Plan your trip · Compare and choose
Should I Use Amap or Google Maps in China?
Choose the option that fits your actual itinerary, not a universal winner.
Quick verdict: Choose Amap if you want one app for multilingual place search, walking/transit/ride-hailing navigation and pre-departure trip prep in mainland China; choose Google Maps if you mainly want a familiar interface for planning and reference, and keep a China-focused navigator alongside it.
Choose Amap (Gaode Map) if
- You want one app that handles walking, transit, driving and ride-hailing inside Chinese cities.
- You want to save hotels and destinations before departure and get arrival routing from them.
- You want place names and directions in English or another supported language, plus phrase cards for drivers and hotel staff.
- You are doing a multi-city trip and want to organize hotels and destinations by city in one place.
Choose Google Maps if
- You mainly need a familiar interface for reviewing places and planning before the trip.
- You want to keep a map you already know as a reference alongside a China-focused navigator.
- You are comfortable treating Google Maps as a planning tool rather than your only live mainland navigator.
What matters when I choose Amap (Gaode Map) or Google Maps?
| My decision factor | Amap (Gaode Map) | Google Maps |
|---|---|---|
| Can I navigate in a language I read? | Amap supports English plus 14 additional languages (Spanish, Portuguese, French, German, Thai, Japanese, Korean, Turkish, Italian, Russian, Arabic, Malay, Indonesian, Vietnamese), with translated names and descriptions for attractions, restaurants and hotels. | Google Maps' interface is familiar to many travelers, but the fetched sources do not confirm mainland navigation usefulness. |
| Does it cover the way I'll actually move around? | Amap offers navigation for drivers, pedestrians, cyclists and public transport users, plus an English-language ride-hailing interface with pickup locations and fare estimates shown in English. | The fetched sources do not confirm equivalent mainland walking, transit or ride-hailing coverage for Google Maps. |
| Can I prepare my trip inside the app before I arrive? | Amap offers pre-departure entry information, arrival-card guidance and local customs, and lets users save hotel details and planned destinations in advance; after arrival it suggests taxi or public-transport routes based on location and saved hotel. | The fetched sources do not describe equivalent pre-departure trip-preparation features for Google Maps. |
| What help do I get once I'm in China? | Amap provides airport arrival guidance, internet-access help, onward travel to accommodation, bilingual phrase cards for drivers and hotel staff, nearby restaurant/attraction/shopping search, and city-by-city organization for multi-city trips. | The fetched sources do not confirm comparable in-China arrival or communication support for Google Maps. |
| Do I have to create an account to start using it? | Amap states its main services can be accessed without logging in, reducing steps for first-time users. | The fetched sources do not state whether Google Maps' mainland-relevant functions require a login. |
What could change my choice?
- You want to start using the map immediately without creating an account. Amap — its main services are stated to work without logging in.
What should I plan after choosing?
Official sources and freshness
Last checked: 2026-10-22. Recheck changing schedules, fares and opening hours before booking.