Across the board, Garmin maps are more likely to be consistent but you obviously have to pay for that luxury. I’ve found that OSM maps are typically better in cities as they are updated much more frequently, whereas Garmin maps tend to be more accurate in unpopulated areas. The accuracy of the OSM maps depends on the region, but it improves every day. The maps are built by an online community who contribute and maintain data on roads, trails, services and much more, in most countries around the world. OSM is created by people like you and is 100% FREE to use under an open license. When it comes to FREE mapping, OpenStreetMap is where it’s at. Once you’ve spent big money on your Garmin GPS, you’ll of course be expected to pay US $70-100 per mapping region or area… In a time of technology manufacturers trying to lock us into their ‘ecosystems’, there is a big movement to provide people with free alternatives to expensive software and programs.

There’s a really easy way to make FREE, custom, up-to-date navigational maps that are fully routable. If you’re navigating with a Garmin GPS, you’re in luck.

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