The best navigation apps for Android without the Internet. Which GPS navigator without the Internet is better to install on Android

Navigators on Android allow you to receive accurate location information and plot routes taking into account all kinds of obstacles. Such software is most in demand when traveling through unfamiliar areas, where it is quite difficult to navigate without tips. Although some may find it useful for short walks or bike rides. If you have a car and an Android smartphone, then with a 90% chance you also have a navigation application. This article will help you choose a worthy alternative to the navigator you are already using, or choose the best navigator for you that suits all your needs.

An Android smartphone with an installed navigator is better than a separate GPS navigator
A GPS navigator can be purchased as a separate device, but this solution has a number of significant disadvantages. Why buy another device when the same functionality is available through an application on Google Play? Moreover, smartphones and tablets are much more productive than GPS navigators, which affects the speed of operation. Most often, they differ significantly in the amount of RAM, processor power, etc. It is also worth noting the situation with updates - on GPS navigators this may require periodic firmware changes, which is not very convenient. On your smartphone, just download the new version of the application from Google Play or ours.

When choosing a navigator for Android, you should be guided by which country you plan to use it in most often and for what purposes. Some applications are better adapted for use in Russia, but at the same time there are also programs aimed at Western users. They are also available on the territory of the Russian Federation, but do not contain such detailed information about it.

For a comparative review, 10 navigation programs from Google Play were selected, which will be considered in descending order of their popularity. When assigning ratings, we took into account not only the convenience and set of functions, but also a number of secondary parameters characteristic of applications of this type. The presence of a 3D mode, traffic data, offline access and a number of other characteristics were taken into account. A comparative table with editorial ratings is located at the end of this article.

The Google application is a confident leader in its segment, significantly ahead of its competitors in terms of the number of installations. This is due not only to the fact that the developer integrates its own services into Android, but also to significant changes that have occurred over the past few years. During this time, the number of supported countries has increased and the functionality has expanded significantly. But first things first.

There are no questions about the appearance of the application; everything is in perfect order. Most of the screen is occupied by a map; at the top there is a search bar, where voice input is also available. You can find not only a place by address, but also a store or restaurant, knowing only its name. The main menu opens by swiping from the left edge and contains almost everything you need - a list of saved places, chronology, traffic data, etc. When you first start, you will need to connect using a Google account, in the future all statistics will be stored on it. You can leave reviews about the establishments you visit directly from the application.

The functionality of Google Maps is truly comprehensive - the user can not only plot routes, but also plan visits to certain establishments. Each of them has a rating with reviews from visitors, be it a cinema, pharmacy or clinic. For some there is also more detailed information - operating hours, workload, etc. The journey will take less time if you choose the optimal route taking into account traffic jams and public transport schedules.

The mobile version of Google Maps offers the well-known Street View, designed for viewing locations in 3D mode. Not long ago, an offline mode appeared, allowing you to receive data without access to the Internet. To use the map without connecting to the network, you need to open the Offline maps item in the main menu and select the required area there. Depending on its size, the size of the downloaded package will be determined. For example, for Moscow it is about 160 MB. Cities with a population of over a million “weigh” about 30-50 mb. It is worth remembering that it is still advisable to constantly have access to the Internet. You can get directions without it, but you won’t be able to view data about establishments.

Google Maps can be considered an absolutely deserved leader among navigators on Android. At the time of writing the review, the application contained maps of 220 countries, 15,000 cities with driving directions and detailed descriptions of more than 100,000 establishments. Most of the functions are available in the Russian Federation, the maps are quite accurate, and there are more than enough reviews about different places from Russian users. Google maps can become an indispensable assistant both for navigation in your home region and for trips abroad. Unlike most competitors, the application is completely free; you only have to pay for Internet traffic. The final score is 4.9 points out of 5.

Waze can be considered one of the main competitors of Google Maps. In some respects, this application is significantly ahead of its famous competitor - social interaction is better organized here and more data is presented about the situation on the roads, police checkpoints, accidents, etc. The detail of the maps depends on the region - the larger the settlement, the more detailed the information about it.

The Waze interface is quite convenient, and the appearance is not for everyone - visually it is made in the style of 2010. When starting, you should register, although this is not necessary, it is still worth creating an account - more functions are available to authorized users. The main screen contains a map and a search bar, and you can call up the main menu by swiping from the left edge - here the user has access to account information, settings, travel plans, etc.

The functionality of the navigator in Waze does not stand out much from its competitors - you can select the current route taking into account the traffic situation, find the cheapest gas station along the way, etc. There are also voice prompts\search and a 3D overview. The detail of the maps is quite good and the application is quite suitable for use in the CIS countries.

Waze can be considered a very worthy alternative to Google Maps. It is unlikely that the developers of this application are able to catch up with their main competitor in terms of the number of countries supported, but in terms of social interaction, everything is done perfectly. Waze supports dozens of different languages, including Russian, in which not only voice input is available, but also hints. There is also an offline mode and no paid content, but there are advertisements. Overall, Waze gets 4.8 points.

Sygic is one of the most advanced navigation apps on Android. It has a large number of maps from different suppliers, including offline 3D maps from TomTom, relevant for more than 120 countries.

Visually, Sygic looks quite decent, and there are no questions about the ease of control. Some users may find the fonts in the application too large and cannot be changed in the settings. In general, the Sygic interface is quite similar to a regular navigator - most of the screen is occupied by a map, it also has a search bar and a quick menu.

One of the key benefits of Sygic is the high quality maps that can be stored on the device. In addition to the aforementioned TomTom, other providers are available. Free map updates occur several times a year. The application supports voice commands with pronunciation of street names and receives information about changes on the road in real time. This allows you to avoid traffic jams and use the most optimal routes.

Sygic is a very high quality navigation app with lots of maps and a wide range of features. Unfortunately, not everything is available in the free version. The trial period is 7 days, after which you can limit yourself to free functionality or upgrade to Premium. The cost of a subscription depends on the region and ranges from 50 to 100 euros, but at the time of writing the review there were discounts and you could get unlimited Premium for only 16-20 euros. Given the availability of very decent free navigators, most users will not pay for a subscription. Moreover, the free version is not particularly limited in terms of map detail. The final score for Sygic is 4.6 out of 5.

