Google Maps Statistics Australia (2025)

Google Maps is 20 years old in Australia! To celebrate, Maps recalled how it began as a simple concept, drafted on a whiteboard in a humble apartment in Hunters Hill, Sydney.

Since then, Google Maps has grown to help more than two billion people on Earth monthly. It assists Australian users with bushfire monitoring, air quality checks, and travel reservations.

Let us examine how Google Maps has changed how people move in Australia. We will focus on Maps’ great features, competitors, and usage patterns. Also, let us highlight how different Maps features are updated to make the app more accurate and user-friendly.

How Many Australians Use Google Maps?

With over 10 billion downloads on Google Play, Google Maps is one of the most widely used apps globally, including in Australia.

Top navigation apps according to downloads

Source: SensorTower

As of Q3 of 2024, Waze Navigation & Live Traffic is the top navigation and maps application based on downloads, with 27.9K Australians downloading the app at the beginning of July and around 39.1K by the middle of August. Waze’s weekly active users were 558K.

Google Maps ranked second, with 27.4K to 31.7K locals downloading the app. The weekly active users was around 2.61M.

Meanwhile, Google Earth was third with 11K to 12.3K downloads, GPS Map Navigation was fourth with 2.9K to 4K downloads, and Trip Planner – Polarsteps with 3.5K downloads.

Australian Websites That Rely on Google Maps

According to the survey, Australians ranked 8th, with more than 269,000 websites embedding Google Maps on their website. The United States leads the list with more than 2.4 million websites, while India ranks second with more than 600,000 sites.

Google Maps Mobile vs Desktop Usage

According to Qualcomm, the most popular use of mobile phones was browsing or searching the Internet. Users using mobile phones for GPS, navigation, or local-based services ranked 8th.

A MarketWatch study revealed that around 70% of people who use navigation apps are looking for ways to locate and avoid speed traps. 

Google Maps Market Share in Australia

Based on SensorTower’s Q3 of 2024 survey of the most popular navigation and map apps in Australia, the approximate market share distribution among these apps in terms of weekly active users is as follows:

• Google Maps: 79.9%
• Waze Navigation & Live Traffic: 17.1%
• Google Earth: 1.4%
• GPS Map Navigation: 0.9%
• Trip Planner – Polarsteps: 0.5%

These numbers show Google Maps’ large market share in Australia as more locals turn to the app for navigation, locating local businesses, and planning trips.

Key Features and Their Popularity

Directions and Navigation

People use Google Maps primarily for directions and navigation. Maps can accurately lead you to your destination, whether driving, commuting, or walking around. Maps uses GPS technology to know your location up to 20 metres.

The accuracy depends on the quality of the GPS receiver and the satellites in view. There may be times when Maps provide inaccurate or outdated information due to traffic conditions or changes in road layouts. Google encourages users to report these inaccuracies to improve the app’s accuracy.

Local Business Listings

Another popular usage of Maps is finding brick-and-mortar business establishments. 

Recent statistics revealed that most individuals use Google Maps to locate local stores and businesses.

Maps can provide directions, and with Google Business Profile, they can give additional information such as opening and closing times, phone numbers, website URLs, images, customer reviews, and much more.

Street View Adoption

In Street View, you can move through roads, communities, and cities just like you would if you were there. Google updates Street View regularly in urban, high-traffic areas more frequently than in rural locations.

In 2023, Street View covered more than 16 million kilometres of roads in more than 85 countries. Currently, there are more than 220 billion Street View images.

Offline Maps

Some areas have poor mobile signals, which may limit Google Maps usage. Maps has an extensive offline feature that allows you to use the app even when you don’t have cell service. 

More than a billion people use offline Google Maps, especially when travelling or commuting. This feature lets you locate places and businesses in more than 220 countries and territories.

Impacts on Local Businesses

Google Business Profile is free from Google. It helps businesses connect with their local clients and expand their customer base. Completing GBP information and keeping your listing accurate increases its chances of getting noticed online and generate more sales.

A complete GBP has the following information:

• Business name
• Business address
• Business phone number
• Opening and closing hours
• Business Category
• Service areas
• Website
• Photos
• Customer reviews
• Updates or posts about promotions or news
• Business description

According to the latest Google statistics, customers are 2.7 times more likely to consider a business legitimate or reputable if they find a complete profile on GBP and Maps. 

