Galileo vs GPS – Which Navigation System Is Better?

Published: 17/11/2025

Modern navigation depends on satellite systems. Whether you are using a smartphone, a car navigation screen, a smartwatch, or a tracking device—your location comes from satellites in space.
Two of the most popular global systems are GPS and Galileo. Many people want to know which one is more accurate, faster, and better for Europe, smartphones, and high-precision tasks.

Table of Content

What is GPS?
What is Galileo?
Galileo vs GPS | Detailed Comparison Table
Important Points
Final Verdict
Conclusion
FAQs

This article gives you a simple, complete comparison using real-world explanation.

What is GPS?

GPS (Global Positioning System) is a satellite navigation system made by the United States. It sends signals from space to help phones, cars, and devices find your exact location anywhere in the world. GPS is old, stable, and works on almost every device. It provides reliable maps, tracking, and navigation for daily use.

What is Galileo?

Galileo is Europe’s modern satellite navigation system. It is newer, more advanced, and designed to give very accurate location signals. Galileo works in most new phones and devices, especially in Europe. It offers strong signals, better precision, and special services that can reach even difficult areas like cities and mountains.

Galileo vs GPS | Detailed Comparison Table

Feature	GPS	Galileo
Owner	United States	European Union
Accuracy	Good (3–5 meters)	Very High (1–2 meters standard, cm-level with services)
Satellite Count	31 active	28 active (growing)
Frequencies	L1, L2, L5	E1, E5, E6
Devices Support	Universal	Widely supported in new devices
Reliability	Extremely stable	Newer but advanced
Best for	Global navigation	High accuracy, Europe, precision uses
Emergency Services	Standard	Faster, more accurate (Galileo services)
Constellation	Older design	Newer, modern design
High Accuracy Service	Limited	Galileo HAS (very precise)

Important Points

Galileo Sensors & GPS Sensors

Modern phones include Galileo sensors, GPS sensors, GLONASS, and BeiDou to improve accuracy.
Multi-GNSS = more satellites = better location.

Galileo Frequencies & GPS Frequencies

Galileo uses E1, E5, E6 which are modern and provide stronger signals in cities, mountains, and forests.
GPS uses L1, L2, L5, which are widely supported but older.

Samsung Galileo & Apple Galileo

Most Samsung and Apple devices now support:

Galileo
GPS
GLONASS
BeiDou

This improves accuracy dramatically.

Galileo Maps & European GPS Maps

You don’t need special Galileo maps.
Google Maps, Apple Maps, and European GPS navigation apps automatically use Galileo signals when your phone supports it.

Galileo Headquarters & Ownership

Galileo headquarters (Galileo HQ) is in the EU.
Owned by the European Union.
Built because Europe wanted independence from the US GPS system.

Galileo 2.0 (Next Generation)

Galileo 2.0 will offer:

Even higher accuracy
Stronger signal
Faster positioning
Better performance in cities and indoors

Galileo GPS Devices & Receivers

Devices like Garmin, car navigation, phones, and high precision receivers support:

GPS
Galileo
GLONASS
BeiDou

More systems = more accuracy.

Best European GPS & Best European GPS Navigation

In Europe, Galileo is the most accurate, so the best navigation devices use GPS + Galileo together.

Galileo Satellite Navigation, Constellation & Services

Galileo provides different services:

Open Service (free)
Commercial Service
High Accuracy Service (HAS)
Search and Rescue Service (SAR)

These services make Galileo one of the most advanced satellite navigation systems in the world.

How Galileo Compares to Other Systems

Your keywords reflected many comparisons, here is a simple summary:

GPS vs GLONASS → GPS is more global, GLONASS is strong at high latitudes
GPS vs Galileo → Galileo is more accurate, GPS is more universal
Galileo vs GLONASS → Galileo is newer and more precise
GPS vs BeiDou → BeiDou is large in Asia, GPS is global
GPS vs GLONASS vs Galileo vs BeiDou → Best accuracy comes from using all four
GNSS vs GPS → GPS is one system, GNSS is the group of all systems

Using multiple systems (GPS + Galileo + GLONASS + BeiDou) gives the most accurate GPS possible.

Final Verdict

If you want universal and reliable navigation, GPS is great.
If you want high accuracy, especially in Europe, Galileo is the winner.

But the best choice is using GPS + Galileo together, which modern smartphones already do automatically.

You don’t need to manually enable anything.

Conclusion

GPS and Galileo are both excellent navigation systems, but they serve slightly different purposes. GPS is older and globally trusted, while Galileo is more advanced and delivers higher accuracy. With modern devices supporting multi-GNSS (GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, BeiDou), you get the best accuracy possible—no matter where you are.

Using both systems gives:

Faster location
Better signal in cities
Higher accuracy
Better navigation in Europe

In simple words: GPS + Galileo = Best Experience.

FAQs

Here are some frequently asked questions about GPS vs Galileo.

Is Galileo as good as GPS?

Yes, Galileo is as good as GPS—and even more accurate in many cases.
It offers high-precision tracking, especially in Europe.

What is the difference between GPS and Galileo?

Here are their key differences:

GPS: Run by the USA, older, globally trusted.
Galileo: Run by the European Union, newer, more accurate in urban areas.
Accuracy: Galileo generally offers better precision.
Satellites: GPS has more operational satellites, but Galileo is more modern.

Do phones use GPS or Galileo?

Most modern phones use both.
They combine GPS + Galileo + GLONASS + BeiDou for better accuracy and faster location lock.

Is Galileo compatible with GPS?

Yes, they are fully compatible.
Phones, cars, and GPS devices can use both systems together for stronger performance.

Which country owns Galileo?

Galileo is owned by the European Union (EU).
It is not owned by a single country—it’s a joint EU project.