Comparison

Google Maps vs Shell

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

Head to head
About

Google Maps

Navigate your world with real-time traffic, turn-by-turn directions for driving, walking, cycling, and public transport. Discover millions of businesses and places with photos and reviews. Plan trips with Street View, Immersive View, and offline maps.

Highlights
  • Real-time GPS navigation
  • Live traffic data
  • Public transport updates
  • Business and place discovery
  • Street View and Immersive View
  • Offline maps
  • User reviews and photos
Features
Read full description

Explore and navigate the world with confidence using Google Maps. Find the best routes with live traffic data and real-time GPS navigation for driving, walking, cycling, and public transport. Discover over 250 million businesses and places - from restaurants and shops to everyday essentials – with photos, reviews, and helpful information. Navigate the world, the way you want: • Get to where you need to go with fuel-efficient route options • Find the best route with real-time, turn-by-turn voice, and on screen navigation • Save time with automatic rerouting based on live traffic, incidents, and road closures • Catch the bus, train, and ride-share effortlessly, with real-time updates • Find bike or scooter rentals to get around more easily Plan trips and experiences effortlessly: • Preview an area before you go (e.g. parking, entrances) with Street View • Use Immersive View to experience what landmarks, parks and routes look like, and even check the weather so you can be ready in advance • Create custom lists of your favorite saved places and share with others • Order delivery and takeout, make reservations, and book hotels • Don't get lost with offline maps in an area with bad signal • Search for local places and things to do, and decide based on user reviews and photos Discover and explore like a local: • Explore with confidence knowing 500 million users contribute and keep the map up to date each year • Avoid the crowds by seeing how busy a place is before you get there • Use Lens in Maps to see walking directions overlaid on the real world • Filter restaurants by cuisine, hours, price, rating and more • Ask questions about a place, from dishes to parking, and get quick answers Some features not available in all countries or cities Navigation isn't intended to be used by oversized or emergency vehicles

About

Shell

This app helps you save money on fuel and EV charging. Join a rewards program to earn discounts, pay securely from your phone, and find nearby stations. It also allows you to manage EV charging sessions.

Highlights
  • Fuel Rewards savings program
  • Mobile payment for fuel
  • EV charging station locator
  • Find nearby Shell stations
  • View fuel pricing
  • Access loyalty transaction history
Currently charting
Read full description

The Shell App is designed to help you make the most of your stop! Shell® Fuel Rewards® Program •Join the Shell® Fuel Rewards® Program to save at the pump. See full Terms & Conditions for details. •Earn additional fuel savings by using mobile payment in the Shell App. •The more you fill, the more you save. Platinum Status members save 10c/gallon. •View and manage your rewards in the Shell® Fuel Rewards® Hub, and easily link your loyalty accounts for added savings. •Browse Fuel, In-store, Dining, Grocer, and Participating brand offers – all in one app. •As a new Shell® Fuel Rewards® Member, you'll save 10c/gal on your 1st fill, 20c/gal on your 2nd fill, and 30c/gal on your 3rd fill. •As a Shell® Fuel Rewards® Member, stack your loyalty savings with 4% back when you fill up or charge at Shell using the new Shell Performance Elite Credit Card. Fast, secure mobile payment •Easy, convenient payment from your phone—no need to swipe a credit card or enter your Fuel Rewards Alt ID. •Use mobile payment with your Shell branded credit card, Mobile Checking, Apple Pay, or directly add your credit/debit card: Visa, Mastercard, American Express or Discover. •Add or buy Shell eGift cards directly in the App. •View your receipts, rewards, and offers all in one place. Find a Shell station •Quickly locate nearby Shell stations, view fuel pricing and dining offers, and activate in-store offers. Charge your EV with Shell Recharge •Access 120,000+ charging points in the Shell Recharge roaming network across the U.S. •Find chargers, check availability, start/stop charging, and pay—all in the App. •Save on EV Charging with Shell Recharge Rewards! See Full Terms and Conditions for details. This app is intended for use by individuals aged 18 and older in the United States. Equilon Enterprises LLC doing business as Shell Oil Products US, LLC (“SOPUS”) is the data controller and determines how your personal information is collected and used in this app. Shell Information Technology International B.V. is the Developer of the app and publishes it on behalf of SOPUS.

