HERE WeGo vs Magic Earth

Compare HERE WeGo and Magic Earth on capabilities, jurisdiction, assurance, and fit for European buyers.

Both listed as alternatives to: Google Maps

HERE WeGo

Netherlands· Maps & Navigation

Needs review

Shortlist HERE WeGo when you want a free, offline-capable multi-modal navigation app from a Netherlands-based controller (HERE Global B.V.) as a Google Maps alternative for personal travel. Skip for commercial fleets under the free licence, or when you need EU-only hosting with no US-group cloud—HERE lists AWS/Azure including US regions. Consider open OSM clients when open data is mandatory; consider licensed HERE commercial products for fleet.

EU-operated (NL)Offline mapsMulti-modal routingCarPlay / Android AutoFree consumer appISO 27001 (claimed)

View listing Visit Website

Magic Earth

Netherlands· Maps & Navigation

Needs review

Shortlist Magic Earth when you want a Dutch-published freemium OSM navigator with offline Premium packs, multi-modal routing, and dashboard integrations without a Google account. Skip when you need open-source clients, a published B2B DPA/subprocessor schedule, or Google-grade live transit and commercial POI density everywhere—consider Google Maps for coverage, or open OSM clients (Organic Maps/OsmAnd) for fully free offline-first use.

NL-operatedOffline maps (Premium)OSM-based mapsMulti-modal routingFreemiumClosed source

View listing Visit Website

Highlighted rows differ between the two products.

HERE WeGo vs Magic Earth: Snapshot
Feature	HERE WeGo	Magic Earth
Country of origin	Netherlands	Netherlands
Category	Maps & Navigation	Maps & Navigation
Open source	No	No
Self-hosted	No	No
Headquarters	Netherlands	Netherlands
Legal entity	HERE Global B.V. (Kennedyplein 222-226, 5611 ZT Eindhoven)	Magic Lane International B.V. (Amsterdam; Play Store lists Narva-eiland 52, 1014 ZJ)
Governing law	Netherlands / EU GDPR as controller for WeGo personal data (confirm contract for B2B products)	Netherlands / EU GDPR context (consumer privacy policy; not legal advice)
US parent / control	No known US parent	No known US parent
CLOUD Act exposure (indicative)	Medium	Medium
Hosting / residency	Corporate subprocessors for HERE Services include AWS (Frankfurt, Ireland, Singapore, United States) and Microsoft Azure (Ireland, Iowa, London, Netherlands, Singapore, Tokyo); support/comms include Atlassian (Frankfurt), ServiceNow (US), MailChimp (US), Splunk (Frankfurt). WeGo privacy supplement also names Amplitude for analytics. Offline-only app use avoids sending location to HERE per supplement.	Consumer online services on Magic Earth hostnames (e.g. magicearthsdk.com service domains per vendor data inventory). Primary cloud host and EU/non-EU regions not publicly listed. Weather aggregated on vendor servers from external providers. Premium iOS cloud backup host unknown. Billing often via Apple App Store / Google Play (US-group platforms). No public consumer subprocessor schedule found.
Summary	Free consumer maps and navigation app from Netherlands-based HERE Technologies (HERE Global B.V.): offline maps, multi-modal routing, traffic, CarPlay and Android Auto.	Privacy-oriented freemium maps and turn-by-turn navigation from Magic Lane International B.V. (Amsterdam): OSM-based maps, offline Premium packs, multi-modal routing, and CarPlay/Android Auto.
Tags	maps navigation offline-maps netherlands carplay android-auto consumer gdpr location multi-modal	maps navigation offline-maps netherlands carplay android-auto openstreetmap privacy freemium magic-lane

At a glance: HERE WeGo vs Magic Earth
At a glance	HERE WeGo	Magic Earth
HQ	Eindhoven, Netherlands	Amsterdam, Netherlands (Brasov, RO site also listed)
Legal entity (controller)	HERE Global B.V.	Not listed
Product type	Free consumer maps & navigation app	Consumer iOS/Android navigation app
Licence (consumer)	Personal / non-commercial use	Not listed
Open source	No	No (closed source)
Self-hosted	No	Not listed
Legal entity	Not listed	Magic Lane International B.V.
Map data	Not listed	OpenStreetMap-based + vendor layers
Commercial model	Not listed	Freemium Essential + Premium (web/store)
Self-host	Not listed	No

