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Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
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Yandex Maps & Navigator

45
Value score / 100 Worth paying? No Skip it

Yandex Maps & Navigator is a highly-rated app for navigation and local search, but its value is significantly diminished by pervasive, unskippable ads and frequent technical issues, especially for users outside Russia or those relying on public transport information.

Free + in-app purchases 4.6★ lifetime (35,226) since 2009

Yandex Maps & Navigator is praised for accurate routes, real-time traffic, and detailed local business information, making it a useful tool for many users R3R73R100. However, it is heavily criticized for an overwhelming amount of unskippable ads, even for paying subscribers, and numerous bugs related to geolocation, public transport schedules, and app performance R6R21R52. The app's value is further hampered by its large size and lack of functionality outside Russia R51R53.

Free vs paid

The app is free to download and use, offering features like route planning, real-time traffic, and local business search R3R73R100. However, even users with a 'Plus' subscription report experiencing unskippable ads that obstruct the map and navigation, and there are complaints about ads appearing even when using CarPlay R6R21R52R55. The reviews do not specify any exclusive features or ad-free experience for paid users, suggesting that a subscription does not significantly enhance the core value proposition.

Value complaints

  • Users with a 'Plus' subscription still encounter unskippable ads that block the map and interfere with navigation, even when using CarPlay, which is seen as a betrayal of value for money.R52R55R261
  • The app is heavily criticized for an excessive amount of intrusive and dangerous ads, pop-ups, and recommendations that obstruct the interface and distract drivers.R6R21R29R34
  • The app's large size (750MB+) is a concern for users, who question the necessity of such frequent and heavy updates.R51R59

Where it delivers

  • The app provides accurate and up-to-date maps, precise route planning, and reliable real-time traffic information, which is very helpful for navigation.R3R24R25R73
  • It offers useful features like current business reviews, quick organization search, and information on local establishments, including hours and contact details.R3R39R73R141
  • The navigator includes voice alerts for cameras and accidents, and it can build routes considering actual traffic conditions.R73R141
  • The app is generally considered easy to use and helpful for finding places and avoiding getting lost, especially in unfamiliar areas.R3R8R15R16
  • It allows users to download city maps for offline use and offers various layers like taxi and public transport.R73R100R128R141
Worth paying if

Based on user reviews, there is no clear indication that paying for Yandex Maps & Navigator provides a significantly better experience or removes the major pain points like ads and bugs.

Skip / stay free if

You should skip paying for Yandex Maps & Navigator if you expect an ad-free experience, reliable public transport information, consistent geolocation, or smooth performance, as these issues are frequently reported even by users with subscriptions R6R10R12R17. Also, if you are outside Russia or rely on VPN, the app may not work at all R23R27R53R60.

Evidence note: The reviews are predominantly in Russian, indicating a primary user base in Russian-speaking regions. Many reviews are short and lack specific details, while others are highly critical of recent updates and monetization practices. There is no explicit pricing information for in-app purchases or subscriptions beyond mentions of a 'Plus' subscription.

Frequently asked

Does Yandex Maps & Navigator work well outside of Russia?
No, Yandex Maps & Navigator does not work well outside of Russia, with users reporting it fails to function abroad and may not work with VPN R23R27R53R60.
Are there ads in Yandex Maps & Navigator?
Yes, Yandex Maps & Navigator has a significant amount of intrusive and unskippable ads, pop-ups, and recommendations that users find disruptive, even those with a 'Plus' subscription R6R21R29R34.
Is public transport information reliable in Yandex Maps & Navigator?
No, many users report that public transport schedules and real-time bus locations are often inaccurate, with buses arriving late, not at all, or showing incorrect times R7R22R30R37.
Does Yandex Maps & Navigator have issues with geolocation accuracy?
Yes, several users experience significant problems with geolocation accuracy, reporting that the app often misidentifies their location, places them kilometers away, or fails to work entirely R4R12R26R67.
Are there problems with the app's interface or performance?
Yes, users frequently complain about interface issues, such as unskippable 'step-by-step' navigation, difficulty viewing entire routes, inconvenient button placement, pop-up panels, and general lag or crashes R10R17R18R21.

