Facts about Google Maps come from Google’s help pages, as of October 2026.
What Google Maps lists do well
- They’re free, on Android, iPhone and computers.
- You get ready-made lists (Favorites, Want to go, Starred places, Travel plans) and can make your own (Google).
- You can share a list by link, invite collaborators who add places, and save lists other people share with you.
- You can add a note to each place.
- A list holds up to 3,000 places (Google).
- Each place comes with directions, opening hours, photos and reviews.
Say four friends are building a “where to eat in Lisbon” list before a trip. A shared Google Maps list does that well, and it works for the friend on Android too.
What they don’t do
A list remembers that you saved a place. It doesn’t record how good the food was. You can type “get the cacio e pepe, 9/10” in a note, but Google Maps can’t sort by it. There’s no way to see your five best pizzas across Naples, Rome and New York.
Star ratings live in Google Maps reviews, and Google says “all reviews are public and anyone can find what you add” (Google). Lists also have no field for what you paid.
What Matcha adds
Matcha is an iPhone app for foodies: score the dishes you eat, see your best pizza, ramen or matcha latte ranked, and keep every place on a map with a Want to try list.
- A score for each dish, from 1 to 10 in half steps, with a photo, the price and a note if you want them.
- Rankings by food, city, restaurant and year.
- A map where each restaurant shows its best dish’s score. Want to try places are pink, and places imported from Google are small ink pins.
- Want to try, with the dish to order if you know it.
- Shared lists with friends through iCloud. Everyone scores, and you see a friend’s score only after you’ve scored the dish.
- Share images of your top 5 or your #1, and your year in food.
- No account. Your journal stays on your iPhone.
Google Maps is ahead on price, on Android and the web, and on directions and reviews. Matcha is iPhone only (iOS 26 or later) and paid: free download, 7-day free trial, then $9.99/year, or $0.99/week without a trial (pricing).
Google Maps lists vs Matcha
As of October 2026.
| Google Maps lists | Matcha | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free download; 7-day free trial, then $9.99/year, or $0.99/week without a trial |
| Devices | Android, iPhone, computer | iPhone (iOS 26 or later) |
| What you save | Places, with notes | Dishes, with a score, place, price and photo; places to try |
| Scores | Star ratings, in public reviews | Your own, 1 to 10 per dish in half steps |
| Rankings | None | By food, city, restaurant and year |
| Places to try | Want to go list | Want to try, with an optional dish |
| Sharing | Shared links, collaborators, saved lists | Shared lists through iCloud, Send my places, images |
| Size | Up to 3,000 places per list | Imports up to 3,000 places per list |
| Place details | Directions, hours, photos, reviews | Apple Maps place details; Directions opens Apple Maps |
Using both
Keep Google Maps for directions and group trip lists, and bring the food places into Matcha to score them:
- In Google Maps, set the list to Shared. Matcha can’t read a private list.
- Tap Share list and pick Matcha. Or copy the link and paste it in Matcha under Profile › Import from Google Maps.
- Every place is ticked, grouped by city. Untick what you don’t want and tap Add N places.
The places land on your map and in Rankings › Restaurant, after the places you’ve rated. When you eat there, tap Add and score the dish. Full steps: Google Maps list to iPhone. To get a copy of your lists as files instead, see export Google Maps saved places.