Why people leave Zapmap
- Premium paywall on the useful filters. The free tier shows chargers and prices. The cheapest-near-me, multiple-chargers-only, and newest-devices filters sit behind Zapmap Premium. Drivers who charge weekly hit that wall fast.
- Crowdsourced status lags reality. Most network statuses inside Zapmap come from user reports rather than direct network APIs. A charger marked working can still be physically out of service, and the busy bay at peak times shows green on the map.
- One card, not every network. The Zapmap charging card covers thousands of points across MFG, Osprey, Ionity, and others, but several big UK networks are excluded. Drivers stuck on those routes still juggle a second app.
- Android Auto rendering quirks. Reviewers flag the in-car tile occasionally losing the charger overlay between launches, especially after Google Auto updates. A restart of the app fixes it, which is not great mid-trip.
- Live charge monitoring depends on network handshake. In-app charge start works on supported networks but the live monitor times out on others, leaving you to check the network’s own app for session detail.
If any of those frustrations are why you opened the Play Store, here are 7 Zapmap alternatives worth installing alongside or instead.
Which app should you choose?
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PlugShare if you want the deepest community-driven charger database with detailed user check-ins.
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Octopus Electroverse if you charge across multiple networks and want one card with transparent pass-through pricing.
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A Better Routeplanner if route planning for long trips with charger stops is your priority.
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Pod Point if the chargers near you are mostly Pod Point at supermarkets and workplaces.
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Chargemap if you drive across Europe and want one pass that works in 30+ countries.
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Google Maps if you want EV chargers built into the default navigation app.
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Waze if traffic-aware routing matters and you want chargers as a layer on top.
Stay on Zapmap if you charge mostly inside its network and the Zapmap card covers your usual stops, the Premium filters earn back the cost for you, and you trust the community status reports on your routes.
Comparison table
| App | Best for | Coverage | One card | Free | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PlugShare | Community database | Global | No (own card optional) | Yes | 4.6 |
| Octopus Electroverse | Cross-network roaming | UK + EU + global | Yes (Electrocard, free) | Yes | 4.6 |
| A Better Routeplanner | Long-trip planning | Global | No | Yes | 4.7 |
| Pod Point | Pod Point network | UK + IE | Network-specific | Yes | 4.2 |
| Chargemap | European driving | 30+ countries | Yes (Chargemap Pass) | Yes | 4.5 |
| Google Maps | Default navigation | Global | No | Yes | 4.6 |
| Waze | Traffic-aware routing | Global | No | Yes | 4.6 |
1. PlugShare -- the community database EV drivers actually trust
PlugShare is the largest community-maintained charging database. Every station carries detailed check-ins, photos of the bay, plug type confirmations, and notes about anything you would not see from a map pin: a tight kerb, a hotel guest restriction, a broken cable. UK coverage is comprehensive and the same data set works abroad.
PlugShare vs Zapmap for a typical UK trip returns similar maps with similar networks. PlugShare’s edge is the qualitative check-in layer. When two chargers near a motorway services look identical on Zapmap, PlugShare’s recent driver photos and notes tell you which bay actually works that week.
Advantages:
- Deepest community check-in data
- Global coverage with one app
- Trip Planner builds a route with required stops
- Free at the core, no Premium gate on filters
Disadvantages:
- Less consistent live status than first-party network apps
- Pay-via-PlugShare available but not on every network
- UI feels denser than Zapmap
Pricing: Free to download and use. Optional PlugShare+ with no ads and extra map layers for a small fee.
Download: Aptoide · Google Play
Bottom line: Pick PlugShare if community check-ins decide which bay you actually pull into and you want every market in one app.
2. Octopus Electroverse -- one card, hundreds of networks
Electroverse pitches a single tap-to-charge experience across more than a million chargers in the UK and Europe. The free Electrocard (RFID) plus the app unlock charging on dozens of networks including MFG, Osprey, GRIDSERVE, Allego, and Ionity, with transparent pass-through pricing rather than marked-up rates.
