Offline Maps Travel Index: What 10 Apps Can Do Without Mobile Data

Only two of the ten navigation apps in this study explicitly document offline directions across all four travel modes we checked: driving, walking, cycling and transit. Those two are Apple Maps and Magic Earth. Eight apps publish a way to start a fresh route without mobile data. The other two, komoot and Pocket Earth, require the traveler to plan and save a route while connected.

That result does not make one app best for every trip. Apple Maps is limited to Apple devices and offline maps are not available in every area. Magic Earth's live traffic, public transport updates and temporary road closures still require a connection. OsmAnd publishes unusually detailed offline controls, but its public transport feature calculates and displays routes without full turn-by-turn transit navigation. Google Maps supports offline driving, but its own help page says walking, cycling and public transport directions are unavailable offline.

Study result: a map shown on the screen is not the same as a route that can be created offline. Check the travel mode, the downloaded area, whether a new route can start in airplane mode and what live information disappears before choosing an app.

Download the offline maps CSV or open the JSON dataset. The JSON includes the fixed sample rule, classification method, keywords, ten competing pages, ten public traveler questions, first-party source notes and a SHA-256 checksum for the source file. Each CSV row has its own normalized checksum.

Which offline map setup fits your trip?

The safest setup is layered. Download the map. Save the accommodation and arrival route. Test a new route in airplane mode. Keep current mobile data available for traffic, closures, platform changes, ride booking, messages and searches that the downloaded file cannot answer.

Offline directions depend on the travel mode

All ten apps publish some form of downloadable map. That is where the similarity ends.

• Eight explicitly publish a fresh route that can be created while offline.
• Eight explicitly publish offline driving.
• Five explicitly publish offline walking.
• Five explicitly publish offline cycling.
• Two explicitly publish offline transit directions.
• Six explicitly publish offline place or address search.
• Two are documented as saved-route tools rather than fresh offline route planners.

These counts use a strict rule. A general list of online travel modes does not become an offline claim. A metro map is not counted as transit routing. A line already saved to the phone is not counted as a fresh route calculated after the connection is lost. If the first-party pages do not answer a field, the dataset says "not publicly documented" rather than filling the gap from a review or an assumption.

The distinction matters most when plans change. A traveler may have a downloaded city map and still be unable to calculate a walking route from the new station, search for the new hotel name or reroute after taking the wrong street.

Driving has the widest explicit support

Google Maps, Apple Maps, HERE WeGo, Magic Earth, OsmAnd, Organic Maps, MAPS.ME and Sygic GPS Navigation all publish an offline driving route in some form. Google adds an important boundary: the entire route must be inside the downloaded map. When offline, Google also removes traffic information and alternative driving routes.

Sygic separates core offline routing from connected features. Its current support pages say map search and route calculation can work with downloaded maps, while live traffic needs internet. Voice guidance depends on the traveller's licence. This is a useful example of why "offline navigation" should not be read as "every feature works without data."

HERE WeGo makes the operating mode explicit. If an online route loses service, HERE says the app may keep trying to reconnect. The published recovery is to stop the route, switch the app to offline mode and start a new route using maps that were downloaded in advance. A traveler who never enables that offline mode can have the right map file and still see the wrong behavior.

Walking and cycling need a separate check

Apple Maps, Magic Earth, OsmAnd, Organic Maps and MAPS.ME explicitly connect walking and cycling navigation to offline use. Google Maps does not. Google's current help page says walking and cycling directions are unavailable while offline.

This is the clearest contradiction found in the competitive review. One leading comparison page stated that Google Maps could provide offline walking, cycling and transit directions. Google's own current page says the opposite. The study follows the first-party source.

For a city break, walking support can matter more than driving. The practical question is not whether streets remain visible. It is whether the app can calculate a legal pedestrian route after the traveler exits the wrong station, whether it recognizes footpaths and whether it can start that route without first contacting a server.

