Map apps are a must-have tool for any traveler, and this is especially true when it comes to visiting modern and developed cities like Dubai. In this guide, we will introduce you to the most popular navigation apps you could use to easily get around the city and get the most out of your experience in the UAE.
Why Use Navigation Apps in Dubai?
Dubai is a densely-packed city with a complex network of highways, roads, and streets. Whether you’re renting a car to explore different parts of the city or simply walking around its most popular attractions, it is very easy to confuse directions here.
Missing your highway exit or taking a wrong turn at a fork might send you off on a 30-minute side quest of getting back on track, which might be discouraging in any situation, but is even more so when on a vacation or a business trip.
Not only do map apps help you prevent these scenarios, but they are also very useful when searching for directions and building routes to specific destinations. Not all venues and attractions are properly marked on tourist maps and road signs, so a navigation app is a must-have.
All these problems are very likely relevant for traveling in your home city as well, but navigating a foreign city adds multiple layers of complexity to your driving experience. Getting your mind off of figuring out directions is always a positive, as you’re already busy trying to follow local driving rules and getting used to operating a rental vehicle.
Top 5 Map and Navigation Apps in Dubai
There are dozens of navigation apps to choose from in Dubai, but the closer you look at each of them, the more it becomes apparent that truly viable options are very limited. Before we dive into the reviews, let us list our picks for today first:
- Waze
- Here WeGo
- Google Maps
- RTA Smart Drive
- Yango Maps
Waze – The Best Online Features
First on the list we have Waze, an extremely popular app among drivers in Dubai. It is a modern, well-optimized, and intuitive enough piece of software that also manages to offer virtually all advanced features you might need to comfortably navigate the city.
Main Features
All the best Dubai navigation apps on our list offer basic features such as route building, ride time calculation, and others, but Waze goes a lot farther than that. In fact, there are several categories of additional features we need to cover to properly describe your user experience with this application.
First of all, Waze heavily relies on community features, where drivers can easily share insights and comments regarding the road situation in a particular location. Considering it is one of the most popular map apps in Dubai, it gives you an unprecedented speed of updates and an immense degree of relevancy with live traffic updates.
Even though it is an app with a universal appeal, Waze also does a great job of delivering a personalized experience to every user. It will use the tracking data to suggest routes and itineraries based on your individual preferences, saving you time when performing these tasks manually. The app also comes with a set of customization options that allow you to change the narrator’s voice, the visual layout of the map, and set up and configure notifications.
There are many other smaller features available in Waze that enhance your experience even further, although they are a bit too niche to cover in detail in this review, so let us just list a few of them below:
- Sharing location with friends or family members in real-time;
- Seamlessly integrating the narration on top of music apps or radio when connected to the car;
- Displaying detailed parking information for your area;
- Displaying and narrating specific lane directions;
- Tracking and displaying first responders and other special services on the map.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- The most relevant and up-to-date traffic updates;
- Advanced social features;
- Great customization options;
- Well-charted Dubai map with quick updates.
Cons:
- Waze is an online-only app;
- Some of its features might be overwhelming for casual users.
Key Takeaways
Summing up, Waze is called one of the best Dubai map apps for a reason. Its online features, combined with its usability, result in an amazing user experience through and through. Its main downside is that it’s online-only, meaning you will need to either get a tourist SIM-card or activate roaming to use it during your trip to the Emirates.
Here WeGo – The Best Offline Map App in Dubai
While Waze is the best online navigation app, users without a stable internet connection can still have a comfortable driving experience with our next pick. Here WeGo is one of the very few pieces of software that both allow for offline navigation and feature a detailed map of Dubai.
Main Features
As it is easy to guess, Here WeGo does not come with a similarly comprehensive set of features as Waze or other online apps. Nevertheless, it offers some great lane guidance and convenient narration warning you of upcoming turns and changing speed limits.
The rest of the app is fairly minimalist, which might be discouraging for experienced and tech-savvy users, but is definitely an advantage for more casual drivers. Its layout is very clean and intuitive, and if you have ever used a map app before, you will instantly figure out how Here WeGo works.
We should also note that if you’re downloading Dubai’s map in Here WeGo prior to your trip, make sure to update it while you still have internet access, the closer to the trip the better. This will ensure you have the most up-to-date and relevant routes that reflect all potential changes to the infrastructure, speed limits, or other rules.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Full offline functionality;
- Well-detailed Dubai’s map;
- Beginner-friendliness and great usability;
- Lane guidance and narration.
Cons:
- Lack of some advanced features.
Key Takeaways
We would not recommend Here WeGo to all drivers in Dubai, but there are two use cases, where it is hard to find a worthier counterpart. The first of them is offline driving, while the second one relates to drivers who find other map apps overwhelming and hard to use.
