# Welcome Suica Mobile — user reviews > 112 indexed App Store user reviews of Welcome Suica Mobile by East Japan Railway Company, rated 2.70/5 from 95 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/welcome-suica-mobile/id6738336566/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/welcome-suica-mobile/id6738336566.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 36 · 4★ 2 · 3★ 3 · 2★ 4 · 1★ 50 ## What do users think of Welcome Suica Mobile? Overall sentiment: negative **Pros** - 👍 Delightfully easy to use - 🚀 Seamless experience - 💡 Allows using Suica in Apple Wallet **Cons** - 🐛 Unusable funds and no refund ability - 🐛 Disables and expires after 180 days - 🐛 Doesn't work with existing Suica cards - 🐛 Requires unlocking Apple Pay **Commonly reported bugs** - Can't create an account due to 'wrong secret word' - Locks out users after leaving the station **Most requested features** - Allow using existing Suica cards - Extend expiration period or remove it entirely ## Newest reviews (12 of 112) ### 3/5 — Took a while to start working. *2026-04-29* Has begun to work in vending machines and convenience stores. ### 1/5 — Doesn’t work probably scam *2026-04-19, version 1.2.0* Card was working for a few days. Topped up 15k yen and ever since then the card stopped working. No refunds either. I think I just got scammed. ### 1/5 — iPhone wallet Suica is better *2026-04-18, version 1.2.0* This app won’t let me top up unless I’m in Japan. I want to do it before hand so I know my credit cards will work before I’m stuck in Japan with a different sim. ### 2/5 — Not for frequent travelers *2026-04-15* The app is very good. It’s easy to use and works well. However, if you are a frequent traveler to Japan, you should use something else. Your account is only valid for 180 days and they will keep any funds you have on the card when it expires. They won’t transfer to your new account. ### 1/5 — Do not use this app, get a physical card *2026-03-30* This app is extremely unreliable and often fails to properly read an entry or exit, becoming stuck in transit. Every second day or so, I’ve had to go to a Railway Assistant and get the app unstuck from transit. Getting a physical card is much easier and less of a headache. I’ve wasted so much time just trying to get this app to work ### 1/5 — Out of service hour *2026-03-28, version 1.2.0* I’ve just installed this and after the introduction of the apps it said ‘Out of Service Hour’. Just when is an App has service hour. What a joke. ### 1/5 — Useless *2026-03-16* I purchased this to use for the train and it never worked and we tried it every time we went to the station. When we asked a person who worked there they always said you cannot use it here. Works good for food though. ### 1/5 — Fraud *2026-03-14* I had to pay twice to get the balance ### 1/5 — Money went through but my card isn’t issued *2026-01-27* I can’t get a refund, f this money hungry company🤬 ### 1/5 — Scam? *2026-01-19* Took my money but didn’t issue a card. Use the wallet app on yours phone to add Suica Card. ### 1/5 — Does not work *2026-01-05* Took my money and did not issue a card ### 1/5 — Scam *2025-12-09* The activation froze after i loaded the card to activate it ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — App ok, aber Suica selbst ist eine Zumutung *2026-08-16* Das Installieren der App und Verknüpfen mit der Kreditkarte hat in Japan problemlos funktioniert. Soweit ok. Das Problem entsteht, wenn man einmal eine Transaktion nicht korrekt abschließt, zum Beispiel weil man in Kyoto gewohnt ist, nur bei Exit zu tappen, während man dann in Hiroshima sowohl bei Entry als auch Exit die Karte nutzen muss. Im Prinzip muss man dann zurück in die gleiche Straßenbahn, die man mit einer offenen Transaktion verlassen hat. Die ist natürlich längst weg. Weder andere Tramfahrer noch der JR Ticketschalter noch das Street Car Service Center konnten die Karte wieder funktionsfähig machen. Für die restliche Reise wertlos geworden. Der Suica Service verweist einfach auf den lokalen öffentlichen Nahverkehr. Das ist für Touristen kaum nutzbar, da man ja ständig weiterreist und die Fehler durch die verschiedenen und ungewohnten Ticket-Systeme doch relativ schnell passieren. ### 1/5 — Limited *2026-08-14* This is hopeless. You have to load money and then find that you can only buy 1 ticket per app user. And no refunds for your initial ‘activation’. ### 1/5 — Only good for 180 days! *2026-07-03* I loved this app until one day it said that my Suica card had been removed from my Apple