UI Design
Both Here Maps and Google Maps offer almost the same options. You can select from alternative routes, avail voice navigation and more. Of the two Here maps offer a more refreshed design, which might be because we have been using Google Maps for years now and only major UI overhaul came with Material design update. Google Maps offer more options from settings menu too. Besides, there are other handy options like avoid highways, avoid tolls, etc which can be helpful at times.
Recommended: Beta Version of Nokia HERE for Android Finds Place on Google Play Store
Zoom Level and Information
In this segment, Google Maps benefit from years of experience. You will find more places listed with more details. Here Maps aren’t that densely populated. Besides, if you zoom in, HERE Maps seem to miss several landmarks in our testing, which makes them a tad bit confusing to follow. This is a huge drawback.
For now Here maps do list all major landmarks, and even several minor ones but zoom experience feels much more clear on Google Maps. Here Maps on the other hand allow you to see Interior View of some important buildings. You can check shops in a mall, floor by floor, which is really cool.
Efficiency
Both Google Maps and Here Maps seem to efficiently draw routes between all major locations, but if you are navigating in small suburbs, Google Maps seem to know better and delivered a more consistent performance in our testing. While navigating to a bank few blocks away, Here maps offered several routes which didn’t make much sense. Google maps lead in this area too.
Google is also offering lane navigation guidance in major cities, which we find very useful in cities like New Delhi with complex road networks.
Offline Navigation
This is a big advantage for here maps. In India, Cellular Data connection can be a huge pain when you are roaming to distant places. If you are using network from other cellular provider, data cost can be sky high and sip you call balance in no time. This is where Here maps have an undisputed advantage.
You can download maps offline based on state, country or continent and use them to navigate offline. This way you don’t have to keep your data and location on the whole time and save precious battery juice while travelling. This is reason enough to keep Here Maps on your phone alongside Google Maps.
Recommended: Top 5 Offline Maps apps for navigation on Android Smartphone
Conclusion
Google Maps have still emerged as clear winners in our books. Here maps are just not there yet. Besides, Google Maps benefit from integration with Google search and other services (You can even call Uber cabs directly from Maps). Here maps shine in offline navigation, which is a very significant advantage, if with time Here maps improves on the rest, they can very well be a viable challenger to Google Maps.
