Comparison

AIA Guide to Boston vs Bokun

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

AIA Guide to Boston

Explore Boston's architecture and urban landscape with this comprehensive digital guide. Discover over 1,200 landmarks, historical buildings, and parks, with GPS-enabled features and integrated directions. Perfect for residents and visitors interested in design and history.

Highlights
  • 1,200+ landmarks, buildings, and parks
  • Neighborhood and architect guides
  • GPS-enabled site discovery
  • Integrated directions
  • Walking and site tours
  • Color images and descriptions
Features
Read full description

Published in three prior paper editions, the AIA Guide to Boston been called "the best [field guide] of its kind on the continent." This new digital version adds more than 500 new sites along with color images from leading photographers. This is the first AIA Guide anywhere to be published as a mobile app. It's: Effortless to carry. If you have your phone, you have the Guide (now the equivalent of a 500+ page book!) Smart. Using GPS, the app can find the guides closest to you Connected. Directions are available with a tap, and live links to online resources provide more depth instantly Up-to-date. New sites and guides are added to the app as the city grows and evolves. The Guide features: Descriptions, stories, and photos of more than 1,200 contemporary landmarks, historical buildings, urban features, and parks across the metro area In-depth guides to neighborhoods, architects, styles, and award winners Walking and site tours around prime destinations including Downtown, Back Bay, Beacon Hill, Harvard, MIT, and emerging districts. Follow the Freedom Trail and Walk to the Sea with new eyes, focusing on the old and new architecture along the way. For residents and visitors, architects and design lovers, builders and students, the AIA Guide to Boston offers a unique, fun new way to explore the nation's oldest major city.

About

Bokun

Streamline your tour and activity business with this app. Manage customer check-ins, scan tickets, and view pick-up lists on the go. Organize your daily schedule, assign guides, and handle bookings efficiently, even without an internet connection.

Highlights
  • Customer check-in and ticket scanning
  • On-the-go customer management
  • Business calendar and scheduling
  • Guide assignment and booking management
  • Offline mode with data syncing
Features
Read full description

Our app is only for Bokun customers. With the Bokun app you can: Save time and streamline check ins Check-in customers, scan tickets on-the go, view pick up lists, and manage customer notes easily within the app. Manage your scheduling Prepare your day and keep track of your business calendar. Add or remove guides from the schedule, and handle your bookings quickly and easily. Stay reliable with offline capabilities No need to search for a connection. You can operate the app in offline mode, and your work will be synced when you gain connection.

Screenshots

AIA Guide to Boston4 screens
Bokun4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: AIA Guide to Boston at 82% against Bokun's 20%. AIA Guide to Boston also leads on rating (4.5 vs 2.3). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

AIA Guide to Boston holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 2.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 16 and 7 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 82% of AIA Guide to Boston's written reviews are positive against 20% of Bokun's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

AIA Guide to Boston ships an update every 8 months, Bokun every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
AIA Guide to Boston versus Bokun: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAIA Guide to BostonBokun
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (16 ratings) — better2.3 (7 ratings)
Positive reviews81.8% of reviews — better20.0% of reviews
Number of ratings16 — better7
Update frequencyEvery 8 monthsEvery 5 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.115.1
Further details — not scored
Size150 MB105 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperThomas PoundsBokun

Customer experience

AIA Guide to Boston

All ratings16 ratings
Positive87.5%
Neutral0.0%
Negative12.5%
Written reviews11 reviews
Positive81.8%
Neutral0.0%
Negative18.2%

Bokun

All ratings7 ratings
Positive28.6%
Neutral0.0%
Negative71.4%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive20.0%
Neutral20.0%
Negative60.0%

In-app purchases

None

AIA Guide to Boston

No in-app purchases

None

Bokun

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is AIA Guide to Boston free?
AIA Guide to Boston is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Bokun free?
Bokun is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, AIA Guide to Boston or Bokun?
AIA Guide to Boston is rated higher. AIA Guide to Boston averages 4.5 out of 5 from 16 ratings, while Bokun averages 2.3 from 7 ratings.
Do AIA Guide to Boston or Bokun have ads?
Neither AIA Guide to Boston nor Bokun shows ads.
Which is updated more often, AIA Guide to Boston or Bokun?
AIA Guide to Boston ships an update every 8 months, and Bokun every 5 months. Most recently, AIA Guide to Boston was updated on October 6, 2026 and Bokun on October 10, 2026.

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