Battle of the Navigation Apps: How Waze, Maps.Me and Here WeGo compete with Google and Apple Maps

When you’re on-the-go and need to find your way around, the obvious choice might seem like Apple Maps or Google Maps. Both apps come by default on iOS and Android devices respectively, giving them a significant competitive advantage over other navigation apps on the market. Google Maps, in particular, counts a staggering 154.4 million active users each month, bringing its market share to 67%.

But that doesn’t mean mobile users aren’t taking the road less traveled. In fact, as of April 2018, Waze ranked as the second most popular mapping app with 25.6 million MAU. Apple Maps ranked third, with 23.3 MAU and just 11% of the navigation app market share. Other apps like Maps.Me (downloaded by 100 million travelers worldwide) and Here WeGo are also gaining traction in the race for users. While it may feel like an uphill battle, here are five tactics non-default navigation apps can leverage to get ahead in the race for users.

Removing “roadblocks” with a more personalized experience

Savvy mapping brands can stay ahead of the curve by offering a more personalized, seamless and enjoyable navigation experience.

Waze, for example, saves preferred routes (like your commute to work every day) and allows users to create a Planned Drive by entering their desired arrival time. Waze will recommend the best time to leave, even sending an ETA to friends via email, text or Whatsapp. The app also syncs with Facebook and calendar apps, making it easy to navigate to upcoming events. Additionally, Waze is Apple CarPlay-friendly, allowing drivers to safely play music and podcasts through the app itself without interrupting navigation.

Maps.me has leveraged personalization to make navigation easier for world travelers. Users can add custom bookmarks in the app, allowing them to find saved places in offline mode. They can also access custom itineraries or create their own by searching through categories like restaurants, cafes, tourist attractions, and hotels.

Providing real-time, up-to-date driving information

Another benefit of non-default navigation apps is the ability to crowd-source real-time roadway information. Maps.Me maps, for example, are updated by millions of OpenStreetMap contributors every day, enabling the app to provide more detail or point out places of interest that may not show up on Apple or Google Maps.

Waze has gained popularity thanks to its real-time crowdsourcing features. Users can update maps with accidents, hazards, road closures, speed cameras, and even police officer locations to help their fellow drivers navigate more easily. The app also allows users to upload photos and a note about where the road trouble is located.

Offering multiple transit options

As car-free lifestyles become more ubiquitous, mobile apps like Maps.Me and Here WeGo have gained a competitive advantage by offering multiple transportation options.

Maps.Me provides driving, walking and cycling navigation anywhere in the world, even showing whether the cycling or walking route is uphill or downhill. Similarly, Here WeGo compares car, bike, pedestrian, taxi, and public transportation routes, helping users determine the fastest and most cost-effective way to get around. The app even helps users avoid the dreaded missed stop, showing when they need to get off or transfer on public transit.

Helping users find their way around the world

Another key way for non-default navigation apps to attract users is by offering international availability, whether for overseas residents looking to avoid traffic or globetrotters needing an easy way to get around a new destination. Here WeGo offers offline maps for more than 100 countries and online navigation for more than 1,300 cities around the world. The app also helps drivers get around new cities by showing traffic delays and places to park.

Maps.Me is specifically geared towards travelers, offering curated travel guides and itineraries with directions to points of interest, hiking trails, and places missing from other maps. When Maps.me users are connected to wifi, they can even make hotel bookings via Booking.com directly from the app.

Waze can be used anywhere in the world where there are roads and cellular/GPS reception. The international app isn’t just geared towards travelers; drivers in any city can access all of Waze’s popular navigation features, as well as a search function that suggests places to go based on your location and previous entries. The app also integrates with Google and Foursquare to show restaurants, shops, and public transportation in the US and abroad.

Attracting users with app preloads

Apple Maps and Google Maps have long had the advantage of being automatically installed on iOS and Android devices. A user acquisition strategy like dynamic preloads allows non-default navigation apps to compete on an equal playing field.

Lyft recently partnered with Digital Turbine and Verizon to preload their app on Android phones, giving them a competitive advantage in the battle for users. Similarly, brands like Waze, Maps.Me, and Here WeGo can leverage native app preloads to cut through the clutter of the app discovery process and engage with their target audience faster and more effectively. In fact, native app preload installs achieve average conversion rates as high as 25% as compared to 1–2% with traditional paid advertising.

By tapping into these five strategies, non-default navigation apps can speed past the competition and turn drivers, travelers, and pedestrians into loyal users.