Vela Maps

byPsychopath · Maps & Navigation

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8.0

android

AI summary

Privacy-focused maps and navigation for Android devices without Google Play Services. Uses OpenStreetMap for basemap data and queries Google's public web endpoints directly from your device for search, routing, and traffic — no account, no backend, no ads. Includes turn-by-turn navigation, transit directions, satellite imagery, and contact address search (opt-in).

Generated by AI. May contain inaccuracies.

About this app

A degoogled maps and navigation client for Android — what NewPipe is to YouTube, Vela is to Google Maps. Open vector tiles provide the basemap, while the device itself scrapes Google's public web endpoints (per-user, no backend) for the things Google does best: POI quality, routing, and traffic-aware ETAs. Built to run on GrapheneOS and other no-GMS ROMs.

Why a degoogled app uses Google

A phone without Google Play Services cannot run Google Maps, and open map datasets fall well short on search, reviews, hours, and live traffic. So Vela is a thin client over Google's public web endpoints. It queries them the same way a logged-out browser does — once per user, with no account, no shared API key, and no server in between. NewPipe does the same for YouTube. There are no ads, and your searches, saved places, and history stay on the phone. If you run GrapheneOS or another no-GMS ROM, this gives you working maps again.

The map itself — streets, labels, and house numbers — all come from OpenStreetMap. Google is used only for places, search, routing, and traffic. As a result, street names and house numbers may differ from what Google Maps shows, and the level of detail available offline depends on how well OpenStreetMap covers your area. I am exploring ways to improve OSM and fill data gaps. Stay tuned.

Privacy

There is no Vela backend, no account, and no telemetry. Vela fetches data from Google directly from your phone, acting like a logged-out browser — Google sees your IP, query, and map area, but not a Google account or any app key, much like using google.com/maps in an incognito window. Your saved places, history, and settings never leave the device.

License

GNU General Public License v3.0

maps navigation open source privacy offline degoogled

What's new

v0.4.955Aug 11, 2026

Navigation
Vela now actually conserves data on satellite links (not just claims to). - Navigation puck is now 15% larger. - Navigation map no longer lurches sideways mid-drive. - Railway crossings and speed humps now appear on the map alongside traffic lights and stop signs. - Traffic lights and stop signs now load reliably along the entire route at startup. - Spoken directions now include a volume setting with louder tiers.
Transit
Transit guidance now shows the map: step-by-step guide as a bottom panel, with the trip drawn above it. - Transit routes now draw on the map — each bus or train leg shown as a colored line through stops. - Spoken transit cues now say "minutes" and "miles" in full instead of reading abbreviations.
Search & UI
Search results now rank by distance from your current location (instead of map center). - Search your contacts — typing a contact's name suggests their saved address (opt-in, permission asked only when enabled). - Avoid tolls and highways now shows clear feedback when it cannot be applied. - Themed launcher icon chevron reduced by 30% for better fit. - Deep satellite imagery fades in over zoom levels instead of snapping. - Sharper satellite view when zoomed in, with automatic fallback where high-res is missing.
Diagnostics
Added opt-in nav smoothness trace to diagnose jittery maps from real drives. - Simulated drives no longer run the map three times too fast. - Waze alerts probed as incident source but ruled out (endpoint behind reCAPTCHA).