I replaced Google Maps on my phone with CoMaps, a free, open-source navigation app that runs offline by default, doesn’t track my movements, and sips battery instead of guzzling it. After a week of daily driving and a few longer trips, it now feels less like a bold experiment and more like the default I should have been using all along.
Why I Walked Away From Google Maps For Good
Two pain points pushed me to switch: constant tracking and heavy battery drain. Google’s ecosystem is built on location data, and it shows. Regulators have repeatedly scrutinized location harvesting, including a multistate settlement for deceptive location practices that totaled $391.5 million. Privacy groups like the Electronic Frontier Foundation routinely warn that location histories can reveal home addresses, workplaces, health visits, and sensitive patterns.
Battery life was the day-to-day dealbreaker. On my Pixel 9 Pro, hour-long navigation with Google Maps typically cost me 12–15% battery with data and background features enabled. Running CoMaps offline under the same conditions averaged 6–8%. Android power profiles make that result unsurprising: the cellular radio and GPS are among the biggest energy drains, and CoMaps minimizes network chatter by design.
Meet CoMaps And Its Open-Source Roots And Lineage
CoMaps is a community-driven fork of Organic Maps, itself a successor to the early open-source project MapsWithMe (later Maps.me). It relies on OpenStreetMap, the crowdsourced geographic database used by thousands of apps and services, from humanitarian mapping to logistics. That lineage matters: it means CoMaps inherits mature code, a global map foundation, and a culture of transparency.
The app is free on Android and iOS, with no ads, trackers, or dark patterns. Because the code is open, third parties can audit what it does. In practice, that translates to a familiar experience—search, tap, go—without a data trail following you between errands.
Offline First Means Private And Power Efficient
CoMaps flips the default model: you download regional maps before you travel, then navigate without relying on a data connection. That one design choice pays off in three ways. Privacy improves because fewer pings leave your device. Reliability improves because weak signal areas don’t cripple navigation. Battery life improves because your phone isn’t constantly hitting the network for tiles, telemetry, and ads.
The essentials are there: voice-guided directions, offline search for addresses and points of interest, and quick rerouting. Map downloads are straightforward and granular—you can grab a city, a state, or a country. After that, CoMaps behaves like a conventional satnav. If you prefer miles to kilometers, a one-time tweak in settings takes care of it.
What You Gain And What You Give Up With CoMaps
In return for privacy and battery gains, you give up some cloud comforts. CoMaps doesn’t lean on real-time crowdsourced traffic the way big platforms do, and you won’t find a deep trove of ratings, photos, and live business details. Its search is solid offline but less forgiving of typos and brand names than a data center stuffed with behavioral profiles.
For turn-by-turn driving, cycling, and walking, I didn’t miss much. For last-minute restaurant decisions or avoiding an unexpected snarl on a weekday commute, I sometimes did. This is the trade-off most privacy tools present: fewer personalized predictions, more control. If you navigate mostly familiar routes or plan ahead, the balance tilts toward CoMaps.
Trust Through Transparency In Open Map Projects
Open-source projects earn trust differently. Instead of “just believe us,” they provide code that can be audited, a permission model you can verify, and a business model that doesn’t depend on profiling. Organizations like Mozilla have long advised users to prefer products whose incentives align with user interests. CoMaps fits that profile: it uses community data from OpenStreetMap and focuses on utility, not monetization.
OpenStreetMap’s community also means corrections flow quickly. I submitted a missing bike path via OSM’s editor and saw the update land in a subsequent map refresh. That kind of feedback loop, common in open mapping, is how the project keeps pace with a changing world without vacuuming up your personal data.
The Bottom Line After Ditching Google Maps
CoMaps has become my default navigator because it nails the fundamentals—accurate routing, clear voice guidance, fast search—while respecting my privacy and battery. It won’t replace the social layer of big-map ecosystems, but it doesn’t try to. If you value control over your location data and want longer time between charges, this is the rare switch that feels like an upgrade, not a compromise.
If you’re map-curious, download a region you know, take it on your next commute, and watch your phone’s battery meter and data usage. The difference is hard to ignore—and once you notice it, it’s even harder to go back.
