Traveling internationally? Driving on country roads where cellular service is nonexistent? These three GPS navigation apps offer downloadable, offline maps so you can navigate without an Internet connection and reduce data use. A few years ago, only a few GPS navigation apps for smartphones (and GPS-capable tablets) let you download and save maps, instead of downloading as you needed them. Today, dozen of these apps exist. That’s great news, because downloadable maps work without an Internet connection, and they’re ideal for driving through areas with spotty or non-existent cellular coverage. Downloadable maps can also significantly reduce data use and roaming charges when you travel internationally. These three popular mobile GPS apps all offer offline maps. Sygic and offline maps Average Google Play rating for Android app: 4.3 stars Average Apple App Store rating for iOS app (all versions): 4 stars Average Windows Phone Store rating: 3.6 stars Sygic claims to be “the world’s most installed offline navigation app,” and it has downloadable 3D maps that span the globe. The app is free, and you can download offline maps for more than 100 countries at no charge. Some features, however, are restricted to Lifetime Premium subscribers, including turn-by-turn navigation. You also need a Lifetime Premium license to receive map updates, and the costs vary. For example, the “World” license, which maps nearly the entire globe, is currently on sale for $38, down from the normal price of $125. Maps.me and offline maps Average Google Play rating for Android app: 4.4 stars Average Apple App Store rating for iOS app (all versions): 4.5 stars Maps.me is one of several apps that receive map data from the open-source OpenStreetMap (OSM), a kind of Wikipedia for maps. The app is free, as are the maps you download, but it lacks some basic features of other GPS apps, such as voice-guided navigation and real-time traffic. It also works on Apple Watch. Navmii (formerly NavFree) and offline maps Average Google Play rating for Android app: 4 stars Average Apple App Store rating for iOS app (all versions): 4.5 stars, USA app Average BlackBerry World store rating: 4 stars Average Windows Phone Store rating: 3 stars Navmii, which claims to be the first free iOS navigation app, also gets its data from the OSM. The app offers free, real-time traffic and road data (though you need an Internet connection to receive it in real time), along with voice-guided directions and other features. The apps are free but include ads, which you can get rid of for $2. Other paid upgrades add voices from celebrities, including Snoop Dogg and Homer Simpson. Each of these apps is worth a download, but if you still seek additional GPS navigation software with downloadable maps, consider CoPilot Premium, Here, OsmAnd, and Navigon. Google Maps also lets you save selected map areas to your mobile device. Related content opinion Website spoofing: risks, threats, and mitigation strategies for CIOs In this article, we take a look at how CIOs can tackle website spoofing attacks and the best ways to prevent them. By Yash Mehta Dec 01, 2023 5 mins CIO Cyberattacks Security brandpost Sponsored by Catchpoint Systems Inc. Gain full visibility across the Internet Stack with IPM (Internet Performance Monitoring) Today’s IT systems have more points of failure than ever before. Internet Performance Monitoring provides visibility over external networks and services to mitigate outages. By Neal Weinberg Dec 01, 2023 3 mins IT Operations brandpost Sponsored by Zscaler How customers can save money during periods of economic uncertainty Now is the time to overcome the challenges of perimeter-based architectures and reduce costs with zero trust. By Zscaler Dec 01, 2023 4 mins Security feature LexisNexis rises to the generative AI challenge With generative AI, the legal information services giant faces its most formidable disruptor yet. That’s why CTO Jeff Reihl is embracing and enhancing the technology swiftly to keep in front of the competition. By Paula Rooney Dec 01, 2023 6 mins Generative AI Digital Transformation Cloud Computing Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe