Organic Maps

Site Development Tool Suggestions
22

I’m using OsmAnd for car navigation (~300 km routes) regularly without issues. The only real downside is not having real time traffic info which I don’t care about that much (I’m not driving dozens of kms detours to avoid a jam anyway).

3 Likes
23

So, what’s the conclusion for this thread?

24

It seems sane to use it. I think OP is requesting a recommendation page for it.

This is the only mapping app I use these days, but this is only because not needing rerouting as a result of the roads in my locality functionally not having any alternative routes. It is prettt bare bones but gets the job done.

If you want more features, OSMAnd seem to be the way to go.

25

Im surprised there is no maps page. Organic maps is dam well good as open street maps is always being updated in some way.

not sure if here maps could be added as its not google maps. but that may need further looking into

26

I still use Google Maps unfortunately (incognito). Traffic data is too indispensable to me. I tried Organic Maps just out of curiosity and its the best non google (or Waze, owned by Google) one IMO. I tried OsmAnd and Here and redownloaded Google Maps in the end.

27

Yes.

No problem with that.

did you try Magic Earth ? Does anyone how well their traffic feature works ?

28

I’ll try this week and get back to you.

1 Like
29

I think OP or someone else should take time to build the page recommendation on Github, cause I am not sure anyone on Team has interest in this.

30

So I’ve been trying it for a week now. Running both google maps and Magic Earth at the same time. Traffic estimates have been wild.

For 6 runs, here are the results:

  • 1st run: 45minutes run. I followed Magic Earth route. Magic Earth was stating I would arrive in 38 minutes while Google was stating 46 minutes. Google was more accurate.
  • 2nd run: 22 minutes run. I followed Magic Earth route. Magic Earth was stating I would arrive in 22 minutes while Google was stating 31 minutes. This time Magic Earth was super accurate. Note that here, Google was suggesting to go a complete different route. This one was weird to me.
  • 3rd run: 62 minutes run. I followed Google route because I knew the route Magic Earth was suggesting was bad. Magic Earth was stating I would arrive in 72 minutes while Google was stating 64 minutes.
  • 4th run: 74 minutes run. I followed Google route because I knew the route Magic Earth was suggesting was bad. Magic Earth was stating I would arrive in 92 minutes while Google was stating 75 minutes. Google did suggest to go through the service road to avoid some traffic on the highway and it worked well.
  • 5th run: 53 minutes run. I followed Google route because I knew the route Magic Earth was suggesting was bad. Magic Earth was stating I would arrive in 59minutes while Google was stating 51 minutes.
  • 6th run: 64 minutes run. I followed Google route because I knew the route Magic Earth was suggesting was bad. Magic Earth was stating I would arrive in 96 minutes while Google was stating 66 minutes.

The 2nd run seems like an outlier and Google’s traffic data seem much better. I’m surprised by the immense difference between the two. I deleted Magic Earth.

31

I can vouch for this. I do use it alongside GMapsWV but aside from that navigation and it’s FOSS nature is actually really great. It does well for it’s purpose and it has Android Auto support if you so use it!

32

I’m really surprised, what country did you use Magic Earth in to get such results? I showed it to a hundred people around me and they replaced GMaps and Apple Plan with Magic Earth because it’s so relevant in France. The big plus is also the speed camera warning, a function that’s not available on GMaps in France.
Magic Earth’s biggest flaw is that it doesn’t know when roads are closed and they force you to take them, GMaps knows this and adapts as necessary.

33

More general discussion to add maps and navigation apps:

Relevant pull request:

1 Like
34

It’s available in GMaps in other countries because of waze.

I’d be the first to cheer for a Gmaps alternative, but all the ones I tried so far have failed (mostly because of traffic data).

35

if you want traffic data thats what gmaps and waze are for, personally I would just use them in the web app if I need to check that…

2 Likes
36
Off Topic rant

There would be no need for traffic data if people would choose a bus, train, trolleybus, etc., over driving a car. Some could even get away with walking or riding on a bike.

I know that there are some people who really need a car, but the majority don’t need it and are just full of excuses.

37
Response of off-topic rant

I agree with you honestly, however especially with my country public transport here is just not good, my country is so car oriented lately. Like me taking public transport could be something that takes normally in a car like 15 minutes or something, to varying from 40 minutes to 1 hour, and as far as I can tell, nothing is being done to improve it, the country of mine is still becoming more car oriented especially with the new roads being built it enforces that sentiment. It’s a bummer.

1 Like
38

I’m in favor of adding organic maps if the rest of the @team are in agreement.

7 Likes
39

Some places makes it quite difficult for those that don’t have a car. There is a reason for the Americans to get their driver licenses at their sixteens. Many areas are basically not projected for public transportation. It is quite messed up.

4 Likes
40

Do we already have OsmAnd? I tried Organic Maps and for me OsmAnd is just better. I got the OsmAnd+ and configured it to my like, which requires quite some effort but once done it is better than Organic Maps imho.

1 Like
41

Both are in the navigation PR but only see a discussion for organic maps.

2 Likes