Screenshots

Google Maps4 screens
Shell4 screens

Verdict

The call

Google Maps and Shell both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 43% of Google Maps's written reviews are positive against 8% of Shell's. Google Maps also leads on ratings volume (7.4M vs 88K) and update cadence (every 6 days vs monthly). Shell's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 34) and ads (none vs shown). On price, rating, monetization model and iOS requirement 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. Google Maps sells 21 in-app purchases, starting at $0.89 per month. Shell asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Google Maps against 4.8 for Shell. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Google Maps has 7.4M ratings behind it against 88K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 43% of Google Maps's written reviews are positive against 8% of Shell's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Google Maps ships an update every 6 days, Shell monthly. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
Google Maps versus Shell: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGoogle MapsShell
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (7.4M ratings)4.8 (88K ratings) — better
Positive reviews43.3% of reviews — better8.3% of reviews
Number of ratings7.4M — better88K
Update frequencyEvery 6 days — betterMonthly
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#1 — better#7
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — betteriPhone
Requires iOS16.0 — better17.4
Further details — not scored
Size463 MB117 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperGoogleShell Information Technology International B.V.

Customer experience

Google Maps

All ratings7,421,151 ratings
Positive92.1%
Neutral2.7%
Negative5.3%
Written reviews10,420 reviews
Positive43.3%
Neutral6.5%
Negative50.1%

Shell

All ratings87,920 ratings
Positive94.9%
Neutral1.8%
Negative3.3%
Written reviews1,187 reviews
Positive8.3%
Neutral6.7%
Negative85.0%

User reviews

Google Maps

From 7.4M App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Accurate navigation
  • 👍 Helpful for travel and exploration
  • 💡 Useful for delivery drivers
  • 👍 Reliable traffic information

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Buggy and unreliable directions
  • 🔄 Constant rerouting without user consent
  • 🗺️ Inaccurate or outdated maps
  • 🚧 Dangerous routing suggestions
  • 🤔 Confusing interface changes

Shell

From 88K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Easy to use
  • 🔒 Secure payment option
  • 💡 Convenient for contactless fill ups

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent app crashes
  • 🐛 Unreliable payment processing
  • 🐛 Compatibility issues with older devices
  • 🐛 Inconsistent performance across stations
  • 🔒 Security concerns with unauthorized withdrawals

Bugs and requests

Google Maps

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Inability to save/access favorite locations
  • Frequent crashes or freezes
  • Incorrect address/location detection
  • Voice navigation issues

Requested features

5 requests
  • Option to avoid tolls or specify vehicle type
  • Ability to manually edit/update maps
  • Better integration with public transit
  • Improved offline functionality
  • More customization options for routes

Shell

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Inability to add/update payment methods
  • Frequent log-out issues
  • Pump unavailability errors
  • Rewards not properly tracked or applied
  • Incompatibility with certain iOS versions

Requested features

5 requests
  • Ability to link Shell credit/debit cards
  • Option to save receipts for longer duration
  • Apple CarPlay support
  • Ability to select gas type from the app
  • Better customer support and communication

In-app purchases

21 purchases

Google Maps

Subscriptions21
  • 30 GB$0.891 Month
  • 30 GB1 Month trial3 variants$0.891 Month
  • 100 GB2 variants$1.991 Month
Show 18 more
  • 100 GB1 Month trial2 variants$1.991 Month
  • 200 GB1 Month trial2 variants$2.991 Month
  • 200 GB2 variants$2.991 Month
  • Google AI Plus (400 GB)2 variants$4.991 Month
  • Google AI Plus (2 TB)2 variants$9.991 Month
  • Google AI Plus (2 TB)1 Month trial2 variants$9.991 Month
  • 100 GB2 variants$19.991 Year
  • Google AI Pro (5 TB)2 variants$19.991 Month
  • 100 GB1 Year trial$19.991 Year
  • 100 GB1 Month trial$19.991 Year
  • 200 GB1 Year trial$29.991 Year
  • 200 GB1 Month trial$29.991 Year
  • 200 GB$29.991 Year
  • 10 TB$49.991 Month
  • 2 TB1 Month trial$99.991 Year
  • 20 TB$99.991 Month
  • 2 TB1 Year trial$99.991 Year
  • Google AI Ultra (30 TB)2 variants$249.991 Month
None

Shell

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Google Maps free?
Google Maps is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Shell free?
Shell is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Google Maps or Shell?
Shell is rated higher. Google Maps averages 4.7 out of 5 from 7.4M ratings, while Shell averages 4.8 from 88K ratings.
Do Google Maps or Shell have ads?
Google Maps shows ads; Shell does not.
Which is updated more often, Google Maps or Shell?
Google Maps ships an update every 6 days, and Shell monthly. Most recently, Google Maps was updated on October 31, 2026 and Shell on October 31, 2026.
Which is more popular, Google Maps or Shell?
Google Maps currently peaks at #1 in the App Store charts, and Shell at #7. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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