Best winter driving apps 2024
There are millions of apps you can download; here are some of the best for winter driving
It's fair to say that if you can think of it, there’s probably a smartphone app for it. To put things in perspective, there are over one-and-a-half million apps listed on the iOS store, and more than 2.3 million on the Google Play store. Don't worry, though, because we've rounded up the best winter driving apps right here.
With such a wide range of apps available, it’s perhaps no surprise that there are plenty that can help you out when the weather turns cold and road conditions start to deteriorate. Below is our list of the best apps you can download onto your phone to help you with winter driving. All of them are free, with only a couple requiring some sort of subscription or payment for additional features.
1. Waze
- Price: Free
Forget Google Maps, Apple Maps and even your car’s built-in navigation system, Waze is the only navigation app you should be using. However, key to its usefulness in the colder months is users’ ability to report things like potholes, bad weather and hazards such as slippery and ungritted roads, plus ice and floods. Oh, and you can even have your directions read out by Santa – how festive can you get?
2. DriveWeather
- Price: Free (In-app purchases)
The weather can get pretty sketchy in the north of the UK, and thus an app such as DriveWeather may come in handy if you’re planning to go out in a storm. This utilises meteorological data to illustrate how the weather is expected to change throughout the course of your journey, suggesting alternate routes that may be a little drier or safer. Sign up for the Pro version and this gives you access to extra data including icy road conditions and wind speeds, the ability to add waypoints and, perhaps most importantly, no ads.
3. BBC Sounds
- Price: Free (for Licence Fee payers)
Make the most of your Licence Fee with the BBC Sounds app. As well as being a great hub for podcasts that’ll make any journey go more quickly, the app also allows you to access the Beeb’s wide range of local radio stations, which will all give you live weather and traffic updates – ideal if you’re travelling far from home.
4. AA
- Price: Free (some functions locked behind breakdown cover)
The AA’s app is an invaluable companion if your car breaks down. Users can request roadside assistance with just a couple of taps, or even help after an accident – regardless of who you’re insured by. If you’re an AA member, you can also use the app to look for local restaurants and pubs in which you can get a 15 per cent discount, while you can also schedule reminders for things like your car’s MOT and yearly service.
5. Stan The App
- Price: Free
Britain’s roads are notorious for being cratered with potholes – particularly in the winter – and Stan is an app that has been created with that in mind. Users can document and report potholes, drumming up awareness not only of other people with the app, but also local councils and road authorities. Each road is given a Health Score, which is based on Department for Transport guidelines, and users can plan their journey appropriately using the built-in maps.
6. What3words
- Price: Free
Sometimes if you break down in the middle of nowhere, it can be difficult to describe to roadside assistance or emergency services where you are – not ideal if you’re stood out in a rain or snow storm. That’s where what3words comes in, because this nifty app has broken down every three square metres of the globe into little chunks, each identifiable by three randomly assigned words. This will allow you to relay your exact location to whoever you’re talking to – even if its postcode covers a wide area.
7. National Parking Platform
- Price: Free
No one wants to download 20 separate apps for different car parks, so the Government developed the National Parking Platform (NPP) with this in mind. At the time of writing, more than 20 local councils have signed up to this scheme, including Liverpool, Oxford and Manchester, allowing users to pay for parking using one centralised method.
New local authorities are signing up to the scheme all the time, with the NPP currently covering almost 500 different parking locations across the country.
8. Car companion app
- Price: Usually free
Most brands nowadays also offer a companion app to go alongside their cars, and this can give you access to a multitude of remote features. Most of these apps enable you to do simple things like lock and unlock your car using your phone, but others can pre-set sat-nav destinations and even honk the horn. Perhaps most useful for the winter is that some models allow you to preset the climate control via the appropriate smartphone app, meaning you shouldn’t be shivering when you start your journey.
9. PetrolPrices
- Price: Free
Petrol prices nearly always rise in the colder months, so while we wait for the Government to release its own Pumpwatch app, PetrolPrices is the best alternative. This app uses data from across the UK to enable you to compare prices offered by fuel stations around you, thus giving you the insight which could save you money. Fuel stations are given ratings by users, while the app will also tell you what type of fuel is available, plus whether the station offers amenities such as cashpoints and car washes – meaning you don’t drive all the way over there for nothing.
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