After Google Maps and Apple Maps began showing “Lake America” for Lake Ontario, following a presidential order to rename the lake, some users started looking for other navigation apps. The Associated Press reports that the backlash, which also drew on earlier objections to the companies’ Gulf of Mexico/Gulf of America labeling, has renewed interest in alternatives such as MapQuest, HERE WeGo, Organic Maps, OsmAnd, Magic Earth, and TomTom’s app. The right choice depends less on the label than on who owns the app, which travel modes it supports where you live, whether it works offline, and what it charges.
What changed on the map, and where
According to the AP report dated October 7, 2026, Google and Apple changed their map labels after the order. The report does not spell out the exact regions where each company’s change applies, so treat the label as something that may differ by location and by app version. The one company the report ties to a specific scope is HERE Technologies, which confirmed it updated the lake’s name to Lake America for users in the United States.
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HERE’s spokesperson, Jordan Stark, explained the company’s approach this way: “Under our uniform global policy, HERE updates nomenclature based on changes by international and national standards bodies, such as the United States Board on Geographic Names.” That quote describes HERE’s naming policy, not a judgment about the order itself.
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Why some users are looking elsewhere
The AP connects the controversy to lingering concerns about digital privacy and large technology platforms. That is the outlet’s explanation of why interest in alternatives has grown. It is not a measured study of why people switch apps, and the report does not quantify how many users have changed.
#1 Best Overall
- Bright, high-resolution 5” glass capacitive touchscreen display lets you easily view your route
- Get more situational awareness with alerts for school zones, speed changes, sharp curves and more
- View food, fuel and rest areas along your active route, and see upcoming cities and milestones
- View Tripadvisor traveler ratings for top-rated restaurants, hotels and attractions to help you make the most of road trips
- Directory of U.S. national parks simplifies navigation to entrances, visitor centers and landmarks within the parks
The same report says that “most estimates” put the market share of the leading map platforms at about 80%. It does not name the underlying estimate, its year, or its method, so treat the figure as a reported approximation rather than a verified statistic.
Ownership comes before features
Brand is a poor guide to who controls your data. Waze has its own app and identity, but the AP notes that Google acquired it in 2013 and still owns it. If your main goal is to avoid Google-owned services, Waze does not meet that goal regardless of its interface.
Rank #2
- 6” high-resolution navigator includes map updates of North America
- Hands-free calling when paired with your compatible smartphone with BLUETOOTH technology and convenient Garmin voice assist lets you ask for directions to places you want to go
- Road trip–ready features include the HISTORY database of notable sites, a U.S. national parks directory, Tripadvisor traveler ratings and millions of Foursquare POIs
- Driver alerts for things such as school zones, sharp curves and speed changes help encourage safer driving and increase situational awareness
- Access live traffic, fuel prices, parking, weather and smart notifications when you pair this navigator with your compatible smartphone running the Garmin Drive app
The table below lists what the AP report says about each named alternative. Where the report is silent, the cell reads “not stated.” That gap means the report did not cover the point, not that the feature is missing. Check the app itself before deciding.
| App | Owner or data source (per AP) | Lake Ontario label (per AP) | Transport modes | Offline maps | Privacy and pricing (per AP) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MapQuest | Owned by System1, a California company | Declined to change the lake name, according to the report | Not stated | Not stated | Privacy not stated; downloads surged in early September 2026 and the app topped Apple’s free app charts in the United States and Canada |
| HERE WeGo | HERE Technologies | Updated to Lake America for U.S. users, as confirmed by the owner | Car, public transport, walking, cycling, and taxi routes in some regions; multiple stops; terrain, traffic, and satellite views; no Street View | Downloadable country maps | Free on iOS and Android; privacy not stated |
| Organic Maps | Volunteer-run OpenStreetMap data; app owner not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Described as completely free; privacy not stated |
| OsmAnd | OpenStreetMap data; app owner not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | A subscription is required for more than basic functions; privacy not stated |
| Magic Earth | Dutch route planner; owner not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | The company says it does not collect personal data or track movements; this is the company’s claim, not an independently verified finding |
| TomTom app | TomTom | Not stated | Driving only; no walking or cycling alternatives | Not stated | Described as clean, basic, and ad-free; privacy not stated |
Matching an app to your needs
Start with the trip you take most often, then check the table against that use.
