Comparison chart by Matthew Morley (MaFt), Mike Alder, Darren Griffin & Mike Barrett
When OS3.0 was released for the iPhone back in 2009 Turn by Turn Navigation apps were finally allowed by Apple's sometimes very restrictive rules. Since then, a steady stream of navigation apps have been appearing in the AppStore but with no demo's or 'lite' versions it is rather difficult for users to make decisions about which to buy. In an aid to help iPhone users in their quest PocketGPSWorld.com have put together this comparison chart highlighting the main features of each app that is currently available. As new apps are released we aim to keep this as up to date as possible.
- This is a 'live' document, regularly updated with the latest information and updates.
- The table shows the features of the latest/current version of the app. If you seem to have features missing on your iPhone then make sure you have the latest update from the AppStore.
|
Navigon |
Garmin |
iGO Primo |
Co-Pilot |
Maps |
TomTom |
G-Map USA |
NAVV (formerly NDrive) |
CoPilot Live Premium |
Navmii |
Magellan RoadMate 2010 |
Nav4D |
Sygic Navigation |
GPS Navigation 2 (formerly Skobbler) |
Icon |
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iPhone 3G / 3GS / 4 / 4S |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes
(ONLY works on iPhone 4) |
Yes |
Yes |
iPad 3G |
Yes (Universal) |
No |
Yes (Universal) |
Yes
(Separate app) |
Yes |
Yes (Universal) |
No |
No |
Yes
(Separate app) |
Yes
(UK version only, separate app) |
|
No |
Yes (Universal) |
Yes (Universal) |
iPod Touch / iPhone Classic |
Yes (with appropriate GPS accessory) |
No |
No |
No |
Yes (no GPS for location) |
Yes (with car kit) |
No |
No |
No |
Yes (with G-Fi GPS Unit) |
Yes (with car kit) |
No |
Yes (with appropriate GPS accessory) |
|
Current Version |
2.1 |
2.0 |
2.3.2 |
8.2.0.1177 |
N/A |
1.10 (one point ten) |
1.0.1 |
11.4.04 |
9.1.0.350 |
1.9.6 |
2.2.1 |
3.0.0 |
12.1 |
4.0.3 |
Price (£GBP) |
£20.99 - £79.99 dependent on region / maps.
|
£27.99 - £39.99 dependent on region / maps.
|
£137.49 - £69.99 dependent on region / maps. |
£17.99 - £49.99 dependent on region / maps. |
Free |
£34.99 - £79.99 dependent on region / maps. |
£14.99 |
£7.99 - £49.99 dependent on region / maps. |
£13.99 - £39.99 |
£2.99 - £22.99 |
£27.99 - £34.99 |
£1.99 - £34.99 dependent on region / maps.
Monthly use fees then apply (In-app purchase) |
£10.49 - £44.99 dependent on region / maps. |
£1.49 |
App Size |
Regional: 100 - 600MB
Continent: 1.4 - 1.7GB |
Regional: 804MB
Continent: 1.2 - 1.8GB |
Continent: 212MB - 1.4GB |
Regional: 160 - 400MB
Continent: 1.1 - 1.7GB |
N/A |
Regional: 150 - 450MB
Continent: 1.2 - 1.9GB |
950MB |
Regional: 100 - 480MB
Continent: 1.5 - 2.0GB |
200MB - 1.8GB |
100MB - 313MB |
1.5GB |
60mb - 400mb |
200mb - 1.7gb |
12.4mb |
Main Map Provider |
NavTeq |
NavTeq |
NavTeq |
NavTeq
(ALK Maps in USA) |
Various (Google Maps) |
TeleAtlas / TomTom |
NavTeq |
NavTeq |
NavTeq |
TeleAtlas / TomTom |
NavTeq |
NavTeq |
TeleAtlas / TomTom |
Open Street Map |
Map Version |
© 2011 |
2012.10 |
[unsure] |
2009 ? (not clear!) |
N/A |
[unsure] |
2009 v1.3.1 |
[unsure] |
[unsure] |
Not published |
|
2010 |
[unsure] |
N/A |
Map Type |
Onboard
(see AppStore for available regions) |
Onboard
(see AppStore for available regions)
|
Onboard
(see AppStore for available regions) |
Onboard
(see AppStore for available regions) |
Offboard
(worldwide maps) with some caching |
Onboard
(see AppStore for available regions) |
Onboard
(see AppStore for available regions) |
Onboard
(see AppStore for available regions) |
Onboard
(see AppStore for available regions) |
Onboard
(see AppStore for available regions) |
Onboard
(see AppStore for available regions) |
Onboard
(see AppStore for available regions) |
Onboard
(see AppStore for available regions) |
Offboard
(worldwide maps)
Onboard maps available as in-app purchases |
Map Updates |
Updated May 2011
Since v2.0 mapupdates are now an in-app purchase |
Updated December 2011 |
Free quarterly
Last updated April 2012 |
Unknown |
Whenever Google update! |
Free quarterly |
Unknown |
In-app purchase (£10.99) |
Unknown |
Free for the first 12 months ? |
Unknown |
Unknown |
Updated January 2011 |
OSM - daily updates |
|
Navigon |
|
iGO Primo |