Key capabilities: HERE WeGo vs Magic Earth
Key capabilities	HERE WeGo	Magic Earth
EU-operated (NL)	Yes	Yes
Offline maps	Yes	Yes
Multi-modal routing	Yes	Yes
CarPlay / Android Auto	Yes	Not listed
Free consumer app	Yes	Not listed
ISO 27001 (claimed)	Yes	Not listed
OSM-based maps	Not listed	Yes
Freemium	Not listed	Yes
Closed source	Not listed	Yes

HERE WeGo

Offline map downloads and offline navigation
Download regional, country, or continental map packages and navigate without a live data connection. The WeGo privacy supplement states that pure offline use does not send Location Data to HERE—useful for roaming control, remote areas, or intentional isolation. Online mode is still required for live traffic, many map refreshes, and account sync.
Multi-modal and multi-stop journey planning
Plan car, bicycle, walking, and public-transport routes, including multi-stop itineraries you can reorder. Door-to-door guidance can include walking segments and remembered parking locations so ETA reflects the full trip, not only the driving leg.
Turn-by-turn guidance with road safety cues
Voice-guided navigation with multi-language prompts, lane assistance, speed-limit display and warnings, optional speed-camera alerts (coverage varies), rest-area suggestions, and dynamic ETA when traffic data is available online.
CarPlay and Android Auto integration
Use HERE WeGo on supported in-car displays via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto so phone-based navigation can drive the vehicle UI without switching to Google or Apple as the only option.
Optional online traffic contribution and account sync
Traffic layers and the HERE Improvement Program are opt-in style controls described in the privacy supplement: you can limit contribution while using the app, run offline, or avoid signing in. Signing into a HERE account enables collection sync (name, email, date of birth collected at registration) and recent-search synchronisation.

Magic Earth

OpenStreetMap-based maps with offline Premium packs
Worldwide map browsing uses OSM-derived data with Magic Lane enrichment. Premium unlocks offline map downloads and offline voice guidance for 200+ countries/regions (vendor claim: 233), reducing reliance on mobile data while travelling.
Multi-modal turn-by-turn routing
Essential includes basic car, bicycle, pedestrian, and truck routing with multi-stop plans, lane assistance, and head-up display. Premium deepens profiles (e.g. bike terrain/e-bike, truck dimensions) and traffic-aware re-routing.
CarPlay, Android Auto, and Apple Watch (Premium)
Dashboard and wearable integrations are Premium features for in-vehicle and on-wrist guidance—useful when phone-only navigation is impractical, with vendor notes that coverage can vary by region.
Crowd traffic, cameras, and safety reports
Premium emphasises real-time traffic optimisation; Essential still surfaces camera alerts and community hazard-style reports. Traffic contribution telemetry uses a rotating sensor id per the vendor data inventory rather than a permanent user account graph.
Freemium model without ads as monetisation
Essential remains free for core map and basic navigation. Premium is sold via web licenses and store subscriptions with trials; vendor messaging rejects advertising and sale of personal data as the funding model.