Cycling adds another layer. Road restrictions, surface data, gradients and bike access can differ from a car route. Organic Maps explicitly lists cycling routes and turn-by-turn cycling navigation. OsmAnd publishes a dedicated bicycle routing profile with offline calculation. MAPS.ME names cycle navigation. Magic Earth names bicycle modes and connects its navigation system with offline use across major transport modes.

Transit is the narrowest offline category

Apple Maps says downloaded areas can provide turn-by-turn public transport directions and estimated arrival times. Magic Earth publishes offline access across major modes and specifically describes offline transit route access. These are the only two full offline transit statements counted in the study.

OsmAnd is classified as partial. Its public transport feature can calculate and show a route with stops, transfers and walking time. Its own documentation also says the feature is in testing and does not provide the full navigation function. That is useful offline planning, but it is not the same as guided transit navigation.

Organic Maps publishes metro and subway maps, but not turn-by-turn transit routing in the checked source. Pocket Earth includes public transport lines and listings, but its route creation still requires a connected server request. Google states that public transport directions are unavailable offline.

Even the strongest offline transit statement should not be mistaken for a live service feed. A stored timetable cannot know that a train was cancelled after the last download. Platform changes, delays, strikes and replacement buses are connected information. Mobile data solves a current-operations problem.

Apple Maps and Magic Earth document all four modes offline

Apple Maps and Magic Earth receive the trophy in the explorer because both first-party source sets explicitly connect offline access with driving, walking, cycling and transit. The trophy represents the four checked documentation fields. It is not a claim that either app has the best map data in every country, the best interface or the most reliable route in a field test.

🏆 Apple Maps publishes the broadest concise offline promise

Apple says an offline map can provide place information, turn-by-turn driving, walking, cycling and transit directions, and an estimated arrival time without Wi-Fi or cellular service. Automatic map updates are on by default.

Its limits are also useful. Offline maps are available only in selected areas, features vary by country or region, and the download consumes device storage. That means an iPhone owner should look for the download option at the actual destination rather than assume worldwide coverage.

The fit is clear:

1. The traveler uses a compatible iPhone.
2. Apple offers an offline map for the destination.
3. The selected area covers the likely movement zone.
4. The traveler wants several modes inside one interface.
5. Live changes are handled through mobile data when available.

Apple's page is also a good documentation model. It answers the outcome, names the modes, explains storage and updates, and states geographic limits. A traveler does not have to infer offline behavior from a download button.

🏆 Magic Earth connects offline navigation with all major modes

Magic Earth's navigation page describes offline functionality across major transport modes. It names car, pedestrian, bicycle and transit navigation, and its transit section says routes can be accessed offline. A separate support page explains how to download regional maps and states what disappears without a connection: live traffic, public transport updates and temporary road closures.

That separation makes the travel decision easier. Static navigation can continue. Current conditions cannot.

Magic Earth's checked pages did not clearly document offline place search, so the dataset does not award that field. This does not mean search fails. It means the public pages used for this study did not make the same explicit promise they made for navigation modes.

For a traveler comparing Apple Maps and Magic Earth, platform and map availability should come before the trophy. The supported modes are similar on paper. The downloaded region, interface, storage and the exact offline task decide which app is more practical.

Four apps publish the complete offline preparation chain

The complete chain in this study requires five published elements:

1. A downloadable offline map.
2. A fresh route that can start while offline.
3. At least one explicit offline navigation mode.
4. Offline place or address search.
5. Map update guidance.

Apple Maps, HERE WeGo, OsmAnd and Sygic GPS Navigation publish all five. This is a preparation score, not a mode score. Magic Earth covers more explicit travel modes than HERE or Sygic but did not receive the chain field because the checked first-party pages did not explicitly answer offline search.

HERE WeGo is strongest when offline mode is intentional

HERE publishes country and regional map downloads, an offline toggle, offline route restart instructions, search troubleshooting for downloaded regions and regular map updates. It also names important coverage exemptions, including Japan, Korea and China.

Its documentation exposes a common failure mode: an app can stay in online mode when the signal becomes weak. The user sees a downloaded map but the current route keeps trying to reach the network. Turning mobile data off is not always the same as telling the app to use its offline engine.

