Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

ET iPhone Home

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Oct 5, 2011
3,823
529
Orange County, California USA
I did a search and nothing came up. I was wondering what do you guys recommend as the best GPS navigation app - Free or Purchased? I was searching iTunes, but can't make out the best. I would like for it to be voice activated turn by turn. Thanks.

Someone in another thread (which I can't locate) recommended NAVIGON, but I can't locate it in iTunes. I also saw a MapQuest app.
 

cyks

macrumors 68020
Jul 24, 2002
2,090
8
Westchester County, NY
I'll second the Waze nomination. It's free, they update often, has plenty of features, and it communicates with others using it - so, in addition to knowing traffic problems, someone could report a cop hiding in the shadows or a car disabled on the shoulder.

The only downside is that it requires a cell connection for data so, if you're in an area that has limited service, you'd be out of luck.


As my old standalone GPS is still working great, I've never had to consider any of the pay for apps so my experience with them is extremely limited.

The plus with them is that some of them load ALL the maps onto your phone so you they don't need a data connection to run.

If you were going to pay for one, what price range would you be looking/ comfortable in?
 

Lioncrazz

macrumors member
Dec 3, 2009
87
0
Another vote for Waze. Just an all around awesome app. I use it a few days a week and am always pleased with it.
 

ET iPhone Home

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Oct 5, 2011
3,823
529
Orange County, California USA
I'll second the Waze nomination. It's free, they update often, has plenty of features, and it communicates with others using it - so, in addition to knowing traffic problems, someone could report a cop hiding in the shadows or a car disabled on the shoulder.

The only downside is that it requires a cell connection for data so, if you're in an area that has limited service, you'd be out of luck.


As my old standalone GPS is still working great, I've never had to consider any of the pay for apps so my experience with them is extremely limited.

The plus with them is that some of them load ALL the maps onto your phone so you they don't need a data connection to run.

If you were going to pay for one, what price range would you be looking/ comfortable in?

Thanks. I'll try WAZE. I just saw the price of TOM TOM - $39.99 is a bit much. Was there a paid app you recommend below $39.99. I need for it to have voice to give turn by turn directions. Does WAZE offer voice? Thanks.
 

Sedrick

macrumors 68030
Nov 10, 2010
2,596
26
Thanks. I'll try WAZE. I just saw the price of TOM TOM - $39.99 is a bit much. Was there a paid app you recommend below $39.99. I need for it to have voice to give turn by turn directions. Does WAZE offer voice? Thanks.

Yep, Waze has nice turn by turn voice navigation. Sounds a bit like Siri.
 

DodgeV83

macrumors 6502a
Feb 8, 2012
879
6
I did a search and nothing came up. I was wondering what do you guys recommend as the best GPS navigation app - Free or Purchased? I was searching iTunes, but can't make out the best. I would like for it to be voice activated turn by turn. Thanks.

Someone in another thread (which I can't locate) recommended NAVIGON, but I can't locate it in iTunes. I also saw a MapQuest app.

TomTom is the best GPS navigation available anywhere, on any device, even better then the TomTom standalone units. You get what you pay for.
 

mattopotamus

macrumors G5
Jun 12, 2012
14,666
5,879
right now i use motion X and that has worked well. Hopefully maps in ios6 will be good and useable.
 

trouble747

macrumors 6502
Jul 30, 2011
328
14
I like GPS Drive, but you have to pay for full voice navigation. Waze seems to work pretty well, too.
 

Lioncrazz

macrumors member
Dec 3, 2009
87
0
Playing devils advocate, what does Tom Tom offer for $60 that you can't get on Waze? (honest question)
 

ucfgrad93

macrumors Core
Aug 17, 2007
19,522
10,810
Colorado
The US version is $40, not $60. That said, I have never used Waze so I can't answer your question. I have owned standalone TomTom GPS units so when it came out for the iPhone, I bought it.
 

MonkeySee....

macrumors 68040
Sep 24, 2010
3,858
437
UK
Just stick Waze on. You'll be really pleased when iOS 6 comes as you will then have built in Sat Nav powered by TomTom..for freeeeeee.
 

LaunchpadBS

macrumors 6502a
Nov 11, 2008
653
5
iLondon/iDurban
I did a search and nothing came up. I was wondering what do you guys recommend as the best GPS navigation app - Free or Purchased? I was searching iTunes, but can't make out the best. I would like for it to be voice activated turn by turn. Thanks.

Someone in another thread (which I can't locate) recommended NAVIGON, but I can't locate it in iTunes. I also saw a MapQuest app.

iOS 6 comes with a good turn by turn navigation, I've been using it for 4 weeks now, better than most of the other apps I bought!!! Only negative is no downloaded maps. But a but positive is it works in most countries!!!! :D
 

maximus96

macrumors 6502a
Sep 25, 2007
751
153
i use Navigon US West now for $20. Its got the western US maps and I really just need California.

I used to use Waze. It was fine until one time it kept me going on the freeway when I was supposed to get off. It got me frustrated enough to not use it anymore. But when it worked it was pretty good for a free app. I sometimes suspect it is biased in routing you to drive the streets to eat one of those candy prize things...
 

mattopotamus

macrumors G5
Jun 12, 2012
14,666
5,879
i use Navigon US West now for $20. Its got the western US maps and I really just need California.

I used to use Waze. It was fine until one time it kept me going on the freeway when I was supposed to get off. It got me frustrated enough to not use it anymore. But when it worked it was pretty good for a free app. I sometimes suspect it is biased in routing you to drive the streets to eat one of those candy prize things...

