what3words Review: A Must-Have App for Motorhome Owners?
The what3words app has transformed the way people share precise locations. Used by emergency services, delivery companies and millions of travellers worldwide, it can pinpoint almost any location to within a three-metre square. But is it genuinely useful for motorhome owners, or is it simply another app taking up space on your phone?
⭐ Motorhome Monkey Rating
★★★★★ 10/10
Outstanding
A simple but brilliantly effective app that makes sharing precise locations effortless. For motorhome owners, it can save time, reduce confusion and even prove invaluable in an emergency.
📖 New to Motorhome Monkey reviews? Learn how we test and rate products in our How We Review at Motorhome Monkey guide.
Overview
Finding a campsite is usually straightforward.
Finding the exact entrance, a remote overnight stop or a farmer’s field at a rally is often a different story.
Traditional postcodes can cover large areas, GPS coordinates are awkward to communicate and not everyone is comfortable using latitude and longitude.
That’s where what3words comes in.
The app divides the world into 3-metre squares, giving each one a unique combination of three ordinary words. Instead of sharing complicated coordinates, you simply send something like ///apple.orange.table (example only), allowing another person to navigate directly to your location.
It sounds almost too simple—but it works remarkably well.
Features
Although incredibly easy to use, what3words includes several useful features:
- Pinpoint any location within a 3-metre square.
- Share your location instantly.
- Search by three-word address.
- Integration with many navigation systems.
- Offline language support in selected areas.
- Available on both Android and Apple devices.
Because the system is language independent, millions of unique locations can be identified without ambiguity.
Ease of Use
One of the app’s greatest strengths is its simplicity.
Open the app, allow it to access your location and your current three-word address immediately appears.
Sharing it takes only a single tap.
The interface is clean, uncluttered and intuitive, meaning even those who aren’t particularly confident with technology can begin using it within minutes.
Why Motorhome Owners Will Appreciate It
Motorhome touring often takes us away from clearly marked roads and urban addresses.
You might be staying:
- On a Certified Location (CL).
- At a rural farm campsite.
- On a temporary rally field.
- At a remote beauty spot.
- In a large festival or showground.
Trying to explain your exact position over the phone can be frustrating.
With what3words, you simply send the three-word location.
It’s equally useful when meeting friends travelling separately or guiding family members to your pitch on a large campsite.
Emergency Situations
This is perhaps where what3words has earned its strongest reputation.
Several UK emergency services, mountain rescue teams and coastguard organisations use the system to help locate callers more accurately.
If you’re touring in a remote area and need assistance, being able to communicate your exact location could prove extremely valuable.
Hopefully you’ll never need it—but it’s reassuring to know the capability is there.
Any Limitations?
No app is perfect.
Both parties need to understand how what3words works, and while adoption has grown rapidly, not everyone uses it routinely.
It’s also worth remembering that what3words isn’t designed to replace a sat nav. Instead, it complements your existing navigation by providing a precise destination.
Finally, although many navigation apps now recognise what3words addresses, compatibility isn’t universal, so it’s worth checking before relying on it.
👍 What We Liked
- Extremely simple to use.
- Pinpoints locations with impressive accuracy.
- Excellent for remote campsites and rally fields.
- Valuable safety tool in emergencies.
- Free to download and available on major platforms.
- Integrates with many navigation systems.
👎 What Could Be Better
- Works best when the recipient also understands or uses what3words.
- Not every sat nav accepts three-word addresses directly.
- Some users may not immediately appreciate its benefits until they use it in practice.
👤 Who Is It Best For?
The what3words app is particularly well suited to:
- Motorhome owners touring rural areas.
- Rally and festival attendees.
- Wild camping where legally permitted.
- Families travelling in separate vehicles.
- Anyone who values accurate location sharing.
It may be less essential for:
- Owners who mainly stay on large commercial campsites with clearly marked addresses.
- Users who rarely travel away from urban areas.
⭐ Motorhome Monkey Verdict
Sometimes the simplest ideas are the most effective, and what3words is a perfect example.
Rather than trying to replace traditional navigation, it solves a problem that many motorhome owners experience—communicating an exact location quickly and accurately. Whether you’re directing friends to your pitch, finding a remote campsite entrance or providing your position in an emergency, it removes much of the guesswork.
It’s easy to install, free to use and takes only a few minutes to learn. For those reasons, we believe it’s one of the most useful free apps a motorhome owner can carry.
Editorial Note
Motorhome Monkey reviews are based on published specifications, manufacturer information, independent industry research and owner feedback. Where we have direct experience of a product, that experience informs our review. Our aim is to provide balanced, objective assessments that help readers choose the product best suited to their individual needs.
