# Google Maps vs Guideng

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Guideng at none against Google Maps's 34. Guideng also leads on ads (none vs shown) and rating (5.0 vs 4.7). Google Maps's advantage is ratings volume (7.4M vs 1) and chart position (#1 vs unranked). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Google Maps sells 21 in-app purchases, starting at $0.89 per month. Guideng asks for nothing beyond the download.

Guideng holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Google Maps has 7.4M ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Google Maps ships an update every 6 days, Guideng every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Google Maps | Guideng |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (7.4M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/google-maps/id585027354/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/guideng/id6785478726/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **7.4M** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 43.5% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 6 days | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#1** | — |
| Size | 466 MB | 11 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Google](https://appshunter.io/developer/281956209) | [易捷 刘](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896640771) |

## What reviewers say

### Google Maps

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/google-maps/id585027354)

**Currently charting:** #1 Top Free · Navigation, #23 Top Free (US App Store)

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:** Apple Watch app, iMessage stickers

**In-app purchases (21)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 30 GB | $0.89 | per month |
| 30 GB | $0.89 | per month |
| 100 GB | $1.99 | per month |
| 100 GB | $1.99 | per month |
| 200 GB | $2.99 | per month |
| 200 GB | $2.99 | per month |
| Google AI Plus (400 GB) | $4.99 | per month |
| Google AI Plus (2 TB) | $9.99 | per month |
| Google AI Plus (2 TB) | $9.99 | per month |
| 100 GB | $19.99 | per year |
| Google AI Pro (5 TB) | $19.99 | per month |
| 100 GB | $19.99 | per year |
| 100 GB | $19.99 | per year |
| 200 GB | $29.99 | per year |
| 200 GB | $29.99 | per year |
| 200 GB | $29.99 | per year |
| 10 TB | $49.99 | per month |
| 2 TB | $99.99 | per year |
| 20 TB | $99.99 | per month |
| 2 TB | $99.99 | per year |
| Google AI Ultra (30 TB) | $249.99 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

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

**Requested features**

- 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


### Guideng

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/guideng/id6785478726)

This app allows family members to share their location by reporting device location information to a user-configured self-hosted server. It is designed for private and secure family tracking.

**Highlights:** Family location sharing, Self-hosted server integration, Private and secure tracking, Real-time location updates

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Google Maps free?

Google Maps is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Guideng free?

Guideng is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Google Maps or Guideng?

Guideng is rated higher. Google Maps averages 4.7 out of 5 from 7.4M ratings, while Guideng averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Google Maps or Guideng have ads?

Google Maps shows ads; Guideng does not.

### Which is updated more often, Google Maps or Guideng?

Google Maps ships an update every 6 days, and Guideng every 2 days. Most recently, Google Maps was updated on October 22, 2026 and Guideng on October 15, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*