- By Prateek Levi
- Thu, 23 Oct 2025 05:14 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
India's roads are notoriously challenging, featuring clogged streets, narrow lanes, and inconsistent address schemes that make travel a daily pain. Although Google Maps has been the default for years for millions of users, an increasing number of Indian consumers are switching to local alternatives, and one app is quietly gaining momentum: Mappls.
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Though Google Maps has the advantage of heavy users and a vast database of shops, establishments, and traffic data, Mappls is focused on Indian driving experience-orientated solutions. Apart from offering run-of-the-mill turn-by-turn directions and real-time traffic data, Mappls offers estimates of fuel prices for petrol, diesel, CNG, and electric vehicles—the type of information useful for those planning excursions on city roads or highway drives.
Streamlining India's Convolutionary Address System
For navigation services, one of India's biggest challenges is its irregular and informal addressing system. Good addresses are not available for most houses, businesses, and shops, and the vast number of languages and dialects within the country complicate things further. Google Maps addresses this to some extent with regional language support but still has a chance of mislocating some locations.
Mappls solves this problem with Pins, a technology that redefines any location as a simple, sharable code. Pins, the company claims, are "accurate down to the doorstep", allowing users to share addresses confidently without fear of mistakes that plague traditional mapping tools.
Reducing Misunderstanding on Complex Routes
Multi-level flyovers and complicated junctions can baffle drivers about what lanes or exits to take. Mappls resolves the confusion with 3D depictions of flyovers and junctions, showing entry and exit points. The feature reduces confusion, particularly in busy city areas.
The app also features enhanced road warnings. While Mappls and Google Maps both warn the user regarding an accident or a closure, Mappls adds more by highlighting potholes, speed breakers, and speed cameras—usual obstacles that affect safety and travel speed on Indian roads.
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As long as Google Maps dominates the navigation universe, Mappls demonstrates the strengths of local-first approach, delivering tools and features that have been specifically designed to cater to the intricacies of driving in India. For drivers looking for India-specific functionality, Mappls delivers practical solutions that Google Maps cannot.