Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Best offline GPS app for Android?

2

2298754

Cancelled
Original poster
Jun 21, 2010
4,890
941
Driving to Montreal next weekend from Boston. I would just use Google Navigation, but once I cross the border, I would start roaming for data.

I was thinking of just switching to some offline app with cached maps. Which ones are the best?

I will have the 120MB data package added before I leave, but id rather save that for emails, and other stuff.
 
I have OsmAnd+. Works ok most of the time. And is relatively cheap. You can download offline maps for the regions you want.
 
SomeDudeAsking said:
You can cache maps of entire cities for offline use in Google maps.
Click to expand...

I tried doing this. Can't cache enough of the maps from Mass to Montreal. I might just do the areas where I probably won't have coverage and leave the rest.
 
AutoUnion39 said:
Driving to Montreal next weekend from Boston. I would just use Google Navigation, but once I cross the border, I would start roaming for data.

I was thinking of just switching to some offline app with cached maps. Which ones are the best?

I will have the 120MB data package added before I leave, but id rather save that for emails, and other stuff.
Click to expand...

I used NavFree (USA version) as a mapping app that does not require data. I live in Canada and used it a few times when travelling to the States. It is a free app, so it is an adequate replacement for Google Maps when you have no data.

NavFree has 2 versions. One is international and one is US. Get the US. The US version will allow you to download the Canada map (along with maps of each US state). Note that you can choose individual states to download to your phone, but for Canada, you cannot just select individual provinces. You have to download maps for the whole country which is about 500MB.

You should use Google Maps in conjunction with NavFree. NavFree is OK, but I found that it may have trouble finding addresses. I had issues when going to the US and I expect you may have the same issues. In preparation for your trip, you should mark as favourites those addresses that you expect to be going to. Then you should compare them with what Google Maps says. The reason is that when I was in San Francisco, NavFree gave me the wrong location of the address I want. It was off by several blocks. I found NavFree to be sometimes inaccurate and sometimes even unable to find the location. That is why you need to look it up in Google Maps before you begin your trip. If NavFree cannot find the address you are looking for, you can at least go to the map view and then tap on the location. Duplicate the effort as it may save you some trouble.

In my last trip to Seattle, it was able to direct me to the locations I highlighted. It's not that great of an app, but for a free app that does not use any mobile data, it more or less does an adequate job. Just always double check with Google Maps just to be safe.

Have a great trip!
 
MotionX GPS Drive is $0.99 and allows you to pre-load maps for offline use. I haven't used it but I use MotionX GPS for tracking my international travels when I have no mobile data plan and I'm happy with it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back