Google Maps Statistics - 25+ Surprising Facts

Let’s explore Google Maps statistics and see why it remains the #1 navigation app worldwide, more than 15 years after its origin. I’ve rounded up 26 Google Maps stats that reveal why it’s the preferred choice for our everyday journeys.

Unreal Google Maps Statistics

Here are some stand-out Google Maps facts:

• It’s the third most downloaded Google app worldwide.
• It has 1 billion active users in a month.
• It covers 40 million miles of roads.
• Google Maps used 70,000 sheep to collect street view map data once.
• ETA predictions are 97% accurate on Google Maps.
• The app gets 50 million updates daily.

Is Google Maps the Top Navigation App Worldwide?

In the world of navigation, Google Maps has earned a reputation for its user-friendly design and unique features. Numbers don’t lie — dive into these right away:

1. Google Maps Is the #1 Navigation App on Android and Apple.

(Source: Google Play Store & Apple Store)

Maps has 10 billion downloads on the Google Play Store. In fact, it’s the #1 navigation app on Android and Apple.

2. It’s the 3rd Most Downloaded Google App Worldwide.

(Source: Statista)

In September 2023, Maps was one of the top three most downloaded Google apps in the world, with 10.98 million downloads. YouTube and YouTube Kids occupy the top two positions with 14.05 and 13.62 million downloads respectively.

The mobile navigation service is so incredibly popular that it left the Google app (the search engine) behind in the 4th position.

Google Maps Number of Users Stats

This service is universally adopted due to its intuitive interface, real-time updates, and comprehensive mapping features.

3. Google Maps Has 1 Billion+ Active Monthly Users.

(Source: Google Maps Platform)

Google Maps is the most popular app for navigation. The only app which even comes close to Google Maps with its extensive coverage is Apple Maps.

You can use it on all devices, including Android and Apple. That explains the 1 billion+ active users per month.

4. Google Maps Has 5 Million Active App and Website Users.

(Source: Google Cloud)

Additionally, it has 5 million active app and website users. Different businesses use Maps to navigate or drive themselves to places. Google Maps helps Dominos keep its 30-minute delivery promise with its accurate ETA and advanced data prediction ML algorithms.

Not only that, it has business integrations available for delivery companies like DoorDash to help them reach their customers sooner. Other delivery apps like Dunzo or car services like Uber rely on Google Maps data to do business and serve their customer base. Maps even has country-specific data services available for businesses and websites.

5. 67% of All Smartphone Users Used Google Maps in 2018.

Source: (The Manifest)

More than half of all smartphone users rely on Google Maps regularly. Google’s Waze only sees 12% of regular smartphone users. The Manifest 2018 also found a total of 77% of people use navigation apps regularly to explore places, routes, and find businesses.

6. Each User Spends an Average of 152 Minutes Every Month.

(Source: Verto Analytics, via eMarketer)

This is the second-highest time spent on a navigation app. Google acquired Waze sees 269 minutes per user per month on average, which makes it the top spot holder. Apple Maps is only used for 12 minutes every month, which is quite low in comparison to the top two.

7. Google Maps Provides 20 billion Kilometers of Directions Daily in 2023.

(Source: The Keyword)

In fact, Google has also revealed a total of 1 billion kilometers were driven on Maps every day in 2020. That number is sure to have increased by 2023.

Google Maps Statistics for the US Market

When we take a look at its usage by country, we see the United States leading the race. Here’s a closer look at Google Maps demographics from the country:

8. Google Maps Is the Leading Map App in the US.

(Source: Statista)

Google Maps was introduced in select cities in the United States in 2006. Hence, it has remained a crowd favorite even after almost two decades!

Considering Apple Maps is in the second position among navigation apps and the US has the maximum number of Apple users in the world, it makes this fact even more compelling.

9. Google Maps Was Launched on 8 February 2005 in the US.

(Source: The Keyword)

Google Maps was born on 8 February 2005 as a desktop navigation solution in the United States. It was launched in a few US cities to help users go from position A to position B. Google Maps for mobile devices was launched in 2007.

10. 73% of US Websites Use Google Maps.

(Source: Builtwith via BrizFeel)

Businesses and live websites in the United States utilize the Google Maps API technologies. Hence, 73% of live websites and businesses have integrated Maps into their system to make their businesses more visible online and their services more accessible.

11. Google Maps Uses 0.73 MB of Data in the US.

(Source: Statista)

According to Google Maps statistics from 2020, the navigation app uses an average of 0.73 MB of data every 20 minutes in the United States. The figure for Apple’s navigation app is more than double, at 1.83 MB of data.

The lowest data consumption has been recorded by Waze, also owned by Google, with only 0.23 MB of data. Google Maps has a lot more features than Waze, thereby explaining the additional data usage.

Google Maps Coverage Stats

Let’s take a look at how wide its coverage really is.

12. You’ll Find 250 Countries & Regions on Google Maps.

(Source: Google Maps Platform)

Maps is available across 250 countries and territories worldwide! In comparison, the second most popular navigation app, Apple Maps, is only available across 200+ countries and regions.

Coverage is available for 7 different categories: Map Tiles 2D/3D, Geocoding, Traffic Layer, Biking Directions, Walking Directions, and Speed Limits. The most commonly covered categories worldwide are Map Tiles 2D/3D, Geocoding, and Traffic Layer. You can check what’s included in your country/region here.

13. There Are 200+ Million Businesses and Places on Google Maps.

(Source: Google Maps Platform)

Since Google Business was integrated with Maps, 200+ million businesses and places are listed as of 2023.

14. There Are 40 Million Miles of Roads on Maps.

(Source: Google Maps Platform)

Google Maps covers 40 million miles of roads to offer reliable routes to its business partners. They have biking, driving, transit, and walking directions to ensure your business is never affected by location-related issues.

