repeated media reports of Google’s disregard for the privacy of the general public led to a push for open source, community driven alternatives to Google Maps. The biggest contender, now used by Google’s direct competitors and open source projects alike is OpenStreetMap.
- OsmAnd
OsmAnd is a fantastic choice when searching for an alternative to Google Maps. It is available on both Android and iOS devices with both free and paid subscription options. Free accounts have full access to maps and navigation features, but choosing a paid subscription will allow you unlimited map downloads and increases the frequency of updates.
All subscriptions can take advantage of turn-by-turn navigation, route planning, map markers, and all the favorite features you expect from a map and navigation app in 2024. By making the jump to a paid subscription you get some extra features like topo maps, nautical depths, and even point-of-interest data imported from Wikipedia.
- Organic Maps
Organic Maps is a great choice primarily because they offer support for all features of their iOS and Android apps completely offline. This means if you have an old phone laying around, you can install the app, download the maps you need and presto! You now have an indepth digital map in the palm of your hand without needing to worry about losing or damaging your primary mobile device when exploring the outdoors.
Organic Maps tugs our heartstrings by their commitment to privacy. The app can run entirely without a network connection and comes with no ads, tracking, data collection, and best of all no registration.
- Locus Maps
Our third, and last recommendation today is Locus Maps. Locus Maps is built by outdoor enthusiasts for the same community. Hiking, biking, and geocaching are all mainstays of the Locus App, alongside standard street map navigation as well.
Locus is available in its complete version for Android, and an early version is available for iOS which is continuing to be worked on. Locus Maps offers navigation, tracking and routes, and also information on points-of-interest you might visit or stumble upon during your adventures.
Organic maps has been a really good app in my experience 👍
The only problem I have is the search. It’s very hard to find anything sometimes.
Yeah the search is not forgiving. One typo is enough to ruin the search results.
How well an area is mapped also matters a lot for search though. I now live somewhere that has all addresses in the country mapped from a government source. I didn’t before, and it’s so much easier now because at least I can just punch in the address and I’ll find whatever I’m looking for.
Because it’s based on OSM that anyone can commit changes to, it sometimes has areas mapped that Google maps don’t. On my last skiing trip made everyone install it, because Google maps just didn’t have a proper map of the resort we were staying in. Also works offline, very convenient when you only have broadband internet in the hotel.
I’ve been trying Organic Maps with Android Auto, and am struggling with it.
Search is hit and miss, which I can deal with, but its GPS tracking is wacky. It has Location and Precise Location permissions, but for some reason it’s not as accurate as Google Maps or Sygic - its movement tracking is jerky, it will randomly put me off the road or on another road. And when stopped, it will sometimes point me in the opposite direction or even spin me around a couple of times lol.
It makes it hard to trust ☹️
Instead of a paid subscription for OsmAnd, you can also just install OsmAnd~ from F-Droid and get all the features for free… But it’s fantastic software, consider a donation!
The don’t support librepay
OSMin, Pure Maps, KDE Marble, and Mepo are all good choices if you’re on desktop *nix or using non-Google mobile Linux.
Organic maps is the best
Although I miss the ability to avoid specific roads or areas
It lacks a lot of features. But I do recommend it to simple people who dont like a lot of features.
Simple is often good
Not for improving OSM data
If your area isn’t mapped in openstreetmap, you can improve the map. I find it relaxing in a strange way
I saw a post recently where someone gamified improving OSM. Almost like a Niantic game. I’ll try to find the app…
Edit: this was it https://streetcomplete.app/
Get to the appointment 20 minutes early? Circle the block and do some mapping.
I just ask chatgpt where to turn.
…I do spend a lot of time driving around on ocean floors
This is awesome! 🤩 thanks for sharing these recommendations!📍
Locus Maps V3 is fantastic, one-time purchase too. I use Openandromaps with it.
I can’t recommend the new V4 as it’s a subscription.
Same setup here. Will check what’s the state with new Locus version, maybe it finally has something that will win me over. I do not mind it being subscription too much, makes sense for continuous development, depends how much it is though.
If OSM is not mapped where you are. Use this de Google, Google maps, and then share your destination to OSM (or organic)
MagicEarthI think it’s closed source and only on the play store.
How are you guys setting up Osmand for bike navigation? Especially within a city I have the feeling it always gives me suboptimal ways. I only want to use cobblestone roads if absolutely necessary, I only want to use parallel streets if there is no dedicated bike path on the main road. In both cases I only find options with a too one-sided option.
Truthfully, I usually double-check with Strava heat maps to see where people are actually riding…
Bike navigation is unfortunately not good on osmand, and it’s only slightly better on google maps. I’m also looking for something good there.
I’ve found it to be pretty good in my area although I did have to tweak the cycling profile to avoid unpaved, otherwise it really like to take me down out of the way gravel paths.
There’s a fair amount of customization …
Including surface types such as sett and cobble
That Osmand ain’t good might have to do with the OSM map quality in your area.
I have been using Osmand with brouter as the routing engine, brouter plugin is available on f-droid. You can try out its routing for example on bikerouter.de, top left gives you a bunch of profiles to choose from or even edit them to your liking. Maybe you can find something that works better for you.
I am very happy with it.
Then just ignore its directions when it leads you away from the main road, it can’t know every preference you have for every street. I’d guess generally you’d want it to not use main roads if there are alternatives.
Also maybe have a look if one of the brouter profiles may work better for you, maybe the road bike profiles keep you off the cobble stones, there is a brouter plugin for osmand on f-droid.
In my city? Really great, since people ride a fair bit here and there’s a lot of protected and off-road routes that are correctly labelled. I have my settings set to choose a slightly longer route, instead of just the fastest. If I remember correctly, there were also settings for whether on/off road directions are preferred. I’m pretty much kept on bike paths all the time
I don’t use navigation in the areas with cobblestone paths here though so can’t comment on that.
For the bike map view I’ve enabled the clock widget, speed widget, and track recorder widget, as well as a shortcut to quickly toggle it on. I set it up about 2 years ago when my bicycle computer was stolen, haven’t changed anything since.
While not open source, Here WeGo is also an alternative to Google. I think Here may be more focused on driving.
Any recommendations for a map that focuses on public transport? My experience of OSM and Organic weren’t great in that regard
Could it be due to data quality?
I personally use specialized local app for public transportation that gets data directly from public transport provider (their official app is lacking), check if you have one in your region. Routes and timetables are always correct this way.
Unfortunately, google maps is much more than a map. Shops with ratings and business hours, traffic, public transports, sattelite and street views are typically missing from these alternatives (fair rating is likely impossible).
I like Organic Maps though in case if network issues. Hopes Kartaview succeeds too.
I’ve been loving Organic Maps with voice directions using Sherpa-Onnx. Hugging Face has a web page to test the voices before picking an APK