MapFactor is a navigator using Open Street Map data. Maps can be installed on a memory card or internal storage of the device so as not to connect to the network during a trip.

When you first start, you need to select the map source and country. For Russia, there is a division by region, which allows you to save space in the device’s memory and quickly access the application. The cards are relatively compact, for example, the Moscow region weighs only 0.3 GB. If you wish, you can use data from TomTom instead of Open Street Maps. Externally, MapFactor looks somewhat outdated - the interface is more similar to applications for Android 2.2.

Open Street Map is a collaborative project for creating maps. Any user can contribute to its development. Having a large international community has a positive effect on the quality of content and frequency of updates.

MapFactor supports voice navigation, route planning, and alerts about upcoming maneuvers. If you get close to the speed recorders, the user will hear an audible warning. Not only is it possible to switch between 2D and 3D modes, but also select a color scheme – day or night.

MapFactor can be called one of the best free navigators on Android. It supports many languages and contains detailed information for dozens of countries. The disadvantages of the application include a somewhat outdated interface and the need to preload maps. The final MapFactor score is 4.4 points out of 5 possible.

MAPS.ME – free and completely offline maps. The Android app supports turn-by-turn navigation and is used by more than 60 million users worldwide.

Externally, MAPS.ME is not much different from other navigators. Most of the main screen here is occupied by the map, and closer to the edges of the display there are control elements - zooming, toolbar, etc. In general, the controls are quite convenient.

The main advantages of MAPS.ME are autonomy and the absence of paid content. Maps are downloaded directly from the application, just select the country and city. The information on them is quite detailed - the user can easily find the way to any establishment. Maps are updated daily by the multimillion-strong Open Street Map community, which is a worthy open-source alternative to Google Maps.

MAPS.ME is one of the best mobile navigators based on Open Street Map. The Android application has a pleasant interface and a large range of tools, and there is no charge for its use. The final MAPS.ME score is 4.6 points out of 5.

2GIS is one of the most popular navigators in Russia. This application has long been in great demand - back when mobile Internet was expensive and slow, and maps were most often used offline.

The Android version has a user-friendly interface, although it doesn’t stand out much from its competitors. The main screen consists of familiar elements - a map and control panels. It is not necessary to create an account in the application, but it can still be useful for better integration with social networks.

2GIS is convenient primarily because it works without the Internet. After downloading a city map, you can use it in roaming or in places where there is no network connection. 2GIS not only knows the roads and landscape structure well, but also has information about various establishments that the user may need. These include clinics, post offices, cafes, car services and much more. Now you don’t even have to look for the front entrance - the application will do it for you, showing the way to the door itself. In total, the database contains more than 2.5 million different organizations.

2GIS will be an indispensable assistant for drivers. The application will show the most optimal route and warn about all dangerous maneuvers. Traffic jams, overlaps, accidents and other obstacles are also taken into account. The detail of the maps depends on the location. 2GIS is available in all major Russian cities, in some of them there is detailed information about shopping centers, that is, you can see directly from the application where the nearest ATM is located, which stores are present in the shopping center, etc.

2GIS has proven itself well for a long time and the Android version is no exception. Here the user will find all the necessary navigation tools, and completely free of charge. There is no charge for using the application, but there are advertisements. 2GIS gets 4.7 points out of 5.

Yandex.Navigator will help you quickly get to your destination by calculating the optimal route taking into account traffic jams. Other road events are also taken into account - accidents, repairs, etc.

The application has a very convenient and stylish interface, although nothing else was expected from Yandex. By default, the main screen displays not only a map and a standard toolbar, but also a traffic congestion indicator on a 10-point scale (for those cities where information about traffic jams is available).

When selecting a route, several options are offered, starting with the fastest. The application will notify the user if part of the route falls on a toll section. During your ride, the remaining time and distance are displayed, as well as notifications about maneuvers, cameras and other obstacles. Yandex.Navigator has data on speed limits; if the user is driving too fast, he will receive a corresponding notification.

Control in Yandex.Navigator is quite convenient, especially since you can completely switch to voice input. This will allow you not to touch the device with your hands at all during the trip. The user will be able to give commands by voice and receive all necessary notifications in the same mode.
You can save a history of destinations so you don't have to enter an address each time, but simply select a destination from a list in the future. Data is stored in the cloud and is available on all devices. For this you will need a Yandex account.

Otherwise, this navigator has a standard set of functions. There is a 3D mode and data about various organizations that you may encounter along the way - hospitals, restaurants and much more. The application is intended primarily for the CIS countries, which is reflected in the detail of the maps - for the cities of Russia, Ukraine, etc. there is much more information here. For example, Yandex.Navigator knows everything about Moscow parking lots up to the 3rd transport ring. The application will immediately show you where you can leave your car and where it is prohibited to park.

For users from Russia, Yandex.Navigator will be the best option. All the necessary functions are present here, including offline mode, and the program is completely free. The final score is 4.8 points.

Navitel Navigator is an application with detailed maps of more than 60 countries. In essence, this is a full-fledged navigation service with a huge number of additional functions, but first things first.

Visually, Navitel Navigator looks like an application from 2010; for some reason it even has its own status bar with the current time, battery charge, etc. From the fonts and size of some icons it is immediately clear that the developers were focused on screens with low resolution - everything is in FullHD it looks ridiculous.

Functionally, Navitel Navigator can be called one of the most advanced applications in its segment. There are offline maps, data on traffic jams, weather and various road events. There are also warnings about video cameras, accidents, etc. Three-dimensional maps display not only the structure of the landscape, but also the height of buildings. Multi-level interchanges are also available in 3D mode.

In terms of map detail, Navitel Navigator is ahead of most competitors. When planning routes, many factors are taken into account here, including road lanes, and the on-board computer displays data from more than 100 different sensors - time, speed, weather conditions, etc. The advantages of the application can be listed for a very long time - including voice prompts and an unlimited number of points when constructing a trajectory and much more.

Navitel Navigator would be among the leaders in its segment if not for a paid subscription. The trial period is only one week, after which the carriage turns into a pumpkin. In our case, a significant number of functions are simply disabled - route planning, voice prompts, traffic jams, 3D mode. The premium version costs between $10 and $30 depending on the country. At the same time, there are no maps of most of Europe and America here at all. In total, Navitel Navigator receives only 4.3 points out of 5.

