The 6 Best Offline GPS Navigation Apps for Android
Even if people say that “not all who wander are lost” – or so they say, getting lost while traveling is such a pain. But having offline GPS navigation apps you can use even when you’re offline is a lifesaver. It’s always better to travel prepared, especially if you’re going somewhere you’re not familiar with or somewhere without a signal. That’s where offline GPS navigation apps come into play.
There’s an abundance of offline gps navigation apps you can use whenever you’re driving or walking around the streets of an unfamiliar place. But most of these maps require internet or mobile data. What if you’re stuck in a place without a signal? What if you made a wrong turn and got lost somewhere and your online navigation app doesn’t work? To save yourself from situations like these, you’d need something that still works offline.
You can rely on offline GPS navigation apps wherever and whenever you need them. They preload maps and important data to guide you in your travels, even when the signal is weak or there’s no internet connection at all.
Related:
Navigation Apps for Samsung Gear 3
4 Best GPS Navigation Apps for Cyclists
5 Best Android GPS Navigation Apps
Best Offline GPS Navigation Apps when you are in the middle of nowhere
Here is the list of 6 top Offline GPS navigation apps that made it through our rigorous quality tests. You can definitely rely on them.
1. Google Maps
You don’t have to go far. Use offline GPS navigation apps that are already downloaded on your Android device. A lot of people think that Google Maps only works online. But that’s a common misconception. With just a few clicks – you can – in fact, download maps that you can access and navigate offline.
Google Maps has over 220 countries mapped. It features GPS navigation, transit info, detailed route information, turn-by-turn direction, multiple view options, traffic updates, and locations of millions of businesses and places. It does not only give you directions, but It also helps you check out nearby business establishments. It’s everything you need in a navigation app – for free.
Offline Features:
- Offline maps to search and navigate
- Street View and indoor maps for shops, restaurants, airports and more
- Over 220 territories and countries mapped out
2. MAPS.ME
Are there offline GPS navigation apps with both online and offline features in mind? Yes, that would be MAPS.ME. Trusted by over 100 million users across the globe, this app remains as one of the best GPS navigation apps out there.
It features a comprehensive and detailed offline mapping database. With turn-by-turn navigation, it’s very helpful when you’re driving, cycling, or walking in any part of the world where there isn’t any internet connection.
Not only is it fast and reliable, but it’s also up-to-date. Millions of contributors from OpenStreetMap update the maps daily. And all the maps and features are completely free.
Offline Features:
- Incredibly detailed directions to points of interests
- Features hiking trails and places that are missing from other map apps
- Fast and reliable offline search with optimized maps great for navigation
- Save locations and share them
3. MapFactor GPS Navigation Maps
MapFactor is one of the best-rated offline GPS navigation apps on Google Play. In fact, it’s intended and designed for offline use. With this app, you can navigate offline in more than 200 countries. The maps are detailed and updated since they come directly from OpenStreetMaps.
The turn-by-turn navigation feature of this app comes in various language. It even features speed limits and camera warnings, door-to-door route planning, realistic offline maps with postcodes, and many more.
Offline Features:
- 2D/3D realistic visual offline maps display
- Intuitive voice navigation in different languages
- Route planning and avoidance
- On-screen overview of maneuver and distance
4. Waze
Waze is a drivers’ best friend. While it’s more famous for its online and real-time features, it also has offline functions that drivers and travelers can enjoy. The app is known for helping people avoid traffic and tells them about crashes, police, construction, and miscellaneous road problems.
But with just a few steps, you can use this app even when you’re offline. You can store certain routes and destinations and store the data in the app’s cache memory. The problem with this is that there’s no built-in map downloading feature, which means that you must be careful not to close the app if you want to use it offline later.
Offline Features:
- Stores routes and destinations in the app’s cache memory
- Great for avoiding busy streets and traffic
- Faster travel time and quicker routes
5. Sygic GPS Navigation & Maps
Using this app, you can navigate anywhere, anytime, even without an internet connection. Sygic GPS Navigation is considered as the most-downloaded navigation app. With more than 200 million users, this app features offline 3D maps which you can store in your phone for offline GPS navigation.
The offline maps are provided by TomTom (GPS satellite) and others. They are updated for free several times a year. Similar to Waze, the voice navigation system tells drivers street names and precise directions. It also has a pedestrian GPS navigation for tourists who are looking for directions or tourist attractions.
