Here’s a list of 5 free GPS test apps for Android which you can use to test the GPS functionality of your Android powered tablet or smartphone. Not all devices are created equal. What I mean by that is that not all devices have a proper GPS sensor. Buying very cheap Chinese phones is always a gamble since you never know just what kind of hardware you’re getting. A GPS test app will help you check what kind of quality the GPS receiver on your phone has.
Apps from the list down below worked great and tested much more than just the GPS. Other sensors like the compass, accelerometer were also tested by some of the apps I tested.
GPS Test
GPS Test is one of the oldest and most popular GPS test apps for Android. Before you run it, make sure that you have the GPS active on your phone, because it starts detecting satellites right away after you run it.
From the image above you can see that GPS works just fine on my device. Info that you get includes the number of satellites that the app picked up, quality of the signal, compass (direction) test, acceleration test, altitude, etc. Open up settings to change things like colors, units of measurement and more.
Get GPS Test.
AndroiTS GPS Test Free
In a lot of ways AndroiTS GPS Test Free is very similar to GPS Test, but it also has its own useful features. For example, it lets you check which positioning systems your device supports and is using, GPS, GLONASS or Beidu.
Compass tester, accelerometer tester, map location checking using the MapQuest online service, longitude/latitude calculator, GPS signal quality checker and more is available. Your location can be exported and easily shared via social networks. Lots of other tweaks and features are available, but note that not all of them are free (paid version of the app is available with all features unlocked).
Also, have a look at Automatically Turn Wifi On or Off in Android Without Using GPS.
GPS Status Test & Fix
GPS Status Test & Fix is more of a textual GPS test app, actually it’s a completely textual app, like you can see from the image above.
All the basic sensor checker functionalities are available, number of detected satellites, your longitude and latitude, altitude, speed (accelerometer test), last GPS check time, time it took to get a fix and the magnetic field sensor test.
GPS fix – GPS Test
GPS fix is a nice mix between previously mentioned simplistic GPS Status Test and one of the more advanced GPS test apps that I started this list with.
At the bottom of the screen you get textual info about the latitude, longitude, altitude, speed, accuracy and the current time. Above it there’s a satellite chart showing you where in the sky the satellites to which you’re connected in relation to you are.
Get GPS fix – GPS Test.
Also, have a look at 5 Live Weather Wallpaper Apps For Android.
GPS Status & Toolbox
GPS Status & Toolbox is a actually multiple sensor checker, where the GPS test is just one of the many tests that are available.
What you see on the image above is the GPS test, where the location of satellites in relation to you is showed. Down below you can see that there’s also a compass tester, accelerometer tester, screen brightness test tool, magnetometer and more. Swipe left to find a graphical spinning compass.
Get GPS Status & Toolbox.
Conclusion
I’ve used GPS Test, the first GPS test app from the list above, for a long time now. It works great, and I suggest that you start with it to find out what kind of GPS receiver quality you device has. Following close behind in second place is AndroiTS GPS Test, and then there’s GPS Fix as a nice mix of advanced and simplistic.