Use HERE WeGo when the route and destination sit inside an available downloaded region and you are willing to confirm the offline toggle before departure. Do not infer offline walking, cycling or transit from HERE's general online mode list because the checked offline pages do not make that connection clearly enough.

OsmAnd publishes the most detailed offline control set

OsmAnd uses predownloaded map data for offline route calculation. Its current documentation lists driving, cycling and pedestrian routing, plus public transport route calculation. Standard maps are released monthly, and paid or contributor access can provide more frequent live updates.

That detail suits travelers who care about profiles, route rules, paths, outdoor use and map management. It also creates more setup choices than a simple destination download. The traveler should download the correct vector map, confirm the routing profile and understand which online layers or services are separate from the offline map.

The transit classification remains partial. OsmAnd can build and display public transport routes, but the first-party page says the feature does not provide full navigation. Its temporary road information may also be outdated. The evidence supports a strong offline route engine, not a claim of current road operations.

Sygic publishes a clear driving and search chain

Sygic says navigation does not require internet after the required maps have been downloaded. Its search help says address and place results work offline inside installed maps. It also tells travelers to update every map needed between the start, destination and waypoints.

The app is driving-first in this study. Sygic publishes a walking mode, but the checked walking page does not explicitly say that mode works offline. Cycling and transit were not publicly documented in the checked sources. We therefore count Sygic for offline driving, not all available interface modes.

The current support material also separates paid features. Core map search and route calculation can work offline, while voice instructions require an eligible premium licence. Live traffic requires internet. A traveler who wants spoken directions should verify the active licence before leaving Wi-Fi.

Organic Maps and MAPS.ME cover three offline route modes

Organic Maps and MAPS.ME both explicitly publish offline driving, walking and cycling. Both also publish offline search. Their first-party pages make them relevant to travelers who want an offline-first app rather than a connected map with an offline fallback.

Organic Maps is clear about offline-first behavior

Organic Maps says all features work without an active internet connection after maps are downloaded. Its feature list includes turn-by-turn car, walking and cycling navigation, voice guidance and fast offline search. It also publishes metro and subway maps.

We do not count metro maps as transit routing. A diagram helps orientation, but it does not calculate a complete journey with transfers and walking legs. The checked Organic Maps page also does not publish a traveler-facing map update schedule, so it does not receive the complete preparation-chain field.

The practical fit is strong for travelers who want car, walking or cycling guidance and prefer a product built around downloaded OpenStreetMap data. Live transit operations, live traffic and newly changed business details still need another source.

MAPS.ME makes the three route modes explicit

MAPS.ME says its maps, search and navigation work offline. Its current product listing names driving, walking and cycle navigation. The same listing says its underlying OpenStreetMap data is updated by contributors daily.

That statement describes the source data. It does not tell a traveler how quickly a particular installed region refreshes, so the dataset does not convert it into a guaranteed app update schedule. Travelers should open the downloaded maps screen, confirm the needed areas are present and check the current product's download limits before departure.

MAPS.ME does not receive an offline transit field. Its listing includes public transport points among searchable categories, but searchable stations are not the same as a route calculated across current services.

komoot and Pocket Earth require connected planning first

The two saved-route-only records are not failures. They solve a different travel problem.

komoot works offline after the route is downloaded

komoot lets a traveler plan a route, save it offline and navigate it later without an internet connection. Regional maps can also be downloaded. This fits a known hike, cycle or outdoor route prepared before the signal disappears.

The boundary appears after a deviation. komoot says a stable connection is needed when it replans to a better route. Access to regional downloads also depends on the account, purchased region, World Pack or Premium status, and some regions are not available to download.

The right question is therefore not "does komoot work offline?" It does for downloaded routes. The better question is "can I invent a different route after I am offline?" The checked documentation does not promise that.

For a hike, download the exact route, inspect it in the app, save the trailhead and return point, and keep a second orientation method. A route line stored on the phone is useful even when mobile data is present because valleys and remote roads can have intermittent service.

