The iPhone version of the Gokivo Navigation app.

GPS software for smart phones just keeps rolling off the virtual conveyor belts at companies that develop navigation software. We’ve tested a bunch already—here’s one more, freshly reviewed: the Gokivo Navigator app.

Gokivo is a subscription-based navigation application for your Blackberry or iPhone. We tested the iPhone version, which cost $5 for the initial download plus $10 per month (a non-recurring charge) after a free 30-day trial period. The original download is small, at 2.7 MB. Unlike larger apps that charge a higher one-time fee to download all the maps onto your phone, Gokivo is server-based—like the AT&T Navigator—and loads maps and points of interest dynamically, as you need them.

The Gokivo version we tested, 4.4.2, has text-to-speech (a useful feature increasingly seen on GPS apps), real-time traffic, and the ability to play music while running the app on your iPhone, something not every iPhone app can do.

From our testers, here’s the bottom line:

Gokivo is a viable option for iPhone users seeking navigation guidance, especially those looking just for a short-term solution. But the monthly fee can quickly dwarf the cost of competing applications and even rival the prices of traditional [standalone units] after a year—but without all the features or ease of use. There are benefits to the always-current database, especially with businesses closing or changing hands during the troubled economy. But many users may not find the differences compared to the data in downloaded applications to be worth the monthly charge.

Check out the full review of the Gokivo Navigator. —Nick K. Mandle