Comparison

Shinkansen smartEX App vs Mobile Passport Control

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

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • 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
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

▼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.

About

Mobile Passport Control

This official app expedites your U.S. arrival by allowing you to digitally submit your travel information and answer inspection questions. Capture photos of your group and receive a virtual receipt to present to Customs and Border Protection officers at select locations.

Highlights
  • Digital travel document submission
  • Answer CBP inspection questions
  • Group profile creation
  • Securely stored travel information
  • Virtual receipt generation
  • Photo capture for verification
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Mobile Passport Control (MPC) is an official application created by U.S. Customs and Border Protection that streamlines your CBP inspection process at select U.S. entry locations. Simply complete your travel information, answer CBP inspection questions, capture a photo of yourself and of each member of your group, and follow the instructions provided on your receipt. Important Notes: • MPC does not replace your passport; your passport will still be required for travel. • MPC is only available at supported CBP entry locations. • MPC is a voluntary program which can be used by U.S. Citizens, certain Canadian Citizen Visitors, Lawful Permanent Residents, and returning Visa Waiver Program applicants with an approved ESTA. More information regarding eligibility and supported CBP entry locations can be found on our website: https://www.cbp.gov/travel/us-citizens/mobile-passport-control MPC can be used in 6 simple steps: 1. Create a primary profile to save your travel documents and biographic information. You can add and save additional eligible people to the MPC app so that you can submit together from one device. Your information will be securely stored on your device to be used for future travel. 2. Select your CBP port of entry, terminal (if applicable), and add up to 11 additional members of your group to include in your submission. 3. Answer CBP inspection questions and certify the truthfulness and accuracy of your answers. 4. Upon arriving at your selected port of entry, tap the “Yes, Submit Now” button. You will be asked to capture a clear and unobstructed photo of yourself and of each other person that you included in your submission. 5. Once your submission is processed, CBP will send a virtual receipt back to your device. Follow the instructions on your receipt and be prepared to present your passport and other relevant travel documents. 6. The CBP Officer will complete the inspection. If further information is required, the CBP Officer will let you know. Please note: The CBP Officer may ask to capture an additional photo of you or your group members for verification.

Screenshots

Shinkansen smartEX App4 screens
Mobile Passport Control4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Mobile Passport Control at 63% against Shinkansen smartEX App's 17%. Mobile Passport Control also leads on rating (4.9 vs 1.7) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, ads, in-app purchases and chart position 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

Mobile Passport Control holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 1.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Mobile Passport Control has 649K ratings behind it against 606, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 17% of Shinkansen smartEX App's written reviews are positive against 63% of Mobile Passport Control's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Shinkansen smartEX App ships an update monthly, Mobile Passport Control fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Shinkansen smartEX App versus Mobile Passport Control: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterShinkansen smartEX AppMobile Passport Control
PriceFreeFree
Rating1.7 (606 ratings)4.9 (649K ratings) — better
Positive reviews16.6% of reviews62.5% of reviews — better
Number of ratings606649K — better
Update frequencyMonthlyFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
Best chart rank#133#46 — better
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS18.016.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size51 MB69 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCentral Japan Railway CompanyUS Customs and Border Protection

Customer experience

Shinkansen smartEX App

All ratings606 ratings
Positive16.5%
Neutral2.0%
Negative81.5%
Written reviews373 reviews
Positive16.6%
Neutral3.5%
Negative79.9%

Mobile Passport Control

All ratings648,090 ratings
Positive98.3%
Neutral0.7%
Negative1.0%
Written reviews1,180 reviews
Positive62.5%
Neutral4.8%
Negative32.6%

Bugs and requests

Shinkansen smartEX App

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Mobile Passport Control

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Incorrect date/time due to time zone issues
  • Passport scanning not working properly
  • Crashes or freezes when submitting form

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add support for NEXUS
  • Allow saving traveler profiles
  • Provide better instructions and guidance
  • Display real-time status of MPC lanes at airports

In-app purchases

None

Shinkansen smartEX App

No in-app purchases

None

Mobile Passport Control

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Shinkansen smartEX App free?
Shinkansen smartEX App is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Mobile Passport Control free?
Mobile Passport Control is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Shinkansen smartEX App or Mobile Passport Control?
Mobile Passport Control is rated higher. Shinkansen smartEX App averages 1.7 out of 5 from 606 ratings, while Mobile Passport Control averages 4.9 from 649K ratings.
Do Shinkansen smartEX App or Mobile Passport Control have ads?
Neither Shinkansen smartEX App nor Mobile Passport Control shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Shinkansen smartEX App or Mobile Passport Control?
Shinkansen smartEX App ships an update monthly, and Mobile Passport Control fortnightly. Most recently, Shinkansen smartEX App was updated on October 29, 2026 and Mobile Passport Control on October 30, 2026.
Which is more popular, Shinkansen smartEX App or Mobile Passport Control?
Shinkansen smartEX App currently peaks at #133 in the App Store charts, and Mobile Passport Control at #46. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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