Maps vs Google Earth

Privacy compared: the newest public version of each, scored by the same six rules. Google Earth scores 82 and Maps 71, so Google Earth is 11 points ahead.

71of 100

Mapscom.google.android.apps.maps

version 26.42.00.997557324

82of 100

Google Earthcom.google.earth

version 10.119.62.03 ahead by 11

Who is ahead on what

The longer bar is the better one on every axis; a score is the mean of its six axes. The arithmetic behind each is on the app's own card.

Axes: Google Earth leads on 2 axes, Maps on 1 axis; 3 axes are level.
Trackers: Maps carries 1 tracker, Google Earth 3 trackers; fewer is better.
Dangerous permissions: Maps may ask for 8 permissions, Google Earth for 5 permissions.

The six axes

Each axis is one short rule applied to both apps, with the one thing that decided its number underneath.

Security level

Maps 100 No security problem found.

Google Earth 100 No security problem found.

Tracking Maps +16

Maps 79 1 tracking tool found.

Google Earth 63 3 tracking tools found.

Build hygiene level

Maps 71 The app passes 10 of 14 checks of how well it was built.

Google Earth 71 The app passes 10 of 14 checks of how well it was built.

Packaging level

Maps 100 The phone can use everything in the app.

Google Earth 100 The phone can use everything in the app.

Access Google Earth +38

Maps 26 Asks for 7 of 11 kinds of permission; no special access.

Google Earth 64 Asks for 3 of 11 kinds of permission; no special access.

Background Google Earth +46

Maps 48 Runs 3 kinds of background service and starts by itself after a restart.

Google Earth 94 Runs no background service and does not start by itself.

TrackersMaps 1 · Google Earth 3

The advertising, analytics and attribution SDKs recognised in each app. What only one of them carries is what sets it apart.

Only in Maps

none

In both

Firebase Analytics

Only in Google Earth

Google AdMobGoogle Analytics

Dangerous permissionsMaps 8 · Google Earth 5

The permissions Android asks the user about at run time: the camera, the microphone, the location, the contacts and the like. An app may need one for what it does; asking is not the same as using.

Only in Maps

ACCESS_BACKGROUND_LOCATIONREAD_CONTACTSRECORD_AUDIO

In both

ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATIONACCESS_FINE_LOCATIONCAMERAREAD_EXTERNAL_STORAGEWRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE

Only in Google Earth

none

Where this comes from

Both are the apps' public cards: what anyone may know of an app, from its newest public version - one Google Play installed, and out in the world. Each card has the score's lines and the earlier versions: Maps, Google Earth.