Co-Pilot |
Maps |
TomTom |
G-Map USA |
NAVV (formerly NDrive) |
CoPilot Live Premium |
Navmii |
Magellan RoadMate 2010 |
Nav4D |
Sygic Navigation |
GPS Navigation 2 (formerly Skobbler) |
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Spoken Directions |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Text to Speech (TTS) |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes (£2.99 in-app purchase (lifetime))
FREE in USA version ? |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes (in-app purchase £3.99) |
|
Limited to 'A' and 'M' road numbers. |
Yes |
|
Limited to road numbers. |
No |
Mute / Pause / Lower Music for directions and alerts |
Yes (2 modes: AudioBook (fades to pause), Music (lowers volume but keeps playing) |
Yes
Lowers volume during speech |
Yes
Pauses music for directions |
Yes
Lowers volume during speech |
N/A |
Yes
Lowers volume during speech |
Yes |
Yes
Lowers volume during speech |
|
Yes
Pauses then restarts Yes
Pauses then restarts Yes
Lowers volume during speechYes
Pauses then restarts |
Yes
Pauses then restarts Yes
Pauses then restarts Yes
Yes
Pauses then restarts |
Yes
Pauses then restarts Yes
Pauses then restarts
Yes
Pauses then restarts |
Yes
Lowers volume during speech |
Yes
Pauses then retarts |
2D View |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
3D View |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes (adjust viewing angle from 2D to get 3D) |
|
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Turn by Turn List |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Yes (Road Book) |
|
Yes |
|
Yes (strangely called 'Book') |
Yes |
No |
3D Landmarks |
No
but 3D Terrain available as in-app purchase |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
|
Yes |
Yes |
Yes (in-app purchases) |
Yes (Terrain & buildings available as in-app purchase) |
No |
Points of Interest (POI) |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes (Google Search) |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Call POI |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
No |
Yes |
Yes (but misses the '0' from area code) |
Yes |
No |
Show Road Speed |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes (only if speeding) |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
|
Yes(only if speeding) |
|
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Overspeed Warning |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
|
Yes (visual only) |
Yes (only when navigating) |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Road Sign Display |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes (reality view for some highways) |
Yes |
|
No |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
No |
Lane Assistant |
Yes (active / animated) |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
|
Yes |
Yes |
|
Yes |
|
Yes |
No |
Custom POI |
No |
No |
No |
Yes (requires 3rd party software) |
No |
Yes (requires 3rd party software) |
No |
No |
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No |
Yes |
No |
Custom POI Alerts |
No |
No |
No |
YesYes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
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No |
Yes |
No |
Speed Cameras |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
No |
Yes(in-app purchase) |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes (In-App purchase) |
|
No |
Yes (SCDB) |
No |
User can install PGPSW Speed Cameras |
No |
No |
No |
Yes (requires 3rd party software) |
No |
Yes (requires 3rd party software) No warnings |
No |
No |
|
No |
|
No |
Yes |
No |
Add / Remove Favourites |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
7-Digit Postcode Search (UK) |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
N/A |
Yes |
|
Yes |
N/A |
No |
Yes |
No (limited to OSM functions)No (limited to OSM functions) |
Live Search |
Yes (Google) |
Yes (Google) |
Yes |
Yes (Google) |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes
(Google) |
Yes (Google Search)Yes
(Google) |
Yes
(Google & Bing) |
Yes (Google) |
No |
Yes
(Google)
|
No |
QWERTY Keyboard |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Navigate to Contact |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
