This Is the Best Ad-Free Alternative to Apple Maps.
This week, Apple Maps officially launched ads in search . This wasn’t a surprise: back in October, we learned that Apple planned to implement ads at some point. Still, it’s a bit surprising to see Apple actually follow through with this plan. Currently, most popular navigation apps contain ads, making it difficult, but not impossible, to use the app without ads.
How Apple Maps Ads Work
Once ads appear in your app, you’ll start seeing them when searching for new destinations. This applies to both the new “Recommended Places” section and search results. As with other platforms where sponsored content appears at the top of search results, you’ll likely need to be a little more careful, as the first option may not be the most relevant to your search.
Moreover, there’s no way to disable these ads. There are ad blockers for the iPhone , but they’re limited and don’t block Apple’s own ads . So, ads in the company’s own navigation app don’t seem typical of Apple—especially if you already pay Apple money every month. While Apple Maps doesn’t have a paid subscription, Apple offers a variety of paid services. As YouTuber Quinn Nelson points out , some users pay $50 a month for Apple One and still have to deal with ads in Apple Maps. Of course, it’s the same story with Google Maps: Google’s famous navigation app also features mandatory ads, regardless of whether you subscribe to any of Google’s services. Apple believes its approach is better than competitors like Google, as the company insists that its ads protect your privacy. But even if that’s true, I’m not sure it will be able to convince users of its new approach.
Organic Maps is an ad-free alternative to Apple Maps and Google Maps.
Finding a worthy alternative to Apple Maps or Google Maps is difficult. This includes Waze, which is also owned by Google and also contains ads. However, there is one worthy – albeit relatively little-known – option for those for whom ad-free navigation is paramount.
Organic Maps is a free, open-source app that prioritizes privacy when navigating. According to the developer, the app works completely offline and doesn’t track user activity. (How cool is that!) So, you can download maps, turn off cellular data, and still navigate—of course, you can also use it while connected. The app supports a number of features found on other more common platforms, including cycling and walking directions, turn-by-turn directions, public transit maps, and a dark mode.
The Organic Maps app uses OpenStreetMap to provide navigation data. OpenStreetMap’s advantage is that it’s open source, allowing users worldwide to contribute their own data. However, it’s arguably not as reliable as Apple’s map data, let alone Google’s long-standing database. However, users in the App Store generally leave positive reviews, suggesting that OpenStreetMap data is a viable alternative to Apple Maps. However, if you’re used to checking restaurant reviews or using Street View, you’ll miss it. While Organic Maps does have a search feature, it’s inferior to other platforms. This is definitely an app focused primarily on navigation, not a complete replacement for Apple Maps or Google Maps. Still, if you’re looking for an ad-free alternative, there are few better options available at this time.