Same here. I was using waze until it really messed up directions on me in a metropolitan area
 

malnar

macrumors 6502a
Aug 20, 2008
634
60
i use Navigon US West now for $20. Its got the western US maps and I really just need California.

I used to use Waze. It was fine until one time it kept me going on the freeway when I was supposed to get off. It got me frustrated enough to not use it anymore. But when it worked it was pretty good for a free app. I sometimes suspect it is biased in routing you to drive the streets to eat one of those candy prize things...
Let me add a third voice here - Waze is awful. Outdated maps, and, worse, bad directions on those outdated maps. You get what you pay for.

I've used most of the major GPS apps and I've settled on Magellan as it's the most reliable. TomTom has a few things that are superior, such as how it displays traffic on the right side of the screen in a bar graphic, but I don't appreciate all the yearly pay-ups on nearly everything an everyday driver would need (traffic, etc.) For now I stick with Magellan and wait to see what Maps brings in iOS 6. Hopefully that does away with all of these apps.

By the way, if anyone just wants a great traffic app, the newly updated Inrix Traffic is pretty dang great. I had a lifetime subscription from a couple years back so now the app gets multiple destinations, and it is easily worth upgrading if you live in a busy city and have many places you drive to. I actually use this daily now instead of Magellan.
 

fenderbass146

macrumors 65816
Mar 11, 2009
1,449
2,490
Northwest Indiana
Navigon is the best imo. Its owned by garmin, it has locally stored maps, but you can choose the states that you need. It only takes up about 500 MB because I have illinois wisconsin michigan indiana iowa nebraska and colorado only.
 

cynics

macrumors G4
Jan 8, 2012
11,959
2,154
Playing devils advocate, what does Tom Tom offer for $60 that you can't get on Waze? (honest question)

Arguably better maps and better routing. However I found their stand alone unit maps terrible for my area. But their iqrouting system to be great. I don't use the app so I don't know if iqroutes is integrated in.
 

soLoredd

macrumors 6502a
Mar 12, 2007
967
0
California
I did not enjoy Waze when I tried it but that was some months ago. Maybe the updates have helped (shoddy directions, poor mapping). I've been using MotionX GPS Drive for a couple years now and its been great. Yep, you do have to purchase the voice-guided directions but its only $10 or something - the app itself is like $0.99. And the map database is fantastic.

I also use MotionX GPS for hiking - hasn't let me down yet.
 

Jrh1194

macrumors newbie
Apr 30, 2012
28
0
Charleston, SC
I have used Navigon for about 3 months now. So far it has worked flawlessly each time that I needed it. Nice part is that you only download the states that you actually need at that time. I bought the Eastern US version for $19.
 

alent1234

macrumors 603
Jun 19, 2009
5,688
170
use Waze most of the time. free and free real time traffic. its a bit flaky and not as accurate as the paid apps

bought navigon a week ago while it was on sale for $29 for the USA version. biggest reason i bought it for is i'm going to rocky mountain national park with my son and wanted a GPS app with local maps in case i'm out of signal range or crappy 3G. and my wife will be in the area alone i wanted something for her as well so she doesn't get lost

navigon is a bit flaky to use, i hate the interface. but its local maps and Navteq maps which are the best

----------

Playing devils advocate, what does Tom Tom offer for $60 that you can't get on Waze? (honest question)

like navigon, local maps. you don't need a cell phone data signal to use it. your phone will use the data from the GPS satellites.

if you're going to be in a remote area, local maps are a nice feature
 

aneftp

macrumors 601
Jul 28, 2007
4,362
546
Playing devils advocate, what does Tom Tom offer for $60 that you can't get on Waze? (honest question)

Tomtom and garmin do not need data plans. U can even use th without a sim card.

I have both. Well worth the money to have pre loaded maps on phone (1.5gb-2gb)
 

takeshi74

macrumors 601
Feb 9, 2011
4,974
68
I did a search and nothing came up.
What keywords were you using? If forum search doesn't get you the results you're looking for then try a site restricted Google search. There are countless prior threads on this topic:
https://www.google.com/webhp?rlz=1C...,cf.osb&fp=f2b218846b34a707&biw=1024&bih=1195

I just saw the price of TOM TOM - $39.99 is a bit much.
Catch it on sale. There are apps and sites for tracking app pricing/sales. It's how I bought TomTom and Navigon.

Arguably better maps and better routing. However I found their stand alone unit maps terrible for my area. But their iqrouting system to be great. I don't use the app so I don't know if iqroutes is integrated in.
Pretty easy to find out:
http://www.tomtom.com/en_us/product...mtom-navigation-app-for-iphone-ipad/index.jsp
Always the smartest, fastest route with IQ Routes™*
Despite posted speed limits, traffic traveling along a road at 8 a.m. moves at a different pace than it does at 2 p.m. Actual traffic speed is affected by rush hour, traffic light changes, pedestrian traffic, day of the week, and more. Only TomTom offers exclusive technology that evaluates routes based on actual traffic speeds, rather than posted speed limits, and will recommend the fastest route for the time of the day. *Feature available in the US and Canada only.

I'd say the IQ routing is worth it. It has saved me time and trouble on more than one occasion.

TomTom is the best GPS navigation available anywhere, on any device, even better then the TomTom standalone units.
Well worth the money to have pre loaded maps on phone (1.5gb-2gb)
Best and worth are always subjective. Not everyone needs or wants locally stored map data. Look at the popularity of apps that require data.
 
Last edited:
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.