# Explore Shanghai vs SmartShanghai

Explore Shanghai and SmartShanghai both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 80% of Explore Shanghai's written reviews are positive against 39% of SmartShanghai's. SmartShanghai's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Explore Shanghai against 4.7 for SmartShanghai. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.3K and 560 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 80% of Explore Shanghai's written reviews are positive against 39% of SmartShanghai's.

Explore Shanghai ships an update every 2 months, SmartShanghai every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Explore Shanghai | SmartShanghai |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (1.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/explore-shanghai/id340706615/reviews) | **[4.7 (560 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartshanghai/id353096339/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.3K** | 560 |
| Positive reviews | **80.5% of reviews** | 39.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 53 MB | 55 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [ExploreMetro](https://appshunter.io/developer/340706618) | [SmartShanghai (Shanghai Huangfei Consulting Ltd.)](https://appshunter.io/developer/353096342) |

## 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


### SmartShanghai

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartshanghai/id353096339)

Access a comprehensive directory of over 16,000 Shanghai businesses, events, and classifieds. Discover nearby venues, happy hours, and essential city information. Find housing, jobs, and buy/sell items with this city guide.

**Highlights:** 16,000+ business directory, Location-based venue discovery, Curated editorial content, Comprehensive events calendar, Housing and job classifieds, Buy & Sell marketplace, Emergency contact information

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Useful app for life in Shanghai
- 🚀 Comprehensive directory of venues
- 🚕 Helpful taxi address cards
- 💡 Integrates with Amap

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- ⚠️ Outdated and inaccurate information
- 🕰️ Slow performance and long loading times
- 🗺️ Lacking up-to-date subway map

**Reported bugs**

- Venues randomly disappearing from the app
- Inability to access favorites after updates
- Compatibility issues with newer iOS devices
- Frequent crashes and freezes

**Requested features**

- Improve search and filtering functionality
- Add ability to rate and review venues
- Integrate more location-based features
- Provide regular content updates


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Explore Shanghai free?

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

### Is SmartShanghai free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Explore Shanghai or SmartShanghai?

SmartShanghai is rated higher. Explore Shanghai averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.3K ratings, while SmartShanghai averages 4.7 from 560 ratings.

### Do Explore Shanghai or SmartShanghai have ads?

Explore Shanghai shows ads; SmartShanghai does not.

### Which is updated more often, Explore Shanghai or SmartShanghai?

Explore Shanghai ships an update every 2 months, and SmartShanghai every 3 months. Most recently, Explore Shanghai was updated on September 26, 2026 and SmartShanghai on September 21, 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.*