Finding your way around on a trip is critical, so being able to use the GPS on your phone should be a priority. But whether you’re following a map or just trying to get your bearings, roaming data can be very expensive. So you may be wondering: does GPS use data, and if so, how much data does GPS use?
GPS by itself does not use any data, but the apps that use GPS for navigation will be using data. So, does GPS work without data? Yes! Luckily, we can share how to use GPS on your phone without using data. GPS signals are free for all of us to use, as long as you have the right apps.
While many location-based apps use up data quickly, your phone’s GPS tracking allows you to use them in offline mode, as long as you preload maps and information while connected to Wi-Fi. This is useful when travelling abroad, where data plans are often costly and limited.
Here’s how to use GPS without data on your cell phone:
Use mapping apps offline
There are several apps available that will allow you to download maps onto your smartphone and enable navigation without data, the most common of which are Google Maps and Apple Maps. You can download maps and store them on your phone, and the navigation portion of these apps will be able to access the data even when you don’t have data access.
Unfortunately, many of these are somewhat limited when it comes to GPS navigation without internet. For example, Google Maps only allows you to pre-download a 50-square-kilometre map for temporary offline use. Depending on the nature of your trip, this may be enough for you – but it isn’t ideal on a long road trip. On a longer trip or if you venture outside an area where you have a preloaded map, you’ll have to stop and download the next piece of the map (using Wi-Fi or data).
Navmii (available for iOS and Android) is another navigation app that is free and can be used for GPS without data. Navmii is available in 197 countries and its eOSM map data is available in North America, Western Europe and other key countries.
Navmii has already collected over 2 billion miles of data via crowdsourcing, which it uses to create its own map data set. There are no hidden payments for additional map downloads and you’re able to use it forever, as well as download free updates when you need them.
Keep track while keeping fit
You may already be using apps that allow you to use GPS without data without even realising! Many fitness apps work with offline GPS, such as MapMyRide, Strava, MapMyRun, Runkeeper, and MapMyFitness. Most of these work with offline GPS for the purpose of tracking your walks, runs, hikes, and bike rides, and they can certainly help you out on your next trip!
While you will need a connection to use some of the features on these apps, using them on GPS-only mode will preserve battery life and data usage. You should definitely consider these apps if you are looking to track long bike rides or runs.
Use backcountry navigation apps
If you need GPS navigation, cell phones are likely able to do the whole job for you. Hardcore backcountry travellers are able to spend days or even months out of range of cellular signals, all with only a smartphone as a GPS device. Phones can be more convenient, space- and weight-wise, than dedicated GPS units, and packing efficiently is essential when travelling.
Some great backcountry navigation apps include Gaia GPS, AllTrails and ViewRanger. These apps allow you to preload maps and GPS tracks into your smartphone before your trip, so that when you are out on the trail without Wi-Fi or data, you can use the preloaded maps along with your smartphone’s GPS to do all the mapping and navigating you need.
Note your exact location
Using GPS without data on your smartphone to note your exact location has many uses that will help you out when travelling. Whether you need to save your spot in an airport carpark (nobody wants to be searching for their car after a long flight!) or share your location with someone else to find each other for a meetup, GPS coordinates can save you a lot of hassle.
GPS coordinates can be used to mark trailheads, campsites, turn-offs for dirt roads, fishing spots, waterfalls, and to help you find your way to other top spots throughout your travels.
The free My GPS Coordinates app (available for iOS and Android) allows you to email or text your coordinates to others, as well as displaying the accuracy of the GPS signal. Of course, you will need Wi-Fi or data to share locations, but you can save them using GPS and share or recall them later.
So if navigation is all you need, there’s no need to worry about data plans for your next trip. There are a whole host of navigation apps to try out and see what works for you.
