Recently, I decided to test out two of the most popular navigation apps for a weekend trip and boy, was I surprised by the reaction. In my Google Maps vs Waze face-off, I preferred Google Maps overall, but I did see some of the benefits of Waze as a product.
And let’s just say the reaction from Tom’s Guide readers was not tepid. We got over 100 comments from committed Waze fans detailing what they love about the app. I’ve read through all those posts and compiled a breakdown of precisely why people are invested in Waze and what features they love about the navigation app.
While most of the comments agreed on certain features, there were more than a few standouts that I wanted to share.
The Waze social feature makes the traffic reports more trustworthy
One thing that was apparent throughout the comment thread was that many people found the traffic reporting much more trustworthy on Waze. This was due to several factors, but one of the most pressing appeared to be the inclusion of other Wazers. According to comments, having other people visible on the road helped users to better predict future obstacles or issues, while also putting a name — of a sort — to the report.
"I prefer Waze because it shows traffic accidents in real time and speed traps. Google seldom offers these updates and never radar traps. In addition slowing traffic due to construction or accidents are always late in showing up on Google. Waze allows users to re-verify if Radar traps, Accidents and Construction are in fact still in that location or you can update and notify Waze that it has Cleared. So in my book Waze is the superior navigation app." - Donald Conley
On top of that, commentors suggested that Waze-reported issues tended to be more up-to-date than the ones on Google. Personally, I didn’t find this to be the case, but then my own journey didn’t include all that many hazards or police stops, and speed cameras tend to hang around for a while.
"One of the reasons I find it important to know other people around you are using Waze is that it gives you confidence in the reporting of objects on the road, slow down, and police. Just my two cents..." - elricwolf
I can certainly see the advantage of having other drivers be more visible. For instance, as readers pointed out, you could gauge what a road could be like due to how many drivers were traveling on it. So this could help you decide to take an alternate route without being prompted.
Other top Waze features loved by readers
There were more than a few other Waze features that commenters wanted to point out. For instance, one reader highlighted that Waze can learn your driving habits to better track and time your journey. Now, I didn’t really experience this in a shorter journey, but as I understand it, Google Maps does not offer a similar feature. This could be a major winner for me in the long run, although potentially risky considering my tendency to try and beat Google Maps' suggested arrival time (while observing all the road and speed laws, of course)
"Waze has ability to learn your driving style, so if you routinely travel faster or slower than the average driver it takes that into account when predicting journey times." - dplobley
Additionally, some comments noted that they appreciate Waze’s ability to easily display the direction sequence with the press of a button. While this isn’t one that is a big concern for me, I can see how it would help people when travelling.
"One feature not mentioned where I think Waze wins is, it is a quick tap to see what the list of next turns is, with Google you have to pull up a menu and then tap direction list. i like to know my next moves especially when the is a short distance between them. As for Google I really appreciate its ability to give me a bike or walking map. So of course I do use them both." - reillydex
Another constant throughout the comment section was that Google Maps was preferable when going on a trip, especially to somewhere new. However, Waze was ideal when travelling in an area you knew, and was preferable in big cities with lots of potential hazards.
I can see the advantage in this, and having more options is never a bad thing.
Waze outlook
The poll that we placed in the article also made it clear that Waze was the preferred option over Google Maps for the majority of readers. This means that Waze’s unique features are a draw for a lot of you, which is great to see. The ideal situation is to always have options, and there are clearly things that work to Waze’s advantage.
Users also seemed to love having more voice options with Waze, and it was nice to see I wasn’t the only one to choose Master Chief. However, I still find it odd that Cortana wasn’t an option.
If we’ve missed any feature that you really love, then why not let us know in the comments, or if there’s a feature that you want to see Google add? Otherwise, happy driving to you all!