No |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Navigate to Photo |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
No |
|
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
Itinerary / Waypoints |
Yes |
Yes |
One single via |
Yes |
No |
One single via |
Yes |
Yes |
|
No |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
No |
Avoid Roads / Detour |
Yes |
Yes
Detour |
No |
Yes
Avoid Roads |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
No |
|
|
Yes
Detour |
No |
iCloud Backup for Favourites / Settings |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Yes
|
No |
|
Navigon |
|
iGO Primo |
Co-Pilot |
Maps |
TomTom |
G-Map USA |
NAVV (formerly NDrive) |
CoPilot Live Premium |
Navmii |
Magellan RoadMate 2010 |
Nav4D |
Sygic Navigation |
GPS Navigation 2 (formerly Skobbler) |
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Vehicle Types (for routing) |
(5)
Car / Motorbike Lorry / Bicycle / Pedestrian |
None |
(6)
Car / Pedestrian / Bicycle / Emergency / Bus / Taxi |
(5)
Automobile / RV (Motor Home) / Motorbike / Bicycle / Walking |
(3)
Car / Transit / Walking |
(3)
Car / Walking / Bicycle |
(2)
Car / Truck |
None |
|
None |
(2)
Car / Pedestrian |
(3)
Car / Pedestrian / Truck |
(2)
Car / Pedestrian |
None |
Route Types |
(4)
Fast / Optimum / Short / Scenic |
(3)
Faster / Shorter / Off-Road |
(4)
Fast / Short / Green / Easy |
User Definable |
None |
(7)
Fastest /
Shortest /
EcoRoute / Avoid / Motorway / Walking /
Bicycle / Limited Speed |
(2)
Fastest / Shortest |
(4)
Shortest / Fastest / Adventure / Pedestrian |
|
(2)
Fastest /
Shortest |
(2)
Fastest /
Shortest |
(3)
Fastest / Cheapest / Shortest |
(3)
Fastest / Shortest / Economic |
(2)
Fastest / Shortest |
Route Options |
Motorways / Toll Roads / Ferries / Resident Only Streets
|
Avoid: U-Turns / Motorways / Toll Roads / Traffic / Ferries / Car Share Lanes / Unpaved Roads |
Unpaved Roads / Ferries / Per Use Toll / Period Charge / Motorways |
Tolls / Ferries / Scenic / Congestion Zones |
(3)
Car
Bus
Pedestrian |
(5)
Toll Road
Ferry Crossing
HOV Lanes
Unpaved roads
IQ Routes (on/ off) |
(6 Avoid Options)
U-Turn
Toll Roads
Highway
Carpool Lane
Ferry Route
Unpaved Road |
Tolls / Traffic |
|
Warn if Toll Road |
Most Use of Highways / Least Use of Highways |
Motorways / Tolls |
Toll Roads |
None |
Traffic |
Yes (In-App purchase £17.49 for lifetime) |
Yes (In-App purchase of Traffic Live - with photos) |
Yes |
Yes (£19.99 in-app purchase (12months) with fuel) |
Yes |
Yes
(£3.99/mth, £26.99/yr)
|
Yes (in-app purchase) |
Yes (in-app purchase) |
Yes (in-app purchase) |
No |
Yes |
No |
Yes (purchase via website) |
No |
Live Fuel Prices |
No |
No |
No |
Yes (£19.99 in-app purchase (12months) with traffic) |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Configurable Map Colours |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Night Mode |
Yes (Auto) |
Yes (Auto) |
Yes (Auto) |
Yes(Auto) |
No |
Yes (Auto) |
Yes |
Yes (Auto) |
Yes (Auto) |
Yes (Auto) |
Yes (Auto) |
Yes (Auto) |
Yes (Auto) |
Yes (Auto) |
Configurable Pointer |
No |
Yes |
Yes
(but only day/night available for menu and map) |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
No |
|
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
iOS3 - Relaunch Remembers Destination |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Yes |
Yes |
|
Yes |
Yes |
iOS4 - FastApp Switching |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
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|
|
Yes |
|
Yes |
Yes |
iOS4 - Background Directions |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes (with option for 'pop up' message) |
N/A |
Yes |
|
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|
|
Yes |
|
Yes |
Yes |
Auto Portrait / Landscape |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No Landscape View |
Yes |
No Landscape View
Coming soon |
Yes |
|
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
iPhone Gestures (i.e. does it FEEL like a native iPhone app) |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Some |
Yes |
Yes |
Uses iPhone UI for everything except map |
Yes |
|
Yes |
Yes |
Some |
Yes |
Yes |
iPod Control |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
|
Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
Yes |
Other Features |
Email current location / destination.