Pocket Earth can follow a saved route but cannot create one offline

Pocket Earth publishes offline maps, travel guides, listings and transit lines. Its manual clearly states that route creation uses an online server. A traveler can build a multi-stop route while connected, save it and follow it offline. If the traveler leaves that route, recalculation also needs a network request.

Pocket Earth does not provide voice navigation in the checked manual. It displays driving instructions and the distance to the next turn. Walking and cycling tours can be planned and saved, but they still belong to the saved-route category because creation happens online.

This is a useful design for a prepared itinerary on iPhone or iPad. It is a poor fit for a traveler who expects to land without data and calculate an entirely new route from the arrival terminal.

Why a downloaded map can still fail the travel task

Reddit discussions repeatedly used "offline maps" to describe different things. Some travelers meant seeing streets. Others meant a blue GPS dot, address search, a route line, spoken directions, public transport departures or automatic fallback when the signal becomes weak.

These are separate functions.

GPS position does not require mobile data, but the map and route do

Satellite positioning can give a compatible phone its location without an active SIM or data connection. The phone still needs stored map data to draw useful streets and paths. It also needs a local routing engine or a previously saved route to tell the traveler how to move between two points.

Assisted positioning can be faster when the phone has network access, and buildings, tunnels, battery settings and device hardware can affect accuracy. A blue dot on a blank background therefore proves only that the device has some position information. It does not prove the destination map is stored.

The downloaded area may not cover the complete route

Google explicitly requires the entire route to sit inside the offline map. This is easy to miss on an airport transfer or a road trip. A rectangle around the city center may omit the airport, ring road, ferry port or a detour.

Download the start, destination and corridor between them. If the trip crosses a border, include the border area and the first usable town on both sides. If the app downloads by country or region, confirm every region is installed rather than assuming the continent label means all countries are present.

Weak signal can be worse than no signal for automatic fallback

Some public complaints describe a map that keeps loading while a weak data connection is technically present, then works after airplane mode is enabled. This behavior was not reproduced as part of the study, so it is not scored. HERE's own instructions nevertheless show that online and offline routing can be separate operating modes.

The useful pre-trip test is simple:

1. Download the destination area.
2. Close the app completely.
3. Enable airplane mode.
4. Reopen the app.
5. Search for an unsaved place inside the area.
6. Create a new route in the mode you plan to use.
7. Move the start point away from the current location if the app allows it.
8. Confirm the route, map detail and guidance appear.

Testing a route that was already open does not answer whether a fresh route can start offline. Testing only the visible map does not answer whether search or routing works.

Downloaded maps become stale

Roads close, businesses move, paths change and transit schedules are revised. Apple enables automatic updates by default. Google manages expiration and update attempts. HERE, OsmAnd and Sygic publish update controls. Pocket Earth publishes manual and automatic update settings.

Run the update while reliable Wi-Fi and power are available. Open the app after the update and confirm the map still appears. For a route that depends on a seasonal road, ferry, border crossing or hiking path, check a current official transport or land-management source as well.

An old offline map is still useful for orientation. It should not be treated as live authority for a closure, evacuation, strike or emergency route.

Offline maps and Roaming eSIM solve different parts of the journey

Offline maps reduce dependence on a mobile connection. They do not eliminate the value of one.

🏆 Roaming eSIM continuity edge: keep the route and essential places on the phone, then use a Roaming eSIM for current traffic, transit disruption, newly changed closures, ride booking, live business search, accommodation messages and rebooking where the selected plan has coverage. The offline layer protects the basic route when service drops. The data layer updates the decision.

This is not a claim that mobile data works everywhere. Coverage, congestion, terrain, device bands and the local network still affect service. A Roaming eSIM also cannot update an app that has not been installed, repair a map that was never downloaded or make an unsupported offline travel mode appear.

The combination has a clear division of labor:

Travelers should still buy for the actual route. A country plan may fit one destination. A regional or global plan may fit a multi-country itinerary, but only if the visible country list covers every stop. The related product cards below show current Roaming eSIM options. Check the selected package for allowance, validity, supported networks, hotspot behavior, start rules and top-up eligibility.

