Capability

Live charger availability: which EV planners do it

Does it show whether the charger is free right now?

Updated 2 min read

Wide multi-lane motorway running towards an airport visible on the horizon
Norbert Nagel · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Why this one matters

The difference between a planned stop and a real one. Note that "live" means the network told the app, which is not the same as the charger working.

Product by product

ProductVerdictWhat the documentation says
A Better Routeplanner◐ PartlyLive charger availability and occupancy forecasts are Premium.
Apple Maps– UnverifiedNot stated in the documentation checked.
Chargemap◐ PartlyReal-time charger availability is described as a paid tier feature.
Chargeprice– UnverifiedNot stated on the pages checked.
Drive Charge Eat (our own app)◐ PartlyQuick Charge ranks nearby fast chargers by available power.
Octopus Electroverse● YesLive charger availability is listed.
Google Maps◐ PartlyReal-time charger information is surfaced; coverage varies by network.
PlugShare◐ PartlyDriver check-ins rather than an operator status feed; often more accurate, always less complete.
Tesla in-car navigation● YesSupercharger stall availability is shown in-car.
Zapmap● YesFiltering by availability is listed.

The gaps in this row

We could not confirm live charger availability for Apple Maps, Chargeprice from their own documentation on 2026-08-19. That is a gap in our checking, not proof the feature is missing, and it is marked rather than filled in.

What to do with this

If you need live charger status, the shortlist is Octopus Electroverse, Tesla in-car navigation and Zapmap. If you do not, ignore this page — a capability you have no use for is not an advantage.