# Shinkansen smartEX App vs KoyaQuest

The clearest difference is review sentiment: KoyaQuest at 100% against Shinkansen smartEX App's 18%. KoyaQuest also leads on rating (5.0 vs 1.7) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). Shinkansen smartEX App's advantage is ratings volume (576 vs 5) and chart position (#145 vs unranked). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

KoyaQuest holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 1.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Shinkansen smartEX App has 576 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 18% of Shinkansen smartEX App's written reviews are positive against 100% of KoyaQuest's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Shinkansen smartEX App | KoyaQuest |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [1.7 (576 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shinkansen-smartex-app/id1253336330/reviews) | **[5.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/koyaquest/id1579153287/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **576** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | 17.7% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#145** | — |
| Size | 51 MB | 279 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Central Japan Railway Company](https://appshunter.io/developer/454429903) | [Kevin Collins](https://appshunter.io/developer/1579153289) |

## What reviewers say

### Shinkansen smartEX App

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shinkansen-smartex-app/id1253336330)

**Currently charting:** #145 Top Free · Travel (US App Store)

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:** Apple Wallet, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### KoyaQuest

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/koyaquest/id1579153287)

An interactive game and guide for exploring Japan's Kōyasan. Discover historical sites with detailed descriptions and engage in 12 location-triggered challenges to deepen your understanding of this sacred destination.

**Highlights:** Interactive Kōyasan guide, 12 location-triggered challenges, Detailed site descriptions, History and culture exploration, Observation and knowledge games, Leaderboard for scores

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Shinkansen smartEX App free?

Shinkansen smartEX App is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is KoyaQuest free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Shinkansen smartEX App or KoyaQuest?

KoyaQuest is rated higher. Shinkansen smartEX App averages 1.7 out of 5 from 576 ratings, while KoyaQuest averages 5.0 from 5 ratings.

### Do Shinkansen smartEX App or KoyaQuest have ads?

Neither Shinkansen smartEX App nor KoyaQuest shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Shinkansen smartEX App or KoyaQuest?

Shinkansen smartEX App ships an update every 2 months, and KoyaQuest every 2 months. Most recently, Shinkansen smartEX App was updated on September 26, 2026 and KoyaQuest on September 9, 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.*