Waze vs. Google Maps: I compared the two best navigation apps, and there's a clear winner

Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.

ZDNET's key takeaways

• Waze is great for fast reroutes and real-time driver alerts.
• Google Maps has deep Gemini integeration for smarter navigation.
• Both apps keep improving, but which one is truly the best?

A quick Google search will surface article after article claiming that Waze is far better than Google Maps. But is that actually true? I'm a longtime Google Maps (and Google Earth) user. I swear by the app, and I regularly side-eye anyone who says otherwise (especially, god forbid, Apple Maps users.

Also: Google just gave Android users several compelling reasons to stay (including this scam tool)

I'm also a tech editor, though, which means I do my best to set aside personal bias in the name of journalism. Every now and then, I force myself to try alternative navigation apps ...