13 Navigation Apps That Actually Work Offline

Getting stuck without a signal is a rite of passage for travelers—whether you’re road-tripping into the mountains or roaming a foreign city with spotty coverage. The good news: a growing number of navigation apps do more than show a blank grid when the bars disappear. They cache full map data, calculate routes on-device, and search for addresses and points of interest without touching the internet. Below, you’ll find a clear breakdown of what “offline” actually covers, how to pick the right tool, and 13 navigation apps that deliver when you’re disconnected.

What “offline” really means

Offline can mean different things depending on the app. Some store only map tiles, so you can see the roads but not get directions. Others include routing engines and searchable places, giving you turn-by-turn guidance with voice prompts. A few go further and pack in speed limits, lane guidance, topographic layers, or even backcountry trail networks. Here’s the quick spectrum:

• Maps only: You can pan and zoom but won’t get dynamic routing.

• Maps + routing: Full turn-by-turn navigation, often with lane guidance and speed limit info.

• Maps + routing + search: Find addresses, businesses, and categories without data.

• Extras: Offline hillshades, contour lines, hiking/biking trails, or preloaded transit lines.

Traffic, live road closures, EV charging availability, and satellite imagery downloads are the usual online-only or premium features. If you need those, plan to download what you can in advance and accept that some live data won’t be there offline.

How to choose the right offline app

• Coverage and detail: Does it have your region and the features you need (city streets, rural tracks, topo lines)?

• Storage size: Country maps can range from a few hundred MB to several GB. Check available space before traveling.

• Routing types: Driving is widely supported; walking and cycling are hit-or-miss; transit offline is rare.

• Search quality: Some apps do true offline search for addresses and businesses; others only search saved places.

• Update cadence: Weekly or monthly map updates keep things accurate, especially after road changes.

• Vehicle profiles: RVs, trucks, and motorcycles benefit from apps that support vehicle dimensions and road restrictions.

• Battery and performance: Vector maps with efficient rendering and dark mode help on long trips.

• Privacy: Some apps log less data and avoid trackers—useful for privacy-conscious travelers.

1. Google Maps (Android, iOS) — the easy default

Google Maps lets you download large regions, then navigate them without a data connection. It’s ideal for cities and well-traveled areas, with reliable address search and solid voice guidance. The trade-off: offline mode is focused on driving, and features like traffic, lane-by-lane updates, alternative routes based on congestion, and business hours won’t load while offline.

• Offline strengths: Big area downloads, reliable road navigation, decent on-device address and POI search.

• Platforms: Android, iOS (works with CarPlay and Android Auto).

• Cost: Free.

• Map source: Google’s proprietary maps; downloads expire unless you enable auto-update over Wi‑Fi.

• Best for: Quick insurance when you’ll be out of coverage but don’t need advanced features.

• Watchouts: Driving directions only offline; no transit, cycling, or walking routes; saved areas can be large.

2. Apple Maps (iOS) — native and polished

Offline maps in Apple Maps (iOS 17+) are clean, fast, and integrated across the system. You can save regions, search addresses and POIs, and navigate with voice guidance for driving, walking, and cycling. Traffic, EV charging availability, and realtime closures need a connection, but the base offline experience is smooth.

• Offline strengths: Full-system integration, on-device search, lane guidance, walking and cycling support.

• Platforms: iOS, iPadOS, watchOS; CarPlay ready.

• Cost: Free.

• Map source: Apple Maps vector data; selective region downloads keep storage reasonable.

• Best for: iPhone users who want a simple, privacy-conscious offline navigator.

• Watchouts: No offline transit schedules; fewer niche routing options than specialized apps.

3. HERE WeGo (Android, iOS) — the offline veteran

HERE built its reputation on car navigation with robust offline support. You download country or state maps, then get on-device routing, voice guidance, lane assistance, and speed limit alerts. It’s fast, accurate, and great for driving, with better-than-average offline search.

• Offline strengths: Countrywide downloads, strong address search, lane guidance, reliable routing.

• Platforms: Android, iOS; works with CarPlay and Android Auto.

• Cost: Free with optional upgrades.

• Map source: HERE’s own maps; frequent updates.

• Best for: International road trips and folks who want a Google/Apple alternative.

• Watchouts: Transit routing and schedules typically require a connection; cycling support is basic.

4. Sygic GPS Navigation (Android, iOS) — premium TomTom maps

Sygic is a polished, paid navigator tuned for offline use. It stores TomTom maps on your device, offers lane guidance, speed camera alerts, and voice navigation with clear visuals. It’s one of the strongest options for offline driving in unfamiliar places, including tourist mode maps and head-up display features.