Also, customers are 70% more likely to visit a shop and 50% more likely to buy products or use services of businesses with complete and updated GBP information.

GBP also leads customers to Google Maps, where they can select different routes and modes of travel, check busy hours and accessibility, and manage their trips.

Interested to find out more about how GBP can be used to benefit your business? You can find more Google Business Profiles statistics here.

Comparisons with Other Countries

Google Maps had 21 million downloads in 2023 in the US, making it the most popular navigation app in the country. Meanwhile, Waze is second, with 9.3 million downloads. Also, reports say that US users utilise Maps more often than users from other countries, 19.44% of the time.

Australia’s usage of Google Maps is a small percentage compared to the US. Many US users use Android phones and car navigation systems preloaded with Google Maps; thus, users don’t need to download or purchase paid maps or navigation services.

Future Growth Trends and Updates

Google Maps is expanding with more places, features, and updates. The latest reports reveal Gemini’s integration with Maps. 

With Google’s AI tool, you can plan trips while considering the weather, road conditions, parking spaces, and more. Gemini improves Maps by selecting stops and organising your journey.

Updates

Google updates Maps features regularly to ensure safe and efficient use.

Street View

Google updates Street View using cars with 360-degree cameras, trekkers carrying cameras on backpacks, and user-collected photos.

• Urban Areas: Every 1-3 years.
• Rural or Remote Areas: Every 5-10 years.
• Priority Locations: Every year, if there are significant changes.

Satellite Images

Satellite images are taken from 800 satellite sensors. Google works with Maxar Technologies, Landsat, and government and commercial sources to source these images. These are processed to remove clouds, enhance clarity, and improve colour. 

Composite images are taken at different times to produce the best results.

• Urban Areas: Every 1-3 years, more frequently for more significant areas.
• General Areas: Every 3-5 years.
• Remote Areas: Every five or more years or when the area changes significantly.

Google Earth Images

Google Earth has over 80 petabytes of imagery data, including historical data. The app includes 3D imagery from stereoscopic techniques to produce models of terrain and structures.

• Priority Areas: Updates can be as frequent as every two weeks
• General Areas: Every 1-3 years.
• Remote Regions: Every five or more years.

Traffic Data

To help commuters navigate busy streets, Google updates traffic data in real time or near real time. Google uses GPS signals, mobile devices, and local traffic authorities to gather accurate information and analyse billions of data to provide accurate traffic conditions.

• Real-Time: Updates are made every 1-2 minutes based on live conditions.
• Historical Traffic: This data is collected and updated periodically.

Street Names and Routes

Google may update street names, routes, and road information within weeks of changes, especially in major areas. Updates are made through crowdsourcing as users submit corrections or updated information. Google also relies on businesses and mapping agencies to keep information up-to-date.

According to the latest stats, Maps has more than a billion active users who contribute to improving street names and routes. Google makes more than 25 million updates to Maps information each day. 

Final Thoughts

Google Maps is indispensable to Australians and anyone wanting to travel, commute, or explore. Its impressive and easy-to-use features help users make the most of their experience. 

For business owners, Maps can help them become visible to local customers and expand their offerings to other locations. Map routes are regularly updated to meet users’ changing needs and ensure every business is accessible no matter where they are.

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Frequently Asked Questions

1. How accurate is Google Maps’ real-time traffic data in Australia?

Maps’ traffic data is accurate and updated in real or near-real time. To ensure precise information, Google gets data from trusted sources such as traffic authorities, local agencies, and commuters.

2. Does Apple Maps challenge Google Maps’ dominance locally?

Source: Unlimited Exposure Online at LinkedIn

A recent study on navigation app usage revealed that Apple Maps is third, with only 25% of respondents saying they prefer the app more than Google Maps and Waze. Maps is the top choice, with 70% usage, while Waze has 27% usage.

3. How often is Street View updated?

Street View updates depend on the location or area. Those in urban areas get updated every 1 to 3 years, while those in remote areas get updated every 5 to 10 years or longer. High-traffic or high-priority areas are often updated, especially when Google detects significant changes.

4. Is Google Maps free to use for businesses?

Businesses can use Google Maps for free. They can also use Google Business Profile for free which connects their businesses to Maps.

5. Do users trust Google Maps reviews over other platforms?

88% of customers read Google reviews to check a local business before buying or ordering. This indicates a high level of trust in Google Map reviews.