I’ve made no secret of my love for Google Maps over the years, as it has been a regular source of inspiration and provided reliable support on my many adventures. Whether it’s finding a decent restaurant or rerouting me through traffic hotspots, it’s been a constant companion that simply could not be beat—or so I thought.
Having recently tried and been impressed by the privacy-focused Magic Earth, another platform called Sygic came on my radar, and it’s unlike any other digital mapping service. After using the app for a couple of long road trips and in city traffic, I am won over by how capable—and in some ways superior—it is, compared to Google’s flagship competitor.
Offline maps that actually work
Download entire countries or regions for full navigation without a data connection
Sygic’s most outstanding feature is its offline maps. During setup, I downloaded the map for my entire country, which is powered by TomTom mapping data, directly to my device. There is also the option to select other countries or specific regions as required. Once installed, Sygic can calculate routes, reroute me, and show me points of interest, all without using mobile data.
As someone who travels frequently on adventure tours, often in remote areas with spotty or nonexistent data coverage, this is a real game-changer. Of course, Google Maps also offers decent offline maps. However, I find Sygic’s maps to be more comprehensive, they don’t expire, and are more feature-rich.
Sygic’s offline mapping was recently put to the test on a ride to the Mindoro interior — a remote island notorious for patchy service — and Sygic guided me flawlessly. Upon switching to Google Maps, I experienced a few instances in the southern quarter where my guidance stopped altogether, while the cursor spiraled over a fixed point.
A smarter, safer driving experience
Real-time speed limit warnings, lane guidance, and dashcam features
There are some features that I didn’t realize Google Maps was missing, and where Sygic also shines. It helps you drive safer and smarter, with a speed limit assistant that displays the current speed limit at all times and warns me if I exceed it. This is all the more critical today, when surveillance cameras can flag even minor incursions with costly results.
Then there’s the lane guidance system, which clearly indicates which lane I need to be in before an upcoming exit or junction, saving me from making last-minute swerves. This is a point where Google Maps is clearly inferior, with its understated lane arrows that are barely noticeable at a glance.
I also liked Sygic’s built-in dashcam mode, which turns my phone’s camera into a forward-facing recorder that automatically saves video in case of an accident. It’s a cool feature, which, combined with the HUD (heads-up display) mode that projects essential information onto the windshield, suggests this app is built for serious drivers.
Intuitive interface and customization
Clean visuals, multiple route preferences, and adjustable map views
While I’ve never had any complaints about Google Maps’ interface, preferring it over its chief competitor, Waze, it is pretty rigid when it comes to customization. Sygic, on the other hand, is fully customizable, allowing you to alter map colors, switch units, and tweak the information that you want to see on the screen.
You can set preferences such as “avoid toll roads” or “prefer main roads,” and Sygic will remember your settings. It also presents multiple route options simultaneously, allowing you to choose the fastest, most scenic, or most fuel-efficient option.
I also love Sygic’s fresh aesthetics. Like Magic Earth, it features a three-dimensional interface, contrasting with Google Maps’ relatively flat layout, which includes 3D landmarks and terrain renderings for enhanced route visualization. I also appreciate the clean typography and color palette, which is easy to read at a glance.
Where Sygic falls short
Live traffic data and business listings aren’t as detailed as Google’s
Of course, there are trade-offs when comparing a relatively unknown app with the powerhouse software that comes pre-installed on every Android phone and is available for download on every mobile device.
The most notable disappointment is Sygic’s live traffic data, which is available through a premium subscription. Not only is this not free, but it is nowhere near as accurate as Google Maps, which gleans real-time location data from billions of Android users.
Business listings are also a little hit or miss. Google is integrated with a massive, regularly updated database that features everything from niche coffee shops and backstreet mechanics to landmarks and places of significant interest. Sygic’s listings feel a little sparse and often outdated, making them suitable only for casual reference at a glance, rather than, for example, when exploring a city on foot.
Perhaps most crucially, most of Sygic’s best features, including traffic, voice navigation, and the dashcam, are only available through a paid subscription. I do believe it’s a good value at just $19.99 per year, but it’ll be tough to persuade folks to leave Google Maps’ tried-and-true, free platform.
A hidden gem that’s worth trying
Sygic isn’t trying to clone Google Maps, and this is a large part of its appeal. If you rely heavily on restaurant reviews, user recommendations, live transit data, the Timeline feature, etc., then you will miss out on those perks. However, all these require access to your data, which raises concerns about privacy within the broader Google ecosystem.
Instead, Sygic is more control-focused, and if you value reliability without dependence on mobile data, then you may find it to be a revelation. I will likely use it concurrently with Google Maps, specifically for downloading offline maps, as a backup in case my connection drops. However, I also prefer the uncluttered interface that is easier to read at a glance and in direct sunlight.
After just over a week of trials, Sygic has earned a permanent place on my home screen. It may be the Google Maps rival that nobody is talking about right now, but for anyone who favors reliability over features, it should undoubtedly be part of the conversation.