Navigation is a part of life, and there are many services which provide great navigation tools. Two of them are Sygic and Waze. Both have been here for a long time, and many great features make them different. How do both stand against each other? The blog post covers Sygic vs. Waze.
Table of contents
- Routing
- Voice and offline navigation
- Reporting
- Transit options
- Other features
- Video
- Which one is for you?
- Summary
Routing
Sygic uses a third-party service called TomTom Go to get traffic updates, while Waze relies on the users to populate the traffic. Both apps use AI to calculate traffic and both are fairly correct. The traffic is updated every few minutes. To find a better service, I took a test drive comparing both. The below table presents the results from the above video.
| Service | ETA on start | ETA on end | Dist. on start | Dist. on end |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sygic | 17:19 | 17:28 | 10 km | 10.2 Km |
| Waze | 17:21 | 17:28 | 10 km | 10.2 km |
The test drive can give us enough data about how both populate traffic. If we look at the video, we can see Sygic shows the speed limit on the map as you move to a new speed zone. Moreover, you also get essential places on the right of the screen and a small pop-up window showing how many lanes in total and which line the driver should be driving in.
Moving to some of the unique features Sygic supports
- Sygic suggests if there is a better route available.
- The app shows the parking nearby.
- You also get to preview the route.
- See rideshare vehicles around and book one if available.
- TomTom powers the 3D display on Sygic, and it looks great while navigating.
Waze, on the other hand, offers:
- A button to play music without changing apps. The app is integrated with Spotify, YouTube Music and others.
- You can schedule a ride.
Voice and offline navigation
Sygic comes with a few languages including English, Italiano, Deutsch, etc., while Waze comes with 75 voice options, including English, Italiano, Polski, Deutsch and more. You can also record your voice and use for the navigation. Although, a problem I must mention with Waze is, it sometimes guides when we are too close to the intersection making us take the next intersection.
Sygic’s nature of being paid changes many things. You can use the app for seven days, and after that, you will have to purchase the area to download maps on your device. Waze contrarily does not come with an option to download maps in the device at all, although the app will not stop working if you start the navigation and turn off the data.
Reporting
The reporting is one of the main sections of Sygic vs Waze because it covers the tools to stay one step ahead of the other drivers. The data below covers the combined features and which one covers what. Some of the features are available in limited regions.
| Feature | Sygic | Waze |
|---|---|---|
| Static speed camera | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Police | ❌ | User-provided |
| Speed limit | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Vehicle’s speed | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Mobile speed camera | ✔️ (in limited countries) | User-provided |
| Crash | ✔️ (in limited countries) | User-provided |
| Congestion | ❌ | User-provided |
| Roadworks | ✔️ | User-provided |
| Road closure | ✔️ | User-provided |
| Object on road | ❌ | User-provided |
| Disabled vehicle | ❌ | User-provided |
| Fuel prices | ❌ | User-provided |
Regarding the accuracy of speed, at the time of the above video, both showed about 3 km/h lower than my car’s speedometer. Since then Waze has improved and these days, there is only a difference of 1 km/h, while Sygic still shows 3 km/h lower than my car’s.
Related: HERE WeGo vs. Waze | Which One is Better in 2020?
Transit options
Regarding transport options, Waze takes the round. With Waze, you get navigation for private vehicles, taxis, and bicycles. Selecting each option shows you the best results possible. One more thing to add is integration with third-party apps like Uber. For Uber drivers, the option to start the navigation in Waze is just one button away. Sygic only supports vehicles and walking, and you can use Sygic for rideshares and taxis after manually adding the address.
Other features
Contributions
So, what are contributions? We talked about reporting tools in Waze. The list is significant, and if you report anything, you get some points. As you keep reporting, your authority builds, and when you get enough points, your report goes live as soon as you report. More scores mean a high-level Wazer, and you also get to choose between many avatars for your vehicle.