CityGuide is a navigator with detailed maps of the whole world. You can use both data from the CityGuide service and Open Street Maps.
CityGuide looks pretty good (although it is about 5 years behind its competitors in design) and there are no special problems with the controls. At the first start, the user chooses which cards he needs. The CityGID system is paid and more detailed. Maps from Open Street Maps are completely free, but they are updated less frequently and contain less information.

The functionality of CityGuide does not particularly depend on which system the user chooses - CityGuide or OSM. In both cases, he will have access to traffic data and offline navigation. At the same time, CityGID has a number of advantages - in addition to the above-mentioned frequency of updates, these include warnings about traffic police radars and various hazards on the roads, as well as taking into account the schedule of railway crossings and opening/closing of bridges.

In general, CityGuide is designed primarily for the CityGID system; OSM support is more like an additional feature. option. This is far from the only application that works with Open Street Maps. CityGuide also has social interaction features, where you can send messages to friends and plan trips together. An SOS service is also available, allowing you to call a tow truck or various emergency services.

CityGuide can hardly be considered a worthy alternative to other mobile navigators. This is primarily due to the paid subscription model. After the 15-day trial period ends, the application stops running altogether. That is, there is not even a limited free version. Purchasing a license will cost 690 rubles for your home region or 1,490 rubles for all of Russia. There are other options, which can be found on the official website of the application. CityGuide rating – 4 points exactly.

Maverick is the most modest of the 10 navigators selected for this review. In fact, this is not an independent service, but a shell with support for various offline and online maps.

In terms of design, Maverick is stuck somewhere in 2010-2012, although this is a common problem for navigation applications. When you first launch it, it immediately becomes clear that the developers were focusing on low-resolution screens that were popular 5 or more years ago. And the Russian language is not supported here.

The main advantage of the application is the ability to choose a data source - Bing, Yandex, Open Street Maps, Multimap and many others. Most maps are automatically cached for offline use.

In Maverick, the user can build routes, mark places visited, and receive information about establishments. Also available are speed sensors, altitude sensors, barometer and much more.

The disadvantages of Maverick include not the most user-friendly interface and the presence of significant limitations in the free version. It does not allow you to download maps or save routes. There is also no integration with Foursquare. True, the Pro version is quite inexpensive - 300 rubles. However, for most users this program is useless if there are more worthy free analogues. Overall, Maverick gets only 3.9 points out of 5 possible.

Results and comparison

Among the navigators selected for review, the leaders, as expected, were applications from Google and Yandex; Waze also performed well. The selection turned out to be of quite high quality and it is difficult to identify obvious outsiders. These included several applications with an inconvenient paid subscription system that imposes significant restrictions on those users who do not purchase it.

In addition to Google Maps and Yandex.Navigator, Waze entered the top three
The Google application received 4.9 points, the other two - 4.8. It is unlikely that such a ranking will surprise anyone. Google Maps is the reference navigator by which developers of other applications are compared. Most of the participants in this review received ratings from 4.3 to 4.7. Only CityGuide and Maverick are left far behind - the first due to the lack of a free version as such, the second due to limited functionality.

Evaluation of additional features

Using comparative table No. 2, you can see that in three out of five indicators, all 10 navigators differ little. Each of them supports route planning, 3D mode and provides offline access to maps. How well each of these functions is implemented can be judged by general assessments.

Traffic data is provided by 7 out of 10 applications, but in terms of the presence of paid content, the applications are divided in a ratio of 60 to 40. Only 4 navigators have a paid subscription or maps, and they are not among the top three. Paid navigators are almost in no way superior to free ones, and in many ways they are even inferior, while developers also want to make money from them. Perhaps there are countries in which Maverick or Sygic are superior in detail to the same Yandex.Navigator, but when compiling the final rating, the situation in Russia was taken into account primarily.

Applications from Yandex or Google have been occupying first places in the top of certain segments for a long time and this will not surprise anyone. A similar phenomenon can be observed among dictionaries (Google.Translate and Yandex.Translator), music programs, browsers, etc. Navigators are no exception, here applications from Google and Yandex also took the top. A worthy alternative is Waze, which is significantly superior in terms of tools for social interaction. The remaining applications in this review cope well with their tasks, but in the opinion of the editors, they cannot yet compete significantly with the above three leaders.

Here is the final part of the “series” about popular car navigation applications for Android. In it, we tried to summarize all the information from five previously published reviews of individual applications and give a final assessment. In order not to burden the reader, we will try to do this in the most concise and clear form using tables, providing them with relatively small comments.

Why did you choose these particular applications? The main criteria were popularity and the presence of a large number of positive reviews, as well as ease of use. The updated Shturmann did not fit into the first two criteria a little. The “Seven Roads” application did not pass all three criteria. Google Maps as a navigator is still in beta testing. Megafon navigation is essentially the same as Progorod, but only in an online version. The iGO app has not yet officially appeared in the Android version. Therefore, there are only five participants.

Prices and popularity

Putting ourselves in the buyer’s shoes, let’s start by looking at price tags and studying information about how popular a particular product has gained among users.

	Navitel	Progorod	Sygic	CityGuide	Yandex
number of downloads on Google Play, million	5-10	0,1-0,5	10-50	1-5	5-10
rating on Google Play	4,1	4,2	4,2	4,1	4,2
price of Russian cards	1350 rub.	1290 (950*) rub.	€40	1800 rub.	for free
minimum price	$1**	-	€20	990 rub.	for free
update fee, rub	for free	for free	for free	for free	for free
traffic jam service fee, rub	for free	for free	does not work in Russia***	for free	for free
allowed number of reinstallations	1	3	n.d.	3	not limited
free third party maps	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No
test period, days	30	30	7	15	-

* if you purchase a key on the developer’s website. The price is for the application itself with unlimited access to maps.
** rental of foreign cards.
*** for Europe the service is paid - from 12 euros per year.

So, the most expensive product is Sygic. It is aimed at European consumers, so the price tag is quite appropriate. In addition, you will have to pay separately for traffic jams and advanced information about cameras, but this all applies only to Europe. Network services do not work in Russia.