Octopus Electroverse vs Zapmap is a question of role. Zapmap is the discovery and status app. Electroverse is the actual charging account. Many drivers run both, but if you only want one app that finds and starts charge sessions, Electroverse is the closer all-in-one.
Advantages:
- One card and one app across multiple networks
- Transparent pass-through pricing, no markup
- Plunge Pricing discounts when energy is cheap
- Open to non-Octopus Energy customers
Disadvantages:
- Discovery UI less rich than Zapmap or PlugShare
- A handful of networks still excluded
- Live charger status mostly from networks, not crowd reports
Pricing: Free app and free Electrocard. Charging rates pass through from each network.
Download: Aptoide · Google Play
Bottom line: Pick Electroverse if you want one card and one bill across the networks you actually use, not a discovery map with a charging add-on.
3. A Better Routeplanner -- long-trip planning, properly
A Better Routeplanner (ABRP) is the standard for long-distance EV trip planning. The app models your vehicle’s real-world efficiency, current state of charge, elevation, weather, and live charger occupancy, then returns a route with stops that include arrival state-of-charge predictions for each one.
ABRP vs Zapmap on a London-to-Inverness drive is a different conversation. Zapmap shows chargers on a map. ABRP plans the trip end to end with the right stops and tells you how long to charge at each. Pair it with Zapmap for the local discovery layer.
Advantages:
- Vehicle-specific consumption modelling
- Real charger occupancy on supported networks
- Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support
- Active community of EV drivers tuning models
Disadvantages:
- Free tier limited to one stop on free planning
- Premium tier required for advanced features
- Discovery on a single city less useful than mapping apps
Pricing: Free with limited features. Premium subscription unlocks vehicle telemetry integration and more route stops.
Download: Aptoide · Google Play
Bottom line: Pick ABRP for any trip longer than your usable range. For local charging, fall back to Zapmap or PlugShare.
4. Pod Point -- the Tesco supermarket charger app
Pod Point is one of the largest UK charging networks, particularly at Tesco, Lidl, and workplaces. The first-party app shows live status from the network’s own systems rather than crowdsourced reports, starts a session on tap, and tracks the running cost per kWh.
Pod Point vs Zapmap for a supermarket top-up is the simpler flow when your nearest charger is a Pod Point bay. Direct network status beats crowdsourced status on accuracy. Outside Pod Point sites, the app does nothing.
Advantages:
- Direct network status, not crowdsourced
- Pay-as-you-go without a separate subscription
- Tesco Clubcard integration where applicable
- Strong supermarket footprint across the UK
Disadvantages:
- Only useful at Pod Point chargers
- No multi-network roaming
- Live status accuracy still varies during peak demand
Pricing: Free. Charging rates set per location, often free at some supermarket sites for short stays.
Download: Aptoide · Google Play
Bottom line: Pick Pod Point if a Pod Point bay is your weekly default. It is more accurate than Zapmap on its own chargers.
5. Chargemap -- European cross-border charging
Chargemap is the French-headquartered equivalent of Zapmap with deeper Continental coverage. The Chargemap Pass works on more than 800,000 chargers across 30-plus countries, which makes it the go-to for UK drivers heading across the Channel for an extended trip.
Chargemap vs Zapmap on a Calais-to-Lyon trip returns better network coverage and pricing because the app’s home market is France. UK depth has improved but still trails Zapmap. If most of your charging is in the UK, Zapmap stays the discovery default and Chargemap is the EU travel app.
Advantages:
- One pass across 30+ countries
- Strong French, German, and Benelux coverage
- Community check-ins on every charger
- Transparent pricing per network
Disadvantages:
- UK depth still behind Zapmap
- Pass costs a small one-off fee
- Live status reliability varies by country
Pricing: App free. Chargemap Pass costs a one-off purchase plus per-session charging rates.