Use the travel data calculator to estimate the whole trip. Maps and messages usually use less data than video uploads, streaming or extended hotspot use. Read whether data roaming should be on for a Roaming eSIM for the device setting, and keep the mobile boarding pass offline study with the same arrival backup folder.

A practical offline map checklist before departure

Choose the task before choosing the app

Write down what must work when the phone has no mobile data:

• see streets and a GPS position;
• search for an address or place;
• create a fresh driving route;
• create a fresh walking route;
• create a fresh cycling route;
• calculate a public transport journey;
• follow one planned hike or ride;
• receive live traffic or disruption information.

The last item is not an offline task. It needs current data. The others may be offline tasks, but support differs by app.

Download more than the city center

Include the arrival airport or station, accommodation, planned neighborhoods, day-trip corridor and the route back to the airport. For a road trip, check every country or region crossed by the route. If the app shows the download size, compare it with free device storage before starting.

Keep enough space for app updates, photos and messages. A phone with almost no free storage may remove cached files or fail to finish a map update. The exact storage behavior depends on the operating system and app.

Save critical places outside the map app

Keep the accommodation name, street address, local-language address, phone number and booking reference in an offline note or screenshot. Save the arrival terminal and a nearby landmark. A map search can fail because the business name differs, the map data is old or the app's offline index is limited.

Coordinates can help for remote accommodation, trailheads and rural pickups, but they should be copied carefully. For safety-critical outdoor travel, use the official trail or park source and suitable local navigation practices rather than treating a consumer app as emergency equipment.

Test the actual travel mode in airplane mode

A driving test does not validate walking. A saved route does not validate fresh calculation. A visible map does not validate search. Run the test with the travel mode and workflow you will use after landing.

If the trip uses public transport, also save the network map and the route number. Offline transit directions may not contain the newest platform or cancellation. Current operator information remains the authority on travel day.

Update shortly before the trip

Update the app, the downloaded maps and the phone operating system early enough to test them again. Do not begin a large map download at the departure gate with a low battery. Open every downloaded region once after the update.

When an app uses an explicit offline switch, enable it during the test. When an app is designed around saved routes, save the route and verify it appears in the offline or downloads section rather than only in a general favorites list.

Keep power and connection backups

Offline navigation still uses the screen, GPS and processor. Voice guidance, high brightness and continuous rerouting can use significant battery. Carry a permitted power bank and cable, reduce screen-on time, and keep the key address in a form that can be shown to a driver or station employee.

If the phone is compatible and unlocked, install the Roaming eSIM while stable internet is available, following the exact package instructions. The installation timing guide explains when to add it, while the phone compatibility guide covers the hardware and carrier-lock checks.

Ten traveler questions answered by the evidence

Can I start a new route while fully offline?

Eight apps publish a fresh offline route: Google Maps, Apple Maps, HERE WeGo, Magic Earth, OsmAnd, Organic Maps, MAPS.ME and Sygic GPS Navigation. Google requires the full route inside the downloaded area. HERE requires the relevant map and an offline-mode workflow. The exact travel modes differ.

komoot and Pocket Earth are classified as saved-route-only. Prepare the route while connected and verify it was downloaded.

Which apps explicitly support offline walking directions?

Apple Maps, Magic Earth, OsmAnd, Organic Maps and MAPS.ME. Google explicitly says walking directions are unavailable offline. HERE and Sygic publish walking modes generally, but the checked first-party pages do not connect those modes clearly enough to offline use, so they are not counted.

Which apps explicitly support offline cycling directions?

Apple Maps, Magic Earth, OsmAnd, Organic Maps and MAPS.ME. komoot can navigate a downloaded outdoor route, including cycling routes, but it is classified as saved-route-only rather than fresh offline calculation.

Can Google Maps give walking or public transport directions offline?

Not according to Google's current help page. Google says offline public transport, cycling and walking directions are unavailable. Offline driving can work when the entire route is inside the downloaded map, without traffic information or alternative routes.

Which apps publish full offline transit directions?