Rank #3
- Explore confidently with the reliable handheld GPS
- 2.2” sunlight-readable color display with 240 x 320 display pixels for improved readability
- Preloaded with Topo Active maps with routable roads and trails for cycling and hiking
- Support for GPS and GLONASS satellite systems allows for tracking in more challenging environments than GPS alone
- 8 GB of internal memory for map downloads plus a micro SD card slot
- Driving only, with a simple interface: the TomTom app, which the AP describes as ad-free and focused on drivers.
- Mixing driving with walking, cycling, or transit: HERE WeGo, but only after confirming that your region offers the specific mode you need.
- Free and built on open map data: Organic Maps, provided the features you rely on are available where you travel.
- Open map data with paid extras: OsmAnd, if you are willing to pay for the functions you need beyond the basics.
- Privacy as the top priority: read each app’s privacy policy yourself. Magic Earth’s no-tracking claim comes from the company.
- Avoiding Google ownership: any app except Waze, subject to the ownership checks described above.
Check before you switch
- Open the app’s map of your area and confirm the lake’s label as it appears on your device, since labels can vary by region and version.
- Confirm the app covers the transport modes you use in the places you travel.
- Download the offline map for your area while you have a connection, then test a route with the phone offline.
- Read the privacy policy and note which data it says is collected, rather than relying on a headline or a company statement.
- Check whether the features you need sit behind a subscription before you depend on them.
What the evidence does and does not establish
The AP report is the main source for the details above. It establishes the label changes, HERE’s stated policy, the ownership of Waze and MapQuest, and the early-September download surge for MapQuest. It does not establish that any alternative avoids the naming issue in your region, that any app meets every privacy preference, or that the surge in downloads will last. The AP also does not verify the privacy claims that companies make about their own apps.
Read the phrase “Alternative to Google Maps / Apple Maps” as a common way people word a search, not as a measure of how many people are searching for it. It appears in a single informal online post, which is not evidence of prevalence.
Rank #4
- 8” navigator with high-resolution, dual-orientation display and map updates of North America .Special Feature:Large Display; Voice Assist; Hands-Free Calling; Live Traffic and Weather; Traffic Cams and Parking; Smart Notifications,Driver Alerts; Tripadvisor; National Parks Directory; Find Places by Name; Garmin Real Directions Feature.
- Hands-free calling when paired with your compatible smartphone with BLUETOOTH technology and convenient Garmin voice assist lets you ask for directions to places you want to go
- Road trip–ready features include the HISTORY database of notable sites, a U.S. national parks directory, Tripadvisor traveler ratings and millions of Foursquare POIs
- Driver alerts for things such as school zones, sharp curves and speed changes help encourage safer driving and increase situational awareness
- Access live traffic, fuel prices, weather, parking and smart notifications when you pair this navigator with your compatible smartphone running the Garmin Drive app
This guide compares navigation apps only. It does not recommend buying a dedicated GPS device. The AP mentions TomTom’s GO hardware as history, not as a current product to buy.
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The Bottom Line
Choose an alternative by ownership, the travel modes you need in your own region, offline support, and cost, not by the label alone. Verify the label and any privacy claim in the app itself before you rely on it.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Bright, high-resolution 5” glass capacitive touchscreen display lets you easily view your route
- Get more situational awareness with alerts for school zones, speed changes, sharp curves and more
- View food, fuel and rest areas along your active route, and see upcoming cities and milestones
- View Tripadvisor traveler ratings for top-rated restaurants, hotels and attractions to help you make the most of road trips
- Directory of U.S. national parks simplifies navigation to entrances, visitor centers and landmarks within the parks
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