The prices of Navitel and Progorod seem to be the most adequate. However, Navitel has a very strict policy regarding reinstallation. Transferring the application to another smartphone will most likely not work at all.

Against the backdrop of all these restrictions, Yandex looks like a king. However, the application has a number of significant limitations, thereby leaving good chances for others.

Feature Set Comparison

The developers of most of the presented applications are trying to attract users with various additional functions, for example, weather, photos on a map, articles from encyclopedias, tagging in social networks, displaying the location of friends and even augmented reality.

We have summarized the entire core set of functions of all five applications in one table:

	Navitel	Progorod	Sygic	CityGuide	Yandex
Interface
Manual map zoom during navigation	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Battery/satellite/GSM indicators	Yes Yes Yes	yes / yes / no	in the menu / in the menu / not	Yes Yes Yes	OS status bar
Changing the map orientation	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Manual map rotation	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes
Mileage information	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Satellite View Screen	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
3D mode	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Map tilt	only in 3D	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Quick Access Toolbar	DPOI only	Yes	Yes	Yes	DPOI only
"Trip computer"	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No
Night mode	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Augmented Reality	No	Yes	No	No	No
Search
Universal	No	No	Yes	No	Yes
Address	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
By coordinates	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
POI around / at the point / at the finish	Yes Yes Yes	Yes Yes Yes	Yes Yes Yes	Yes Yes Yes	Yes Yes Yes
Voice input	No	No	No	No	Yes
Working with routes
Save/Load	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Simulation of driving along the route	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Full display	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Working with tracks	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No
Operating modes: passenger car / truck / pedestrian	Yes Yes Yes	yes / no / no	yes / no / yes	yes / no / yes	yes / no / no
Cards
Map update	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Provider	n.d.	own	Navteq	many, different	Navteq, Scanex, etc.
Installing third-party and free maps	Yes	yes, based on OSM	No	yes, based on OSM	No
Online services
Traffic display	Yes	Yes	No *	Yes	Yes
Dynamic POIs	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Friends on the map	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No
Thematic news feeds	No	No	No	Yes	No
Photo on the map	No	No	yes (Panoramio)	No	No
Weather	Yes	No	No	No	No
Ban on Internet access	Yes	by disabling the traffic jam service	No	Yes	No

* only for European countries for a fee

This table is intended for self-study. Here everyone must answer the question for themselves whether this or that program has a minimum sufficient set of functions. For example, some people definitely need to work with tracks, while others need to install free OSM maps. Some applications also have extraordinary abilities. For example, displaying on a map photos of places taken by Panoramio users (from Sygic), or an augmented reality mode (Progorod), as well as speech recognition and voice commands (Yandex.Navigator).

The applications also have major flaws. Thus, Sygic does not have a function for displaying traffic (traffic jams), and Yandex.Navigator will not work fully in the absence of an Internet connection.

Interface

Since each of us has our own ideas about beauty, we will not talk much about which program’s interface is more beautiful. Our eyes found the “picture” of Navitel Navigator, Progorod and Yandex more pleasant. But this does not mean that the other two programs have any problems with their “appearance”. They're all good. These just stand out a little from the general background.

But if you step back from looking at the “pictures,” then completely different properties of interfaces come to the fore - practicality and information content. The first of them is when you always feel at ease. All you need is a quick glance at the screen to get as much information as you need. A not very good example of practicality is the interface of the same Navitel - a jumble of thin lines and small details makes it difficult to read information while driving. Practicality also includes ease of operation with menus and search.

By information content we mean displaying various related information on the screen, such as the speed limit in a given area, information about cameras, etc. Availability of all kinds of hints and additional information in the POI database.

So, below we will provide screenshots of the interfaces of all programs with a short list of the main advantages and disadvantages. This time we will use a smartphone with a small screen resolution of 480x800, which is regulated by almost all software developers in today's test.

Let's start with the vertical map display option, which is the most natural for smartphones and more practical for navigation. Next to the usual map view we will place a 3D version.

Navitel Navigator 8.5

Progorod 2.0

Sygic 13.4

CityGuide 7.8

Yandex.Navigator 1.5

This is the junction of the Warsaw Highway and the Moscow Ring Road. Alas, the picture is static, and its perception while moving, when the scale of the map is constantly changing depending on the speed and upcoming events (turns), is radically different from what you will get simply by contemplating these two sets of screenshots. In addition, in 3D mode a lot depends on the tilt angle, which is adjustable in all programs. The developers have made it so that from one angle the map is beautiful and practical, but from another it is inconvenient to use, because the detail, perspective, etc. change. A similar remark can be made about scale. Therefore, we will give a verbal comment, but first we will post another portion of screenshots taken in navigation mode:

Navitel Navigator 8.5

Progorod 2.0

Sygic 13.4

CityGuide 7.8

Yandex.Navigator 1.5

Navitel Navigator

The picture deserves all the praise, but it is extremely impractical. The accumulation of a mass of small lines and contours makes it difficult to perceive the route line on the screen, which is slightly thicker than the road itself, but with busy traffic jams is in no way different from it in color. Camera icons, signs and other details are barely visible on the screen.

Progorod

The “Picture” is a little similar to Navitel, but there are fewer small details, and the route line is much easier to read than in the previous case. There are two complaints: the status panel takes up a lot of space on the screen and chaos reigns on it, as well as the graphics and all the control buttons are too small.

Sygic

In the screenshots, the interface is unimpressive, but from the point of view of ease of reading information while driving, it deserves the highest rating. There is one significant drawback - house numbers are not displayed in navigation mode. They only appear if you try to scroll the map in one of the directions, which will switch it to viewing mode.

CityGuide

The map interface is quite good in practical terms. It may not be as beautiful, but it is quite comfortable.

Yandex.Navigator

Trying to find fault with the Yandex.Navigator interface did not work out well. He is very practical. The only issue is that users of platforms with screens with a high pixel density per inch complain about small buttons and other elements in the menu. For some reason, these UI elements did not fully comply with Google's developer guidelines, and programmers were working with absolute units of element sizes instead of relative DP and SP.