15. There Are 500+ Cities on Google Maps With Bike and Scooter Information.

(Source: The Keyword)

As we move towards more sustainable ways of travel, Google Maps has made a big splash by introducing bike and scooter routes in 500+ cities on both Android and iOS devices. You can also check the level of battery your electric scooter has and if there are any charging stations around.

How Does Google Maps Source and Update its Data?

The service sources its data from satellite imagery and machine learning frameworks. However, to keep it updated on the daily, street view cars and users come into play.

16. Google Maps Has 120 Million Local Guides.

(Source: The Keyword)

Google Maps is powered by 120 million local guides who update the app every day with photos, reviews, and answers to queries. They are spread across 24,000 cities and towns globally. There are 5 levels of being a local guide and each comes with perks like exclusive contests, official badges, and free upgrades of Drive storage, and such.

17. Google Maps Gets 200 Contributions Every Second.

(Source: Google Cloud)

Did you know Google Maps is being updated every single second? Users contribute 200 million pieces of data every day, which is 200 contributions every second.

18. Google Maps Used 70,000 Sheep to Collect Map Data Once.

(Source: Google Cloud)

On the Faroe Islands, there are more sheep than there are people. Google used 70,000 sheep to capture imagery of the 18 islands in 2016. Sheep View is one of the most creative and unique data collection methods. Solar-powered cameras were strapped onto sheep to grab street views.

19. Google Maps Gets 50 Million Updates Daily.

(Source: Google Maps Platform)

Google Maps has extensive coverage in 250+ regions and covers multiple categories from map tiles to traffic layers to speed limits for each region. Hence, it keeps up this level of accuracy in real-time with 50 million updates every single day.

What Makes Google Maps Reliable?

Google Maps has remained the top choice because of its precision. Here’s what makes users trust it.

20. ETA Predictions Are 97% Accurate.

(Source: The Keyword)

One of the biggest reasons Google Maps is the #1 navigation app worldwide for both Android and iOS is how accurate its data predictions are.

97% of its ETA predictions have been correct. In fact, Google Maps is focusing on increasing accuracy even more by incorporating graph neural networks. This machine-learning architecture predicts delays that haven’t even happened yet.

When combined with Maps’ historical traffic data pattern recognition, this ensures it will only become more accurate in the coming years.

21. Google Maps Prevented 1.2 Million Metric Tons of Carbon Emissions.

(Source: The Keyword)

Maps has prevented 1.2 million metrics of carbon emissions by suggesting eco-friendly routing by the end of 2022.

Eco-friendly routing recommends users to take routes that’ll make them spend less fuel, thereby preventing carbon emissions. Google also shows flights with carbon emissions details to help individuals make environmentally conscious decisions.

22. It Added 39 New Languages to Cater to More Users.

(Source: The Keyword)

Google Maps added 39 new languages and corresponding support to the platform in 2018 to cater to 1.25 billion people worldwide. Fast-forward to now, Google Maps already translates places to local languages automatically. Google Translate supports a total of 133 languages worldwide. Support for all these languages is expected to be available soon at Maps.

Facts About Unique Google Maps Features

Google Maps is constantly enhancing the user experience by adding unique features that set it apart from other navigation apps.

23. Google Maps Has 10,000+ Indoor Maps.

(Source: Google Maps Indoor)

What are indoor maps? They offer a look at the building indoors — from layout to floor plans. Google Maps has partnered with 10,000+ indoor map locations to ensure enriched visitor experiences.

If a building with multiple floors is available on a registered indoor map location, users can switch between different floors. They can save time by locating stores in a mall or services like ATMs quickly.

24. Google Maps Has an Offline Feature Since 2015.

(Source: The Keyword)

What makes Google Maps a big hit is its offline availability worldwide. You can get turn-by-turn driving routes even without an internet connection with the offline feature released in 2015.

Google Maps Revenue Statistics

The service’s enduring success and widespread popularity can be seen in its substantial revenue. Here’s a look at related Google Maps stats:

25. Google Maps Revenue Is Estimated at $11.1 Billion in 2023.

(Source: Yahoo!Finance)

According to Morgan Stanley, the 2023 revenue has been estimated at $11.1 billion. As it’s becoming a utility-like service, its revenue has seen an astronomic increase through the years: from $3 billion in 2019 to $5 billion in 2020 to $6.5+ billion in 2021 to $9.5+billion in 2022.

26. Google Maps’ Highest Revenue Comes From the US.

(Source: BusinessofApps)

In 2022, the United States contributed 16.5% of Google Maps revenue. This data just corroborates Google Maps’ popularity in its country of origin.

You may also be interested in: 

• How to Show Compass on Google Maps: A Practical Guide
• Google Maps: How to Find the Flattest Route [Easy]
• How to Remove Labels from Google Maps Easily

Wrap Up

These Google Maps statistics solidify its position as the leading navigation application. We rely on Google for real-time updates like traffic jams and crashes and with the power of AI, Google Maps is all set to fine-tune its real-time data.

Sources: 

1. Google Play Store, Apple App Store
2. Statista
3. Google Maps Platform
4. Google Cloud
5. The Manifest
6. Verto Analytics, via eMarketer
7. The Keyword
8. Statista
9. The Keyword
10. Builtwith via BrizFeel
11. Statista
12. Google Maps Platform
13. Google Maps Platform
14. Google Maps Platform
15. The Keyword
16. The Keyword
17. Google Cloud
18. Google Cloud
19. Google Maps Platform
20. The Keyword
21. The Keyword
22. The Keyword
23. Google Maps Indoor
24. The Keyword
25. Yahoo!Finance
26. BusinessofApps