Waze review

Waze is second because it is the most driver-focused app on the list. Waze describes itself as a live map built on the local knowledge of tens of millions of drivers, who report accidents, construction, objects on the road, potholes, police and speed traps as they drive. The app turns those reports into alerts and reroutes you around trouble. The listing also documents multi-lane guidance, speed limit warnings with a speedometer, toll pricing with an avoid-tolls option, and gas prices, EV charging and parking prices near your destination. You can play audio apps inside Waze and use it on a car display through Apple CarPlay. It holds a 4.8 rating from 3.2 million ratings on the US App Store and shows 500M+ downloads on Google Play. It is built around driving, is rated 16+ on the US App Store, and does not document offline maps. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not drive test routes.

Who it is for

Daily commuters who want the earliest warning of hazards, police and speed cameras.

Price

Free; no in-app purchases listed on the US App Store.

Avoid traffic, police, hazards Free
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 10, 2026.

Key features

• Live traffic updates and automatic rerouting
• Safety alerts for crashes, construction, potholes, emergency vehicles and more
• Police and red light and speed camera locations
• Toll pricing with an option to avoid tolls
• Gas prices, EV charging and parking prices along the route

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Hazard reports come from other drivers in real time
• Strength: Speed limit changes and speedometer on screen
• Strength: Music, podcasts and audiobooks inside the app
• Weakness: Rated 16+ on the US App Store
• Weakness: The listing documents driving features only
• Weakness: Offline use is not documented on the listing

Key facts

• App Store rating: 4.8 from 3.2M ratings
• Google Play downloads: 500M+
• Age rating: 16+
• Requires: iOS 18.0 or later
• App size: 235.7 MB

Where it ranks

Waze is No. 2 in our Best Free GPS Navigation Apps verdict.