What reviewers actually said

Built only from these 120 real reviews (foreign ones translated). Superscripts jump to the quote here. Apple has no per-review links, so [ref] opens that app's reviews on the App Store.

  1. [R52] 1/5 · US I'm fed up with your ads and recommendations: Based on your replies to comments, a subscription doesn't disable ads. A reasonable question arises: why doesn't it? Why can't I just turn off ads if I don't want to see them? I'm paying for a subscription. Second question: why is there no option to turn off recommendations? They are so annoying and irritating. I only need maps, maybe t · translated
  2. [R55] 1/5 · US Ads in Plus: I pay for a Plus subscription and I still see ads in the navigation. Have some conscience, I PAY YOU FOR CONVENIENCE, YOU ALREADY CHARGE MONEY FOR NAVIGATION TO APPEAR IN CARPLAY. YOU EVEN SHOW ADS IN THE APP!!! · translated
  3. [R261] 3/5 · GB Good, but...: The maps have gotten much better recently, in terms of routes, map details, you can make entries in different places, take notes, in general, it's convenient, nothing to say, but everything is ruined by the intrusive ADVERTISING that appears in the navigator when building a route, even if you have a Plus subscription (399₽) you still get additional promotional materials (such · translated
  4. [R6] 3/5 · US Undisabled ads: Undisabled ads that obstruct the map view. · translated
  5. [R21] 1/5 · US Ads: Ads here, and ads there, and more ads here, this could have been a review, but it will be an ad, because using maps has become impossible, half of the interface is ads, you can't build your own route because when you zoom in, a bottom window with the route pops up, I slide it down and the whole route is shown, and I had been zooming for a long time looking for my place where the ad was again. I'm tired of ads, · translated
  6. [R29] 1/5 · US Too many ads: The app has turned into a dump. Ad banners are in the way. I'll wait until this dump is removed from the App Store! · translated
  7. [R34] 1/5 · US Stupid ads: Why aren't all places marked and anyway... WHY DOES AN AD FOR SOME RANDOM APARTMENT POP UP WHEN I'M DRIVING?!!!!!!! If it's an ad, make it more for drivers! WHY DO I NEED AN AD TAKING UP 20% OF THE SCREEN AT 80 KM/H ABOUT A 3-ROOM APARTMENT GOD KNOWS WHERE?!! DO YOU EVEN THINK ABOUT DRIVER SAFETY? · translated
  8. [R51] 1/5 · US Update 799 MB size?!: Hey developers! Are you completely out of your minds?! With each update, the size of the update itself gets bigger and bigger! It's one of the heaviest apps on iPhone! · translated
  9. [R59] 1/5 · US The app size: Are you crazy there? 750MB??? What’s next? 5GB? Idiots
  10. [R3] 5/5 · US The best: Excellent app! Always up-to-date maps, route planning works perfectly, even with traffic. The navigator has never failed me. Special thanks for current reviews of establishments and the ability to quickly find the right organization nearby. I use it constantly, it's very helpful in unfamiliar areas. I recommend it! · translated
  11. [R24] 5/5 · US I give 5 stars: Very convenient app. Routes are built quickly and accurately, navigation is clear. I use it often and it has never let me down. · translated
  12. [R25] 5/5 · US Review: The app is excellent, shows everything correctly and accurately, I recommend it to everyone, you can use it. · translated
  13. [R73] 5/5 · US Review: Excellent app, I use it constantly. The maps are very detailed, roads and houses are drawn accurately, traffic jams are shown very precisely, indispensable for the city. I especially like the organization search: almost always has current opening hours, phone numbers, and reviews. The navigator verbally warns about cameras and accidents, plots routes taking into account real traffic. I also like the "layers" function (for example, · translated
  14. [R39] 5/5 · US Maps as a social network: A very convenient and informative service, helps attract patients! · translated