Apple Maps and Magic Earth. OsmAnd can calculate and display public transport routes, but its own documentation says the feature does not offer the full navigation function. Other apps may show metro maps, stations or saved information without providing a fresh transit journey offline.

Does GPS work without a SIM or internet connection?

The phone can often determine its position from satellite signals without mobile data. The useful map, place index and route engine must still be stored on the device. Assisted positioning, environmental conditions and device settings can affect how quickly and accurately the location appears.

Why does a downloaded map still show a loading screen?

Possible reasons include an incomplete area, the app remaining in online mode, an expired or missing map, a search outside the downloaded region, a route mode that is not supported offline or a damaged app state. This study does not diagnose individual devices. Start by testing in airplane mode, checking the downloaded area and following the app's first-party troubleshooting page.

Do I need to download the entire route?

For Google Maps, yes. Google explicitly says the whole route must be inside the offline map. Other apps download by selected area, region or country, or save a corridor around a planned route. Confirm that the start, destination and connecting corridor are stored.

How often should I update an offline map?

Use the app's update mechanism shortly before departure. The services publish different schedules and controls. Apple enables automatic updates by default. Google manages expiring maps. OsmAnd publishes monthly standard releases. HERE and Sygic tell users to update installed maps. The latest downloaded file can still lag a very recent closure.

Can offline maps replace a travel data plan?

They can replace data for specific static tasks, such as viewing stored streets or following a locally calculated route. They cannot provide information that changes after download. Travelers who need live traffic, disruption updates, ride booking, messages, current searches or rebooking still need a connection such as a suitable Roaming eSIM plan, Wi-Fi or another mobile service.

Methodology

Study question

The study asks one practical question: what does each selected navigation app publicly say a traveler can do after mobile data and Wi-Fi are unavailable?

It does not rank visual design, route quality, privacy, battery use, price, map completeness or field reliability. Those would require separate methods and, for several outcomes, controlled device testing across countries.

Sample selection

We searched three topic groups on August 20, 2026: best offline maps for travel, offline navigation app comparison and offline travel directions without data. We read the ten leading English-language comparison pages retained in the dataset.

An app was eligible when it met three conditions:

1. It appeared in at least one of the ten comparison pages.
2. It had a current consumer product surface.
3. It had enough first-party public documentation to classify at least one offline behavior.

The ten apps were fixed before scoring. The sample includes general navigation products, offline-first products, outdoor route tools and one Apple-only travel map. It is not a popularity ranking and should not be used to estimate market share.

Classification fields

Each record covers:

• downloadable offline map;
• fresh route calculation while offline;
• offline driving;
• offline walking;
• offline cycling;
• offline transit;
• offline place or address search;
• update guidance;
• live or geographic limits;
• traveler decision.

"Yes" requires an explicit first-party connection to offline use. "No" requires an explicit statement that the feature is unavailable offline. "Saved route only" means the route must be planned and stored while connected. "Partial" means route calculation or display is available without the full navigation function. "Not publicly documented" means the checked sources do not answer the field.

We did not award a mode because a product supports that mode online. We did not award offline search because a map remained visible. We did not award transit because an app displayed a metro diagram or stored stops.

Complete published offline chain

The complete-chain chart is a separate documentation measure. It requires a downloadable map, a fresh offline route, at least one explicitly documented route mode, offline search and update guidance.

This measure rewards a traveler-facing preparation path. It does not require all four modes, so it should not be read as an overall winner table. Magic Earth has all four mode statements but lacks an explicit offline search statement in the checked sources. HERE and Sygic cover fewer explicit modes but publish search and update steps.

Source hierarchy

First-party help centers, product pages and user manuals control every scored field. Third-party comparison pages were used only for the competitive set and sample discovery. Reddit and other public discussions were used to identify traveler questions, not to score app capabilities.

Each first-party page was checked on August 20, 2026. The source URLs and notes are stored in the JSON and CSV. External links on this resource use nofollow because they are evidence links, not endorsements.

