Google Maps
An app that gives you directions with live traffic and nearby places.
What Google Maps does
Google Maps is the free map and navigation app most people already know. It gives you turn-by-turn directions for driving, walking, cycling and transit, reroutes around traffic, and helps you find places to eat, shop and visit. It works on iPhone, Android, Apple Watch and the web.
Google Maps does a bit of everything. You get voice directions with live traffic, automatic rerouting around crashes and closures, and real-time updates for buses and trains. Street View lets you see an entrance or a parking lot before you get there, and Immersive View shows 3D previews of places and routes.
It is also a search engine for places. You can look up restaurants and shops, read reviews, see how busy a spot is, save places into lists and share them, and even book a table or order food from the app. You can download areas for offline use when you know the signal will be weak.
The tradeoff is that it tries to do everything for everyone. Offline maps can take up a lot of space, the Android version shows ads, and it isn't built for trail navigation. For everyday driving and finding places in a city, though, it's the default for good reason.
Alternatives to Google Maps
Who it's for
Skip it if: Hikers who need topo maps and trail tracking.
Pricing
Free planGoogle Maps is free. The Play listing says it contains ads. The in-app purchases on the App Store are Google storage plans, not extra map features.
Prices can vary by country. Checked 19 Oct 2026.
What people like
- Free, with very broad coverage of roads and places
- Strong transit directions in many cities
- Place info, reviews and saved lists in one app
- Works on phones, Apple Watch and the web
Watch out for
- Offline map downloads can be large
- The Android listing says it contains ads
- Busy interface with a lot going on
Want a map of just the places you care about? Build your own.
Describe your app idea and Bilt builds it. Free to start, on your phone in minutes.
Try this idea: “a simple map app where I save my favorite coffee spots and see which ones are open right now near me”
Questions people ask
Is Google Maps free?
Yes. Google Maps is free on iPhone, Android and the web.
Can I use Google Maps offline?
Yes. You can download an area ahead of time and use it when the signal is weak or gone. Downloads can be large.
Does Google Maps show public transit?
Yes. It plans trips by bus and train and shows real-time updates where the city shares them.
Does Google Maps work on Apple Watch?
Yes. The App Store listing includes an Apple Watch app.