Assurance & compliance: HERE WeGo vs Magic Earth
Assurance & compliance	HERE WeGo	Magic Earth
Independent no-logs / navigation telemetry audit	Not found No public independent audit of WeGo consumer location telemetry found; privacy claims rest on policy text (offline mode, random identifiers).	Not found Vendor privacy claims and internal data inventory PDF; no public independent audit PDF located.
ISO 27001	Vendor claimed HERE certifications page asserts ISO/IEC 27001:2022 (and related 27017/27018) with Schellman certificate references. Confirm scope covers services you use.	Not found Not found on Magic Earth / Magic Lane consumer product pages in this research pass.
SOC 2 / SOC 3	Vendor claimed HERE states SOC 2 Type 2 for HERE Platform Foundation and Workspace—not clearly scoped to consumer WeGo alone.	Not found
GDPR / EU data protection	Vendor claimed EU controller HERE Global B.V.; GDPR programme and Type 1 attestation described on certifications page. Consumer rights and lawful bases detailed in WeGo privacy supplement.	Vendor claimed EU (NL) controller entity; privacy policy + data inventory published; confirm DPA/residencies for B2B use.
US CLOUD Act exposure (indicative)	Partial EU entity / no known single US parent, but AWS and Azure listed with United States processing locations; US SaaS subprocessors and Intel shareholding add US nexus. Offline use reduces device telemetry to HERE. Indicative only—not legal advice.	Partial NL BV, no known US parent; no public hosting/subprocessor list; Apple/Google store billing and possible third-party location/ID sharing (Play Data safety) prevent a clean low assessment. Not legal advice.
Data processing agreement (B2B)	Not found Consumer WeGo is under personal Service Terms; no public self-serve DPA for the free app located. Enterprise/platform customers should request HERE commercial DPA separately.	Not found Consumer app privacy contacts published; no standard public B2B DPA download found for Magic Earth.
EU AI Act	Not applicable Consumer navigation app; HERE separately markets ISO/IEC 42001 for corporate AI management—not treated as AI-system primary product here.	Not applicable Consumer navigation app; not marketed as an AI system product in this research pass.
TISAX (automotive)	Vendor claimed HERE claims TISAX AL3 assessment (Scope ID S0H13Y) on certifications page—relevant for automotive supply-chain trust more than consumer app downloaders.	Not listed

Considerations & known limitations: HERE WeGo vs Magic Earth
Considerations & known limitations	HERE WeGo	Magic Earth
US-region cloud and US SaaS subprocessors	Medium Public subprocessor list includes AWS and Azure with United States locations, plus ServiceNow and MailChimp in the US. WeGo also discloses Amplitude analytics. Organisations with strict no-US-processor policies need offline-only personal use or a different product.	Not listed
Multi-national shareholder structure including Intel	Medium Dutch HQ and controller do not equal simple single-EU ownership. Intel and other non-EU shareholders appear in HERE’s public shareholder narrative; validate ownership for sovereignty-sensitive procurement.	Not listed
Consumer licence excludes commercial use	High Service Terms restrict the free app to private, non-commercial purposes. Using WeGo as unpaid fleet navigation may violate licence—budget for commercial HERE products instead.	Not listed
Online advertising and analytics when connected	Medium Privacy supplement describes cookies/SDKs, Amplitude product analytics, location-based advertising, and advertising IDs when online features and consent apply—materially different from offline-only sessions.	Not listed
Enterprise certs may not equal WeGo consumer scope	Low ISO/SOC/TISAX claims are strong at company/platform level; still confirm which systems and data flows are in scope before relying on them for consumer-app risk acceptance.	Not listed
Marketing privacy claims vs telemetry inventory	Not listed	Medium Homepage claims (no personal data collection / no tracking) are stronger than the privacy policy, data inventory PDF (anonymous retention of some routing/search/traffic classes), and Google Play Data safety labels (possible third-party sharing of location and device IDs). Diligence should use the inventory and store labels, not marketing alone.
No public hosting / subprocessor schedule	Not listed	Medium Primary cloud providers and data-region commitments for consumer backends are not published. Blocks clean EU-only / low CLOUD Act statements until the vendor supplies a schedule.
Essential vs Premium feature matrix can change	Not listed	Low Offline maps, traffic, and dashboard integrations are Premium on the current pricing page. Packaging has moved from free-first toward freemium/subscription—re-check before relying on a specific free capability.
Closed-source consumer app, not enterprise MDM kit	Not listed	Low No self-host path and limited public enterprise assurance artifacts. Fleet or regulated deployments need Magic Lane B2B contracts, not the store listing alone.
Feature availability varies by country	Not listed	Low Vendor and store notes state some features (e.g. cameras, transit depth, traffic) are not available everywhere; validate on feature-availability pages for target countries.