• Offline strengths: High-quality TomTom data, rich guidance, on-device search.

• Platforms: Android, iOS; CarPlay and Android Auto supported.

• Cost: Paid (trial available); extra features like dashcam or head-up display cost more.

• Map source: TomTom maps updated several times a year.

• Best for: Drivers who want premium routing and visuals without relying on data.

• Watchouts: Live traffic and fuel prices need connectivity; interface has many paid add-ons.

5. TomTom GO Navigation (Android, iOS) — weekly map updates

TomTom’s own app delivers crisp visuals and accurate routing with offline-first design. Maps download by country or region and receive frequent updates. The offline experience includes lane guidance, speed limits, and address search; live traffic and speed camera alerts come online when you reconnect.

• Offline strengths: Stable car navigation, frequent map updates, excellent lane guidance.

• Platforms: Android, iOS; CarPlay and Android Auto.

• Cost: Subscription; free trial available.

• Map source: TomTom’s latest maps.

• Best for: Frequent drivers who value reliable ETAs and polished guidance.

• Watchouts: Subscription model; some features locked without data.

6. Maps.me (Android, iOS) — lightweight and global

Maps.me uses crowd-sourced OpenStreetMap (OSM) data, which shines for hiking trails, smaller roads, and emerging areas. It’s easy to grab regions, navigate offline, and search for essentials like ATMs, cafes, and landmarks. It’s quick, free, and covers the globe surprisingly well.

• Offline strengths: Worldwide OSM coverage, quick downloads, offline search and bookmarks.

• Platforms: Android, iOS.

• Cost: Free (ads and optional premium).

• Map source: OpenStreetMap; community-driven updates.

• Best for: Budget travelers, backpackers, and anyone who needs reliable maps beyond big cities.

• Watchouts: Occasional POI inaccuracies; fewer driving niceties like lane guidance; ads in free tier.

7. Organic Maps (Android, iOS) — privacy-first OSM

Born from the Maps.me codebase, Organic Maps strips out trackers and ads, aiming for speed, privacy, and better hiking/cycling data. It’s lean, open-source, and fully offline-capable with address and POI search. The map style is readable and fast even on older phones.

• Offline strengths: No ads, efficient rendering, excellent for trails and backroads.

• Platforms: Android, iOS.

• Cost: Free (donation-supported).

• Map source: OpenStreetMap; curated for clarity and performance.

• Best for: Travelers who value privacy and efficient offline use, hikers and cyclists.

• Watchouts: No live traffic, limited driving extras, and fewer polish touches than commercial apps.

8. OsmAnd (Android, iOS) — the power user’s toolkit

OsmAnd is the Swiss Army knife of offline mapping. You can load contour lines, hillshades, nautical charts, ski maps, and granular routing profiles for car, bike, foot, or even offroad. It supports GPX tracks, recorded routes, and highly customizable map styles. The learning curve is real, but so is the capability.

• Offline strengths: Deep customization, true offline search, multi-layer maps, great for backcountry.

• Platforms: Android, iOS; Android Auto support; limited CarPlay support in paid versions.

• Cost: Free tier with map download limits; paid “+” unlocks more maps and features.

• Map source: OpenStreetMap plus optional plugins (contours, hillshade).

• Best for: Hikers, cycle-tourers, overlanders, and tech-savvy travelers.

• Watchouts: Interface complexity; initial setup takes time; more manual than mainstream apps.

9. Gaia GPS (Android, iOS) — backcountry and topo specialist

Gaia GPS is built for offroad navigation, not city driving. Download high-resolution topo maps, satellite imagery (with a subscription), and specialty layers for public land boundaries, trails, and slopes. Plan routes, record tracks, and navigate without a signal in the wilderness.

• Offline strengths: Excellent topo layers, route recording, reliable offline caching.

• Platforms: Android, iOS; Apple Watch companion.

• Cost: Free basic maps; Premium unlocks many map sources and layers.

• Map source: Variety of topo/satellite providers; big downloads for imagery.

• Best for: Hikers, backpackers, hunters, overlanders.

• Watchouts: Not designed for turn-by-turn city driving; satellite downloads are storage-heavy.

10. Komoot (Android, iOS, Web) — cycling and hiking routes offline

Komoot shines when you want curated routes with surface and elevation detail. Plan a tour on the web, then save it for offline voice-guided navigation that favors cycle paths, gravel, or hiking trails. Community highlights help you discover scenic segments and viewpoints.

• Offline strengths: Tour-based navigation with voice prompts, surfaces, and elevation profiles.

• Platforms: Android, iOS; watch apps for Apple Watch and Garmin.

• Cost: Buy single regions or go Premium for global offline maps and extras.