Download: Aptoide · Google Play
Bottom line: Pick Chargemap when you cross the Channel and the trip is mostly inside continental Europe.
6. Google Maps -- EV chargers in the default app
Google Maps now lists EV chargers as a first-class category, with plug-type filters, live availability where the network supplies the data, and pricing on supported chargers. For drivers who already use Maps for everything else, the EV layer is the lowest-friction option.
Google Maps vs Zapmap for a roadside lookup is faster because the app is already open. Zapmap still beats it on filters, community notes, and Premium-only “newest devices” intel. As an always-on default, Maps wins on convenience.
Advantages:
- Built into the default navigation app
- Live availability on supported networks
- Voice search and turn-by-turn baked in
- Charging stops can be inserted into any route
Disadvantages:
- No charge-session start
- Pricing data inconsistent across networks
- Less rich filter set than Zapmap
Pricing: Free.
Download: Aptoide · Google Play
Bottom line: Pick Google Maps as the everyday discovery layer if Zapmap’s Premium paywall is the reason you started looking.
7. Waze -- traffic-aware routing with chargers
Waze pulls real-time congestion, incidents, and police reports from a huge user base, then routes around the worst of it. EV charger support has grown in recent versions, with stations filterable by plug type and live traffic factored into arrival time at each charge stop.
Waze vs Zapmap is not a like-for-like swap, but for a long trip the traffic intelligence is sometimes worth more than the deeper charger filters. Waze surfaces detours Zapmap cannot see because Zapmap is not a traffic app.
Advantages:
- Best traffic intelligence of any free navigator
- EV charger layer in main map
- Community incident reports
- Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support
Disadvantages:
- Charger filters thinner than Zapmap or PlugShare
- No charge session start
- Live charger availability inconsistent
Pricing: Free.
Download: Aptoide · Google Play
Bottom line: Pick Waze when traffic is the bottleneck and chargers are a secondary concern.
How to choose
The right Zapmap alternative depends on the role you want it to play.
If discovery and community check-ins are what you came for, install PlugShare. It is the closest replacement for Zapmap’s map layer and the free tier covers what Zapmap Premium gates.
If you want one card to charge across multiple networks, install Octopus Electroverse. The pass-through pricing and Plunge Pricing discounts make it the most economical roaming option.
If long-distance trips are why you opened Zapmap, install A Better Routeplanner. It plans the trip your car can actually do.
If most of your charging is at one network, use that network’s first-party app. Pod Point covers a large chunk of supermarket and workplace charging in the UK.
If you want everything inside your default navigation, lean on Google Maps or Waze. Both handle the EV charger layer well enough for opportunistic top-ups.
Stay on Zapmap if its UK depth still beats your day-to-day needs, you charge mostly at networks the Zapmap card supports, and Premium pays for itself.
FAQ
What is the best free Zapmap alternative?
PlugShare is the closest community-driven free replacement. Octopus Electroverse is also free and adds a working RFID card. Google Maps and Waze are free and cover EV chargers as a layer inside their main maps.
Which Zapmap alternative has the most accurate live charger status?
First-party network apps like Pod Point and Octopus Electroverse usually have the most accurate status because the data comes directly from the charger. Crowdsourced apps lag where utilisation is low.
Can I charge across multiple networks without juggling multiple apps?
Yes. Octopus Electroverse and Chargemap both offer a single pass that works on dozens of networks across the UK and Europe. Coverage varies, so check both against your routes.
Does Google Maps show EV charger prices?
Yes, where networks supply the data to Google. Coverage is patchy compared with Zapmap or PlugShare and inconsistent across less common networks.
What is the best app for planning a long EV road trip?
A Better Routeplanner is the standard. It models vehicle-specific consumption and inserts charging stops with predicted state of charge at each.
Do I need to pay for Zapmap Premium?
Only if you regularly use the filters Premium gates: cheapest-near-me, newest devices, multiple-chargers-only. Otherwise the free Zapmap covers core discovery and PlugShare or Electroverse handle the rest.
