One of the most frustrating things in the world is getting stuck in traffic. Wouldn’t it help to know the high traffic areas in advance so you may take a different route? Thanks to technology, we have traffic apps for that. They help you out in planning your daily commute in real-time and in advance.
Traffic apps give real-time travel updates and alternate route suggestions. Downloading one of these apps on your Android phone will save you from so much fuss.
While reading a blog on “how to build a mortgage staffing agency”, I saw an ad about a traffic app. This encouraged me to explore the best traffic apps out there. Some are free others have paid add-ons. Find out which one works for you from the list below:
1: Google Maps
The first name that pops to the mind when it comes to traffic is Google Maps. We all know it has a live traffic info feature built into the navigation function.
This app provides real-time traffic as well as navigation info so that you always know what lies ahead. It also continues to update you about traffic conditions and offers automatic rerouting because of accidents, road conditions, or traffic.
Google Maps is a good traffic app but it tends to crash or shut down without warning. Sometimes, its route option does not work either.
2: Waze
It’s a popular free traffic app that provides real-time traffic info, letting you skip all trouble spots. Users are drawn to this app because of its social sharing function. Your friends and family will always know where you are.
Waze updates you about accidents, construction, traffic, and police information you are planning to head out. It also provides the estimated time of arrival. The app learns about your frequently used destinations and routes.
Watch out, this app is likely going to annoy you with its notifications and drain your battery. Since it’s free, be prepared to see ads while using the app. Its Bluetooth voice command feature isn’t reliable either.
3: Sygic
This app includes typical navigation features like turn-by-turn directions and search functions. You can also buy add-ons to make it more functional. The base app is free though. Sygic also lets you download maps offline.
The additional features are pricey so buy them only if you want to use them. It covers a global user base so you can use it outside the USA for navigation purposes as well. If you have bought a monthly subscription to premium features, know that they renew automatically.
4: Here WeGo
This is a go-to app for city navigation. It lets you get access to maps offline. Other than this, you can count on this app for receiving public transit info, live traffic, fare info, and recommendations for taking a cab or bus. Here WeGo covers up to 1300 cities.
You can download the maps offline and know where you are even if you have run out of mobile data. With the information provided by this app, you can easily choose the shortest distances or fastest routes to your destination. An added perk of this app is it provides public transport info including fares.
5: Traffic Spotter
This navigation app combines weather and traffic info. It will give you traffic updates and weather info based on your location as well as the destination you are headed towards.
It also reports traffic, accidents, and road conditions. Being a user, you can also report the road condition based on the weather. With the weather station and weather radar, the Traffic Spotter will let you see how the weather could affect your trip.
One drawback of this app is that it sometimes asks to access your phone’s gallery and other data.
6: MapQuest
This 90s program has progressed and it can provide you traffic updates in the current century as well. MapQuest is a turn-by-turn navigation app with some notable features. It provides you access to traffic cameras so that you can see the road conditions in real-time.
You will be able to take alternative routes based on the traffic conditions. Its map is not as great as Google maps. Since it keeps on tracking your location, this could take a toll on your phone’s battery.