Shinkansen smartEX App vs S.RIDE
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Shinkansen smartEX App
Easily reserve Shinkansen seats, hotels, and activities. Enjoy discounts for early bookings and flexible changes. Access station and train service information, and use QR tickets or designated IC cards for seamless travel.
- Reserve Shinkansen seats
- Book hotels and activities
- Early booking discounts
- Free reservation changes
- Select seats from map
- QR-Ticket and IC card boarding
- Fingerprint authentication login
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▼With the EX app, you can: - Reserve Shinkansen seats through the app easily - Discount for early booking - Reserve Shinkansen seats up to 1 year in advance - You can make as many changes as you need, free of charge, before getting on the train - Reserve a set of Shinkansen seats and hotel rooms! - Reserve activities, hotels and car rentals! - Select any seat from the seat map (*reserved seats only) - Information on services available in stations and trains - You can log in quickly by using fingerprint authentication. (only for compatible models) ▼ Main features - Membership registration - Purchase ticket/Reserve seats (time designation, train name designation, easy free seat reservation)) - Confirm reservation - Change and refund reservation (reducing the number of persons) - Display purchase history and receipt - Check, change member information - Display QR-Ticket for boarding - Designate or register IC card for boarding - Service status information (Link) ▼ Notes - Membership registration is required to use this app. For registration, personal information is required, such as member name, date of birth, and a valid credit card, etc. - Ticket purchase (reservation) payment will be taken from the credit card registered on the account. -- You need to register or designate IC card for public transportation (*) to travel ticketless with IC card. (*) Kitaca, PASMO, Suica, manaca, TOICA, PiTaPa, ICOCA, Hayakaken, nimoca, SUGOCA - You need the pickup code to pick up tickets from ticket vending machines, etc., at main stations of Tokaido Sanyo Kyushu Shinkansen, such as Tokyo, Kyoto, Shin-Osaka, Hiroshima, Hakata, Kumamoto etc. - Please do not use this app to make a seat reservation for Japan Rail Pass. - This service is available only in English. - For more details on this service, please see the website. *The email address below is for inquiries about application specifications. Please note that we cannnot answer inquiries about the service.
S.RIDE
This app simplifies hailing taxis in Tokyo and surrounding areas. With a single swipe, you can summon the nearest available taxi from a large network. Enjoy cashless payments and easy communication with drivers for a more comfortable and efficient travel experience.
- One-swipe taxi hailing
- Automatic pick-up point adjustment
- Estimated dispatch time display
- Simple driver messaging
- Cashless credit card payments
- QR code in-car payment option
- Ride history and statements
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<One of Tokyo's Largest Taxi Apps - S.RIDE> Your life in Tokyo is busy every day. That is why you want an easier way to get where you need to go. S.RIDE is a taxi app for busy people like you. With just one swipe, you can hail a taxi and the nearest vehicle will be dispatched to you from one of Tokyo’s largest taxi networks. Payment is also cashless and speedy. This app offers a much more comfortable way to move around Tokyo. [Major App Features] <1. Simple. Hail quickly. Arrives quickly> After launching the app, all it takes is one swipe. With a single action, you can call a taxi quickly and easily. The app will automatically adjust the pick-up point to the closest roadside point, so there is no need to coordinate where to meet your taxi. The dispatch time will be displayed in the app, so you can input your destination while you are waiting to make getting there even smoother. You can also use simple messaging to communicate with the driver, which will give you peace of mind in the event of a sudden problem. You can send simple messages with details of the pick-up point, for example, so there is no need to worry about arriving at the pick-up point a little late and there being no taxi waiting for you. <2. Smart. Pay quickly> Register your credit card (VISA/MasterCard/JCB/AMEX/Diners) beforehand to make getting off the taxi smoother, without the need to hurriedly pull out your cash or your card. S.RIDE Wallet is a convenient option for taxis picked up on the street or from a taxi rank (*more taxis are being added all the time). Simply by using the app to scan the QR code displayed on the tablet in the back seat, you can pay online, in the same way as the taxi dispatch, and hop out of the taxi as soon as you reach your destination. You can also issue usage statements from the ride history on the app, so there is no need to worry even if you lose your usage statement. <3. Speedy. Taxi dispatched quickly> The taxi closest to your location, from one of Tokyo’s largest taxi networks, will be dispatched to pick you up. You will be able to get to your destination smoothly, without wasting time. [Areas Covered] The following areas are supported by the app: Tokyo’s 23 wards, Musashino City, Mitaka City, Nishi Tokyo City, Tachikawa City, Tama City, Inagi City, Akishima City(limited areas), Kunitachi City(limited areas), Kokubunji City(limited areas), Yokohama City (Nishi Ward, Naka Ward, and Minami Ward), and Nagoya City. [Partner Taxi Companies] This app is partnered with GREEN CAB, Kokusai motorcars, Kotobuki Kotsu, Daiwa Motor Transportation, Checker Cab, Greater Tokyo Privately Owned Taxi Co-operative Society, and MEITETSU TAXI HOLDINGS. [Precautions for Use of the App] ・Use the app in a location with good reception. ・The GPS location and push notification functions on your device must be turned on when using the app. ・Please be advised that depending on the weather, road conditions, and taxi patronage conditions, it may not be possible to dispatch a vehicle to your location. ・Estimated arrival times are calculated at the time of order and may change due to traffic conditions, etc. ・When ordering a taxi through the S.RIDE app, a pick-up surcharge will be added to your fare according to the individual company’s Terms of Services, in the same way as when ordering a taxi by telephone. ・Please be advised that it may not be possible to dispatch a taxi to areas where taxi dispatches are prohibited. ・There may be some limitations on the functions provided by individual taxi companies. Such limitations may include not accepting online payment, or being unable to input messages or destination after the vehicle has been dispatched.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: S.RIDE at 4.9 against Shinkansen smartEX App's 1.7. S.RIDE also leads on review sentiment (38% vs 17%) and iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.0). Shinkansen smartEX App's advantage is chart position (#148 vs unranked). 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
S.RIDE holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 1.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 600 and 469 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 17% of Shinkansen smartEX App's written reviews are positive against 38% of S.RIDE's.
Shinkansen smartEX App ships an update every 6 weeks, S.RIDE every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Shinkansen smartEX App | S.RIDE |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 1.7 (600 ratings) | 4.9 (469 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 16.7% of reviews | 37.5% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 600 — better | 469 |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #148 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPad — better |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 16.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 51 MB | 101 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Central Japan Railway Company | S.RIDE Inc. |
Customer experience
Shinkansen smartEX App
S.RIDE
In-app purchases
Shinkansen smartEX App
No in-app purchases
S.RIDE
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Shinkansen smartEX App free?
Is S.RIDE free?
Which has better reviews, Shinkansen smartEX App or S.RIDE?
Do Shinkansen smartEX App or S.RIDE have ads?
Which is updated more often, Shinkansen smartEX App or S.RIDE?
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