Fit

HERE WeGo

Best fit when

Individuals who need reliable offline map packages and turn-by-turn guidance abroad or offline
Users seeking a non-Google navigation client with multi-modal and multi-stop planning
Drivers who want CarPlay or Android Auto without defaulting only to Google/Apple maps
Privacy-minded personal use where offline mode and optional traffic contribution matter
Tech leads recommending a consumer/BYOD European-entity map app with clear personal-use licence

Poor fit when

Commercial fleet, logistics, or paid-driver use under the free consumer Service Terms
Buyers requiring contractual EU-only processing with no AWS/Azure or US SaaS subprocessors
Teams that need fully open-source map software and OSM-only data
Enterprises that need a negotiated DPA and SOC report scoped specifically to WeGo consumer telemetry without further vendor engagement

Consider instead when

When: You need dense local POI social data and default ecosystem integration on Android
Consider: Google Maps
WeGo trades some ecosystem lock-in and POI social layer for offline packages and a non-Google operator.
When: You require open-source offline maps with no commercial map vendor
Consider: OpenStreetMap-based clients (e.g. Organic Maps or similar peers when shortlisted)
OSM clients avoid HERE licensing and analytics paths but differ on traffic, POI freshness, and car integrations.
When: You need licensed fleet navigation, compliance tooling, or embeddable maps
Consider: HERE commercial platform / WeGo Pro-class products (via HERE sales)
Do not rely on free WeGo personal-use terms for commercial deployments.

Magic Earth

Best fit when

Drivers and travellers who want offline map packs and turn-by-turn guidance without a Google Maps account
Cyclists, hikers, and truck drivers who need mode-specific or dimension-aware routing profiles
Privacy-minded consumers evaluating European-published navigation with freemium Essential access
Users who need CarPlay or Android Auto navigation on a non-Google map stack (Premium)
Teams piloting a consumer app first before considering Magic Lane B2B SDKs for embedded mobility

Poor fit when

Organisations requiring a signed B2B DPA, named EU hosting regions, and a public subprocessor list before pilot
Buyers who need fully open-source map clients and community map editing workflows
Operations that depend on the densest commercial POI and live transit coverage in every city
Deployments that must treat Google Play Data safety third-party location/ID sharing as a hard blocker without vendor clarification

Consider instead when

When: You need maximum real-time traffic, transit density, and commercial POI coverage with deep Android/Google ecosystem integration
Consider: Google Maps
Different privacy and account model; usually stronger live data breadth.
When: You want fully free offline OSM navigation without a freemium paywall or proprietary backend
Consider: Organic Maps or OsmAnd (community OSM clients; not currently in this catalog)
Trade vendor live traffic and dashboard polish for open/offline-first clients.
When: You need embeddable maps/routing for fleets, micromobility, or automotive products under contract
Consider: Magic Lane developer platform / SDK (same vendor, different product)
Do not assume the consumer Magic Earth app is the enterprise SKU.

Open questions for due diligence

HERE WeGo

For enterprise evaluation, will HERE provide a DPA and current subprocessor list scoped to WeGo consumer telemetry (vs Platform only)?
Which exact AWS/Azure regions process WeGo end-user location and account data for EU residents today?
What is the current beneficial ownership percentage split (German automakers vs Intel vs others) for board-control analysis?
Is HERE WeGo Pro or another commercial SKU the correct licensed path for fleet use in your market?
Are location-based ads and Amplitude collection fully disabled in all offline and privacy settings paths on current iOS/Android builds?

Magic Earth

What cloud providers and regions host Magic Earth online services and Premium iOS cloud backup?
Will Magic Lane sign a B2B DPA and publish a consumer-app subprocessor list for organisational pilots?
Which third parties receive location or device IDs under Google Play Data safety, and under what legal bases?
Is there an independent security assessment or ISO/SOC roadmap for the Magic Earth stack?
How current is OSM enrichment versus Google/Apple POI freshness in our primary cities and truck corridors?