TomTom HD traffic or Google maps?

[A900ss]

Which is the most reliable traffic service? HD TomTom (the paid service) or the free traffic in Google maps on the phone app? A few years ago I would have said TT without a doubt but Google Maps app on a smartphone seems to be upping it's game recently.

I'm keen to hear others thoughts as my subscription is up for renewal.

Thanks.

[lbc]

I use TomTom HD traffic on the phone, and also have a Garmin satnav with Digital traffic.

I have been using both together for the last year, and there is little difference between TomTom traffic and the free Garmin Digital traffic.

I may not bother to renew the TomTom traffic this year.

The newest Garmin models with Digital traffic end with 99 in the model number.
I have the 2599LMTD.

Edited by lbc on Monday 2nd March 10:29

[randlemarcus]

Waze.

Uses the Google Maps, but also uses data from users to highlight traffic slowdowns etc, as well as nice things like lurking Trafpol. And its free

[eybic]

randlemarcus said:

Waze.

Uses the Google Maps, but also uses data from users to highlight traffic slowdowns etc, as well as nice things like lurking Trafpol. And its free

The routing is getting worse though. It seems to point me in the direction of traffic and claims to know nothing about the same traffic jams every day. I was stationary this morning and despite me reporting being stationary, within 1 minute of it thanking me, the road ahead was clear (according to Waze anyway).

The routes it plans are also very strange sometimes. Yesterday I was in Brighton and it took me on a detour of about 2 miles off a main road only to put me back on it, there were no problems on the road.

It says that it remembers your preferred routes too, not once has it started by pointing me towards my preferred route and when it does recalculate to the route I'm on, the mileage and time drops

[A900ss]

randlemarcus said:

Waze.

Uses the Google Maps, but also uses data from users to highlight traffic slowdowns etc, as well as nice things like lurking Trafpol. And its free

Doesn't Waze have major privacy issues (more so than Google)?

Google maps does pull in Waze traffic data

[Stu R]

Waze is owned by google, but doesn't do navigation quite the same as Google maps - might be different back in blighty but around here it's either fabulous or utterly useless. highways etc it's fine with, back roads expose some flaws with it's routing algorithm.

I use Waze in the background for avoiding speeding tickets, by which of course I mean "avoiding accident blackspots" or something, with Google Maps doing the rest. Works for me.

Google is near faultless for me (with the caveat I'm in the US) - if they'd get the Waze social stuff built in and kill off Waze it'd be my perfect one-app-fits-all routing tool.

[waremark]

Was happy with TT HD Traffic for several years. However did not want to buy a new TT due to the reduction in functionality from my Go 950. Have bought a Garmin 3599 LMTD (lifetime maps and digital traffic) have not renewed my TT live and map subs saving about £50 pa. Very happy - beautiful unit, excellent graphics, good routing, good traffic, good functionality.