mapquest vs. google maps

A while back, MapQuest added a new feature to their driving directions applet which allowed the user to add up to 10 destinations to make a route with directions to each stop. Instead of just getting directions from point A to point B, the user could get directions from point A to point B then from point B to point C and so on. This was a very helpful tool for me since I do field inspections and it's not uncommon for me to drive to 10 different locations on my lunch hour.

Now, Google Maps has a similar, but more powerful, feature in its driving directions applet which allows the user to add destinations to make a route as well. There are some big differences between the two applications which makes Google Maps superior in my opinion - especially when creating a route.

First, Google Maps allows more than 10 destinations to be added where MapQuest only allows 10 with the starting and ending locations taking up 2 of those 10. I'm not sure how many more stops you can add to a route with Google Maps because I haven't ever built a route with more than 15 stops. You can also email a link to a route you built with Google Maps for later reference which is nice if you travel the same or similar routes. Last I checked, MapQuest only allows you to print your route. Both applications allow you to save destinations and see aerial views of the map, but Google Maps offers a slick virtual tour of select cities with it's new street view feature.

Second, the maps used for the route builder at MapQuest are not interactive and draggable like the ones at Google Maps. The new MapQuest beta uses the interactive map interface to map a location but not the current route builder. The ability to interact with the map is one of the major advantages of Google Maps because it allows me to zoom in and out and drag the map in different directions quickly.

Lastly, in my experience with MapQuest and Google Maps, the exact destination or address you're looking for doesn't come up in the right location, or sometimes doesn't come up at all for whatever reason; maybe it's a new road name, a different spelling, or outdated street address numbers. This is where Google Maps way outshines MapQuest because the Google Maps route builder allows you to click and drag a destination point on your route so that you can reposition it where it needs to be. Google Maps has also extended their click and drag interactivity to the route line itself allowing you to drag your route to go a different way like a quicker back road you know or choosing a more scenic route. This is especially useful in a big city to avoid heavy traffic areas, construction zones and the like. You can also rearrange stops on your route by dragging and dropping the listed stops in the sidebar.

Google also takes the interactivity of the draggable driving directions a step further allowing users to check live traffic, find places nearby like dining, shopping, entertainment and attractions - without opening a new window putting all the information on the same map. You would think that MapQuest, being dedicated to providing users with mapping and directions over the web, would have developed all this and be miles ahead of the competition, no pun intended, but once again, Google proves to be far superior in it's creativity, user-friendliness, and interactivity.

Here's the tour of draggable driving directions from Google's YouTube Channel...


Now, get your route on the map and go somewhere!