Apple Maps vs Google Maps: the best way to share locations between iPhone and Android
Both apps are excellent at getting you somewhere. The friction shows up the moment you send a pin to someone on the other platform — the link opens a web page instead of a map, the address has to be retyped, and navigation never starts. Here is how the two compare for sharing, and the one-step fix.
The short answer
Google Maps links are the more portable format: almost any phone can open them, on iOS and Android alike. Apple Maps links are the better choice inside an all-Apple circle, where they open natively with Siri and CarPlay handoff. If you do not know what the recipient uses, convert the link to their platform before you send it — that is exactly what PinPivot does, in one paste.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Apple Maps | Google Maps |
|---|---|---|
| Default app on iPhone | Yes | No |
| Default app on Android | No | Yes |
| Works in any desktop browser | Partial | Yes |
| Short share links (maps.apple/p/…) | Yes | Yes |
| Link opens natively on the other platform | No | Partial |
| Street-level imagery coverage | Partial | Yes |
| Business listings and reviews depth | Partial | Yes |
| Privacy-focused, no account needed | Yes | Partial |
Why cross-platform map links break
Each app writes its own URL format. Apple Maps encodes a place as maps.apple.com/?ll=48.8584,2.2945&q=Eiffel%20Tower, while Google Maps expects google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=48.8584,2.2945. An Android phone has no rule that turns the first into the second, so it falls back to a browser view. Short links make it worse: newer Apple links such as maps.apple/p/… carry no coordinates at all until the redirect is followed.
The fix: convert before you send
- 1. Copy the share link from Apple Maps or Google Maps.
- 2. Paste it into PinPivot — short links are resolved automatically.
- 3. Copy the converted link and send it. It opens natively on the recipient's phone.
No account, no tracking, and it works with plain coordinates too.
Convert a map linkFrequently asked questions
Can you open an Apple Maps link on Android?
Partly. An Apple Maps link opens the Apple Maps web view in an Android browser, but it will not hand off to Google Maps for turn-by-turn navigation. Converting the link to a Google Maps URL first gives an Android user a normal, tappable destination.
Can you open a Google Maps link on an iPhone?
Yes, but only in Google Maps or the browser. If the recipient does not have Google Maps installed, the link opens a web page instead of Apple Maps, so CarPlay and Siri navigation are unavailable.
Which is better for sharing a location, Apple Maps or Google Maps?
Google Maps links are more universally openable, so they are the safer default when you do not know the recipient's phone. Apple Maps links are better inside an all-Apple group. Converting between the two removes the guesswork entirely.
Do short Apple Maps links contain the coordinates?
No. Links like maps.apple/p/… hide the place behind a redirect, so they must be resolved before they can be converted. PinPivot resolves them for you and returns the underlying place and coordinates.