Well, for those who for some reason prefer the horizontal position of the map, we will post another set of screenshots.

Navitel Navigator 8.5

Progorod 2.0

Sygic 13.4

CityGuide 7.8

Yandex.Navigator 1.5

Cards

Unfortunately, most developers do not provide detailed information about their cards, since they may not look so brilliant compared to competitors.

We tried to collect as much information as possible and summarize it in one table. Pay attention to the line “Map online” - this is your chance to independently evaluate the quality of coverage. True, it also does not entirely accurately reflect the situation. Navitel and Progorod do not have the latest release online, and Yandex’s maps in the app and online are strikingly different in places, which sometimes causes confusion.

	Navitel	Progorod	Sygic	Cityguide	Yandex
Russia: populated areas	149 047	n.d.	n.d.	n.d.	≈170 thousand
Russia: cities with details	8762	n.d.	n.d.	n.d.	n.d.
Road graph, km	3 809 652	n.d.	n.d.	n.d.	n.d.
POI objects	992 163	n.d.	n.d.*	n.d.	n.d.
Card capacity, MB	1250	1131	623	1900	1910** (Moscow only)
date of last update	25.10.2013	22.10.2013	12.2013	22.01.2014	n.d.
Update frequency per year, times	3-4	2	1-3	2-10***	n.d.
Map online			-	-
Maps of foreign countries, pcs.	52	28 (OSM)	≈130	10	1****
Information about maps on the developer's website			-		-

*data from Foursquare is also used as POIs
** the volume of the full map of Moscow is indicated
*** The map of Russia is updated almost every month, but changes in it each time concern a couple of separate areas. If we take, for example, the map of Moscow, it is updated twice a year.
**** Ukraine, Belarus and Türkiye are mentioned. There is no longer a word about Turkey in the company video, and only Ukraine appears on Google Play. However, in the list of maps for download you can find, for example, a map of Almaty.

According to the results of the 2010 census, the number of settlements in Russia was just over 153 thousand and about 20 thousand of them do not have a permanent population. Where did Yandex get 170 thousand from then? Firstly, nesting. A specific settlement always belongs to other territorial units. Secondly, the census does not take into account all types of settlements. Railway stations, winter huts, etc. may fall out of it.

So, our leaders, apparently, are Navitel and Yandex. The volume of cards is an indirect indicator. In Yandex.Navigator it has such unimaginable values because these maps contain a huge number of raster images.

As for the details, this issue is complex and requires a lot of time to study. For our own understanding, we took several settlements and looked at how things stand with this issue.

	Navitel	Progorod	Sygic	Cityguide	Yandex
Olenegorsk, Murmansk region	detailed, with houses (3D)	three main streets	only the main street, with errors	detailed, with houses	three main streets
Bogoroditsk, Tula region	detailed, with houses	detailed, with houses (3D)	only the main street	detailed, with houses	three main streets
Angarsk, Irkutsk region	main road network	detailed road network	only the main street	detailed, with houses	detailed, with houses
Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky	detailed, with houses	detailed road network	only the main street	point on the route	detailed, with houses
Astrakhan	detailed, with houses	detailed, with houses (3D)	detailed, with houses	detailed, with houses	detailed, with houses
Sochi	detailed, with houses	detailed, with houses (3D)	detailed road network	detailed, with houses	detailed, with houses
Chekhov, Moscow region	detailed, with houses	detailed, with houses (3D)	detailed, with houses	detailed, with houses	detailed, with houses
Tver	detailed, with houses	detailed, with houses (3D)	detailed, with houses	detailed, with houses	detailed, with houses
Rybinsk	detailed, with houses	detailed, with houses (3D)	detailed, with houses	detailed, with houses	detailed, with houses
Pechory, Pskov region.	detailed, with houses	main road network	three main streets, with errors	detailed, with outlines of houses, without addresses	three main streets
village Lanshino, Moscow region	part of the road network	a point on the map	detailed road network	detailed road network	main road network

The leaders were Navitel, Progorod and Cityguide. Moreover, the maps of Progorod in almost all settlements from the table have buildings not only with corresponding contours, but also with height. Although CityGuide is good (OSM maps are used), you will have to search for maps of the regions you need in a large list and download them separately, which is not very convenient. For some reason, you can’t download the entire map of Russia at once. In addition, the Kamchatka Territory was not on the list.

Yandex.Navigator surprised me a little, and this considering the fact that the online browser map is beyond praise. At the same time, it is very funny that in the same Bogoroditsk you can indicate the exact address, it will be marked with a marker on the map and a route to it will be built. But the "last mile" will not be displayed correctly.

Well, Sygic doesn’t like small towns the most. He knows them only by hearsay.

The issue of map relevance is also important. Here we looked at the map of Moscow, noting the presence of new well-known roads, overpasses and interchanges that were opened in the summer-autumn of 2013. Progorod, Cityguide and Yandex had no problems with this. Navitel had all the junctions and overpasses we were looking for, but for some reason at the intersection of Yaroslavskoe Highway and Malyginsky Proezd there was no turnaround under the overpass. But Sygic's map is at least a year old. We did not find any of the required road objects on it.

Our selection by cards: Navitel, Progorod and Cityguide.

Routes and navigation

All applications build quite adequate routes. And this is the most important thing. Navitel has some minor glitches. We described one of them in detail, but there is no reason to panic here. But it’s definitely worth reducing the sensitivity to traffic jams in its settings for residents of megacities.

To save the reader time, we will collect information on routes and navigation into one table.

	Navitel	Progorod	Sygic	Cityguide	Yandex
adequacy of constructed routes	OK	OK	OK	OK	OK
number of alternatives	No	2	1	No	1-2
exclusion of toll roads / other settings	Yes Yes	Yes Yes	Yes Yes	Yes Yes	no no
logic of behavior when leaving the route	customizable		return to old route	changing lanes in detour mode	changing lanes in detour mode
traffic jams on the route	Yes	Yes	No	yes, but at a short distance	Yes
speed warnings	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
camera warnings	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	yes, late
DPOI	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
work without an Internet connection	Yes	Yes	offline only	Yes	functions are very limited

It will be most convenient to travel with Progorod, Cityguide and Navitel. Sygic, despite its very practical interface, works only in offline mode: no traffic jams or DPOI. In addition, his logic of behavior when the driver leaves the route is far from civilized. But there are no less problems with Yandex: it will not warn you about speeding, it will only tell you about the camera when you drive past it, and without a connection to the Internet, search and route planning will not work in the application! But before starting navigation, it will offer the user alternative route options, which can be viewed on the map and the most suitable one can be selected. Progorod can do this too, although it uses a slightly different logic. We really liked both of these features.

