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Replace today: Google Maps Apple Maps Waze

The Best Privacy-Friendly World Maps

Private alternatives to Google Maps, Apple Maps, Waze, vetted against our public criteria.

Google Maps is a location diary, logging where you go and when against your identity. These maps get you there just as well without the tracking, with offline navigation built on open map data. Download a region once and your phone navigates with no signal and no one watching.

How private maps work

Instead of routing every trip through a company that profits from knowing your movements, these apps use open map data (OpenStreetMap) and do their routing on your device. You download the regions you need, and navigation works offline, so there is no account, no location history, and nothing sent back about where you are.

What to look for

Offline maps you can use with no connection, on-device routing so your position is not streamed to a server, no account requirement, and open map data so the maps stay free and community-maintained. Turn-by-turn voice navigation for driving, cycling, and walking is standard in the better apps.

What you trade

The honest cost is that live traffic, transit times, and business reviews are thinner than Google’s, since those rely on mass real-time tracking. For most journeys the offline maps are excellent, and many people keep a mainstream app only for the rare trip that genuinely needs live traffic.

Frequently asked

Do I still get turn-by-turn navigation?
Yes. These apps offer voice-guided navigation for driving, cycling, and walking, and most calculate the route on your device rather than streaming your location to a server with every move.
Do offline maps work abroad?
Yes, and it is a real strength. Download the regions you need over wifi and navigation keeps working with no signal and no roaming data, which is often better than Google Maps when you travel.
Is there live traffic?
This is the honest trade-off. Live traffic and detailed transit are thinner here, because they depend on mass real-time tracking. Some apps include them; many people keep a mainstream app only for the occasional trip that needs it.