Why is Waze so good?

Sam Costello píše o technice od roku 2000. Jeho texty se objevily v publikacích jako CNN.com, PC World, InfoWord a mnoha dalších.

Publikované dne 30 2023,

• Android Auto
• Apple CarPlay
• Navigace

While there are many navigation apps, Waze and Google Maps are two of the most popular. Oddly, both are owned by Google. In this article, we dig into some key similarities and differences to help you decide the matter of Waze vs. Google Maps.

Celkové zjištění

• Directions for on-road vehicles only
• Real-time, crowdsourced data for the fastest routes
• Responds faster to delays and hazards
• Requires nearby drivers; limited offline functionality
• Good support for finding gas, food, etc.
• Dobré možnosti přizpůsobení

• Directions for vehicles, bicycles, walking, public transit
• Less flexible, but more consistent, routing
• Slower to respond to delays and hazards
• Doesn’t need nearby users; works well offline
• Good support for finding gas, food, etc.
• Omezené možnosti přizpůsobení

It’s easy to see how Waze and Google Maps are similar—they both provide turn-by-turn directions—but look a bit deeper than that, and their differences become apparent.

Waze is designed only for drivers of cars, trucks, and motorcycles. It uses crowdsourced data from other nearby drivers to provide real-time traffic condition updates and suggest alternate routes. This tends to mean a lot of turns and side streets, but also often getting to your destination a few minutes earlier. Getting data from nearby drivers has its limits, as does the app when it comes to some more specialized features.

Google Maps, on the other hand, is an all-encompassing navigation tool providing directions for cars and trucks, bicycles, walking, and public transit. Its directions are less responsive to changing conditions and aren’t crowdsourced, but they are dependable and direct. For power users, Google Maps offers plentiful features.

Options: Google Maps Offers More Complete Travel Choices

• Direction for vehicles (cars, trucks, motorcycles)

• Direction for vehicles (cars, trucks, motorcycles)
• Walking directions
• Public transit directions
• Bicycle directions

It doesn’t take long to understand Google Maps offers more direction options than Waze. Waze is meant for cars, trucks, and motorcycles. That means no walking directions and no public transit information. Google Maps, on the other hand, covers many varied modes of transportation and can even combine multiple types (such as walking and subway or bus) in a single route.

Real-Time Data: Waze Gets You There Faster

• Real-time data from other
  Waze users
• Constantly updated directions minimize drive time
• Better routing around accidents or delays
• No cellular data or nearby users can cause problems

• Data, and thus routes, are more fixed
• Drive time is slightly longer, but requires fewer turns/exits
• Some alternate routing
• Routes don’t rely on other users

Waze and Google Maps have different data-gathering approaches, leading to different travel experiences.

Waze uses crowdsourced data to provide up-to-the-second driving information. That means Waze users constantly provide real-time information about driving conditions, hazards, and speed. This lets Waze almost instantly create new routes to take you around slowdowns. This tends to mean arriving a few minutes sooner than with Google Maps, but it also involves many more turns and side streets.

Google Maps, on the other hand, is a bit more direct. That makes for an easier and more consistent driving experience. While it does offer real-time traffic information, it won’t always route you around slowdowns.

Because of Waze’s crowdsourced data, you won’t get the latest information if you end up in an area without any nearby users or cellular data. Google has no such limitation.

Gas and Food: Both Apps Will Help You With Pit Stops

• Search for gas stations, restaurants, and other points of interest
• Gas prices are listed in search results

• Search for gas stations, restaurants, and other points of interest
• Gas stations are listed on maps, but require more taps

Both Waze and Google Maps help you get where you’re going and route you to essentials like gas, food, and lodging, but Waze tends to make finding this information a little easier. For instance, if you search for «gas station,» the current price of regular gas appears right in the search results before you set a route. Google Maps shows gas prices on the location markers on the map but requires a few taps deeper into the search results to see more detail.

In keeping with its real-time routing and street-level awareness, Waze’s support for finding these kinds of locations feels a bit smoother and easier to use.

Offline Options: Google Maps Offers Downloads and Custom Maps

• Limited support for downloadable, offline maps are a workaround

• Strong support for downloadable, offline maps
• Supports the creation of custom maps for trip planning

For power users, Google Maps has a pair of options that Waze can’t match. The first is the ability to download maps. Google Maps supports downloading maps for offline use. Waze doesn’t. Most users won’t need this feature, but only Google Maps can do it.

Google Maps also supports maps containing custom points of interest. This is useful when traveling to new locations. All you have to do is add them to a custom map and then use that map when you get to your destination.

Other Features: Both Apps Support a Good Set

• Podpora pro iOS a Android
• Support for CarPlay and Android Auto
• Vlezlé reklamy
• Hlasové rozhraní
• Customize car icon, spoken directions voice, and more

• Podpora pro iOS a Android
• Support for CarPlay and Android Auto
• More-limited ads
• Hlasové rozhraní
• Omezené možnosti přizpůsobení
• Street View support

Both apps have advertising, but the ads are more prominent and intrusive in Waze. On the other hand, Waze offers many more customization options, including a screen name, an icon for your car, and more options for the spoken directions voice.

Google Maps also offers Street View—a photo of the location you’re going to—which can help confirm you’re in the right place when going somewhere new. Waze doesn’t support this feature.

In other areas—such as OS support and voice commands—both Waze and Google Maps work on iOS and Android. On CarPlay and Android Auto, both apps can be spoken to.

konečný verdikt

Waze and Google Maps are very different—from how they get their data to what sorts of travel they support, from power-user features to what kind of route they give you. Google Maps is the pick for the traveler needing the most extensive options. For a driver who wants the latest information and the fastest route, you can’t beat Waze.

But you don’t need to choose. Both apps are free. Both apps have their uses—and most people will probably need different apps at different times. So, why not download both and have the best of both worlds to get you wherever you need to go?

Why are routes so different on Waze over Google Maps?

Waze uses real-time data to constantly adjust your route. Google Maps will eventually update your route if traffic gets bad enough, but if arrival time is of utmost importance, choose Waze.