# Explore Shanghai vs MetroMan China

Explore Shanghai and MetroMan China both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 80% of Explore Shanghai's written reviews are positive against 67% of MetroMan China's. Explore Shanghai also leads on iOS requirement (14.0 vs 17.0). 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 and MetroMan China sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Explore Shanghai against 4.7 for MetroMan China. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.3K and 2K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 80% of Explore Shanghai's written reviews are positive against 67% of MetroMan China's.

Explore Shanghai ships an update every 2 months, MetroMan China monthly. Both last shipped on November 6, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Explore Shanghai | MetroMan China |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (1.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/explore-shanghai/id340706615/reviews)** | [4.7 (2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/metroman-china/id466351433/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1.3K | **2K** |
| Positive reviews | **80.5% of reviews** | 66.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 53 MB | 83 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [ExploreMetro](https://appshunter.io/developer/340706618) | [EXPANSE LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1596627478) |

## 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


### MetroMan China

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/metroman-china/id466351433)

Navigate China's extensive metro systems with this comprehensive transit planner. It offers accurate maps, route planning with fare and time estimates, and works offline. Supports 11 languages and covers 53 major cities across China.

**Highlights:** Updated metro maps for 2026, Offline route planner, Detailed route, time, and fare info, 11 language support, Coverage for 53 cities, Ad-free Pro version available

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

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $0.99 | per month |
| Quarterly | $1.99 | per 3 months |
| Pro (Monthly) | $1.99 | per month |
| Yearly | $5.99 | per year |
| Pro (Yearly) | $7.99 | per year |
| Pro (Lifetime) | $14.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Helpful for travel planning
- 🚀 Efficient route planning
- 📍 Accurate metro maps
- 💡 Useful features like station exits

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and crashes frequently
- 💸 Aggressive and intrusive ads
- 🙈 Difficult to close ads or navigate app
- ⚠️ Outdated metro information

**Reported bugs**

- App gets stuck on ads, making it unusable
- Crashes when switching between cities
- Metro maps not showing latest line updates
- Difficulty dismissing full-screen ads

**Requested features**

- Offline map support
- Option to disable ads or pay for ad-free version
- More up-to-date metro line information
- Landscape mode support


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Explore Shanghai free?

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

### Is MetroMan China free?

MetroMan China is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Explore Shanghai or MetroMan China?

Explore Shanghai is rated higher. Explore Shanghai averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.3K ratings, while MetroMan China averages 4.7 from 2K ratings.

### Do Explore Shanghai or MetroMan China have ads?

Both Explore Shanghai and MetroMan China show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Explore Shanghai or MetroMan China?

Explore Shanghai ships an update every 2 months, and MetroMan China monthly. Most recently, Explore Shanghai was updated on November 6, 2026 and MetroMan China on November 6, 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.*