Waze vs. Google Maps: Which navigation app is 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. 

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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 -- and that includes Waze, which, in case you didn't know, Google acquired in 2013.

So, if you're looking for a true feature-by-feature breakdown of how Waze compares to Google Maps, you've come to the right place. I've tried both, and I ...