Our choice: Progorod and CityGuide. With some stretch - Navitel and Yandex.

Tests

We've run a series of tests to show how fast these apps will run on different mobile platforms. In a separate table we have summarized the results obtained on two systems, the main characteristics of which are as follows:

Both platforms are budget, but the tablet has a 4-core SoC, while the smartphone has a single-core SoC, but with a more modern architecture. Will there be any significant difference between them? In the table, smartphone and tablet data are separated by two vertical bars.

	Navitel	Progorod	Sygic	Cityguide	Yandex
Loading time, s	11 \|\| 8	5-6 on both platforms	6 \|\| 3	12 \|\| 9	≈2 in all cases
Satellite search time	in accordance with GPS technologies (1-2 min.)				≈20-30 sec.** on both platforms
Route planning time, s*	2,5-5 \|\| 1,5-5	1-4 on both platforms	12-20 \|\| 6-15	≈2 in all cases	-***
Utilization of computing cores in motion, %	60 \|\| n.d.	70 \|\| n.d.	40 \|\| 15	65 \|\| 19	20 \|\| n.d.
Smooth scrolling and zooming with traffic jams disabled	with strong jerks	with jerks	relatively smoothly	relatively smoothly	smoothly
Volume of network traffic on the route, MB/h	2,5	n.d.	-	n.d.	n.d. - 4****
Volume of network traffic in a metropolis, MB/h	4,5	1	-	1	3,5-6,5****

* the dash indicates the time of laying two routes: from the south of Moscow to the city of Olenegorsk in the Murmansk region; the second route is to Vladivostok.
** already two seconds after loading you see your approximate position on the map, determined by signals from base stations and their coordinates. And after another 20-30 seconds the device “clings” to the satellites.
***routes are calculated on a remote server, and construction time depends on the quality of communication at a particular time. In GPRS or EDGE coverage area it may take a minute or more, but with good connection - 2-3 seconds.
**** The first digit indicates the traffic volume in the case of a pre-loaded full map of the region. The second digit indicates an empty card cache.

So, the main problem with application performance is the inability to use all available computing cores of the SoC. And although multithreading is declared by almost all developers, in practice on a 4-core system this results in one core being loaded at 100%, the second at 30%, and the other two cooling down. The only exception is Yandex. The application not only has low requirements for system resources, but also, when actively running on four cores, can show a total load of 60-70%, which indicates that someone is still able to create multi-threaded applications (benchmark developers are not check).

If we talk about the smoothness and comfort of working with the map, then Yandex, Cityguide and Sygic behave quite well, which cannot be said about Navitel and Progorod. Scrolling the map and scaling occurs with noticeable jerks, slowdowns and jerks. Moreover, if your smartphone has a resolution of 1280 pixels or more, the situation will worsen regardless of the type of SoC installed in the system.

Our choice: Yandex, CityGuide and, probably, Sygic. The latter takes a very long time to build routes, but otherwise is very smart.

Application Features

Since the competition is great, developers try to add a few highlights to their creation, and it would be a shame not to mention them.

Navitel Navigator

Progorod

Here we will only note the augmented reality mode, which will work quite well on those devices that have an orientation sensor.

Perhaps it will come in handy when traveling by car.

Sygic

Sygic tries to attract users with all sorts of useful and interesting little things: universal search, photos on the map from Panoramio, POIs from Foursquare, articles from Wikipedia (if they have a link to coordinates), a sidebar and a trip computer. All details in the corresponding .

CityGuide

Nothing unusual.

Yandex.Navigator

The main trump card is a universal search with a speech recognition system and voice commands, which works quite well.

Results

So, the most mentions marked “our choice” went to CityGuide and Progorod. Navitel, Yandex.Navigator and Sygic are lagging behind. But if we evaluate applications by their main functions (the quality of maps and the navigation process), then the following three leaders emerge before us: Progorod, CityGuide and Navitel. The cheapest of them is Progorod. The most expensive is CityGuide. And Navitel will receive the title of the most unfriendly due to the impossibility of transferring the application to other smartphones.

If you live in one of the Russian megacities, your region has reliable and high-quality cellular communications, you are not afraid of speed cameras and prefer not to spend extra money, then you can use Yandex.Navigator. It's free. Moreover, it works quickly and has a practical interface.

Sygic can be useful when traveling abroad. However, it will not be cheap at all. In this regard, Navitel is many times more attractive, but it will not contain information about traffic. Just like Sygic in Russia.

P.S. Better to see once than hear a hundred times. Therefore, we encourage you to try out the apps you like and draw your own conclusions. But at the same time, it is important not to forget that all navigation programs, without exception, after they are deleted through the application manager, leave almost all of their files in the internal memory of the phone forever, “freezing” hundreds of useful megabytes. Don’t forget to delete them manually later, based on the names of the folders on the drive. Oh, Android, Android...

In the life of every motorist, it happens that you find yourself in unfamiliar places. Often in such situations the question arises: is my car moving in the right direction? This issue can be easily resolved. Nowadays, almost every family has a tablet computer, but, unfortunately, not many know how to make a navigator out of a tablet. But with its help you can easily find the right direction to the object you are interested in, the nearest cafes, gas stations, service stations.

The easiest option is to buy a tablet with a navigator. You just need to learn how to use the device. Let's look at another option. Let's say the tablet is already in stock. How can I find out whether it can be used as a navigator or not? It won't be difficult.

Checking the connection

Turn on the tablet device;
go to applications;
download the maps of interest to your device from the playmarket;
in the settings we find the “Location” option;
We select the location data that is suitable for us and see if there is an item - GPS satellites.

