Comparison

Waymo vs The Nod

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Waymo

Request autonomous rides in select territories with a fully electric fleet. Customize your journey with temperature and music controls, and enjoy a safe, reliable, and eco-friendly transportation experience.

Highlights
  • Request autonomous rides
  • Ride scheduling
  • Customize ride temperature and music
  • Easy door unlock via Bluetooth
  • Share trip status
  • Multi-stop trips
  • All-electric fleet
Features
Read full description

Get there with The World’s Most Experienced Driver™ Waymo is on a mission to be the world’s most trusted driver, making it safer, more accessible, and more sustainable to get around—without the need for anyone in the driver’s seat. REQUEST AUTONOMOUS RIDES Ready to ride in any of our existing territories? Download the Waymo app and enter your destination to request your first ride. HOW IT WORKS Once requested, the Waymo car will pick you up from your current location; all you have to do is hop in, sit back, and buckle up. To begin your trip, tap “Start Ride” on the in-car passenger screen where you can also see what the Waymo Driver sees and contact Rider Support at any time. DESIGNED WITH YOU IN MIND Waymo offers the freedom of having a car to yourself without the stress of driving or parking. Day or night, you can request fully autonomous rides that are safe, clean, reliable, and customizable. Whether it’s picking the perfect temperature or streaming your favorite playlists, each ride empowers you to make it your own. MEET THE WORLD’S MOST EXPERIENCED DRIVER™ Waymo is The World’s Most Experienced Driver™ with millions of miles of experience and a proven safety track record. Every car in our all-electric fleet is operated by the Waymo Driver, an autonomous driving technology built with safety at heart. Its real-time visibility gives the Waymo Driver the capability to navigate and adapt with ease. Supported by a multilayered suite of sensors—including cameras, radar, and lidar—our systems maintain a constant 360°-view of the car’s surroundings ensuring road safety for all. YOUR RIDE, EVERY TIME. EXPLORE FEATURES Ride scheduling • Set pick up times up to one hour in advance and we’ll be there to get you. Pick the perfect vibe • Adjust temperature and select tunes all through the Waymo app or in-car screen display. Easy door unlock • Only you can unlock your ride—use Bluetooth to unlock your ride automatically as soon as you’re near. Adjust settings via the My Car Tab in the Waymo app. Share your trip • Share live arrival times with friends and family while en route. Trunk space • Store your belongings with ample trunk space. Upon exiting the car, the trunk will automatically open to ensure nothing’s left behind. Multi-stop • Add multiple destinations to your ride anytime—up to 4 per trip. Or, pull over any time with the tap of a button using the Waymo app or in-car screen. Eco-friendly • Do right by the planet when you ride with our all-electric fleet. The Waymo app is available for download in: • Australia • Canada • France • Germany • Great Britain (UK) • India • Italy • Japan • Mexico • New Zealand • Poland • Singapore • United States of America

About

The Nod

Save, organize, and share your trusted travel and dining recommendations with friends. Discover new places through your network and access booking links for your next adventure. Earn rewards for sharing your favorite spots.

Highlights
  • Save and organize travel/dining recommendations
  • Add photos and notes to recommendations
  • Track global footprint on personalized maps
  • Share recommendations with friends
  • Discover places from friends and creators
  • Access direct booking and reservation links
Features
Read full description

The Nod helps you save and share your most trusted travel and dining recommendations with friends and followers. Save and organize your recs in one place: Add photos, notes, and track your global footprint on personalized maps. Can’t remember the name of that incredible restaurant from your last trip? Upload photos, lists, or map links and let The Nod help you organize your recs. Influence where others go next: Share your profile and favorite places using unique links just like you share your favorite products. The more you share, the more Pin Points you collect. Discover where your friends and favorite creators are going: Explore standout destinations around the world or uncover hidden gems close to home. When you're ready to visit, access direct booking and reservation links. No ratings or negative reviews – Love it? Give it The Nod.

Screenshots

Waymo4 screens
The Nod4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is monetization model: The Nod at free against Waymo's free with in-app purchases. The Nod also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 83%) and update cadence (every 6 days vs fortnightly). Waymo's advantage is ratings volume (253K vs 5) and chart position (#4 vs unranked). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Waymo against 5.0 for The Nod. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Waymo has 253K ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 83% of Waymo's written reviews are positive against 100% of The Nod's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Waymo ships an update fortnightly, The Nod every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Waymo versus The Nod: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterWaymoThe Nod
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (253K ratings)5.0 (5 ratings)
Positive reviews83.1% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings253K — better5
Update frequencyFortnightlyEvery 6 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
Best chart rank#4 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS18.014.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size176 MB17 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperWaymo LLCThe Nod Collective, Inc.

Customer experience

Waymo

All ratings253,066 ratings
Positive99.4%
Neutral0.2%
Negative0.4%
Written reviews2,185 reviews
Positive83.1%
Neutral1.5%
Negative15.4%

The Nod

All ratings5 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Waymo

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • App login issues
  • Unreliable ride booking and cancellation
  • Unexpected route changes during rides

Requested features

4 requests
  • Expand service area to more cities
  • Improve pickup/drop-off locations
  • Add Bluetooth connectivity for personal music
  • Provide option to contact support during rides

The Nod

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Waymo

No in-app purchases

None

The Nod

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Waymo free?
Waymo is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is The Nod free?
The Nod is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Waymo or The Nod?
Waymo and The Nod are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 253K and 5 ratings respectively.
Do Waymo or The Nod have ads?
Neither Waymo nor The Nod shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Waymo or The Nod?
Waymo ships an update fortnightly, and The Nod every 6 days. Most recently, Waymo was updated on October 3, 2026 and The Nod on October 1, 2026.

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