be submitted by the gasoline station itself or by different Waze customers. This manner you’ll be able to rapidly discover the most cost effective place to refill with out having to journey too far.

You may see the value on the map, however under the map you’ll be able to see extra data, together with the date the value was added to the app. This implies you’ll be able to ignore costs that have not been up to date shortly and solely contemplate probably the most lately up to date costs.

That is one other advantage of Waze’s social options, which permit customers to share data comparable to gas costs, benefiting everybody who makes use of the app.

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FAQ

Q: Are there any causes to decide on Google Maps as a substitute of Waze?

It is a bit unusual that Google has two distinct navigation apps and nonetheless runs them individually, however it does imply you might have extra choices. The above are a few of the key the reason why I nonetheless select Waze as my navigation app, however Google Maps additionally has some options that work in its favor.

For instance, Google Maps enables you to obtain maps for offline use so you’ll be able to navigate even when you do not have an Web connection. Google Maps additionally supplies strolling and biking routes, in addition to public transport and flight data. In the case of driving, although, I am sticking with Waze for now.