• Map source: OSM-based with Komoot’s routing intelligence.

• Best for: Cyclists and hikers who want purposeful routes, not just point-to-point.

• Watchouts: Car navigation is rudimentary; best when you pre-plan tours.

11. CoPilot GPS (Android, iOS) — truck/RV-friendly offline routing

CoPilot has long catered to drivers who need reliable, on-device maps with vehicle-specific routing. You can set dimensions and weight for RVs or trucks to avoid restricted roads and low bridges. The interface isn’t flashy, but it’s dependable and frequently used by professional drivers.

• Offline strengths: Vehicle profiles, lane guidance, on-device rerouting, address search.

• Platforms: Android, iOS; CarPlay and Android Auto.

• Cost: Paid tiers for car, RV, and truck; free trial.

• Map source: Commercial data providers (varies by region).

• Best for: RVers, delivery drivers, and anyone needing restriction-aware routing.

• Watchouts: Interface feels dated; some features locked behind higher tiers.

12. Guru Maps (Android, iOS) — fast, beautiful vector maps

Formerly Galileo Pro, Guru Maps is all about smooth offline performance, clean vector design, and powerful GPX handling. It’s great for road trips and scenic drives where you want to record tracks, add waypoints, and browse OSM-based maps at speed.

• Offline strengths: Lightning-fast rendering, offline search, GPX imports/exports.

• Platforms: Android, iOS; CarPlay support in Pro.

• Cost: Free basic; Pro unlocks advanced features like CarPlay and unlimited waypoints.

• Map source: OpenStreetMap; also supports custom MBTiles.

• Best for: Road trippers, moto riders, and map nerds who value speed and design.

• Watchouts: No live traffic, fewer driving-specific cues than TomTom/Sygic.

13. MapFactor Navigator (Android, iOS) — free OSM with optional TomTom

MapFactor gives you a straightforward offline navigator with a choice: free OSM maps or paid TomTom data for higher accuracy. Turn-by-turn directions, speed limits, and routing are all on-device. It’s a practical pick if you want full offline features without a subscription.

• Offline strengths: Complete offline routing, address search, multiple map sources.

• Platforms: Android, iOS; Android Auto support.

• Cost: Free with OSM; paid TomTom maps available.

• Map source: OpenStreetMap by default; TomTom as an upgrade.

• Best for: Budget-minded drivers who still want reliable offline navigation.

• Watchouts: Interface quirks; OSM quality can vary in rural areas.

Choosing the right one for your trip

• City breaks with limited data: Google Maps or Apple Maps for convenience; HERE WeGo if you want stronger offline search and routing across borders.

• International road trips: HERE WeGo, TomTom GO, or Sygic for map accuracy, lane guidance, and country-level downloads.

• Hiking and backcountry: OsmAnd or Gaia GPS for topo layers; Organic Maps or Maps.me for lighter, free trail coverage; Komoot for planned tours.

• RVs and trucks: CoPilot for vehicle-aware routing; MapFactor with TomTom maps as a budget alternative.

• Privacy-first users: Organic Maps or OsmAnd, both with offline search and minimal tracking.

• Map enthusiasts: Guru Maps for speed, caching, and GPX tools.

Pro tips for going offline the right way

• Download early over Wi‑Fi: Grab maps, voices, and updates a few days before leaving. Some apps (Google) set expirations—enable auto-update.

• Take more than you think you need: Map borders can be fuzzy. Include neighboring regions to avoid hitting a map edge mid-route.

• Pack voices and languages: If you switch languages or want a specific voice pack, make it available offline.

• Test a mock route: Switch to airplane mode and run a short route at home. Check if search, rerouting, and voice prompts still work.

• Cache extras: For topo apps, pre-download contour layers and any satellite imagery you’ll rely on. These can be several GB.

• Manage storage: Delete old countries/regions you won’t use. Most apps let you see map sizes before download.

• Bring power: Offline GPS is power-hungry. A car charger or battery pack beats sweating the last 5%.

• Save key places: Drop pins or save favorites (hotel, trailhead, gas station) so you can navigate without typing.

• Know offline limits: Traffic, incident reports, and dynamic ETAs usually need data. If safety depends on conditions, plan alternatives.

Final thoughts

Offline navigation has matured from “just in case” to “no-brainer travel prep.” Whether you want dead-simple city driving, lane-level guidance across borders, or topo-heavy trail maps with zero signal, there’s an app tailored to the job. Pick one that matches your mode—car, bike, feet, or RV—download your regions, and take five minutes to test everything with your phone in airplane mode. That tiny bit of preparation turns no-signal zones from stressful to straightforward.