Free, no account needed. Works in any browser and can be installed as an app.

Where does PlugCompass work?

the U.S., the Netherlands, France, Sweden, Norway and Finland. Elsewhere it says the country isn't covered yet.

Does PlugCompass show live availability?

Yes in Europe: 292,000+ charge points in the Netherlands, Finland, France, Norway and Sweden, refreshed every few minutes. Not in the U.S. yet.

PlugCompass vs a charging network's own app

Short answer: A network's own app is what you use to start and pay for a charge on that network, and it shows its own chargers in detail. PlugCompass shows chargers from every network side by side and rates them all on the same facts, so you can pick the best one nearby and then open that network's app to charge.

PlugCompass is a free EV charging map that turns open government data, operators' live status and drivers' check-ins into one independent 0–10 score for 240,000+ charging locations in the U.S., the Netherlands, France, Sweden, Norway and Finland, with live availability for 292,000+ charge points refreshed every few minutes. Distance and advertising never change a score.

Side by side

What you need	PlugCompass	A charging network's own app
Independent score per charger	Yes: a 0–10 PlugCompass Score from price, speed, reliability, access and ports, with every part shown. Distance and ads never change it.	Usually none; the app shows its own network.
Price per kWh, comparable across stations	Yes where the operator publishes a price: turned into a comparable price per kWh (start and time fees folded in). Unpublished prices are shown as "not published", never guessed.	Yes for its own chargers (often the exact price for you, incl. member prices).
Live availability	Yes in Europe: 292,000+ charge points in the Netherlands, Finland, France, Norway and Sweden, refreshed every few minutes. Not in the U.S. yet.	Yes for its own chargers.
Did charging work here recently?	Drivers' one-tap "Did it work?" check-ins, Open Charge Map reports and operators' live status, plus monthly charger reliability reports per network.	Its own status data; you can't compare with other networks.
Real charger power (kW) and plug filters	Per-charger kW from official data, filters for speed, plug, network, price, place type and open now.	Yes for its own chargers.
What's nearby while you charge	"While you charge": cafés, food, restrooms, grocery and shops within about 300 m (OpenStreetMap).	Varies.
Turn-by-turn navigation and route planning	No. Tap Directions and PlugCompass opens Google Maps for the drive.	Usually hands over to your maps app.
Where it works	the U.S., the Netherlands, France, Sweden, Norway and Finland	Only that network's chargers (sometimes partner chargers via roaming).
Cost and account	Free, no account needed. Works in any browser and can be installed as an app.	Free app; usually needs an account and a payment card to charge.

Use a charging network's own app when

You are at the charger and need to start, pay for or stop a session.
You want member or subscription prices for that network.

Use PlugCompass when

You want to compare chargers from every network in one place.
You want an independent view of price, speed and reliability that no network controls.

Best of both: find and compare chargers on the PlugCompass map, then tap Directions to drive there. See how we score for the full method.

Questions

Is PlugCompass better than a charging network's own app?: They do different jobs. A network's own app is what you use to start and pay for a charge on that network, and it shows its own chargers in detail. PlugCompass shows chargers from every network side by side and rates them all on the same facts, so you can pick the best one nearby and then open that network's app to charge.
Is PlugCompass free?: Free, no account needed. Works in any browser and can be installed as an app.
Where does PlugCompass work?: the U.S., the Netherlands, France, Sweden, Norway and Finland. Elsewhere it says the country isn't covered yet.
Does PlugCompass show live availability?: Yes in Europe: 292,000+ charge points in the Netherlands, Finland, France, Norway and Sweden, refreshed every few minutes. Not in the U.S. yet.

More comparisons

vs Google Maps vs Apple Maps vs charge-card and roaming apps EV charging maps in the United States EV charging maps in the Netherlands EV charging maps in Finland EV charging maps in France EV charging maps in Norway EV charging maps in Sweden

Checked on 23 October 2026. Information about a charging network's own app comes from how these apps generally work; we don't name individual companies and can change; PlugCompass's numbers update automatically. Something out of date? Tell us and we'll fix it.