Sygic may not support public transport, but it is a service packed with powerful AI. Google Maps, on the other hand, is impressive and famous.
Both have been working on different features. For example, Sygic recently added support for electric cars, and Google Maps has improved personalizing and group planning.
How are both different, and which one is better where? In this blog post, we will compare Sygic vs. Google Maps. The comparison covers many features and, at last, which one is better where.
Routing
Routing is essential because you don’t want to get stuck in traffic. Google Maps gets the data from Android devices, the app itself, and many other GPS-enabled devices worldwide.
Sygic uses TomTom Traffic navigation, and the data is updated every two minutes from over 400 million vehicles.
To find a prominent service, I took a test drive of 9 kilometers (5.5 Miles). Take a look at the below table for the results of the test drive.
| Service | ETA on start | ETA on end |
|---|---|---|
| Sygic | 16:42 | 16:50 |
| Google Maps | 16:45 | 16:50 |
Regarding the traffic, Google Maps was more accurate, while both could not cope with the real-time traffic changes. Sygic has the feature of suggesting if a better route is available, which can help sometimes.
Voice
Sygic comes in a few languages, including English, UK, US, Deutsch, Italiano, etc. Google Maps offers a wide range of voice options, including English, Deutsch, Eesti, Filipino, Italiano, Magyar, Norsk, and Suomi.
Regarding voice commands, Google Maps is better. Google Maps voice navigation only guides when needed, while Sygic voice navigation guides even when no turning is required.
Google Maps allows downloading maps of about 70 kilometers of the area. You can download multiple areas for free. You can also toggle on/off the offline navigation.
With Sygic, it depends on your plan. You can download the purchased regions. Sygic reported in an experiment that Google Maps is more likely to consume more storage regarding storage.
Related: Google Maps vs. Waze
Reporting
The second most essential section of Sygic vs. Google Maps is reporting. The more features the service has, the better. Take a look at the below table for all the supported features.
| Feature | Sygic | Google Maps |
|---|---|---|
| Speed camera | ✔️ | ❌ |
| Speed limit | ✔️ | ❌ |
| Vehicle’s speed | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Static speed camera | ✔️ | ❌ |
| Mobile speed camera | ❌ | ✔️ |
| Crash | ❌ | ✔️ |
| Congestion | ❌ | ✔️ |
| Roadworks | ❌ | ✔️ |
| Road closure | ❌ | ✔️ |
| Object on road | ❌ | ✔️ |
| Disabled vehicle | ❌ | ✔️ |
| Fuel prices | ✔️ | ❌ |
| Disabled vehicle | ❌ | ✔️ |
Transit options
There is no comparison regarding transit options. Sygic is only for private vehicles, while Google Maps supports cars, bikes, motorbikes, public transport, cycle, walk, taxi, rideshare, etc. Some of location-dependent and may not be available in all the regions.
Sygic store
Sygic offers a store where users can purchase add-ons. It comes with a handful of add-ons mentioned below.
- Dashcam
- Real view navigation
- Cockpit
- Head-up display
Each add-on can be purchased separately as well as with plans.
Other features
The last comparable section in Sygic vs. Google Maps is about other features. Here we will compare some of the unique elements of both.
Sygic
- A small window visible on the right side of the screen shows how many lanes are total and which lane the driver should be driving.
- The parking spot feature shows nearby parking when you get close to the destination.
- The Parking feature remembers where you parked your car.
- The SOS feature shows your location, nearest police station, hospital, petrol station, and pharmacy.
- Journey previewing is for previewing your journey.
Google Maps
- Lanes feature shows lanes on the top at an intersection
- The Total lanes option shows how many lanes in total and which lane the driver should choose.
- Businesses feature allows finding the information for millions of businesses, including their business hours, reviews, ratings, photos, etc.
- Street view is for the street view and real-time street view to experience true navigation.
Common
- The Nearby places option shows nearby places on the map while driving.
- The Activity (timeline) tool saves your driving activity, while Sygic has a similar tool called the Sygic Travel book.
Related: Sygic vs. TomTom GO
Which one is better where?
- For public transport, Google Maps.
- Google Maps is better regarding traffic, but it always stays on the route, which was suggested initially.
- Sygic is the way to go if you want to avoid safety cameras.
The most important question is whether you want to spend money. Sygic is not free, which is a fine line between Sygic and Google Maps.
Conclusion
Both are great and can be used on different occasions. I hope the article Sygic vs. Google Maps helped. Feel free to share your views in the comments below to discuss more.
Henry
Wednesday 26th of October 2022
I travel to the country on dirt roads and no phone service areas in australia will they work. i need to buy a new radio / head unit so do i buy one with built in sat nav or without and use an app. thanks Henry
Madhsudhan Khemchandani
Wednesday 26th of October 2022
If you are going in, I think you should go all in. A device with a navigation system would be great if you drive off-road a lot.
Dan
Sunday 14th of August 2022
The comparison chart is way off what reality is. A lot of good info about Sygic has been left out. I suggest better research.
Ron
Thursday 11th of August 2022
I'll agree with another poster that it seems like Sygic has reduced the time before you need to turn to tell you you need to, often telling you when you're literally at the point when you have to turn or miss your chance.
I will note though, one HUGE benefit for me with Sygic that Google Maps /Directions doesn't do, and has been an issue for years, is the radio interruption.
On a lot of semi-older cars I've used with Bluetooth, when the phone is linked you can't hear the Google Maps directions unless you have the radio on "Aux". Sygic, on the other hand, uses a hands-free profile trick to fake an incoming call and then reads out the like "In 100 feet, turn right" deal.
If you have a setup where GMaps can't or doesn't interrupt your radio audio if you're say on FM or Satellite radio or what not, give Sygic a try
Mino
Tuesday 24th of May 2022
Sygic *was* better than Google, but has deterioated in many aspects (05/2022): Voice once useful, is not not usable any more (German), because some words are missing. Voice commands now come too early: 5 km, 2km but then, when you have to turn, it is way too short 10-20 m(!) and you may miss the exit. Day and night display does not work automatically any more. The app is talking way too much. Once you could enter your own comments ("Boy, you are too fast...!")this feature is gone now. Mobile cameras will not be announced unless you have an abonnement.
The only advantage for Sygic is you can use it offline, when you lose connection it will still work but might change the route.
Richard Drew
Wednesday 1st of September 2021
At work we have sygic and it gets completely lost it sends you on a mystery tour than decides often much later which way you should have gone, cannot find places they are just totally missing, sends you in the wrong direction then minutes later tells you to do a U turn or use exit 4 on a roundabout which is a u turn, gets road speeds wrong, is not up to date on road closures IE Bicycles only at various points in london, tries to send you down one way streets the wrong way, tries to send you through bus only sections of roads, actually mostly pretty useless as it often says straight on when no road actually exists, it seems to join up roads that have no connection mainly due to a row of houses in he way, if it is so good why does it make so many errors, is it because the maps are updated only periodically. Personally Waze is so much better and it understands the road changes in london within days not months later.
Mino
Tuesday 24th of May 2022
@Richard Drew,
Same here, I used to use Sygic and now switched to Waze. I liked Sygic a lot. Waze has not become better than Sygic, but Sygic has become worse, from version to version.