I first discovered Waze back in 2014 when traveling to a tech event in Colorado. I flew into Denver and had a 120-mile journey to my destination. It seemed like a simple trip, most of my time would be spent on a single interstate, and the resort was only a few short miles from the exit. About an hour into the trip, Waze suddenly told me to get off the highway at the upcoming exit. I knew I had just over an hour left on this highway, but needing a pit stop, I followed the directions.
Soon I found myself on a service road in what felt like the middle of nowhere. Getting worried, I was about to pull over when I saw that this road was running parallel to the highway. And there I saw why Waze had instructed me to get off the highway. Another Waze user or two had reported the traffic jam and Waze did the rest, routing me around the jam, saving me 20 to 30 minutes.
That was when I knew Waze was different from the other map programs. As I kept using it, what stood out wasn’t just the smarter reroutes, it was the community. Over the years, Google, which owns both apps, has steadily borrowed some of Waze’s strengths, narrowing the gap between the two apps. But there is still a clear winner for me.
Where Google Maps Excels
When I’m on foot, riding my bike or exploring a new city, Google Maps is the app I turn to. It’s built for more than just driving, and that versatility is its strength. Walking directions are clear, bike routes are shown in detail, and when I’m looking for a store, venue, or restaurant, Maps has photos, reviews and all the business information within the app. Additionally, it offers information on public transit routes. Waze can’t compete in these areas, it’s laser-focused on driving.
Google Maps is also better at giving me the bigger picture. If I want to scope out alternate routes or preview a neighborhood or location in Street View before I head out, Maps makes that easy. Another area where Google Maps has the edge is Offline maps. Having the ability to download a region or city ahead of time is something Waze doesn’t offer.
Google Maps also offers more gesture controls than Waze, but I barely use these features beyond the basics. Those gestures may be handy when on foot or when planning a trip, but behind the wheel, I want things as simple and distraction-free as possible.
What Makes Waze Special
For daily driving, I typically keep Waze on all the time. Even when I know the route by heart, I like having the extra layer of insight into speed traps, red-light cameras and potential road hazards. There is a constant stream of community-driven input that makes me feel more informed and protected.
Waze also goes deeper in some areas than Maps, reacting faster when traffic builds, letting me choose what alerts I hear, and even adding a touch of fun with custom voices and icons. You can even add your own voice directions to really upset your significant other.
Another differentiating feature, where it’s supported, is Waze’s ability to track your speed through average-speed enforcement zones. In areas with these camera setups, Waze shows your running average until you exit the zone, which can be a real safeguard. Google Maps, on the other hand, will sometimes flag a fixed camera or give a single alert, but it doesn’t maintain that ongoing tracking. This ongoing awareness is one of those small but critical features that keeps me using Waze.
Why I Choose Waze for Daily Driving
Even with Google Maps catching up, here are the reasons I keep coming back to Waze:
- Faster reroutes when traffic suddenly builds
- Real-time, driver-reported alerts for speed traps, hazards, and accidents
- Custom voices and car icons that make the app feel more personal
- The sense of community from other drivers constantly feeding in live updates
The Gap Keeps Closing Between Waze and Google Maps
Over the years, Google has steadily chipped away at the things that make Waze such a popular app. Speed-trap warnings, crash reports, and even road hazard alerts, once exclusive to Waze, now show up in Google Maps. The app has gotten much better at surfacing live traffic conditions and rerouting around delays. Every time I return to Google Maps, another Waze-like feature seems to have been added, blurring the lines between the two. This evolution makes the choice harder than it once was.
At the end of the day, there’s plenty of room for both Waze and Google Maps. Each app has carved out its strengths. Maps shine when I’m walking through a city, planning a trip, or searching for places with reviews and business details, while Waze feels laser-focused on the realities of driving. I like having both on my phone, and I switch between them depending on what I need.
But when it comes to the daily grind, commuting, running errands, or simply staying ahead of the unexpected, Waze is the app I trust to keep me informed and moving. The real-time reports, faster rerouting, and driver-first design give it an edge that, even as the gap narrows, keeps me coming back every time I get behind the wheel.
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