Google Maps – The Best Venue Integration
You might be surprised to find Google Maps so far down our list, but we honestly simply don’t view it as the best map app in Dubai. Some of its aspects and features are much better compared to the software we have already covered, but it lacks some key features that stop it from being our go-to suggestion.
Main Features
Considering the app’s international popularity, it would be fair to assume that most drivers already have some experience of using Google Maps, so we won’t be going over all of the features here. Instead, we will highlight what makes it stand out compared to other entries on our list.
First of all, almost every business in Dubai that is striving for discoverability is available on Google Maps. This makes it perhaps the only platform where you can actually rely on schedules and other details about companies, and it also gives you the largest pool of reviews for them.
Google also does a great job of mapping out the streets of Dubai, making it one of the best options for walking on foot. At the same time, it is not the best for driving, as it lacks a variety of additional features offered by its competitors.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Most users are already familiar with Google Maps;
- The best and most up-to-date representation of businesses in Dubai;
- It is a great map for walking on foot.
Cons:
- The app lacks many additional features for driving;
- Poor live traffic updates.
Key Takeaways
Summing up, we would generally not recommend using Google Maps for driving in Dubai. Apps like Waze or Here WeGo come with better functionality, while this map might only be useful for looking up directions on foot or checking out working hours and reviews for local businesses.
RTA Smart Drive – Your Official Driving Companion in Dubai
Next on the list we have RTA Smart Drive, the official application created by the Dubai’s Road and Transport Authority. It comes with a great integration to local services, but it has some limitations compared to other navigation apps available in the UAE.
Main Features
Thanks to this app being developed by actual local authorities, RTA Smart Drive comes with some exclusive features like parking payment integration, relevant updates to speed limits or other driving rules, and more. Otherwise, it comes with a basic set of features for looking up directions and building rites in Dubai and other Emirates.
At the same time, because it is not an international app designed to bring in millions of dollars worth of revenue, the relatively low development budget of RTA Smart Drive is quite apparent. The app has a fairly outdated design and is not as smooth as some of the other platforms we have covered today. It also lacks valuable online features such as life traffic updates as well as some customization options that are frequently offered by its counterparts.
RTA Smart Drive comes with offline navigation functionality, but it is fairly basic, and in many cases, not as accurate as with Here WeGo.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Integration with government services;
- Quick updates to speed limits and other rules;
- Features for offline navigation.
Cons:
- Lack of advanced online features;
- Outdated design.
Key Takeaways
We can only suggest RTA Smart Drive if you’re looking for an app that will allow you to both navigate around Dubai and pay for parking or if you need an offline map and don’t like Here WeGo for any particular reason.
Yango Maps – A Viable Alternative
Last on the list we have Yango Maps. Even though this app is hardly the best at any particular aspect and does not offer any exclusive features, it still manages to combine some benefits that do not come together in other maps.
Main Features
Yango Maps has all the basic features you would expect from a navigation app in Dubai. You can build routes, read reviews for businesses, display real-time traffic conditions, and have all the directions narrated by the app.
While other maps we have covered today come with more advanced features and are a bit more precise with directions, none of them have the same usability and user-friendliness that is available in Yango. In these terms, it is very similar to Here WeGo with an addition of online features that are not available in that app.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Intuitive and clean layout;
- Online features;
- Great optimization across all devices.
Cons:
- Not as precise as other apps.
Key Takeaways
We would recommend Yango Maps to users who find interfaces of other navigation apps too complex and confusing. If you’re looking for a simple online map in Dubai without all the extra bells and whistles, it is definitely one of your best options.
How to Download and Use Map Apps in Dubai?
Downloading map apps in Dubai is no different from installing any other piece of software on your device. All the navigators we have covered today are distributed officially through application stores such as the Google Play Market on Android or the App Store on iOS.
Even though the additional features among different apps might vary, the core functionality is usually the same. You can look up a destination, select your starting point, and have the program build and follow the route.
With online map apps, everything is done on the fly, while for offline applications, you will also need to download the map of Dubai in advance. It comes pre-installed with RTA Smart Drive, while with Here WeGo, you will need to specifically look up and install Dubai’s layout for it to work without an internet connection.
Dubai Navigation Apps FAQ
Before we conclude our guide to the best map and navigation apps in Dubai, let us answer some of the frequently asked questions to make sure we have covered everything.
Are map apps in Dubai free?
Yes, all map apps we have highlighted today are available for free, although some of them have paid subscriptions for advanced features.
Do I need internet access to use navigation apps in Dubai?
No, there are several apps such as Here WeGo and RTA Smart Drive that come with offline GPS functionality. At the same time, most other apps require a stable internet connection to operate.
Should I download the map app before my trip to Dubai?
Yes, we always recommend installing the navigation app in advance. It is always better to figure out how it works and see if you are comfortable with it to avoid having to switch to a different map while already on your trip.
Can I connect navigation apps to a rental car?
Yes, you can freely connect navigation apps to rental cars via Bluetooth.