# Explore Shanghai vs Rightguide

The clearest difference is ads: Rightguide at none against Explore Shanghai's shown. Rightguide also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months) and review sentiment (100% vs 80%). Explore Shanghai's advantage is ratings volume (1.3K vs 7) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Explore Shanghai sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Rightguide sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Rightguide holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Explore Shanghai has 1.3K ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 80% of Explore Shanghai's written reviews are positive against 100% of Rightguide's.

Explore Shanghai ships an update every 2 months, Rightguide weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Explore Shanghai | Rightguide |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (1.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/explore-shanghai/id340706615/reviews) | **[5.0 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rightguide-china-trip-planner/id6757954941/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.3K** | 7 |
| Positive reviews | 80.5% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 53 MB | 126 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [ExploreMetro](https://appshunter.io/developer/340706618) | [Muxi (guangzhou) Import And Export Co., Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1869914279) |

## 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


### Rightguide

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rightguide-china-trip-planner/id6757954941)

Navigate China like a local with this travel companion. Instantly translate menus by pointing your camera and engage in real-time voice conversations with locals. Travel with confidence and explore culinary delights.

**Highlights:** Menu scanning and translation, Real-time voice translation, Ingredient and flavor details, Bilingual diet and allergy cards, Unlimited menu scans (Pro), Two-way voice translation (Pro)

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Pro | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Pro | $9.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Explore Shanghai free?

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

### Is Rightguide free?

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

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

Rightguide is rated higher. Explore Shanghai averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.3K ratings, while Rightguide averages 5.0 from 7 ratings.

### Do Explore Shanghai or Rightguide have ads?

Explore Shanghai shows ads; Rightguide does not.

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

Explore Shanghai ships an update every 2 months, and Rightguide weekly. Most recently, Explore Shanghai was updated on October 26, 2026 and Rightguide on October 22, 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.*