GPS systems have become a necessity for most people. The best thing about GPS is that obtaining satellite information is absolutely free of charge. The only thing you need to purchase is a GPS-enabled device, a feature that is already found in majority of smartphones in the market. For Android users, there is a wide variety of top-notch GPS apps to choose from. Companies like Google and MapQuest have put out excellent GPS apps for android that consumers benefit from. GPS Apps for Android You Can Download for Free Listed below are some of the best GPS apps for Android devices you can download anytime without paying a dime. Scroll down for video 1. Google Maps Ever since its official launch in 2005, has continued to reign supreme in the free navigation app category. Based on the amount of data it generates, Google Maps has risen to become the most efficient app for navigating through traffic. It is currently free to download on a majority of Android phones 2. Sygic Navigation Software Sygic rose to prominence in 2009 after the Slovakian company became the first to offer a GPS navigation system for iPhone. Today, the full-featured app can be used both online and offline, running on Android, iOS, Windows, and Symbian operating systems. Sygic navigation makes use of 2-D and 3-D maps of more than 200 countries around the world. It provides information for smoother travel including live traffic updates, speed camera warning, as well as parking place alerts. Waze GPS Navigation Waze is another excellent app for turn-by-turn navigation information. Other than turn-by-turn voice navigation, users can gain access to real-time traffic and location-specific alerts. What sets Waze apart from the other GPS apps for Android on this list is how interactive the application is. Think of it this way, while other GPS apps on this list present upcoming traffic in yellow or red lines, Waze presents the actual reason behind the delay by obtaining details from other drivers. This gives the user the chance to decide if they should reroute or not. Waze also offers a feature where users can give real-time updates via social media, alerting your friends or family of your whereabouts and estimated time of arrival. Waze has taken pride in being community-driven, which is likely why it has remained free to download since it was first launched. ViewRanger Not everyone uses GPS for traffic navigation! But with ViewRanger, you get powerful GPS navigation features for free. The mobile app transforms your smartphone into a GPS device, allowing you to record your own tracks, navigate routes, and share and compare your current stats with an online community. ViewRanger also offers hundreds of route guides you can choose from as well as a wide selection of worldwide maps. MapQuest MapQuest has the second-highest share of online mapping next to Google Maps. Among all GPS apps for Android, it is one of the most reliable tools for checking traffic situation, with an auto rerouting feature to help you reach your destination on time. A quick voice also enables you to find the nearest restaurants and gas stations. Perhaps the most exciting part is that MapQuest works like a world-building game except in real life. Members are welcome to improve the system by reporting new buildings, landmarks, and road construction sites to improve the current map system. GPS Standalone Devices vs. Smartphone Devices The free GPS apps for Android listed above are more than capable of navigating around urban areas and the great outdoors. This poses the question, is a stand-alone GPS unit still needed? Navigating with your smartphone is convenient and cost-effective, and it limits the number of devices you have to carry around. But it also has its limitations. For starters, smartphones have dozens of other apps installed, which could end up distracting you while driving. While there is no harm in installing these apps on your phone, experts recommend that you get a dedicated GPS device as well. With Trackimo you can view the location of anyone, anywhere, anytime. Trackimo unique system was designed to be highly informative and user friendly. It allows tracking the real time location of your devices, or check the history log of the device with an easily customizable time range. Download the App Easy to use, cost effective, worldwide real time tracking for everyone.