Now that you've had a little time to sit with iOS 6 and get used to the new features, we have one question: Do you still hate Apple Maps? If the answer is yes, we're sure you've gone through the Apple store and tried to find an app to replace Google Maps until an official iOS version is released or Apple does a major upgrade to its app. To help you out, we did the same—gone through the Apple App Store, played with some map and navigation apps and picked a few that we thought could help your commute, road trip, or club hopping.
MotionX GPS Drive
Price: $0.99/ $9.99 per year
MotionX GPS Drive has spent most of its time in the Apple App Store on the top of the paid navigation apps list. It’s no wonder. For the same price of a Spotify subscription, you get up-to-date maps, turn-by-turn directions with multiple voice options, live traffic maps and automatic re-routing to avoid blocks and obstructions, public transportation and walk directions, and a parking spot marker. It’s super connected, as well, giving you the option to post to Facebook or Twitter, and, for whatever reason, search Wikipedia. The interface is far from our favorite, but we can’t deny its usefulness.
Maps+
Price: $3
This app functions just as its name infers. It’s a map application with a few well-curated extras like the ability to arrange the function buttons—the location button, drop pin button, settings button, Twitter button, and an alarm button—in one of 12 place holders in the four corners of the screen. Maps+ works similar to the former Google Maps app and the current Apple Maps app in that allows people to search locations directly from a search bar at the top of the screen.
Maps+ also gives biking and walking directions that are more-or-less pretty accurate (we tested here in NYC). One of the coolest features is the ability to crete your own route. Say you take a quick, easygoing route to work and want to share it with your friends, or if you go on a hike and want to remember exactly what trail you took for next time, you can have Maps+ record your movements and create your own “Track.”
Waze
Price: Free
Waze describes its app as a “fun, community-based GPS traffic and navigation app,” and it’s spot on for the most part. The app’s data comes largely from Waze’s 20 million or so users that are constantly updating the service by reporting things like map issues, traffic jams, and gas prices. This means, you’ll know which gas stations you should hit up on your road trip and which bits of the map have either changed or are no longer there. The app can be voice-controlled while you’re driving and includes voice-guided turn-by-turn directions. Where does the fun part come in? Oh, we thought helping people avoid hour-long traffic jams and saving money on gas was fun. Our fault.
Navigon U.S.A.
Price: $39
Navigon’s iOS offering has the best interface of any map app we’ve tested. There’s very little worse than heading to some unknown locale and having to strain your eyes to understand what the app is directing to do. You won’t have that problem wth Navigon’s app. The turn-by-turn directions are well-paced and the 3D map shows you exactly where your car should be. The app also comes with Google Local Search built in, as well as cool day and night modes for when you’re doing those long hauls. We wish the pedestrian guidance was better, but for $3 you can cop the Urban Guidance add-on which gives transit and walking directions. Yes, it’s $40, but don’t think of it as an app so much as a portable GPS system crammed into your iPhone.
Lumatic City Maps
Price: Free
Here’s another app for city dwellers. Available in 24 major U.S. Cities, City Maps makes it incredibly easy get directions using public transportation. When open you the app, you’re greeted with two menus “Places” which shows 12 businesses near your current location, and “Transit,” which shows which trains and buses are near you. Below that is a search field where you can search for businesses or an address. There’s a button that allows you to share the directions via Email or Twitter. We enjoyed the “Details” window that comes up for most businesses that shows an image of the location, as well as Yelp reviews and Facebook Likes.
Bing
Price: Free
Bing has one of the bet online mapping services. It also has one of the best iOS apps. Seriously. The app gives you access to all of Bing’s services including the ability to conduct web searches, find movie times, read news, and, most importantly for this piece, access its maps. Because the app accesses Bing’s vast database of businesses and locations, you can easily find places around you. It also gives you walking, public transportation, and driving directions.
HopStop
Price: Free
Before Google Maps offered public transit directions, HopStop was our go-to for pedestrian directions. HopStop works in over 60 cities around the world (and all major ones in the U.S.). Like the website, HopStop tells you how to get to your destination using public transportation. It offers schedules for trains and busses and even lets you mix up how you travel, allowing you to pick a mixture of walking, train, bus, or, thanks to new biking directions, bike. If public transportation is not possible, HopStop will recommend a taxi service and let you know the trip’s estimated cost.
Garmin U.S.A.
Price: $40
We know, we know: Another $40 map app. Hear us out. Like the other $40 app on this list, this one is developed by a company that made its name building some of the best portable GPS systems on the market. And, like Navigon, you get a full-fledged GPS system on your phone complete with highly detailed maps that include street and highway signs, photo-realistic roads to help with lane changes, and speed limits for major roads. It also has turn-by-turn voice-guided directions, and a trip planner than lets you map out a route with multiple stops. Of course, if you want to spend more coin, you can deck it out with add-ons like Urban Guidance and photoLive Traffic Cameras which show you real-time feeds of major roads. So, don’t think of it as an app, think of it as a Garmin portable GPS in your phone.
MapQuest
Price: Free
Once upon a time, back when Yahoo! Was the go-to search engine, MapQuest was the mapping service. You may have forgotten the name, but you should know about the app. Before Apple brough free turn-by-turn directions to the iPhone, MapQuest’s iOS app already did that and more.
In addition to driving directions, the app also gives walking directions. A side-scrolling menu on the bottom offers 17 categories including “Bars,” “Gas,” “Coffee,” “Dinning,” and “Banks.” Click on, and all the corresponding businesses near your location will pop up on the map. If you don’t mind having an ad at the top of the screen, this app is gold.
iTran NYC Subway
Price: $4
For all you New Yorkers that depended on Google Maps for subway directions, give iTran a shot. It’s $4, yes, but it’s worth the investment. With clear directions, an easy-to-read interface, the ability to work underground, and accurate MTA times, it’s the only app you need if the majority of your travel takes place within the five boroughs.
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