# Explore Michigan vs BATA Link

The clearest difference is monetization model: Explore Michigan at free against BATA Link's free with in-app purchases. Explore Michigan also leads on review sentiment (75% vs 67%). BATA Link's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Explore Michigan against 4.7 for BATA Link. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 212 and 252 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 75% of Explore Michigan's written reviews are positive against 67% of BATA Link's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and September 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Explore Michigan | BATA Link |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (212 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/explore-michigan/id1024621444/reviews) | **[4.7 (252 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bata-link/id6446231565/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 212 | **252** |
| Positive reviews | **75.0% of reviews** | 66.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 4 MB | 134 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Code Bits LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/939896393) | [Via Transportation, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/657777018) |

## What reviewers say

### Explore Michigan

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/explore-michigan/id1024621444)

Discover Michigan's natural wonders and historical sites. Browse state parks, national parks, and lighthouses with detailed information, maps, and guides to plan your adventures. Get directions and download location-specific resources for a richer outdoor experience.

**Highlights:** Browse State Parks, National Parks, Lighthouses, Location-specific activities, maps, and guides, Filter locations by type, Map clusters for readability, Turn-by-turn navigation integration, Downloadable safety and topic guides

**In-app purchases:** none


### BATA Link

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bata-link/id6446231565)

Request on-demand or advance rides across Traverse City, Grand Traverse, and Leelanau Counties. This service offers shared rides, matching you with others heading in the same direction for a convenient, affordable, and sustainable transportation option.

**Highlights:** On-demand ride requests, Advance ride booking, Shared rides with algorithm matching, Convenient pick-up locations, Sustainable transportation option, Fixed route travel alternatives

**Features:** Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Explore Michigan free?

Explore Michigan is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is BATA Link free?

BATA Link is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Explore Michigan or BATA Link?

BATA Link is rated higher. Explore Michigan averages 4.7 out of 5 from 212 ratings, while BATA Link averages 4.7 from 252 ratings.

### Do Explore Michigan or BATA Link have ads?

Neither Explore Michigan nor BATA Link shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Explore Michigan or BATA Link?

Explore Michigan ships an update every 2 months, and BATA Link every 2 months. Most recently, Explore Michigan was updated on September 29, 2026 and BATA Link on September 20, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*