Google Maps vs Waze: a clear winner

A feature-by-feature breakdown finds Google Maps edging out Waze by two categories. Both apps keep improving, and several outcomes are close enough that personal preference matters. Waze prioritizes the quickest route and will automatically reroute you the second traffic gets messy, even if it means taking a weird side street.

Its live, driver-submitted reports cover traffic jams, hazards, construction, speed traps and police sightings, and users can confirm or dismiss alerts. The app is strictly for drivers, needs a data connection for most functions, and leans into a playful design with big icons, music streaming and voice "sidekicks." Google Maps takes a more measured approach, considering road types and fuel efficiency and asking you to approve faster routes.

It supports walking, biking, buses and trains, lets you download full regions for offline turn-by-turn directions, and now includes deeper Gemini AI integration that acts like a copilot and uses landmarks in directions.