Why people don’t wanna switch from Gmaps (maybe at best a client app):
Gmaps has a monopoly on the navigation industry because of one thing: Bussness hours and reviews. It has been that way for years, and the only real alternative for this is Vela Maps, which is vibe-coded (or AI-made), until now
Competition arrives
A new project, called “Mangrove Reviews”, has been quietly growing on the scenes and has been doing revoews for the FOSS industry, giving Google Maps SOME sort of competition, even if it’s not to the level of straight rivalry
This service, tho, isn’t enough to turn the tides. However, navigation services like MapComplete and CoMaps have been slowly working with them to finally bring convenience for navigation for the more newer or unfamiliar de-googlers
Is this real competition yet?
We can’t know for sure. As stated in the latest CoMaps article (as of Oct 30th 2026), this is very niche. Competition for certain monoloplies have varying levels of success. Godot has succeeded on rivaling other game engines like Unreal or Unity, while attempts at YouTube altermatives like PeerTube only moderately succeeded. Mangrove Reviews, as far as I can tell, seems to be a very new project, so we can’t know for sure. We just gptta hope they succeed
I’m aware that this is because it uses it’s user’s data for it which seems to make it impossible to mimic the feature for privacy friendly alternatives, but it’s the killer feature nonetheless.
For those same 99% I don’t need a maps app anyway. I need one when I’m going farther away and then I’d also like to know which route is the least clogged.
Google maps has traffic info. That’s the reason.
I’m aware that this is because it uses it’s user’s data for it which seems to make it impossible to mimic the feature for privacy friendly alternatives, but it’s the killer feature nonetheless.
For some people, traffic data isn’t too important
It’s always fun when the bypass is technically 5 minutes slower but only in you can drive though downtown at 30 with no reds or other cars.
Yeah, for 99% of my driving, traffic info is a nice to have. My city simply isn’t large enough to need it.
For those same 99% I don’t need a maps app anyway. I need one when I’m going farther away and then I’d also like to know which route is the least clogged.