Google Maps or Tripadvisor

Google's navigation tool, Google Maps, is much more than just GPS. Among its features, we find the possibility of looking for places to have a drink, a coffee, or a complete meal.

But is the feature sophisticated enough to compete with Tripadvisor? The company specializing in travel around the world has years of experience and a legion of users who act as food critics We are going to put both apps face to face to try to conclude which one is more useful when looking for a place to eat.

Google Maps

The Google app allows us to access a list of places that are near our location, through a notice on the bottom of the screen. There we have four subdivisions: coffee and snacks, lunch, dinner and drinks.

In each of the sections we have a general selection of the best valued places in the area, in addition to the places where we can eat at a lower price . The number of stores is so extensive that there is not enough time to view them all.

Although not very visible, we are also allowed to find restaurants of specific foods, such as "Japanese restaurant or pizzeria". Of course, as we said, are a bit hidden, at the end of all the selections. And they are not accompanied by a previous photo, which doesn't help either.

Information on premises

When we select a place that may interest us, apart from accessing the Google Maps streetview image, we have a whole menu of options. We can view your schedule, your website and your phone number, in case we want to book. In fact, we have a direct call button.

Also we can see the reviews and photos uploaded by other users and the average score of the place. It can be saved as a bookmark, featured site, or even as part of your own list. In addition, we are informed of the days and hours of rush hour.

Outside our location

This menu that we are discussing is only offered to search for stores near our location.What if we want to look for premises in other areas? We have to operate differently. First we choose the direction we want, and then, we click on the button of the three lines, so that the side blind opens. There we mark Explore, and then yes, we will be able to access places to eat It's a pity that the option wasn't more at hand, but even so, we have it available.

Tripadvisor

At Tripadvisor we have all kinds of tools for travelers. Hotel searches, vacation rentals, flights, of course, restaurants. Selecting our location we will have a very large cast of locals. Here, the divisions are many: if we want to have breakfast, lunch or dinner, or the type of food we are looking for. For example, if there is an option, we will divide the available places between Spanish, Japanese, Italian, Mexican, barbecue, etc.

The first thing we notice when entering any of them is that on average, the number of opinions is much larger than on Google Maps It is noticeable that it is an app most valued by users for this function. Apart from that, we can access the exact location of the premises on the map, its hours, its website and even its mail.

Reservations and offers

One of the big differences between Tripadvisor and Google Maps is that it allows access to direct bookings and discounts This is because Tripadvisor is She also owns Eltenedor, the restaurant guide. In the search menu itself, the option to reserve will appear, in the places that allow this possibility.

We will also be able to know, before selecting a location, which one has discounts. In some cases, these offers reach 40% if we book online. This is a very big point in favor for Tripadvisor.

Out of location

When looking for places that are not exactly in our location, we are a little more limited. While in Google Maps we could search for restaurants near an area, from the Explore tool, with the Tripadvisor app we cannot do that. We only have the possibility of choosing cities or towns

Once chosen, we already have access to the enormous range of options, but of course, a priori we don't know if they are close to the area we are looking for. It is true that we can access a map with the distribution of all the stores, but that also forces us to search manually, something that Google Maps already automates, saving us time . This time, the point goes to Google.

Conclusions

In our testing of both apps, we found positive aspects that make each one stand out in something different. Therefore, we believe that depending on the type of use you want to give to the app, one or the other will suit you better.

Google Maps is more recommended for customers who are not particularly demanding and want to save themselves the work of looking for a place once they are in an area. The ease of finding a place close to the location, with options for cheap food, will quickly solve an impromptu meeting with friends.

Tripadvisor, on the other hand, allows the user to get lost in reviews, access easy restaurant reservations and in some cases save money with discounts. It is more oriented towards a client looking for specific places and not so much immediacy.

For all these reasons, this time we cannot declare a clear winner. We will recommend you to use Tripadvisor or Google Maps taking into account the customer profile you have.