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(253) 272-5226We’ve put together a list of the best driving apps to help you drive safer and smarter. Other lists we found contained outdated information or apps that were poorly rated. Each of the apps included on our list has an average rating of over 4.0, and several thousand reviews. We’ll give you a quick rundown of each app’s features and average rating. This post has been updated for 2023, and we’ll revisit it at least once annually as things do change.
In no particular order, the 13 best driving apps gracing our list include:
GasBuddy helps you locate the cheapest gas in your area. Prices are user-submitted. You can earn gas discounts when you use an associated GasBuddy account. According to the developers, the newest version of the app includes improvements to the “Drives feature to help you driver smarter and use less gas.”
Average Rating: 4.7 (445K ratings)
Cost: Free
Format: App Store, Google Play
Waze will help you find the quickest route to your travel destination. It alerts you of construction, traffic, crashes, and more. If traffic is bad, it will change your route. In the last year, the average rating went from 4.8 to 4.9 and gained 700K more ratings. That keeps it solidly on our list of best driving apps for 2021.
Average Rating: 4.9 (3M ratings)
Cost: Free
Format: App Store, Google Play
New to our list for 2023 is PlugShare. As many of us are purchasing (or thinking about buying) electric vehicles, the question becomes “where can I charge it?” PlugShare seems to do a solid job. It will help find EV charging stations near you as well as real-time availability. It will also help you plan a longer road trip, mapping out possible charging station stops along the way. Customize to your vehicle’s unique charging needs.
Average Rating: 4.7 (83K ratings)
Cost: Free, with in-app purchases
Format: App Store, Google Play
BestParking helps you locate available parking lots and garages in your area. The app also includes prices, so you can find the best deal possible. You can reserve a space directly through the app and get directions. Many reviewers mentioned the app developer’s good customer service. In summer 2021, the developers released a new version which included bug fixes and enhancements.
Average Rating: 4.8 (32K ratings)
Cost: Free
Format: App Store, Google Play
We mentioned the Life360 app in our blog post for how parents can help their teen drivers. It’s worth mentioning again. This location-sharing app can help keep you connected to friends and family. You can get automatic updates when your family members arrive safely at destinations. It’s a safe and smart way to track their location while letting them drive distraction free.
It appears that the developers are pretty active in the maintenance of this app. The most recent update was made in mid-summer and the developers write “we’re always making changes and improvements behind the scenes.” Given that and the positive ratings from reviewers, we’re keeping this solid choice on our 2021 list.
Average Rating: 4.7 (947K ratings) – note: the rating increased from 4.5 in 2021
Cost: Free, in-app purchases
Format: App Store, Google Play
Roadtrippers is an excellent tool for putting together the best road trip possible. Plan your route, and the app will suggest user-rated roadside attractions. It will also calculate mileage and gas costs as you build your trip. The app also has a few pre-planned routes if you’re looking for suggestions on your next trip. You can also build your trip on their desktop version.
Since our initial positing of this app, the average rating has increased from 4.6 to 4.7 and gained about 20K more reviews! In August 2021, the developers added a map filters enhancement so you can more easily find what you’re looking for – electric vehicle charging stations, campsites, etc.
Average Rating: 4.7 (53K ratings)
Cost: Free, in-app purchases. Optional $29.99 Roadtrippers Plus Annual Membership
Format: App Store, Google Play
Sygic touts itself as the most advanced navigational app available. One of the features it boasts is offline 3D maps. Sygic’s technology also includes real-time map recognition. In other words, as you drive, it will detect traffic signs, such as speed limits and temporary road construction signs.
The only downside to this app is that it is only available for iPhone or iPad devices. (No Android.)
Average Rating: 4.6 (50K Ratings)
Cost: Free
Format: App Store only
We’ve added CARFAX Car Care to our list of best driving apps for 2021. This app helps you track maintenance and repairs performed on your vehicle, such as oil changes. The app will notify you about things like your car’s recommended maintenance schedule, when registration is due, and any safety recalls. Plus, it can help you locate repair shops in your area and even cost estimates. One reviewer said it’s also a useful way to look up the service records of a vehicle if you’re car or truck shopping.
Average Rating: 4.8 (80K ratings)
Cost: Free
Format: App Store, Google Play
Lyft is an easy way to find an affordable ride within minutes to where you want to go. This is useful if you need an early morning ride to the airport, are traveling in a city that doesn’t have taxis, or you’ve been out partying and need a safe ride home. When you book your ride from the app, you’ll be able to see the cost beforehand.
This is another solid app you can count on for frequent updates and bug fixes.
Average Rating: 4.9 (12M ratings)
Cost: Free (obviously, you’ll have to pay for rides booked through the app)
Format: App Store, Google Play
Mileage Tracker does what it sounds like: helps you track your mileage. This can be useful if you need to track your mileage for work purposes. Simply record your trips and then retrieve the mileage reports whenever you need them. You can also make notes about the purpose of each trip. Some of the comments come from Lyft and Uber drivers who use this app for tax deduction purposes.
Average Rating: 4.7 (19K ratings)
Cost: Free
Format: App Store, Google Play
While a weather app may not seem relevant to this list, hear us out. Getting alerted of hazardous weather conditions can be critical if you drive often. This is also a good idea if you’re traveling through an area of the country that’s new to you. Weather Bug provides this service. We highly recommend turning the notifications “on” for this one.
We really like the “Know Before You Go!” enhancement released in August 2021. It’s a great way to notify commuters if weather could impact their route.
Average Rating: 4.8 (1.8M ratings)
Cost: Free, in-app purchases
Format: App Store, Google Play
New to our lineup of best driving apps is Car Driving School Simulator. Learn the rules of the road, customize your car, and complete missions. This app appears to be one part learning, and one part fun game.
Average Rating: 4.5 (22K ratings)
Cost: Free
Format: App Store, Google Play
We recommend you add your insurance company’s app to your phone, too. Most of these apps will provide you access to your policy. Some apps may offer additional functions, such as making claims and requesting roadside assistance. When you add the app, make sure to login and check out the features before you need them, such as after a car accident.
Do you have any other recommendations to add to our best driving apps list?