When comparing MapFactor vs Google Maps, the Slant community recommends MapFactor for most people. In the question“What are the best GPS navigation apps for Android?” MapFactor is ranked 7th while Google Maps is ranked 9th.
Specs
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro Free
Pro Allows selecting fastest, shortest, or cheapest route
The app offers calculating route by shortest travel time, shortest travel distance or lowest gas cost.
Pro Can be used offline
From the app's settings at the bottom of the screen there's a section that allows downloading new and deleting no longer necessary maps. You can choose between free Open Street Maps or slightly more accurate and feature-rich TomTom maps. Downloading maps locally isgreat for situations when the signal is unreliable or when abroad, since you can use the app without having to consider roaming charges.
Pro Can be installed on an SD card
In addition to installing the app on the device's internal memory, MapFactor can also be installed on an external memory storage device such as an SD card.
Pro Clean, customizable UI
Pro Offers choice between using free Open Street Maps or paid TomTom maps
Pro Day and night switching
Pro 2D and 3D modes
Pro Turn-by-turn voice navigation is available in multiple languages
Pro Searches by address, POI, coordinates and via Google search (allows voice)
Pro Allows recording and replaying travel
MapFactor allows recording travel and replaying back the route later. It also allows exchanging recorded routes with other MapFactor users.
Pro Dedicated routing options for trucks
In truck mode, that requires paid TomTom maps, if you input vehicle's properties such as max speed, height, length, weight, weight per axle, etc, it will take those restrictions into consideration when planning a route.
Pro Has internet based live traffic option
For 9€/year
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 High battery use
Con Ads
Con Pinch to zoom needs calibrating
Con Lacks alternative routing options
Con Truck mode is not useful without paid TomTom maps
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.