Reproduction

The source record is stored at scripts/research/data/offline-maps-travel-index-source.json. Run:

``bash node scripts/research/generate-offline-maps-travel-index.mjs ``

The generator normalizes every row, creates the CSV and JSON, calculates SHA-256 checksums and renders the three WebP charts. The generated files are deterministic for the same source record.

To reproduce the published counts:

1. Confirm that the source file contains ten apps.
2. Count exact Yes values for each offline mode.
3. Count fresh-route values beginning with Yes.
4. Count apps whose four mode fields all equal Yes.
5. Confirm that the result is Apple Maps and Magic Earth.
6. Count complete-chain records derived by the generator.
7. Compare the regenerated files byte for byte with the published dataset.

Limitations

This study measures published documentation, not real-world performance. A first-party page can be incomplete, out of date or written at a broader product level than a specific operating-system version. A feature can work without being clearly documented. That is why silence remains "not publicly documented" rather than "no."

The sample is purposive, not exhaustive. It does not include every navigation, hiking, marine, aviation, accessibility or country-specific map app. The ten-app limit makes the source review and traveler matrix manageable while retaining several product types.

Mode support does not measure route quality. An app can document cycling but lack a local path. Another can publish driving without current road changes. OpenStreetMap-based products can share underlying map data while using different routing engines, release schedules and interfaces.

Country and platform availability can change. Apple offline maps are not available everywhere. HERE names country exemptions. komoot region access depends on account and location. Sygic voice guidance depends on the licence. Travelers should check the current app screen and first-party page for the actual destination.

No study result should replace official emergency, road, transit, border or park information. A downloaded consumer map is a travel aid. It is not a live safety authority.

What we learned from the content gap

The leading pages were useful for discovering app names and broad use cases. The recurring weakness was comparability. Several mixed map visibility, saved routes, fresh route calculation and live navigation under one "offline" label. Few exposed a fixed sample, dated first-party sources and downloadable row data.

The most consequential error was mode inflation. A top result said Google Maps supports offline walking, cycling and transit. Google's current official help says those modes are unavailable offline. That makes a source-linked mode matrix more useful than another subjective list of favorites.

The public questions showed the same gap. Travelers were not only asking which app to install. They wanted to know why a downloaded map did not start a route, whether walking worked, whether airplane mode changed behavior, whether a route must be downloaded in full and whether GPS needs a SIM.

This study answers those questions without pretending that one app wins every scenario. Apple Maps and Magic Earth lead the four-mode documentation field. OsmAnd publishes the deepest offline control detail. Organic Maps and MAPS.ME provide clear three-mode offline navigation. Google Maps remains a practical offline driving option with explicit mode limits. komoot and Pocket Earth are useful when the route is prepared first.

The connectivity decision follows from the same evidence. Offline maps are valuable because mobile service can fail. A Roaming eSIM remains valuable because maps, traffic, transit and travel plans change. The strongest setup uses both layers and tests them before the trip.

Data and citation notes

The CSV is designed for filtering and reuse. The JSON includes the research context, competitor pages, demand questions, complete source notes, headline counts and checksums. Please cite the study title, Roaming eSIM research team, publication date and the dataset URL when using the findings.

The headline finding is valid only for the ten-app sample and the checked first-party pages as of August 20, 2026. Phrase it as "two of ten apps in the Roaming eSIM Offline Maps Travel Index explicitly documented all four checked modes," not as a claim about every navigation app.

If a first-party page changes, the source record should be updated and the generator run again. The findings must move with the evidence, including when an app gains or loses a field.

Sources checked for the app matrix

• Google Maps offline maps help
• Apple Maps offline maps guide
• Apple offline maps support
• HERE WeGo offline maps
• HERE WeGo routing and navigation
• Magic Earth navigation modes
• Magic Earth offline maps support
• OsmAnd offline routing
• OsmAnd public transport routing
• OsmAnd map downloads and offline search
• Organic Maps features
• MAPS.ME offline maps
• Sygic offline map downloads
• Sygic offline search
• Sygic live traffic requirements
• komoot route and map downloads
• komoot saved-route navigation
• Pocket Earth offline maps
• Pocket Earth help manual