It’s free but you’re limited to its basic features. If you want to fully enjoy all its features, then you’ll have to pay a premium.
Offline Features:
- Offline maps from all countries
- Voice-guided navigation and millions of points of interest (POI)
- Pedestrian GPS navigation
- Avoid traffic jams
- Advanced safety features
6. WeGo
Another offline GPS navigation app to try is HERE WeGo. Specifically designed for offline navigation, this app is definitely one of the best GPS navigation apps you can download for free. It not only gives you offline maps; but it also gives you directions, best departure time, carsharing prices, transit tickets, and essential information you need when you travel from one place to another.
HERE WeGo is designed to help people travel with less hassle. Whether you’re driving your car, walking, cycling, or taking public transit, you’ll find this app helpful – especially if you don’t have mobile data or WiFi. The downside is that it only has offline maps of more than 100 countries.
Offline Features:
- Download maps to use offline
- Free navigation which allows you to compare ways to get to your destination
- Public transport options
- Turn-by-turn voice-guided navigation
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use GPS offline?
Yes, you can. GPS-enabled devices do not, in fact, require Wi-Fi or mobile data in order to work. They can provide GPS location data even when you’re offline.
How do I download Google Maps for offline navigation?
Google Maps is pre-installed on all Android devices. Check your app drawer for your Google Maps app.
Is GPS free?
Yes, GPS is a free service. When you buy any Android device, you won’t have to pay anything to use it. No monthly fee, no tax. Absolutely free.
Jarwee In-Dash
If you’re planning to hook up your car with an offline GPS navigation system, I highly recommend checking out Jarwee In-Dash.
Jawee’s In-Dash car system isn’t just a plain in-dash monitor for your car. It’s has a built-in DVD player, touchscreen, and a rearview camera bundle – as well as GPS navigation capability. It also supports offline GPS navigation which is pretty cool. To learn more about this product, visit Amazon.
Suggested Reads:
3 Apps to Legally Monitor your Employee’s Android Phone
5 Best Translator Apps for Android for Global Travels
5 Best Distance Measuring Apps for Android
Wrapping Up
Now that you’ve read through the best offline GPS navigation apps for Android, it’s time to choose from one of these and gear up for your next travel. And if you’re planning to spend the night, might as well book your hotel in advance.
You won’t have to worry about getting lost anymore. It’s time to wander and explore both familiar and unfamiliar places. Get ready for your next adventure!
I hope you were able to use any of the GPS navigation apps on the list. Feel free to drop some comments and suggestions down below!
Which of these 5 apps is the best for traveling in Italy?
Thanx!
KT, I would like to be honest. Unfortunately we do not have office/friends in Italy to check these apps working fine in Italy.
These apps worked fine in US, UK and few Asian countries. We certainly believe it should work fine in Italy as well!
Used the latest Sygic in Italy just this week, had quiet the hard time, from Tarvisio to Bibione it showed a perfect route (without highways) ~2,5hours of travel, it’s pretty OK, but for the same route from Bibione to Tarvisio it showed a ~4,5hours path which is just crazy, also it was rather outdated, several roundabouts were not on the map and sometimes the click and drop thing didn’t work, otherwise it’s a good app, but this time it made me furious… (I don’t even want to mention the road to Venice, nearly the same thing, to Venice it showed a bad path, back to Bibione it showed the perfect one…)
Hey Aft, terrible experience. I guess all these offline navigation apps are more about location. It works just great in some location and not good in some. Did you try contacting Sygic and report this? I would highly recommend doing this.
Sigyc has a free version(after 7 days of trial) but you don’t get voice navigation, speed limit wornings or lane directions. If you want that after the 7 days trial, you have to pay… someting like 35$.
Any way, the search engine is far much better than the apps that use OSM.
I agree and sorry about not pointing the price. Sygic has wide range of price option depending upon the area of maps you want to purchase.
Hi,
These apps don’t seem to have good details for cyclists? Can I use these apps to go for cycling?
Hi, technically all these apps should work fine for cyclist. However we have listed great apps for cyclist in a separate post – https://joyofandroid.com/best-gps-navigation-apps-for-cyclists/
You may wanna read it.
Which of these apps support rerouting (as opposed to keep trying to get me back to the original route)?
