Uber vs Google Maps
When comparing Uber vs Google Maps, the Slant community recommends Google Maps for most people. In the question“What are the most useful Android phone apps?” Google Maps is ranked 18th while Uber is ranked 40th. The most important reason people chose Google Maps is:
You can download offline data per city or parts of cities if you live in an especially large city, but not for states or countries. Points of Interests are generally more relevant & current than the typical stand alone GPS unit.
Specs
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro Choice of 5 basic services
UberX and UberXL are the cheapest services where driver's use their own cars. Can seat 4 or 6 people respectively.
UberBlack and UberSUV are premium services with licensed drivers and cars. Can seat 4 or 6 people respectively.
UberTaxi is a service that requests a taxi via the app.
Pro Good user interface
First time starting the app requires creating an account, confirming phone number, and adding billing info.
Each time the app is started a map is presented that allows setting a pickup location. Choice of service at the bottom. Estimated pickup time. Once that's done the app asks to confirm billing information.
Pro Carpooling service can save up to 40%
Pro Drivers are vetted rigorously
Pro Can play music in any music-enabled Uber via Spotify
Pro Insured under required commercial livery/taxi license
Pro Generally professional drivers
Uber drivers have excellent street knowledge and well dressed (there's suggested attire for drivers).
Pro Offline functionality
You can download offline data per city or parts of cities if you live in an especially large city, but not for states or countries. Points of Interests are generally more relevant & current than the typical stand alone GPS unit.
Pro Best execution of save location feature
Recent updates have made it so you can label a place instead of being stuck with some address or GPS coordinate and forgetting what it represents. Saved places show as stars and are all on one layer as long as you're logged in. There is also the ability to create maps (parallel to groups) for things you might not want to see or have show up all the time whenever you're using google maps from day to day.
This feature is highly helpful for planning, even if you're a person who likes to wing it.
Pro Find your parked car
You save the location of your car and easily find it again
Pro Accurate mapping
Pro Updated constantly
Nearby my house, there is major road construction in progress. Apple maps didn’t show this at all, but google maps did. There was also a new, small road that was finished around 3 days ago. Google maps shows this road. Apple maps still hasn’t shown the major construction.
Pro Most ubiquitous third party app integration
Asides from the stock Apple Maps app, Google Maps is the most commonly supported 3rd party map. 3rd party apps often have links for directions, Google Maps is usually an option whereas other 3rd party GPS apps are not.
Pro Navigation background change based on ambient light
This is great for night driving or even when going through tunnels as the map will be more visible for low light situations.
Pro Secondary routing
Google Maps can now search for and add a route for a second location on the way to the primary location that you are going to and have already routed. Note that it cannot do a third or true multi routing like the desktop webapp can.
Cons
Con Highly questionable business practices
Uber often takes part in ethically questionable business practices such as purposefully sabotaging competitors by ordering and canceling rides in bulk, pushing questionable auto loans to drivers, selectively spying on customers and ignoring regulations.
Con High surge pricing
During busy hours, Uber raises prices drastically. On holidays, it isn't uncommon for 10 minute rides to cost around $150 USD. An increase of up to 800%. Also, Uber doesn't pro-actively notify users of surge pricing.
Con No plan-ahead for commuters
Cannot plan trip ahead based on commuter lane.
Con Not very precise traffic information
Depending on a country information might not be very accurate for traffic.
Con Sometimes takes too long to load
Con Saved locations needs online connection and has no visible label
Two negatives about this feature is you have to be online to be able to save a place, but it is stored off line once google map gets on the net and syncs. The other negative is there is no visible label for saved places, you have to click on stars to see the label for them.
Con Maps saved offline can easily wipe your bandwidth cap via auto update
Google Maps offline maps update automatically in the background. Not a problem if you're using a sim card in your phone, but if you connect to a pre-paid hotspot that the phone recognizes and connects to as a wifi device you risk burning through your data allotment. The offline maps can be set to update manually, but this is not default behavior.