Google Maps vs OsmAnd: Privacy-Focused Navigation Showdown

Name: Google Maps
Brand: Google (Alphabet)
Availability: InStock

Discover how US-based Google Maps and EU's OsmAnd prioritize your data security. Learn why privacy-conscious users might prefer the European alternative.

Last updated: February 1, 2026•Reviewed by Built in EU Team

Should You Switch to OsmAnd?

What You Gain

Gain full GDPR protection and offline navigation with OsmAnd.

Privacy advantage

Trade-offs

Lose features like real-time traffic and Street View.

Google Maps has more features

Bottom Line

Switch if privacy is a priority and you can forgo some features.

At a Glance

Data Location

🇺🇸US

US data laws

🇪🇺EU

GDPR protected

Pricing

Google Maps

free

OsmAnd

freemium

Migration

Medium difficulty

See full details Visit OsmAnd

Privacy & Compliance Comparison

Critical data sovereignty factors at a glance

Criteria	Google Maps	OsmAnd
Server Location	US, EU, and other global locations	EU
GDPR Compliance	Partial (SCCs)	Full
Open Source
E2E Encryption	Optional	Optional
Data Portability	Partial	Full export

CLOUD Act Notice

Google Maps is a US company and must comply with CLOUD Act data requests, even for data stored in EU data centers. OsmAnd is not subject to US jurisdiction.

Switching from

Google Maps

🇺🇸

Google (Alphabet)

Switching to

OsmAnd

🇪🇺

US Data Storage

Data subject to US CLOUD Act and may be accessed by US authorities

EU Data Protection

Data protected under GDPR with EU-only data residency

Certifications & Compliance

No certifications listed

EU-hosted

Open Source

GDPR Compliant

Reasons to Switch

✓OsmAnd uses OpenStreetMap data, which is community-driven and regularly updated.
✓Offline maps available for download, saving data and battery life.
✓Full GDPR compliance ensures user data is handled according to EU laws.
✓Open-source nature allows for community contributions and transparency.