Most local businesses obsess over Google Maps and ignore Apple Maps entirely. But with 1 billion+ Apple devices using Apple Maps, that's a real mistake. Here's how the two compare and what to do on each.
If you're optimizing your local presence, Google Maps is obviously the priority. It dominates 70%+ of map searches in the US.
But Apple Maps is used on over a billion Apple devices — and it's the default navigation on every iPhone, iPad, and Mac. That's a lot of potential customers seeing your listing, or not seeing it, based on your Apple Maps presence.
Here's how to think about both platforms, where they differ, and what to do on each.
Google Maps:
Apple Maps:
The bottom line: Google Maps drives more volume. Apple Maps drives significant volume you're ignoring. For businesses targeting iPhone-heavy demographics (higher-income, older, professional), Apple Maps matters more than average.
Google Maps:
Apple Maps:
Key insight: Unlike Google, where a single platform (GBP) controls your listing, Apple Maps pulls from multiple sources. Claiming your Apple Business Connect listing is essential to control what Apple shows.
Google Business Profile:
Apple Business Connect:
💡 Pro Tip: Apple Business Connect is still underutilized. Most businesses haven't claimed their listing. This means the barrier to standing out on Apple Maps is lower than on Google Maps — for now.
Google Maps: Reviews are central to rankings. More reviews, higher rating, faster review velocity = better local pack position. You can respond to reviews directly through GBP.
Apple Maps: Apple Maps displays Yelp reviews prominently for most businesses. If you have a Yelp presence, those reviews appear on your Apple Maps listing. Apple doesn't have its own first-party review system for most business types.
Implication for strategy:
📊 Flento Data: Businesses with strong Yelp ratings see 18% more Apple Maps profile views than those with few or no Yelp reviews.
When an iPhone user asks Siri "find a coffee shop near me," Siri uses Apple Maps data to answer. Optimizing your Apple Business Connect listing directly improves your visibility in Siri searches.
Key factors for Siri visibility:
Voice search via Siri is particularly important for urgent or on-the-go searches ("nearest gas station," "pharmacy open now") — categories where Apple Maps usage is highest.
Immediate priorities (if not done):
Ongoing maintenance:
⚠️ Common Mistake: Ignoring Apple Maps entirely because Google Maps seems more important. Given that iPhones are the majority device for higher-income demographics in the US, Apple Maps invisibility could mean you're missing your best customers.
For most businesses, Google Maps provides 3-5x more leads than Apple Maps. But Apple Maps requires less competition to rank well, takes 30 minutes to set up, and reaches iPhone users who may never open Google Maps.
The right answer: Optimize Google Maps aggressively. Set up Apple Maps in an afternoon. Don't ignore either.
🔥 Quick Win: Go to businessconnect.apple.com right now. Claim your listing if you haven't. Add your best 5 photos and verify your hours. This takes 20-30 minutes and gives you visibility on 1 billion+ Apple devices that your competitors have likely ignored.
Action Step: Search your business on Apple Maps (on an iPhone or via maps.apple.com). Does your information appear correctly? Is your category right? Are your hours current? Fix anything that's wrong via Apple Business Connect today.
Start free → — Flento tracks your Google Maps rankings across your entire service area. Pair it with Apple Business Connect for complete local search coverage.