  15. [R141] 5/5 · US Excellent app!!!: This app has many useful features, such as: the ability to find a place on the map (shops, houses, streets, parks), the ability to plot a route from one point to another, built-in information about road congestion, the ability to plan a trip in advance and avoid traffic jams. · translated
  16. [R8] 5/5 · US Good: Good and useful app. · translated
  17. [R15] 5/5 · US .: I really like this app, it helps me 💗💗💗 · translated
  18. [R16] 5/5 · US Everything is great!: Good app! · translated
  19. [R100] 5/5 · US Excellent app!: Convenient interface, accurate routes, and up-to-date information on traffic and public transport. I especially like the offline mode and detailed maps, always helpful on trips. Recommended! · translated
  20. [R128] 5/5 · US Perfect: Very convenient app, shortest routes, great that you can download a city map, I recommend it. · translated
  21. [R23] 1/5 · US Unstable performance: I used the app for over 20 years. It refuses to work with VPN, I'm tired of switching back and forth. Google Maps works more stably. RIP · translated
  22. [R27] 1/5 · US Doesn't work with vpn: Doesn't work with vpn
  23. [R53] 1/5 · US Good direction of development👍: Does not work abroad. If you are not in Russia, this app is not for you. · translated
  24. [R60] 1/5 · US Doesn't work: The app simply doesn't work, with or without a VPN, maps are always offline, even with home internet! This is just some kind of mockery. · translated
  25. [R7] 1/5 · US Estimated travel time: Sometimes the navigator shows routes for 3 types of transport (without considering transfer/descent/ascent time in the subway) as the fastest, even though it would be possible to get there by 1 bus in less time. Now routes are prioritized by travel time from shortest to longest, but if the information in the parentheses above were included in the calculation, the maps would provide the most relevant routes. · translated
  26. [R22] 1/5 · US Transport: Bus arrival times are set randomly. · translated
  27. [R30] 3/5 · US .: I was looking at buses, and it showed that the bus I needed would arrive in 2 minutes. About 5 minutes passed, no bus arrived. I went back to check, and it was gone, and it showed it would arrive in 25 minutes. · translated
  28. [R37] 1/5 · US Terrible app: Poor route selection. Incorrect bus schedule. · translated
  29. [R4] 3/5 · US Geolocation: While in St. Petersburg, geolocation places me in Lake Ladoga. · translated
  30. [R12] 1/5 · US Why?: When you learn to correctly determine my location, then we'll talk. · translated
  31. [R26] 1/5 · US Hats off to maps, constantly confuses geolocation and navigation is hats off: Hats off. · translated
  32. [R67] 1/5 · US No connection, internet lost in central Moscow: What's the point of the app if even the offline map doesn't show current information without internet? Jammers in Moscow are understandable, but can people view the map normally without jumping through hoops?! I have to use something else because your app simply loses location;( And I have to navigate by feel. · translated
  33. [R10] 1/5 · US "Step-by-step" function: Today I was pleased to learn that the step-by-step function is forcibly enabled by the app and does not allow you to see the entire route. The fact that the app makes mistakes and the built route can be quite entertaining for Yandex.Maps is not new. However, the fact that I was restricted from disabling the inconvenient step-by-step function today led to me not seeing · translated
  34. [R17] 1/5 · US Inconvenient: Button placement is inconvenient, extremely high power consumption, takes a long time to load, provides theoretically the fastest route, but often not the fastest and definitely not convenient. · translated
  35. [R18] 1/5 · US Too many notifications: There's no way to configure notifications important to me. As a result, the navigator in the city constantly makes sounds and interferes with listening to the radio or music. With the appearance of traffic lights in the app, there are even more sounds. Give me the ability to customize! · translated

Synthesized from 120 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store