# Explore Shanghai vs China Eastern

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Explore Shanghai at 80% against China Eastern's 2%. Explore Shanghai also leads on rating (4.7 vs 1.4) and ratings volume (1.3K vs 20). China Eastern's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). On price and update cadence there is nothing between them.

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

Explore Shanghai holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 1.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Explore Shanghai has 1.3K ratings behind it against 20, 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 2% of China Eastern's.

Explore Shanghai ships an update every 2 months, China Eastern every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Explore Shanghai | China Eastern |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (1.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/explore-shanghai/id340706615/reviews)** | [1.4 (20 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/china-eastern/id6758924383/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.3K** | 20 |
| Positive reviews | **80.5% of reviews** | 1.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 53 MB | 57 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [ExploreMetro](https://appshunter.io/developer/340706618) | [China Eastern Airlines Co.,LTD.](https://appshunter.io/developer/415817438) |

## 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


### China Eastern

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/china-eastern/id6758924383)

Book flights and ancillary services for China Eastern and Shanghai Airlines. Offers digital travel services like seat selection, check-in, baggage management, and in-flight internet bookings. Tailored services for overseas users are continuously being added.

**Highlights:** Flight booking, Ancillary service booking, Seat selection, Check-in, Baggage management, Flight changes and refunds, In-flight internet booking

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Wallet, 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 China Eastern free?

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

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

Explore Shanghai is rated higher. Explore Shanghai averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.3K ratings, while China Eastern averages 1.4 from 20 ratings.

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

Explore Shanghai shows ads; China Eastern does not.

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

Explore Shanghai ships an update every 2 months, and China Eastern every 6 weeks. Most recently, Explore Shanghai was updated on October 1, 2026 and China Eastern on October 2, 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.*