Post location to Twitter / Facebook
Custom URL Scheme allows websites/3rd party apps to set destination in app.
Pedestrian Mode uses built-in compass.
Weather at destination.
Parking nearby destination.
MyReport allows user to submit map corrections
MyMaps - only store the maps you need - frees up space |
Share locatios via Facebook / SMS
Weather - 5 day forecasts
|
Where am I.
Help nearby.
Share to Facebook
|
Live link (buddy tracking and messaging).
Weather.
Road side assist.
Custom routing profiles.
App is now superceded. Existing users can get all features of CoPilot GPS for free by entering their CoPilot ID in the new app.
|
Uses built-in compass. |
IQ Routes-II
TomTom Car kit
Share location via email, Facebook, Twitter
Can buy voices as In-App purchase. |
|
Choose which POIs to display on map
Auto zoom
Disclaimer nag screen can be turned off. |
Twitter & Facebook status updates |
Rotate map in 2D mode
Driver safety mode
Auto-zoom at junction |
Find my Car |
Facebook integration |
Live weather, friend tracking etc
Facebook integration.
Turn after next turn indicator.
Set your own spoken warnings. |
Submit OSM Map amend-ments |
Quirks / Tips |
|
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Turn off the annoying beeps on every button press at 'Settings > Sound and Warnings > Key Sounds' |
Go to 'Settings > Show more options' to all options.
Create custom routing profile for more accurate routes and times. |
Double tap location icon to activate compass |
Can use custom Navigation voices if Jailbroken |
|
Custom map colour themes can be created if jailbroken (simply edit xml files). |
|
During navigation tap the top left arrow to view Driver safety mode.
Very talkative in built up areas! |
|
Tricky to use, menu system is not logical. |
|
|
Pros |
Best adaptation of iPhone gestures / menus
Very high quality TTS |
|
Free map updates.
Has the smoothest portrait-landscape transition |
Price / value for money.
Loads of voices available. |
Integrated in iPhone software |
Easy to use interface
IQ Routes
HD Traffic |
Easy to use
Clear map
Superb vocal quality
Regular updates / new features |
Loads of regions / maps available. |
|
Fast and easy to use interface.
Very clear mapping |
|
None |
Very smooth animation even on iPhone 3G.
Universal app. |
3D view looks very good |
Cons |
Lack of POI warnings.
|
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Default routing profile leads to poor routes and innacurate times.
Regular updates often change features and/or add new bugs. |
Very limited functions.
Offboard maps requires constant data connection.
|
No custom POI support other than view on map
No custom POI warnings
HD Traffic 'single day' option has been removed. |
No speed warnings
Occasional odd routes
Nag screen on every load
|
It was NDrive which was taken out of AppStore due to persistant problems... |
|
No TTS
No Lane Guidance
No navigate to contacts
Lack of waypoints. |
|
Not user-friendly at all.
Postcode search doesn't seem to function.
Call POI doesn't work as the '0' is missed from dialling code.
Generally poor!
Subscription service for navigation! |
Limited routing options. |
Offboard maps requires constant data connection.
Not all areas are fully mapped.
Lack of POIs |
Posted by bedbug on Mon Aug 10, 2009 10:33 pm
