GPS Apps: Reviews

Updated December 2009

The standalone GPS device is gradually going the way of the dinosaur. Why? Many drivers carry smartphones that have built-in GPS capabilities already, and a variety of useful, accurate GPS apps are now available to take advantage of these mobile platforms. We analyze reviews of various GPS phone apps and let you know which are worth downloading and which to avoid.

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Best GPS app for iPhone

Navigon MobileNavigator

*Est. $90 Learn More

For the closest thing to a stand-alone GPS device, experts recommend the Navigon MobileNavigator GPS app for iPhone. It includes all of the features you'd expect from a pricey navigator -- spoken street names, lane… expandguidance, even reality view and optional traffic alerts -- with elegant maps and intuitive controls. Maps are built in, so you can navigate even without a cellular signal. However, all of this comes at a steep price for an app; Navigon MobileNavigator costs nearly three times as much as the competing and very capable ALK CoPilot Live (*Est. $35) GPS app. collapse

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Expert & User Review Sources:

ConsumerReports.org: Navigon's live traffic data works smoothly within the app, ConsumerReports.org testers find.

Dallas Morning News: Navigon MobileNavigator "moves to the top of the list" of iPhone GPS apps in this test.

Macworld: Navigon MobileNavigator appears to be "the best choice available" among iPhone GPS apps, Macworld's Jason Snell says.

About.com: Navigon MobileNavigator navigates well, is easy to use and speaks street names -- all of which impresses Liane Cassavoy, About.com's guide to smartphones.

Apple App Store: Navigon MobileNavigator earns the highest average rating of any GPS app from users at the Apple App Store: four stars (out of five) with more than 500 ratings for the latest North American version.

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Budget GPS app

ALK CoPilot Live

*Est. $35 Learn More

ALK CoPilot Live includes all of the most important features from Navigon MobileNavigator (*Est. $90) at a fraction of the price. You'll get spoken street names, on-board maps and optional traffic alerts (but no lane… expandassistance or reality view). CoPilot Live is also compatible with iPhone, Android and more than 170 Windows Mobile phones. Users report some quirks, however. For example, Experts and users report that CoPilot Live can't always find longstanding addresses and points of interest, -- but users still like it better than any other budget-priced GPS app. collapse

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Expert & User Review Sources:

ConsumerReports.org: ConsumerReports.org tests ALK CoPilot Live and finds several drawbacks.

Gizmodo.com: ALK CoPilot Live wins this test of cheap GPS apps, beating Gokivo Navigator and Sygic Mobile Maps.

148Apps.com: Reviewer Jeff Scott likes ALK CoPilot Live better than any other GPS app, awarding it 4.5 stars (out of five). He particularly likes the Premium Live Services (including live local search and gas prices), which cost $20 extra.

TrustedReviews.com: This British site tests several smartphone GPS apps, including those from TomTom and Navigon, but ALK CoPilot Live is the only one to earn a Recommended rating.

Apple App Store: ALK CoPilot Live earns a high average rating for a budget-priced GPS app at the Apple App Store: 3.5 stars (out of five). Nearly 200 users have rated the latest North American version, with some adding short written reviews.

Download at iTunes

Most-compatible GPS app

TeleNav GPS Navigator/AT&T Navigator

*Est. $10 per month Learn More

Major wireless carriers offer their own GPS apps for $10 a month. All navigate adequately in tests, but TeleNav GPS Navigator and its twin, AT&T Navigator, get slightly higher ratings from experts and users. These GPS… expandapps lack some useful features -- most notably, they rely on the wireless signal to download maps as needed, rather than carrying them on board like Navigon MobileNavigator (*Est. $90) and ALK CoPilot Live (*Est. $35). They also cost more in the long run. These navigation apps are compatible with a vast array of phones, however, and reviews say they may be the best choice for BlackBerry and other phones that don't have many GPS apps available. collapse

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Expert & User Review Sources:

ConsumerReports.org: AT&T Navigator works fine on the iPhone, ConsumerReports.org's tests show, but it costs more than the best GPS apps and it lacks some of their features.

PC World: In this test of the three major wireless-carrier apps, AT&T Navigator's slightly more advanced features place it ahead of apps from Sprint and Verizon.

iSmashPhone.com: Experts aren't usually impressed with the TeleNav/AT&T GPS app's performance on the iPhone.

BlackBerry App World: TeleNav GPS Navigator is one of the top-rated apps by users at BlackBerry App World.

Apple App Store: iPhone users are not impressed with AT&T Navigator.

Download at iTunes

Free GPS app

Google Maps Navigation

Free Learn More

Reviews say Google Maps Navigation could put other GPS apps out of business if it becomes widely available. At its introduction in late 2009, it was available only on new Android 2.0 phones. Google says it would like to… expandbring the app to other phones, including the iPhone. Testers do find a few flaws. For example, the Google app still doesn't navigate as accurately as the best stand-alone devices, but overall reviewers are very impressed with the robust features of this free GPS app. collapse

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Expert & User Review Sources:

ConsumerReports.org: If you buy an Android phone that includes the free Google Maps Navigation app, you won't have to buy another GPS, testers here say.

Gizmodo.com: Reviewer Wilson Rothman finds some flaws with Google Maps Navigation, including its choppy text search.

Chicago Sun Times: Google Maps Navigation is as good as most paid GPS apps -- but not as good as the best ones, tester Andy Ihnatko concludes.

Phandroid.com: Rob Jackson takes Google Maps Navigation for a detailed spin and posts the results on this Android blog, along with videos showing the app in action.

iSmashPhone.com: This website usually reviews iPhone apps.

Google Maps Navigation

MotionX-GPS Drive *Est. $3 download plus $25 per year

3 picks by top review sites.

Sygic Mobile Maps *Est. $40

3 picks by top review sites.

TomTom for iPhone *Est. $100

3 picks by top review sites.

Gokivo Navigator *Est. $10 per month

2 picks by top review sites.