# Explore Shanghai vs SH MaaS

The clearest difference is rating: Explore Shanghai at 4.7 against SH MaaS's 3.0. Explore Shanghai also leads on ratings volume (1.3K vs 6). SH MaaS's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). On price, review sentiment, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Explore Shanghai sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. SH MaaS asks for nothing beyond the download.

Explore Shanghai holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Explore Shanghai has 1.3K ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 80% of Explore Shanghai's written reviews are positive against 87% of SH MaaS's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Explore Shanghai ships an update every 2 months, SH MaaS every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Explore Shanghai | SH MaaS |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (1.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/explore-shanghai/id340706615/reviews)** | [3.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sh-maas/id1616481960/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.3K** | 6 |
| Positive reviews | 80.5% of reviews | **86.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 53 MB | 240 MB |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [ExploreMetro](https://appshunter.io/developer/340706618) | [上海随申行智慧交通科技有限公司](https://appshunter.io/developer/1623615147) |

## What reviewers say

### Explore Shanghai

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/explore-shanghai/id340706615)

Navigate Shanghai's metro system with an up-to-date, offline map and route planner. Features include GPS station finder, integrated street maps for exits, and support for English and Chinese.

**Highlights:** Up-to-date metro map, Offline functionality, Route planner, GPS nearest station finder, Integrated street maps, English and Chinese support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| VIP mode | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Efficient route planning
- 👍 User-friendly interface
- 🗺️ Accurate and up-to-date maps
- 🔊 Voice announcements for station names
- 💰 Helpful fare and travel time information

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Missing new metro lines and stations
- 🗺️ Lack of offline street maps
- 💰 Paid features not worth the cost
- 🔄 Restore purchases not working
- 📢 Ads in paid version

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes and freezes on certain devices
- Nearest station feature not working
- Inaccurate route planning and travel times

**Requested features**

- Offline street maps with station exits
- Chinese character support for station names
- Integration with Google Maps for directions
- Customizable route planning options
- Closure times for specific metro lines


### SH MaaS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sh-maas/id1616481960)

This app provides a unified transportation code for seamless travel across Shanghai's public transit network. Access buses, subways, ferries, and maglev trains with a single code, simplifying your journey.

**Highlights:** Unified transport code, Access buses, Access subways, Access ferries, Access maglev trains, One-stop transportation service

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Explore Shanghai free?

Explore Shanghai is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is SH MaaS free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Explore Shanghai or SH MaaS?

Explore Shanghai is rated higher. Explore Shanghai averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.3K ratings, while SH MaaS averages 3.0 from 6 ratings.

### Do Explore Shanghai or SH MaaS have ads?

Explore Shanghai shows ads; SH MaaS does not.

### Which is updated more often, Explore Shanghai or SH MaaS?

Explore Shanghai ships an update every 2 months, and SH MaaS every 3 weeks. Most recently, Explore Shanghai was updated on October 21, 2026 and SH MaaS on October 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.*