Waze review

Waze is the app to run while you drive, not while you plan. Its map is fed by reports from what Waze calls tens of millions of drivers, and it reroutes around live traffic, incidents and closures. Alerts cover crashes, construction, objects on the road, potholes, sharp curves, bad weather, emergency vehicles, railroad crossings, police and red light and speed cameras, along with speed limit changes ahead. For long trips, Waze shows toll pricing with the option to avoid tolls, gas stations with prices and EV charging stations along your route, and parking lot prices near your destination. You can check ETAs for a future departure or arrival time, use multi-lane guidance, play podcasts or music from your audio apps inside Waze, and show Waze on your car display through Apple CarPlay. It is free. The App Store listing does not describe offline maps or a way to plan several days of stops, and Waze says it is not meant for oversized vehicles, so RV drivers should look elsewhere. We compared documented features and published prices.

Who it is for

drivers who want live hazard and police alerts on the road

Price

Free.

Avoid traffic, police, hazards Free
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 13, 2026.

Key features

• Rerouting based on live traffic, incidents and road closures
• Alerts for crashes, construction, potholes, bad weather, police and speed cameras
• Toll pricing with an option to avoid tolls
• Gas stations with prices and EV charging stations along your route
• ETAs by future departure or arrival time

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Free, with no in-app purchases listed
• Strength: Multi-lane guidance and speed limit change warnings
• Strength: Audio apps and Apple CarPlay work inside Waze
• Weakness: Waze says it is not intended for emergency or oversized vehicles
• Weakness: Some features are not available in all countries
• Weakness: The App Store listing describes no multi-day trip planner or offline maps

Key facts

• Price: Free
• Data source: Tens of millions of drivers, per Waze
• Toll prices: Yes, with toll avoidance
• Fuel: Gas prices and EV chargers along the route
• Car display: Apple CarPlay

Where it ranks

Waze is No. 5 in our Best Road Trip Apps verdict.