# what3words: Navigation & Maps — user reviews > 829 indexed App Store user reviews of what3words by what3words Ltd., rated 4.80/5 from 43,899 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/what3words-navigation-and-maps/id657878530/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/what3words-navigation-and-maps/id657878530.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 37,511 · 4★ 4,335 · 3★ 1,357 · 2★ 254 · 1★ 442 ## What do users think of what3words? Overall sentiment: positive **Pros** - 🚀 Accurate location tracking - 👍 Easy to use - 🚑 Potentially life-saving in emergencies - 🗺️ Precise location sharing - 🤝 Helpful for meeting up with friends/family - 💻 Works offline with GPS - 🌍 Global coverage **Cons** - 🐛 Inconsistent location accuracy - 🤔 Confusing/not well-explained - 📱 Requires data/cellular connectivity - 🗺️ Outdated map data - 🔍 Difficult to find/search saved locations - 🚫 Not supported by all emergency services **Commonly reported bugs** - Location changes unexpectedly - App crashes on launch - Unable to select country/language **Most requested features** - Add ability to sort/organize saved locations - Integrate with contacts/address book - Provide voice output for location names - Offer offline map downloads - Develop a version for seniors/accessibility - Integrate with popular navigation apps ## Newest reviews (12 of 829) ### 3/5 — What Three Actual? *2026-08-09, version 5.8.2* This is a vital app for first responders and others hiking through wilderness territory and now you have to pay for it? Shame on you! Get your income from advertising, not first aiders, Scouts and teachers! ### 1/5 — Doesn’t work *2026-08-08, version 5.8.2* I’m currently broken down have no way of giving an accurate location so decided to use this app it dose not give 3 words and you need the app to locate people no thanks ### 1/5 — Was a great app *2026-07-30, version 5.8.2* I used to use this for work with working for an emergency service, however since it is no longer compatible with my mapping systems without paying I have now deleted the app. What was a great app for use within first response now as much use a map book. Really disappointed ### 1/5 — Spam upon spam ads *2026-07-30, version 5.8.2* I just want to use the app, don’t push your millions of pop ups to pay for things ### 1/5 — Can’t open app anymore *2026-07-23, version 5.8.2* I’m not sure what has happened, but the app and website crash immediately. ### 1/5 — Pay wall *2026-07-20, version 5.8.2* Oh dear, how to take a universally brilliant idea for safety and accuracy and ruin it by making it a subscription app. I remember when it was first marketed and it was on TV and was for so many wonderful reasons, could be used by the emergency services etc. Now it’s ’just another app’. Will be using google maps in future. What a shame. ### 1/5 — Pro mode is a con *2026-07-20, version 5.8.2* Pay £3.50 for pro mode. And it uses Apple Maps anyway which you already have on an iPhone. Will never install or pay for this app again. ### 4/5 — Great app! *2026-07-16, version 5.8.2* But how do EMS know whether I’m upstairs or down? ### 1/5 — Deceptively charged me 30 pounds *2026-07-16, version 5.8.2* So apparently I signed on for some membership just to link google maps for navigation and it’s just swiped 30 quid from my account. I used this for work so I am essentially being charged for doing my job properly. You guys ought to be ashamed of yourself, I was struggling as is and thats a ridiculous price for a rather benign service. Thanks. ### 2/5 — Confused *2026-07-14, version 5.8.2* All it does is ask what language I use and that’s it! Am I missing something? ### 1/5 — Dubois adds *2026-07-13, version 5.8.2* This needs investigation. Potentially banning from App Store. Dodgy ads looking for payments and not responding to cancels, straight to Apple pay….. ### 1/5 — Ruined *2026-07-10, version 5.8.2* Wish I hadn’t updated the app. Was great… now I’ll just not bother with it. Annoying adverts, can’t use Google navigation, can’t save any more favourites. Utterly wrecked. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Used to be great *2026-08-26, version 5.10.0* I understand the need for profitability but I feel the app is unusable now without a subscription. The ads are overly intrusive and simple features like saving multiple locations are now behind a paywall. ### 1/5 — Useless in a city *2026-08-23, version 5.9.0* Why is this app even a thing? ### 1/5 — Not paying *2026-08-23, version 5.9.0* Used to be free this app cheeky sods I’m not paying ### 1/5 — Was good but now? *2026-08-22, version 5.9.0* It’s has turned into a data grab and ad fest. Well done there company, you are ruining your product and so alienating your users. App deleted. ### 1/5 — Used to be great *2026-08-18, version 5.9.0* This used to be a great app when you could choose your navigation, but the most popular ones are now hidden behind a paywall, and Apple Maps is frequently off line in remote areas. Maybe allow a single choice for navigation, to be helpful to people ### 1/5 — Terrible subscription based slop *2026-08-16, version 5.8.2* Took away the freedom of using either google maps or Apple Maps. Greed took over and now needs subscriptions. Awful app ### 1/5 — Hard to tell *2026-08-15, version 5.8.2* It's hard to rate an app when it's so covered by ads you can't do anything with it. Yes I understand that it's to force you to pay to go ad free, but all it's doing is annoying me to the point of deleting it ### 1/5 — Obstructive and unsupportive *2026-08-14, version 5.8.2* Tried to upgrade to pro. Nope. Apparently I already have an account. Uh-huh, nope. No possibility of clearing it out. No forgot password button. No contact us button. Disappointing, I’ll be staying with the limited service in the free use version thanks very much. ### 1/5 — Fraud *2026-08-12, version 5.8.2* Downloaded the app, advised creating free account, next step tried taking £22+ from account. Thank you Barclays for declining. ### 1/5 — Disgusted *2026-08-11, version 5.8.2* Use this app regularly with Google maps and send locations to friends etc as it’s very good, I went to use it today only to find it need to pay £29 to use it with Google maps or Waze… absolutely disgusted at the greed that these companies resort to when they have a lot of users, surely money from advertising is enough. Anyway sadly cannot use anymore as I’m not going to pay £29 a year for the amount of times i actually use it. Very disappointed. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — So helpful at festival *2026-08-26, version 5.10.0* Saved hours looking for tent area ### 5/5 — The Nuts *2026-08-25, version 5.9.0* W3W is just amazing! Fabulous product and service. ### 5/5 — Life saver *2026-08-17, version 5.8.2* My buddy had a medical emergency while we were out trail riding on motorcycles. He was not able to continue and we had no idea where we had to stop. I used the what3words app and provided my location to emergency services and they knew exactly where we were. Highly recommend! ### 5/5 — Lifesaving, Literally *2026-08-09, version 5.8.2* Not an ad or bot for the record by the way, but literally saved my sisters life. Was out on an ATV on sand dunes national park and she crashed bad, was able to coordinate with dispatch immediately where she was, god bless this app. ### 5/5 — Good *2026-08-05, version 5.8.2* Good ### 5/5 — Imtiaz *2026-07-27, version 5.8.2* It’s the only way pinpointing works!! 🥰 ### 5/5 — Helped in an Emergency *2026-07-26, version 5.8.2* I broke down, had to call police as was unsafe, I couldn’t give directions and they couldn’t find me. I pulled up what 3 words and they were there within 3 minutes. Thankyou. ### 5/5 — What3words *2026-07-19, version 5.8.2* Brilliant ### 5/5 — Alwyn Roberts BEng Pdip Pcert *2026-07-09, version 5.8.2* Fantastic app keep up the good work👍 ### 5/5 — Spot on *2026-07-08, version 5.8.2* An excellent app. for identifying where you live. Don’t suffer delivery company excuses that they couldn’t find your address and waste your time arranging another delivery date. --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-30.*