Choosing the best navigator for pedestrians, Android and iOS

#10 - Sygic

Our top free GPS navigator opens with Sygic, which is one of the best solutions for offline navigation. In addition to high-quality offline maps, it has an accurate congestion tracking system, pedestrian mode, up-to-date information on parking spaces, and also calculates the time of arrival at your destination. Among the interesting features, Sygic boasts Head-up Display technology, through which the image is projected onto the car glass, allowing you to use the navigator without being distracted by the phone screen. No additional accessories are required for this.

Sygic is a solid and high-quality navigator for mobile devices, but the mediocre user-friendliness of the interface discourages many users from this program, so be prepared to take the time to get to know the software in order to take full advantage of its capabilities.

Hiking GPS - a simple online navigator

If you're going on a hike or a trip, take the Hiking GPS app on Android with you on the road. But before you start, don’t forget to build a walking route to the place where you are going. Then it will help you easily find a way out, even if you are off course.

By opening this program, a global map of the earth will open, on which the route can be built using the search bar for countries and cities. And as soon as you step on the formed path, the application will notify you that you have taken the right course.

The application also has the ability to share your location with friends if they also have Hiking GPS installed on their mobile device. And the humorous “False location” function.

With its help, you can prank your friends or cover up slides so that no one can track you. When activated on the map, you will be at a different point for others, different from the actual location.

#9 - Waze

The Waze navigator occupies a different niche; it requires a constant Internet connection. This leads to one of its main disadvantages - almost complete uselessness in offline mode, however, when connected to the network, a number of interesting opportunities open up. Waze will tell you about the current state of the road situation: traffic jams, repair work and accidents. It will suggest the most optimal route if it detects a traffic jam or accident along your route. One of the competitive advantages of the application is that it instantly changes the route to a more optimal one depending on the traffic situation and tracks gas prices at nearby gas stations.

Thus, Waze is a modern and high-quality solution for the motorist, but the need to constantly be online is somewhat constraining, which is more true when traveling in small towns and rural areas, where connecting to the network can be a problem.

#8 - MapFactor GPS Navigator

Perhaps, such an unprepossessing, but nevertheless telling name of the application perfectly conveys its entire essence. MapFactor is a powerful tool for navigating around the world, which is quickly updated, allows you to pre-load maps of a huge number of countries, choose from several route options for different times of day (based on traffic), use 3D maps, and much more.

Unfortunately, there are some minor problems, the appearance of which cannot be avoided by working according to the scheme that is used at the heart of this application. The fact is that the maps are taken from OpenStreetMap - a project in which almost anyone can participate. Users note the fact that the program takes into account even small paths, since local residents are working on many places. So the variability of routes in some situations can play a cruel joke on you.

No. 7 – Seven Roads

The Seven Roads navigation application is one of the programs that boasts a high degree of detail in maps coupled with frequent updates. Active work is underway on the application, which allows you to navigate the city and be completely confident that the application will lead you to the right place. This, unfortunately, leads to an unpleasant disadvantage: the cards weigh quite a lot, but now hardly anyone has problems with free space in the device’s memory and its performance.

Seven Roads is a serious and high-quality navigation application with solid functionality and an intuitive interface. Perhaps the best option for those who want to simply download the program and use it without spending a lot of time understanding the logic of the menu and getting used to its features. Here you just need to install the application and download the desired map.

CoPilot

The CoPilot GPS application is useful if, for example, you are abroad and do not want to pay roaming fees. You only need to download the necessary maps. It is advisable to do this through a high-speed connection, since they “weigh” a lot. Once you've done this, you'll be able to use offline turn-by-turn navigation, plan routes, and use Google search for place names or addresses.

If you miss the right turn, the app will quickly create a new route based on your current location. It also tracks your car's speed and warns you of road restrictions, displays traffic safety cameras, and provides other useful information.

The application perfectly lays out routes: for each trip, at least three options are given. The maps are highly detailed. CoPilot has information on thousands of hotels, restaurants, ATMs and attractions.

The app costs $10 in the US and $45 in Europe. The app is aimed more at drivers, so it makes no sense for pedestrians to pay for CoPilot GPS. The full-featured trial version can be used for seven days. The functionality includes support for 3D maps and a voice assistant. Once the trial period ends, 3D support and turn-by-turn navigation visualization are disabled.

Available for Android and iPhone.

No. 6 – 2GIS

2GIS is a navigator with a built-in directory function that allows you to view information about the organization of interest in one click. Information is updated regularly, so you can always find out the current schedule of its work, address, website, phone number and, for example, customer reviews. There is also a small but extremely convenient function - door navigation, which allows you to quickly find the entrance to the building. If this does not seem enough, the application also contains maps with detailed images of the floors of shopping centers, as well as a taxi call function.

