Software & Apps > Apps 28 28 people found this article helpful The 7 Best Traffic Apps of 2023 Are you using the right one for traffic in your area? By Amanda Derrick Amanda Derrick Twitter Freelance Contributor University of Utah Florida Tech Amanda Derrick is a mechanical engineer, business strategist, and former Lifewire writer who has also written for USAF Civil Service, ATK, and Boeing. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on January 9, 2023 Reviewed by Ryan Perian Reviewed by Ryan Perian Western Governors University Ryan Perian is a certified IT specialist who holds numerous IT certifications and has 12+ years' experience working in the IT industry support and management positions. lifewire's editorial guidelines Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Apps Best Apps Payment Services Timing is everything, especially when it comes to your daily commute. A long road trip is subject to weather, closures, and peak traffic times. Save yourself some time behind the wheel and check out these traffic apps that guide you quickly to your destination. 01 of 07 Tried and True Navigation: Google Maps Google What We Like Saves frequent locations. Links to Google Reviews for points of interest and recommendations. Download maps for areas where you're headed. Projects what time you should leave locations to make your next appointment. What We Don't Like Sometimes unsure which direction the user is traveling. It drains the battery. Our Review of Google Maps Google Maps is one of the most prominent traffic navigation apps. It's evolved over the years from a basic turn-by-turn service to warning of traffic events and predicting the time you should leave to arrive at that meeting on your Google Calendar. Google Maps isn't limited to cars and trucks. Use the app to get walking, cycling, and public transit directions. The Street View shows panoramic images of many locations. With nearly 14 million downloads in the Google Play store, it's a solid choice for your navigation. If you aren't sure you'll be near a cellular or Wi-Fi connection, use the app to download your maps for offline viewing. Download For: iOS Android 02 of 07 Proactive Navigation Exclusively for iOS Users: Maps Apple What We Like Attractive iOS-style interface. Receives regular updates. Integrates with Siri. Look Around feature. What We Don't Like Not available for non-Apple devices. No offline mode. The Apple Maps app was late to the traffic-app party and had to deal with some bumps in the road before it became a worthy rival to Google Maps. Apple now offers improved maps and satellite imagery, city guides, and cycling navigation. The Apple Maps app provides recommendations for travel times and routes based on your frequent locations and your calendar. Maps also provides Yelp reviews and informational links for points of interest. Maps comes loaded on Apple iOS and iPad devices. If you deleted it, download it from the App Store on your device. It is not available as a website or for non-Apple devices. Download For: iOS 03 of 07 Navigating Smarter With Friends: Waze What We Like Voice controls for hands-free navigation and event reporting. Alerts-only mode for heads up on road hazards and police without turn-by-turn directions. Reports your ETA to friends and allows them to track your progress. What We Don't Like Spotify and Apple Music integration are cool, but the widget gets in the way when tracking a friend's drive. Cluttered maps can be confusing. Battery drain higher than Google Maps. Now owned by Google, Waze has all the knowledge of Google Maps paired with input from users on traffic conditions, road hazards, speed traps, and more. Additionally, it takes the calendar integration one step further and checks your Facebook events along with your Google Calendar, alerting you when you should leave to make it to your appointment on time based on current traffic. It can even customize your voice options by recording your own voice to give directions. Download For: iOS Android 04 of 07 Global Navigation With Real Views and Heads Up Display: Sygic Sygic What We Like Great turn-by-turn navigation. Additional features are priced individually, so you only pay for what you want. Global user base and offline capabilities make this an excellent choice for navigation outside the U.S. What We Don't Like Some features, like traffic premiums, are $10 to $20 each. Monthly subscriptions renew automatically, so beware if you go that route. Sygic Navigation & Maps provides typical navigation app features, such as turn-by-turn directions and search functions, but it's also full of add-on perks. The base app is free, including offline options for downloading maps. Add-on features—many less than $5—include the ability to project a heads-up display and to see real views of your route. Download For: iOS Android 05 of 07 Still Navigating, Now With Traffic Cameras: MapQuest What We Like Access to traffic cameras to see road conditions. Turn-by-turn directions and alternative routes based on live traffic conditions. Customization for icons and frequent destinations What We Don't Like Map data is not as robust as Google-based options. May track your location in the background (check your settings), which is hard on battery life. You might remember MapQuest as the program from the 1990s where you put in start and end locations and—wait for it—printed out the directions to take in your car. MapQuest has progressed since then, providing a solid app for turn-by-turn navigation with handy features like favorite locations and night mode. Download For: iOS Android 06 of 07 Offline Metropolitan Navigation: HERE WeGo What We Like Downloading maps to work offline keeps you in the know even when you're on a subway or running out of data. Choose from options like shortest distance or fastest in selecting your route. Public transportation information, including fares. What We Don't Like Voices are a little robotic-sounding. Does not automatically convert to your current location's units of measure if you travel. HERE WeGo is your go-to for city navigation, especially if you need access to maps offline. Live traffic and public transit information, fare information for public transportation, and recommendations for whether a bus or a cab is your best bet are all part of the app. With information for over 1300 cities, this is the app to turn you into a professional city slicker. Download For: iOS Android 07 of 07 Best Live Traffic Alerts: ETA What We Like Beautiful user interface. Estimates travel time for driving, walking, and transit. Includes Apple Watch complication. What We Don't Like Not available for Android. Runs in the background, which decreases battery life. With a glance at your iPhone and the ETA app, you can see the travel time to your favorite places—by car, walking, or public transit. The app integrates with Messages, Siri, and Today View to provide a gorgeous way to remain punctual and let your friends or coworkers know precisely when you'll arrive. Download For: iOS Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit