I just tried OpenStreetMap and was awfully disappointed. It's "just a map". I can't click on businesses, bus stops, etc. to get extra information about them. It's more like a digital version of paper maps I used to have eons ago.
People forget that what makes products "sticky" is the amount of stuff added to them by the users over the years.
How did you use OpenStreetMap? If you're just browsing it via the website, you can click the query button and then select a map item for more information.
(Just to be clear, I am not suggesting the UX or data on OSM competes with Google Maps. But I did go and click on a Chase Bank near me and got the phone number and hours, just to be sure that I wasn't making anything up. There are OSM apps that provide a nicer experience including navigation features.)
Historically, the project has not focused on making openstreetmap.org an end user mapping tool. Good or bad, that's the history, it's shown a flat slippy map without much interaction.
Features often do have additional information, but broadly speaking, it's pretty incomplete and wouldn't be comparable to Apple/Google maps. There's areas where the data is probably better than commercial maps, but that isn't the case on average.
You tried openstreetmap.org. That isn’t a consumer mapping site, it’s the community site for the OSM project. The idea is that the data is published as open source for other apps/sites to build on.
The plain OpenStreetMap web site isn’t very user friendly. Have you tried Organic Maps? It’s an OSM app for Android and iOS. It’s probably the most user friendly OSM app right now.
The entire paradigm difference or "features" which you are lacking is exactly the way the providers want you to funnel you - compare Organic maps (using osm), which only allow you to browse and navigate, to gm or am, which will always prefer you to be served with opening hours and ads of their partners, then only show GO LEFT, WARM, WARMER, you're almost there, now CONSUME&BUY!
And come back to our app again if you need to get a taxi or buy a fare... cmon, sweet convenience!
Then to wake up in a reality where you forgot why north was showing on top of the screen, you prefer it to turn map orientation with your body movements and ofc whisper more dopamine inducing advices.
People forget that what makes products "sticky" is the amount of stuff added to them by the users over the years.