This seems to have been sorted out, but how to use the tablet with the navigator function further? If you are on the mobile Internet, it is better to switch to Wi-Fi, you will need to download a lot of different things, and through the latter it is several times faster and cheaper. We took an Android device as a basis, so it is better to use the Google Maps application or as it is also called Google map. It is located in the main menu of your device. We establish our location during the first turn on. We find an icon on the screen in the form of an arrow pointing upward, which shows the direction of our movement. It is he who will guide our route throughout the entire journey.

Here you can find a route to an object by indicating your location and the point of the object itself. The application will draw your route on the map and show the average time you will spend on the road. There is even an option that when you enter travel time into the database, a route will be selected for you that will take exactly the amount of time you planned.

But what to do if you want to use a tablet navigator without an Internet connection, and besides, the device does not support GPS? In this case, we recommend using an external GPS receiver. There are two connection methods; which one to use depends on the technical characteristics of your device.

Important! Some are not compatible with specific tablet models.

Therefore, before purchasing a receiver, make sure it matches your tablet computer.

In the video you can clearly see how the tablet works as a navigator:

First connection method. Via Bluetooth

Turn on the tablet and module. On the first one, we connect Bluetooth and wait until they start interacting.

Next, set a password to connect devices to each other (usually the password is three zeros). In the tablet settings, we allow the use of GPS to determine location. Thus, we have a full-fledged navigator or tablet with GPS.

If the navigator does not connect to the module, you will need to download the Bluetooth GPS Provider program from the Play Market. You will have to run it before each time you turn on the navigator on your tablet.

The second connection method is via USB

The first option is a little simpler than this one. First, download and launch the USB GPS 4 Droid program. During its operation, mark Start-Stop GPS with a quotation mark. With these actions we activate the Choose GPS device speed item, where you need to enter the code that is indicated on the receiver. Next, in the tablet settings, go to the “For Developers” application, and mark the “Fictitious location” column in it. Everything is ready, launch the navigator and check its operation.

The variety of navigation software for Android is pleasing to the eye, but at the same time frightens the inexperienced person with its quantity. You have a choice - use the free version or buy the program in a specialized store, download and install the navigator on your tablet for free.

Necessary properties for a tablet navigator

There is no point in using devices with a diameter of less than 5 inches for these purposes. A tablet of 10 inches or more is a completely different matter. Everything will be perfectly visible on it, but a very large one will reduce the visibility for the driver. Therefore, the most optimal device for using a tablet as a navigator in a car would be a device with a screen size of 7-8 inches.

Which tablet operating system is preferable for a navigator, naturally - android. The advantage over others is ease of operation and installation, transparency of settings and a larger number of different devices. When purchasing a new device, it is best to purchase a tablet with GPS and 3G support. Although all tablets currently offered have fairly strong components that can cope with almost any task. But still, the presence of GPS guarantees that there will be no need to purchase an additional module, and 3G will allow you to use the device to a greater extent and allow you to deal with traffic jams while the car is moving.

Not all manufacturers include the device with a holder. Therefore, you should think in advance about how you will use the navigator on your tablet while the car is moving.

If the tablet navigator program is not installed on your device, you will have to choose one of many navigation applications. Domestic manufacturers and application developers offer a variety of high-quality, high-quality products to choose from. Let's look at a few of the most common ones.

Navitel Navigator

The application actively leads in the number of users of smartphones, tablets and navigators. It accounts for about 60% of all sales and downloads. It differs in that it is multi-platform and supports a large number of different languages. Navitel Navigator also has extensive technical support.

This application is one of the most popular Yandex developments. All maps in this application are updated and downloaded to the device gradually, as needed. Its advantage is the ability to view photographs of monuments, landmarks and buildings that other users post online. Another plus is that the application has a voice prompt module.

The fact that this domestic development belongs to highly functional applications is evidenced by the fact that the Togliatti Automobile Plant installs it on the built-in navigators of its cars, and the commercial licensed version of the application is used by many transport companies. The main advantage is the presence of “Traffic 2.0” technology. It displays the situation much faster than its competitors (Navitel or ProGorod).

Operating this application is simple and does not require any additional skills. The advantage is the presence of a system of dynamic corrections that reflect real situations occurring on the road.

One of the widely used navigators that do not require the Internet. The destination is indicated by a red flag; you can set it with a dot on the map or by entering a specific address in the search bar. The downside is that the free version of the application allows you to download only 10 maps.

The free version works without interruptions and guides the user through 2D maps. All downloaded maps are updated at least once a month. The downside is the lack of voice prompts and limited access to 3D maps. These options are only available in the paid version of the application.

Benefits of using 3G GPS in a car

Calculate average fuel consumption and calculate the cost of the distance traveled.
Checks the accuracy of the car's speedometer.
Will help you find a hotel, cafe or store with an ATM.
With it, you will be able to view the weather forecast or news via the Internet.
Check your email or social media page.
Play a game or watch a movie at the stop.
The battery capacity of a tablet computer is higher than that of navigators.

But most of the above is available by installing the appropriate programs and applications (software) on the device.

Disadvantages of using a tablet as a navigator in a car

To a greater extent, for tablets there is no panel mount, so you will have to figure it out yourself. The GPS module is powerful only on expensive models; the use of cheaper devices risks that the signal may periodically disappear (for large cities this may occur when driving through tunnels, bridges and overpasses).

Currently, Chinese manufacturers offer their customers a tablet with a TV tuner and a navigator, as well as a tablet navigator and a DVR. These devices, as a rule, belong to little-known manufacturers, but they differ from branded ones in their wide functionality. Their prices are naturally lower than those of well-known brands.

Attention! In the event of a breakdown or any malfunction, the user will have to resolve the issue of repair or return of funds by mailing the device at his own expense to the Middle Kingdom.

When purchasing a branded device, it is enough to contact a service center that repairs phones, laptops, navigators, tablets and other equipment.

Are you planning to go abroad on vacation or travel? Then you definitely need to take a navigator with you on the road so that you can use it to navigate unfamiliar places and know all the sights and interesting objects that are definitely worth visiting. And if you are going to use a smartphone or tablet with a GPS module as a navigator (by the way, not every tablet has such a module), then you need to think about what maps and what navigation program we will use abroad.

