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Maps · head to head

TomTom vs What3words

TomTom logo

TomTom

Maps

Global leader in navigation and mapping products, offering maps, traffic information, navigation

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
What3words logo

What3words

Maps

What3words has divided the world into 3m squares and given each one

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only TomTom has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: TomTom free app lacks specific feature details on landing page; What3words the free API plan includes no coordinate conversion, only AutoSuggest, and is rate limited to 5 requests per second
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which TomTom and What3words actually diverge.

Attributes where TomTom and What3words differ
AttributeTomTomWhat3words
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreefreemium
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsiOS, AndroidWeb
Founded1991Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Maps).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in TomTom

Nothing recorded that What3words does not also cover.

Only in What3words

Nothing recorded that TomTom does not also cover.

Both cover

  • Core Functionality
  • User Interface

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

TomTom

  • Turn-by-turn car navigation with offline downloadable mapsnot What3words
  • Live traffic rerouting and incident/hazard alertsnot What3words
  • Speed camera and speed-limit warningsnot What3words
  • Truck-specific routing (vehicle dimensions, hazardous cargo restrictions, rest stops) via GO Expertnot What3words
  • EV charging station location and fuel price lookup (Android)not What3words

What3words

  • Referring to a 3 metre square location with three wordsnot TomTom
  • Adding location entry to a delivery or dispatch appnot TomTom
  • Converting between coordinates and what3words addresses via APInot TomTom

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

TomTom

  • Free app lacks specific feature details on landing page
  • Monetization model not transparent
  • No published pricing for premium features
  • No information about subscription tiers or in-app purchases

What3words

  • The free API plan includes no coordinate conversion, only AutoSuggest, and is rate limited to 5 requests per second
  • Converting to and from what3words addresses starts on the Basic plan at $9.99 per month for 1,000 conversions
  • Priority and developer support require the Standard plan at $45 per month
  • 24/7 phone support requires the Plus plan at $125 per month
  • Custom invoicing and annual payment require the Premium plan at $300 per month
  • Overage pricing is not published; the page states only that a fair usage policy applies
  • The three word address scheme is proprietary and licensed rather than open data

Pricing, plan by plan

TomTom

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the TomTom review.

What3words

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the What3words review.

Which should you pick?

Choose TomTom if

  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android.
TomTom review

Choose What3words if

Nothing in the data separates What3words from TomTom on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

What3words review

Questions people ask

Is TomTom or What3words better?
Neither clearly leads. TomTom starts at Free and What3words at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, TomTom or What3words?
TomTom has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for TomTom and On request for What3words.
Does TomTom or What3words run on more platforms?
TomTom runs on iOS, Android. What3words runs on Web.
Can I use TomTom for free?
Yes. TomTom has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. What3words starts at On request.
What is TomTom best used for?
TomTom is most often used for turn-by-turn car navigation with offline downloadable maps, live traffic rerouting and incident/hazard alerts, speed camera and speed-limit warnings, truck-specific routing (vehicle dimensions, hazardous cargo restrictions, rest stops) via go expert. Of those, turn-by-turn car navigation with offline downloadable maps and live traffic rerouting and incident/hazard alerts are not what What3words is typically brought in for.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

TomTom: Is the TomTom app free to download and use?

Yes, the TomTom app is available as a free download. The page states 'Download for free' with no mention of paid tiers on the landing page.

Source
TomTom: Are there paid features or premium tiers for TomTom?

The landing page does not disclose any pricing information for premium features or subscription tiers. Users must download the app to discover any in-app monetization details.

Source
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