wallet. I still had 1700 yen stored value and didn’t realize that it expires after 180 days! READ THE FINE PRINT! Not sure why JR rail even has this app since you can add a digital Suica card to your Apple wallet and top it up so easily and there is no need for the “Welcome Suica” app. I just wish I had known that sooner. Unfortunately this seems like a money grab for unsuspecting tourists:( ### 1/5 — Fehler beim Erstellen der Karte *2026-06-23* Geld wurde abgebucht, aber keine Karte im Wallet hinzugefügt. Musste den Support bitten meine 3000 ¥ wieder zurückzuzahlen. Fügt die Suica Card bitte direkt bei Apple Wallet hinzu, ohne diese App dazwischen zu verwenden. ### 1/5 — 假的App *2026-06-18* 第一步都操作不了，选择不了同意 ### 1/5 — Use Apple wallet instead *2026-05-16* If you’re in Japan add a travel card straight from your Apple wallet app - works much better than this. Do not use this app!! It will get money from your account but fail to issue a card. ### 1/5 — Took my money and didn’t issue a card *2026-05-16* Went through to the payment page, paid 2000yen and got sent to the beginning and no card… I would like a refund please ### 1/5 — Lousy Error Management *2026-04-30* Used Card 5 days ago for a trip that did not start. As Suica does not work (well/at all) on Kyusu, only realized today after much trouble in Tokyo that the trip from Kagoshima is still open and most likely the reason why the Suica Card does not work anymore for public transport. Thank you, Suica! How about an error message that says: Open trip, please contact… ### 1/5 — Just add via Apple Wallet, don’t bother with this. *2026-04-26* Just add via Apple Wallet, don’t bother with this. ### 1/5 — Do not get this *2026-04-26* I paid and it’s not letting me access!! Keeps giving me error! ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Couldn’t add the Apple Wallet *2026-08-10* I downloaded this App, and paid ¥5000 through Apple Pay, then I found this card couldn't be added into Apple Wallet! Only the green Suica Card available for Apple Wallet. I ended up to deposit another ¥5000 for the green Suica. I only stay in Tokyo for 5 days, today is the second day in Japan, I still have no idea when and how I can use the red Suica, as the payment is still pending. What if the pending time last more than my stay in Japan? ### 5/5 — Did it’s job *2026-06-30* This worked seamlessly to travel into and around the Tokyo area while I was there. It also worked with vending machines that accepted IC cards! If the vending machine brings up another card just go to your apple wallet and switch it. I’ve seen some reviews saying IPhones can directly create a Suica card but I wasn’t sure how to do that. The physical welcome Suica card only lasts for about a month but this one lasts for 180 days but any remaining balance is forfeit after that. I didn’t try and transfer anything so I’m not sure how that would work. I would use it again and wouldn’t have to worry about topping up with cash. ### 5/5 — Very good IC card! *2026-06-13, version 1.2.0* The low reviews may be caused by those who don’t know how to use it ### 5/5 — Great *2026-05-31* Worked perfectly. Easy to setup, easy top up, easy to use, quick to update the balance. Can be used on transport and in shops. ### 5/5 — Worked for us! *2026-05-12* The app worked for us in our trip to Japan, zero issues ### 5/5 — Works Perfect *2026-05-06* U can activate the Card in Japan. Totaly easy to use. Works direct with Apple Play. ### 5/5 — Easy, no issues *2026-04-04* Easy to use, top up with Apple Pay. A must for traveling Japan local rails. **Limited express (reserved seat trains) you need an additional express ticket in addition to base fare. Local, express, etc is just the Suica. ### 5/5 — Perfect *2025-12-10* Everything works fine. No problems. ### 5/5 — Perfect *2025-11-10* Set up on my iPhone for express pay and worked like a charm at all the entrance and exit barriers. Even used it to access the temple at Nikko as they don’t take credit cards, just added 2000 Yen whilst in line via Apple Pay. Drained to 0 at the 7-11 in Haneda. ### 5/5 — Brilliant *2025-11-08* So easy to use, easy to load, some restaurants will take them also for payment and so will the 7/11 and family mart. Use Apple Pay to load it whenever you need to. Not all train tickets can be bought with this, there are some JR trains that have reserved seating that they cannot be used on and not used on the Shinkansen either. But buses and subway and most overground trains were fine. --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-09-04.*