The current wave of Google Maps updates on Android Auto shipped with a subtle regression: the small speed pill in the corner of the map is gone for a chunk of users. If you rely on that number for a heavy-foot warning on interstate stretches or the trip meter for a rideshare log, “just glance at the cluster” only works when the cluster has one. Anyone driving an older head unit paired with a modern head-up display now has a real gap.
We tested seven apps that put a live speedometer on the Android Auto screen, either as the main map or as a widget layer. Every pick keeps GPS-derived speed, works with the head unit locked out of a passenger’s touch, and does not require a subscription to expose the number.
What matters in a speedometer app for Android Auto
A short list of things worth checking before you install:
- Uses GPS, not OBD-II. The head-unit speedometer needs to work in any car, including rentals. OBD dongle setups are for niche builds.
- Shows units you actually use. Look for a unit toggle inside the app, not tucked behind a paid tier.
- Draws the speed on the Android Auto screen itself. Some apps only show it on the phone display, which is useless when the phone lives face-down in a cradle.
- Speed limit overlay. Knowing you are ten over is more useful than the raw number.
- Low battery drain on long drives. Constant GPS pings and a bright always-on screen are hard on the phone; the well-behaved apps throttle when the head unit dims.
- Works without an account. Sign-in walls that gate the meter behind a subscription are common in this category.
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | Free plan | Starting price | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waze | Community reports and a persistent speed pill | Full | Free | 4.6 |
| Sygic GPS Navigation | Head-up display style speedometer | 7-day trial | around $2/mo billed yearly | 4.5 |
| HERE WeGo | Free offline maps with a clean speedometer | Full | Free | 4.4 |
| TomTom AmiGO | Speed camera focus with live speed | Full | Free | 4.5 |
| HUDWAY Go | Reflected HUD speedometer on the windshield | Free tier | around $30/yr for full | 4.2 |
| Speedometer GPS Pro | Standalone digital speedometer | Free with ads | one-time upgrade | 4.5 |
| GPS Speed Pro | Minimal widget-first speedometer | Free with ads | one-time upgrade | 4.4 |
The apps
1. Waze — Best for drivers who miss the Google Maps speed pill
Waze keeps a permanent speed pill on the Android Auto screen and paints it red past the limit, which is exactly the piece Google Maps quietly removed for some head units. Reports, cameras, and hazard alerts still show up on the same map, so nothing gets pushed off-screen. Waze also renders the trip meter and heading, so it doubles as a cluster on cars where the OEM readout is buried.
Where it falls short: Ads on the map, and heavy telemetry. Battery drain on a two-hour drive is real.
Pricing:
- Free: Full app, no gated features
- Paid: None
Platforms: Android, iOS, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay
Download: Aptoide · Google Play
Bottom line: The direct swap for the Google Maps speedometer, with the added community-driven layer.
2. Sygic GPS Navigation — Best speed panel on the head unit
Sygic GPS Navigation draws a dedicated head-up display style panel across the top of the Android Auto screen with current speed, speed limit, and time to next turn on one line. The map behind it uses TomTom road data and stores country maps offline, so the speedometer keeps working in tunnels and rural dead zones where GPS is fine but data is not.
Where it falls short: The full driving experience is subscription-gated. The free build shows the meter but nags for premium on route recalculation.
Pricing:
- Free: 7-day trial with all premium features
- Paid: Premium runs about $2 per month billed annually
Platforms: Android, iOS, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay
Download: Aptoide · Google Play
Bottom line: The right pick if you want the speedometer front and center rather than tucked in a corner.
3. HERE WeGo — Best free speedometer with offline maps
HERE WeGo shows current speed and the posted limit inside a clean pill on the Android Auto screen, with country-sized offline map downloads for anyone who crosses borders. The speedometer does not disappear on data blackouts, and the free tier is genuinely free with no upsell modals.
Where it falls short: Traffic data thins out in smaller markets, and the route engine is more conservative than Google’s on shortcuts.
Pricing:
- Free: Full app, no premium tier
- Paid: None
Platforms: Android, iOS, Android Auto
Download: Aptoide · Google Play
Bottom line: Best free option that respects your data plan and still shows the speed pill.