Classic route options are available directly from the navigator functions: on foot, by public transport or by your own car. For the latter, a traffic jam map has been developed, which is completely synchronized with the real situation on the road. For pedestrians, a search is underway for convenient routes, including passages between houses and through courtyards. Maps are available for downloading to the phone's memory, which allows you to save on traffic.

How the online pedestrian navigator works

There are several online maps on the Internet that will help you conveniently plot a route from point A to point B, per pedestrian. They have simple and convenient functionality, an intuitive interface, and working with them will not be a problem even for a beginner.

After switching to such an online navigator, you will need to set the starting and ending points of your route, and also select the type of route (in our case it is pedestrian). After this, the service will line up several options, indicate their distance and approximate travel time based on the average speed of a person.

Network services will plot the optimal walking route for you

You can use the received data both personally and send a link to the path you built for another user to review.

Let's look at the services that allow you to plot a walking route online.

We study navigation services available online

No. 5 — Maps and GPS navigation OsmAnd

In the middle of our rating is the OsmAnd application, which is not called one of the best navigators for smartphones for nothing. A wide variety of settings, extremely detailed maps, track recording, etc. Tourists will love that the app's shortcuts within cities are really short and easy to walk.

The application has an almost standard function of offline viewing of maps, the ability to work with their saved copies, and display of public transport stops. One of the functions for which users are so fond of the application is building a route without an Internet connection, which is very convenient during vacation or just in a new place. In addition, the route planning itself occurs in an extremely flexible manner, taking into account small details, current traffic and road conditions.

The difference between pedestrian and auto-navigators

In reviews of navigators and in descriptions of application functions, the emphasis is most often placed on opportunities for motorists and public transport. Wherein:

• many users use the navigator while walking;
• don’t forget about tourists, athletes, mushroom pickers, hunters and fishermen;
• pedestrian navigators will be useful for cyclists;
• Unlike automobile routes, pedestrian routes often display not roads, highways, but paths, sidewalks and other transportation options;
• Navigators from Google Play (for Android) and in the AppStore (for iOS) do not always offer optimized paths, being limited to highways.

#3 - Google Maps

Google Maps is an already classic navigation application for smartphones that is installed by default on many Android devices. Google maps always have up-to-date information about bus and minibus schedules, work correctly in most countries of the world and boast rich functionality. If you don't have any specific travel needs, this app is the best choice because you can be sure that Google Maps will show you the best route from point A to point B.

When traveling by public transport, you can set the departure time, the desired amount of walking and transfers. One of the most famous features of these maps is three-dimensional images of streets from all over the world, thanks to which you can always find your bearings and understand what the place you are going to looks like. Standard functionality in a really high-quality package - this is Google maps.

The best travel GPS with buttons

These old-school models are still popular with tourists. Push-button navigators are effective when touch displays fail—in cold climates and when wearing gloves. In addition to regular buttons, such devices can be equipped with joysticks and sensors.

Garmin GPSMAP 66st

5.0

★★★★★

editorial assessment

97%

buyers recommend this product

See review▶

The manufacturer positions this model as a premium navigator. The device fully corresponds to its claims: it is equipped with 16 GB of memory and is capable of working in conjunction with a smartphone, connecting via USB, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

The device offers a huge set of detailed topographic maps. Thanks to the altimeter and electronic compass, excellent orientation on the ground with any terrain is provided.

Advantages:

• Military standard moisture and impact protection;
• operation from replaceable batteries;
• highly sensitive antenna;
• adapting the battery to the external temperature.

Flaws:

• freezing when constructing routes;
• inconvenient menu.

The device is equipped with a lot of useful functions: from a hunting and fishing calendar to a weather forecast. It is suitable for all types of tourism and geocaching, but is most effective on water and mountain routes.

Satmap Active 20 GPS

4.8

★★★★★

editorial assessment

93%

buyers recommend this product

This British navigator has a simple interface and convenient large control buttons. The device is capable of determining location with an accuracy of 1 m, and its effectiveness is not weakened in caves or dense forests.

The GPS chip receives signals from all major satellites. The installed set of 450 cards can be replenished by downloading your information from microSD, via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. You can share your routes with friends via wireless networks.

Advantages:

• waterproof case;
• operation from rechargeable battery and AA batteries;
• DuoControl function for touch control;
• compact dimensions - 147x71x35 mm.

Flaws:

• work only with raster maps;
• complex menu.

The navigator body is reliably protected from moisture, and the screen remains readable even in bright sunshine. This makes the device convenient for hunters, climbers and geocaching enthusiasts. A special mount allows you to use the device during cycling trips.

DeLorme AG-008727-201 inReach Explorer

4.5

★★★★★

editorial assessment

86%

buyers recommend this product

The model was released in 2021, but in 2021 it received many useful updates. It is an unusual hybrid of a GPS module and a communicator for emergency situations - the navigator is capable of sending SOS signals to search and rescue centers.