Thanks!
I can see NavFree offers rerouting option.
I’m looking for an offline GPS app to track my location when flying over open ocean, mostly US to Hawaii. What do you recommend? Not for navigation, just for looking out the window of a commercial airliner.
Hi Arnel, unfortunately technology has limitations! No app can detect your location if you are flying and not connected to the internet. Location services uses multiple criteria like GPS, network, Wifi hotspot etc., to estimate your location. Unfortunately when you are flying you wouldn’t be having access to any of these except if you are connected via flight wifi. These kind of application would be only available to military personals and not publicl
What about traveling with a nautical GPS?
Interesting question, Jerry. Don’t they also not have something like satellite connectivity? I have experienced sometime my Tom Tom tower shows no tower and the GPS wouldn’t work.
I guess any offline app would do. i’ve found Open GPS Tracker wich has offline maps but never got to use it. Since it uses GPS from satelites i don’t know what this has to do with being out of GSM and WiFi coverage…
Feel free to use ‘Airplane Mode’ and let us know if it still picks up your location.
well, just tried it, it works fine on samsung and huawei, altough it takes a litle more time to initialize. There are other things better than iphone on the market you know?
Bogdan, thanks for confirming. Not sure how samsung and huawei picks up location in airplane mode, but definitely has lot of usage; While trekking this would come handy particularly when you don’t ave network.
Welcome!
They work just as tablets without GSM module do…and i dont think they use only wifi.
Awesome!
Just to add to that, I flew to Pittsburgh from NY over the summer, and I left the GPS on in airplane mode and opened maps. It seemed to track me accurately the entire time, from turning on the runway to turning in the air. It was pretty neat.
Seems there may be some misunderstanding as to how GPS works. Certainly no internet connectivity is required for GPS to pick up and report a location to a maps application. A phone’s GPS is a passive system that receives identifying signals from at least 3 GPS *satellites* (no such thing as GPS towers) in order to triangulate your coordinates. It then reports those coordinates to the phone, which can use them to display your position on a map. The GPS chip is, thus, only a receiver – not a transmitter – and can work perfectly while the other communications features of the phone are deactivated.
Hi Micah,
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the subject. =-)
MapFactor Navigator has navigation As the crow flies. Display direction and distance to destination
The free version of OsmAnd (at least the latest version, v.1.8) limits the user to 10 map downloads total… for example, 10 US states. And if you delete some states and then want to add others to get up to 10, too bad! That’s a lifetime limit of 10 downloads. While I like the app, I don’t like this strong-armed tactic.
As a side note, Amazon sells the paid version in the US for $3.99, while in the Google Play Store its $7.99.
In that case you may want to verify if the Amazon app is just the same one in Google play. Developers want to make more isn’t?! If you like the app, I wouldn’t hold myself from paying a Starbucks coffee cost to own it. #justmythinking
You could try MapFactor Navigator (with the blue and white icon) its much better, you don’t have map download limit and it actualy can show you a street on the map even if you dont know the number. And as a plus, i find the map rendering more usable when you zoom out although it uses the same map as Osmand.
I agree the author specifically categorizes maps with me as a navigation app. It’s NOT. Period. That’s the problem with these “experts” they’re NOT. Fail.
Will, thanks for the feedback. We will definitely look into this to refine the list. Appreciate the feedback. Keep em coming. It helps us give you the best information.
I have been using an App called Be on Road. Completely free using OSM. Fantastic Voice Navigation have used it extensively in Europe and am very happy with it. Offline maps which work very well with just GPS even without SimCard if one wishes
Ye,
But all these free GPS “Offline” Apps dont give you turn by turn direction…that defeats the whole purpose….!!!!!!!
I know that you can download maps and ZOOM in but that’s not what I want.
I need TURN BY TURN direction….without WIFI or DATA.
The sygic app whch we have tested gave turn by turn direction without using wifi or data. Let us know did you experiment with this app?
I have been using sygic without data or WiFi connectivity with full navigation support.
Thank you Anup for the feedback.
I’ve use sygic to travel from Romania to Germany (near Stuttgart) and this offline system got me to the point i had to be .The single wrong point where that in Hungary and Austria in some area around Budapest and Wien the speed limits where other then that shown on sygic .The Fixspeedcamera where notice quite good by sygic.I’ve use also igo primo but i sticked to sygic .