The thought immediately arises: what’s the matter, let’s download maps from the Internet. However, the price tag for cellular communications in roaming is such that you can be left without pants in a couple of days of travel. Therefore, it’s not worth loading cards so easily. What should we do then? The answer is obvious - use the program and maps for navigation, which can work without the Internet on. That is, the maps will already be loaded into your navigator and every time you use them they will simply launch offline.

So, what are the general options for navigation programs for Android devices? In fact, there are a great many of them, both paid and free.

Google Maps

The most popular among users are still the beloved Yandex Maps and Google Maps. And if previously their work depended entirely on whether the Internet was working on a smart tablet or not, now they can run offline. This is the mode that is most suitable for a traveler. However, you will still have to download the maps in advance. Or, as an option, go to a cafe that gives out free Wi-Fi and, while you drink coffee, download a map of the city you need. This is what my friends did when they traveled around Germany. And of course, for Europe Google maps will be more preferable.

How to download a map of the region or city where you are going to go? For Google - go to Google Play, select Google maps and select the city-region whose map you are going to download. Next, there will be a point “make available offline” and voila - upload a map, which will subsequently be available without the Internet. Google has thus taken care of those users who need navigation, but for a number of reasons (for example, they are in the metro, where cellular reception is poor) cannot use the Internet. You can now load up to six different areas in Google Maps. Convenient and functional. Downloaded, used, deleted. They downloaded another city again. And this way you can download maps constantly while you travel. The most important thing is to use free Wi-Fi, and do not spend money from your cellular operator account. In Europe there is free Wi-Fi on every corner))

There may be either an inscription like this or an icon like this.

By downloading offline maps, using the GPS receiver built into your smartphone or tablet, you can find out where you are and where you need to go next. This is what Google Maps is like now.

Yandex Navigator

What about Yandex Maps?

Yandex does not lag behind its competitors and has also developed a similar feature. Here, as in Google maps, you can select a city and download its map. Next, you will be able to use city maps without an Internet connection. The only difference is that sometimes you need to load an entire area for Google, the size of the maps can be quite large and it will take you a long time to download them. And for Yandex you can select a city.

Navitel Navigator and CityCuide

In addition to free versions of programs for Android, there are also paid ones.
The most famous are, of course, Navitel Navigator and CityGuide. There are now also versions for Android, but the number of devices running the Android operating system is growing by leaps and bounds. It is very convenient to use - select the city-region you are interested in and buy its maps (offered package), then download and launch. Needless to say, paid programs are paid because they are very good and easy to use. It’s not even worth comparing with free ones in terms of “coolness”. Such maps have everything a traveler needs and the navigator shows not only the map, but also important and interesting places, the so-called POIs. If you used, for example, Yandex Navigator and the CityCuide program, you probably felt the difference.

Each traveler decides for himself which navigation programs to use (paid or free). So now you know that there are many navigator options for your Android gadget that will work without an Internet connection, which means you will save money on roaming. To do this, you just need to download offline map options for navigation. Either free and put up with some inconveniences, or paid and enjoy the excellent functionality of a program designed specifically for navigation. The choice is yours.

Top 5 best navigators for Android

We can highlight the top 5 best navigators for Android that work without an Internet connection. The review will help you choose the best device and not get into trouble. Most often, Google Navigator is initially installed on the Android system, but it leaves much to be desired, since its performance without a WI-FI network is extremely low.

Navigator Maveric PRO

Maveric PRO is a navigator for Android that can be used anywhere in the world. It is also perfect for hiking due to the track recording function provided by the developers. When you first launch the application, it is possible to download Google maps using a WI-FI network; also, when connected to the Internet, visible maps are saved to the device’s cache automatically. The features of this device are as follows:

Automatic map caching.
Built-in on-board computer system.
There is support for a barometer sensor.
It is possible to notify other device users about your current location.

In addition, it is possible to save visited places on the device's Flash memory.

Mapfactor is completely different from others in that it is completely free. This navigator contains various maps:

free Open Street Maps;
paid Tom-Tom.

The user can choose the type of cards independently. Of course, cards like Tom-Tom have a number of advantages over their free counterpart. All free features of the navigator are downloaded upon first login with an active connection to the WI-FI network. The device offers three navigation modes:

bike mode;
walking mode;
car mode.

The Mapfactor gadget has a number of features and advantages:

Voice prompts in Russian;
There are two modes (2D and 3D);
A day and night interface that will help your eyes not get tired and feel comfortable.

The map is scaled depending on the direction of movement.

Sygic GPS Navigator

Sygic GPS navigator is an application for real car enthusiasts. The data that this gadget provides is presented in great detail, which guarantees comfortable and uninterrupted work with it. The program uses Tom-Tom maps, which improves the clarity of the transmitted data. The following features of this navigator can be noted:

Data about road accidents or repair work is transmitted in real time.
There are voice prompts about this or that obstacle (road signs, speed bumps, pedestrian crossings, high-speed cameras, and so on).

Determining the location of friends is carried out using the geolocation function.

Navitel navigator for Android without the Internet is one of the best solutions from domestic developers; it is a gadget that works best without the Internet. It is perfect for a weak smartphone. The main features are its practicality; you can use it even in the smallest settlements.

Navitel for Android contains optimized maps of all Russia and other countries. The main difference between the device and others is the voice prompts. That is, while driving, the driver will always be notified of the following events:

traffic congestion;
cameras;
speed limits.

This navigator is ideal for relaxation and travel and will provide comfort and peace of mind in the family.

Navigator Yandex Navigator

GPS "Yandex Navigator" is an application from the well-known search engine "Yandex.ru". The search is well carried out using key phrases or names of organizations, which can undoubtedly be noted as a plus of this application. There are also icons for quick search by category. The program can simultaneously perform the following functions:

lay out several routes;
calculate the distance of each route;
calculate travel time.

This application will help you choose the most optimal route. You can also choose different types of maps, there are day and night navigation modes. Important points can be saved to the device's Flash memory. Yandex Navigator can rightfully be called the best offline navigator for Android without the Internet.

Google Navigator

Of course, the Google gadget could have been mentioned in the top. But, according to many users, it requires significant improvement, and at the moment it is very inconvenient to use. But Google is trying hard to improve the quality of this navigator.