The One App You Need for Every Road Trip
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The Price
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Community-Edited Maps
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Find Cheaper Gas
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Real-Time Traffic and Road Information
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Voice Navigation
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Customize Your Route
This driving app is so popular that Google bought it for over $1 billion (yes, that's billion with a "b"). So what makes
Waze
so amazing that almost 50 million people use it? Its community aspect—users report traffic jams, accidents, and police speed traps, so you'll always get real-time information on what's ahead. Here's why you need to download
Waze
before you embark on any road trip:
It's totally free—you won't have to pay extra to get any of the features. (And no, Waze isn't paying us to write this article either, we just really love using it.)
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Waze is like Wikipedia for maps—community editors are constantly updating the app's maps, so hopefully you'll never run into a dead end or closed street again.
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Users update fuel prices in real time at gas stations, so you'll be able to see exactly where you should fill up for the cheapest tank.
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Waze uses data from people who are driving with the app open, as well as user-reports, to alert you to traffic jams or road hazards. The app will also automatically reroute you if there's a major delay up ahead and a faster route is available. It can also alert you to speed traps lurking up the road.
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The app uses turn-by-turn voice navigation so you won't have to take your eyes off the road to check directions. To make your ride even more fun, you can turn on special voice packs and have a celebrity (like Arnold Schwarzenegger) guide you to your destination. (Our favorite: the "boy band" setting, which sings your directions.)
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