4. TomTom AmiGO — Best for speed cameras plus live speed
TomTom AmiGO keeps a live speed indicator on the map and lights up before every fixed and mobile speed camera on the route. TomTom’s real strength is the camera database, which is more current than most crowdsourced feeds. On Android Auto it renders a compact HUD that pairs current speed with the limit.
Where it falls short: The Android Auto layout is narrower than Waze’s, and search results lean on TomTom’s places index which lags Google’s in North America.
Pricing:
- Free: Full app with ads
- Paid: Ad-free tier available through in-app purchase
Platforms: Android, iOS, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay
Download: Aptoide · Google Play
Bottom line: The one to pick if your commute is on roads full of cameras and you want the speed pill for context.
5. HUDWAY Go — Best when you want a reflected head-up display
HUDWAY Go mirrors a bright green speedometer onto the windshield through a reflective phone mount, so the number sits at eye level while the head unit runs a different app. Speed, direction, and next turn arrows show up as mirror-image glyphs designed to be read off the glass.
Where it falls short: The reflected HUD needs a decent windshield mount and a dark cabin to be readable. Daylight glare eats the display.
Pricing:
- Free: Limited driving mode
- Paid: Around $30 per year unlocks the full HUD and speed alerts
Platforms: Android, iOS
Download: Aptoide · Google Play
Bottom line: The right add-on if your head unit is a small factory screen and you drive at night.
6. Speedometer GPS Pro — Best pure digital speedometer
Speedometer GPS Pro does one job: displays current speed in a huge readable digit, plus max recorded speed, average speed, distance, and time. On Android Auto it fills the whole screen with the number, no map. If your navigation lives on the phone or in the OEM head unit and you just want a legible speed readout, this is the app.
Where it falls short: No map means no lane guidance and no camera alerts.
Pricing:
- Free: Ad-supported
- Paid: One-time upgrade removes ads
Platforms: Android, Android Auto
Download: Aptoide · Google Play
Bottom line: Buy this if you run Waze or Google Maps on the phone and want the head unit to be a plain speedometer.
7. GPS Speed Pro — Best widget-first minimal option
GPS Speed Pro is the small utility take on the same idea. The Android Auto view is a widget layout with speed, heading, and a tiny compass. It is the least battery-hungry of the bunch and the most compatible with older head units that reject heavier apps.
Where it falls short: No route features, no camera alerts, no speed-limit awareness.
Pricing:
- Free: Ad-supported
- Paid: One-time upgrade removes ads and unlocks a dark theme
Platforms: Android, Android Auto
Download: Aptoide · Google Play
Bottom line: The fallback for older cars where anything heavier stutters on the head unit.
How to pick the right one
- If you want the closest thing to the old Google Maps behavior: Waze.
- If you want the speedometer to be the biggest thing on the screen: Sygic GPS Navigation.
- If you cross borders and want free offline maps: HERE WeGo.
- If you drive camera-heavy corridors: TomTom AmiGO.
- If your dash is small and dark and you want to read speed off the windshield: HUDWAY Go.
- If you already have navigation and just need a screen with the number: Speedometer GPS Pro.
- If your head unit is old and slow: GPS Speed Pro.
FAQ
Why did the Android Auto speedometer disappear on Google Maps? Google shipped a display change that hid the small speed pill for some device and head unit combinations. It is not documented as intentional and has not been rolled back universally, so the workaround is to run a second app that draws its own speed indicator.
Do these apps work on Android Auto wireless? All seven work with wireless Android Auto when the phone side supports it. Wired remains the most reliable option for consistent GPS lock in a metal-heavy cabin.
Do speedometer apps work without a data connection? Yes. Speed is a GPS measurement, not a network call. Offline maps in HERE WeGo, Sygic, and TomTom AmiGO keep the whole surface working without signal.
Are these speed readings legally accurate? GPS-based speed is generally within 1 to 2 kph of the true value once you have a lock. It is not a certified reference and courts treat car speedometers as the primary evidence, but GPS is closer to reality than most factory dashboards, which read 3 to 5 percent high by design.
Do any of these run on Apple CarPlay too? Waze, Sygic, and TomTom AmiGO support CarPlay with a similar speedometer layout. HERE WeGo dropped CarPlay a few years ago and is Android Auto only.