Sygic Store
Sygic comes with add-ons to help navigate more efficiently. Depending on your region, you will see different add-ons in your app. Here are some of the common add-ons for Sygic
- Dashcam add-on allows you to record the road while driving from your camera.
- Real-view navigation turns the interface in the real view of the road. With the help of cameras and GPS, the app shows you the way as you drive.
- Cockpit is another tool which records your driving style, altitude, direction and more.
- Head-up display can be used to mirror the navigation on your vehicle’s windshield. The app inverts the interface, and when you place the app close to the windscreen, you get to see the map in the glass. The tool works excellent at night.
Related: Sygic vs. Google Maps (2020) | The Final Showdown
Video
Let’s start with a warm-up video, which covers the basic topics and how both work on the road.
Which one is better where?
The answer to this question is complicated and personal. The below list is based on my own experience.
- If you want a creamy and smooth experience, then Sygic is there.
- If you want free stuff, then Waze is your go.
- Are you looking for cycle routes? Waze.
- Are you looking to drive a taxi or a rideshare? Waze is there.
- A new driver or moving to a new place? Sygic is there to guide you about the lanes, parking, and petrol stations.
| App | App Store | Google Play Store |
|---|---|---|
| Sygic | Install | Install |
| Waze | Install | Install |
Summary
The Sygic vs Waze comparison covered the essential features. If you still need help, please share your thoughts in the comments below so we can discuss more. Also, subscribe to the newsletter to get post updates.
Many thanks! I’ll go for sygic, due to the offline features mainly!
Thanks for the feedback! Sygic is a premium navigational service.
playstore only shows me free version of sygic no piad version. strange. free means ads so i will have to leave it. don’t want ads.
opps i meant paid.
Are you saying you can only see the free version of Sygic? Sygic app is free, but you will need to go to the website to buy the maps for your area.
Sygic la free for download, but has in-app purchases, like maps and add-ons. I’m actually trying it.
The app is free, but you can only enjoy for a limited time. You’ll have to buy a plan after!
O Sygic manda você entrar na contra mão, ou seja é um perigo, manda você entrar em uma rua proibida ,mapas desatualizados, no waze não existe isso, jamais mandará vc entrar em uma rua proibida,os mapas são hiper atualizados.
Digo, manda entrar na contra mão.
Contra-mão
I’ve used Sygic for several years and I have it on IPhone and iPad so I can research routes first and use the iPhone in car and on m’bike. It has limited voices but the directions are clear and you can get a repeat by touching the screen at the bottom. I’ve added traffic, heads up and real view which are all handy at times but mostly use the standard screen.
Takes a fair bit of memory to store all the maps but if your walking back to a strange car park your iPhone is a full satnav with sygic – wouldn’t swop to Waze
Thanks for the words, Chris. The only difference I feel is the price. If I have both installed I will go with Sygic, because I believe Sygic will be more efficient.
Waze clearly is the most up to date one.
I have Sygic, which still guides me through a street that has been blocked for over a month now. Bad.
Waze gives the option to report a blocked street. But I don’t know if that will stop it redirecting through that street untill enough people have reported it. Don’t know if Sygic does that either. This possibility to be able to redirect in case of a roadblock is in my view one of the most important assets of any navigating app and yet unbelievably the most underreported in any review.
When I used a Tomtom device it was easy. Just press on ‘Blocked street’ and I would automatically be rerouted. But that was before the Tomtom device stopped working.
Thanks for sharing your views. If we compare Sygic and Waze, undoubtedly, Waze contains more fresh information. Millions of users use Waze and the fact that you can report and help people makes millions of people love Waze.
Voice integration appears to be more effective and seamless between Google and Waze. I am a new purchaser of Sygic but it took me a long while to get my vehicle to use Sygic as my main GPS.
The map in Sygic looks crisper than Waze but Waze was just as effective.
Jury is out as to whether I should go back to Waze or stay with Sygic
It depends on the location. Both tend to work great in the US, Europe and some other countries. Sygic offers premium features, but it can’t compete Waze in the basic features such as traffic reporting.