Florin, glad to hear that. Thanks for sharing your experience.
I am primarily interested in coastal navigation and offshore islands. Do these apps include them?
My boat’s Garmin GPS does not have maps, so please tell me if it will do as a GPS with them.
Bob V.
Robert
I found a good app https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=it.navionics.singleAppMarineLakes . It is not on the list but hey it is something for you 🙂
does mapfactor charges money for downloading maps , updates or use the app?
Ashish,
To my knowledge the updates and maps are free as well as the usage. I will check the app out again but I think its is one of the free map apps around.
I agree the author specifically categorizes maps with me as a navigation app. It’s NOT. Period. That’s the problem with these “experts” they’re NOT. Fail.
Let’s hope these apps are as good as you say they are. Wouldn’t want to get lost in Japan
Hi John,
We wouldn´t want you to get lost either. I have always wanted to go to Japan, Lucky you, =-). The gardens are so nice. Have a nice trip!
Heremaps is the best offline GPS tried them all
Hi Jeff,
What is it about the app that makes you consider it the best?
it preforms like a standard gps you would buy from the store where in my opinion most others fail. the offline maps and voice turn by turn are very accurate, here where I tested it on my LG phone and nexus 7 tabblet here in the USA
Hi Jeff,
Welcome back, it´s good to hear from you again. Those are definitely some good reasons. =-) Others who read your feedback are going to find it useful. How long have you been using it? =-)
I’m new to using a smartphone & offline maps but would like to find a map system that would provide maps showing secondary roads (county or lesser) in the less populated areas of the U.S.. I do winter landscape photography and finding paper maps for this purpose is getting old. Ideally, finding a solution that uses gps to track me as I’m snowshoeing through the countryside would be perfect. I take lots of twists and turns looking for images and after a while can get turned around pretty seriously. Thanks for any suggestions on either offline maps or suggestions of modifying my search query.
Hi Michael,
Did you try all of the apps listed in the post? =-)
I got this website from my buddy who informed me regarding
this web site and at the moment this time I am visiting this website and reading very informative content
at this place.
Hi There,
Please thank your friend for me for referring you to us and I am glad that you like what you are reading. Don´t forget to keep coming back to learn more great things about Android. Thanks for commenting. =-)
One of the biggest problems I face using Garmn in Thailand is in entering an address. 99 times out of 100 it rejects or denies any knowledge of the place name entered . This means effectively that I have to find the new destination pretty much by luck, good judgement and a sprinkling of local knowledge . Do any of the apps you mention have a more “user friendly” interface for finding new locations? In Thailand you can only get official map details from one company Esri and pay an additional £50+/- for the pleasure of doing so.
Hi Tim,
How unfortunate to hear about the issues you are having with the addresses, but the first option is user-friendly and will also work offline. Hope you like the app and thanks for reading. =-)
I’ve tried all these mentioned gps navigation apps but found all to be lacking in one way or another in terms of function and accuracy.
Another gps navigation app, HERE Maps, which is not mentioned here beats all of them in my experience.
Rody, specifically what features of HERE maps made you think that the apps listed on this list isn’t good enough? Do you mind elaborating it?
Its the accuracy and excellent routing decisions of HERE that I found worthy of commendation. When i did try the other 5 navigation apps, I experienced less than commendable routing suggestions. Some lacks details like street names. I guess Osmand app is I can say at par or maybe has more features than HERE but I didn’t like the graphics (just a personal choice maybe). Sygic has excellent graphics (maybe the best) but not giving praiseworthy routing decisions, and it’s not free.
Hi Rody,
I have used HERE and I have to say that it´s my personal favorite for all the features it has. Thanks for sharing your opinion. Great app. =-)
HERE maps kills them all. Not sure why the weren’t included in the review.
Hi Eric,
I use HERE and it´s fantastic, haven´t used another app since. =-)
I tried both Maps.Me and Map Factor Navigator. I could not find a way to enter a street number, but only the street name and a cross street. Not much good if it finds a street that is 10 miles long and the number you want is at the other end.
I used Here Maps before this and it has a street number search. I was simply looking for a different app as a back up option but I will stick with what works for me.
Hi There,
I have also tried HERE and it has worked great for me, allowing me to enter all the info I need. Thanks for commenting. =-)
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