The keypad allows you to type text messages to send by email. And the ability to create waypoints helps you avoid getting lost along the way and share your route with friends. The tracking function is used to detect tourists who find themselves in an extreme situation.

Advantages:

• access to topographic maps;
• the presence of an electronic compass, accelerometer and altimeter;
• ability to connect to a smartphone;
• route tracking on the Delorme web portal.

Flaws:

• no warning about lack of satellite signal;
• weak battery.

Thanks to the Iridium satellite network, the device operates even where there is no cellular coverage. This makes it indispensable for lovers of extreme tourism: climbers, explorers of little-known territories and watermen.

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No. 2 - Yandex Navigator

The navigator from Yandex is the Russian company’s extremely successful response to Google’s development. This application boasts very effective route planning to avoid traffic jams, repair work and accidents. It will always inform you about obstacles and help you arrive at your destination using the most optimal route; even the smallest delays at traffic lights are monitored. Building a route works without an Internet connection, however, the function of avoiding traffic jams in this case ceases to function. To enable the offline navigator, you will need to download the required maps to your smartphone, but they take a lot of time, and you can hear a lot of complaints from drivers regarding the quality of offline navigation from Yandex - the application is fully opened only if there is an Internet connection.

While driving, the navigator shows you the distance to the end of the route and calculates the approximate time of arrival. There are also voice prompts for movement: direction, location of surveillance cameras, events on the route and much more. Directly while driving, monitoring of the situation on the road continues, so while driving, the program adjusts and creates the most optimal route for you.

"I'm going home!" — navigator for mushroom pickers

Many users do not like the excessive functionality of mobile navigators. And gadgets like Garmin are inconvenient for simple tasks and are not free.

Application "I'm going home!" Perfect for mushroom pickers and fishermen, as it has only the most basic functions for building walking routes. This is why the navigator is popular.

It is very easy to use and can be used by older people who have difficulty coordinating and navigating in the forest.

First, you need to turn on navigation on your phone and wait for communication with satellites. It is advisable to do this in an open area so that there is no interference that prevents synchronization with the satellite.

Features of the “I’m going home!” navigator:

• Saving the starting coordinates on the map - the place where you will need to return (for example, to the car).
• Saving points with names and descriptions on the map in any form.
• Plotting a route from current coordinates to a given point
• Work in passive mode with voice-over capability

Download the navigator “I’m going home”

No. 1 - Navitel GPS & Maps

Navitel is, in our opinion, the highest quality and most sophisticated navigator for Android. And there are good reasons for this. For example, one of the most effective offline navigation systems is implemented here, and this application really knows the territory of Russia. Among the features of Navitel, we highlight information about traffic jams while driving, warnings about speed limits, monitoring weather conditions, as well as the presence of an internal semblance of a social network where users can share their own location and give each other advice.

There is also quite detailed three-dimensional cartography integrated into the application. If you communicate with friends in instant messengers, Navitel will pick up notifications from the system and allow you to read incoming messages without turning off the cards. Navitel has everything that can be found in other applications, but there is no emphasis on any specific function. Everything works well and correctly, which makes it easy to navigate in any conditions. But for high-quality performance you will have to pay, the application is free only during the 7-day trial period, then you will have to buy the necessary card (price tag from 500 to 2000 rubles depending on the territory) or understand the intricacies of using hacked software.

Concluding the rating of the best GPS navigators, I would like to say that it is impossible to unequivocally answer the question of which navigator is better to install on an Android smartphone without knowing the needs of the reader. For ourselves, we have selected Yandex.Navigator and Google Maps for online use, and MAPS.Me with Navitel for offline navigation when moving by car, and 2GIS is optimal for walking in the city. Then the choice is yours. We hope that the TOP navigators for Android OS will help you make the right decision.

Maps.me – pedestrian navigator with detailed osm maps

Maps.me is another free navigator. Suitable for motorists, cyclists and, of course, pedestrians. Can also be used for hiking, tourism and building cycling routes.

Maps.me offline features are available for all maps. Navigation is implemented in much the same way as in Google Maps. If necessary, the required section (city, region) is downloaded, and later it is available offline. If you often walk, and not in the most popular places, then you know that the Internet is not available everywhere. So autonomy is a big “plus” of this application.

Data from the OpenStreetMap (OSM) service is used to draw maps. These maps are more detailed than other navigators mentioned in the review.

The maps are very detailed, which is also important for walking, car and bicycle navigation. Improved detail means that the pedestrian will find necessary or accidentally interesting places, and in general will make fewer mistakes. If you find yourself in a small unfamiliar city, you have a better chance of finding the right house, or at least a street.

How to create a walking route in Maps.me:

1. Select the destination address – “Here”.
2. Click on the pedestrian icon - “Start”.
3. Maps.me will display your speed, route, travel time and distance.

Maps.me application as a pedestrian navigator for Android OS

Download maps.me: iOS | Android