# Explore Shanghai vs Time4Travel

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Time4Travel at none against Explore Shanghai's 1. Time4Travel also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months). Explore Shanghai's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 16.6). On price there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Explore Shanghai sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Time4Travel asks for nothing beyond the download.

Explore Shanghai ships an update every 2 months, Time4Travel fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Explore Shanghai | Time4Travel |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (1.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/explore-shanghai/id340706615/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **1.3K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 80.5% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 53 MB | 13 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 16.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [ExploreMetro](https://appshunter.io/developer/340706618) | [MOGU GLOBAL S.L.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1535618088) |

## 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


### Time4Travel

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/time4travel/id6789147058)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, 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 Time4Travel free?

Time4Travel is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Explore Shanghai or Time4Travel have ads?

Explore Shanghai shows ads; Time4Travel does not.

### Which is updated more often, Explore Shanghai or Time4Travel?

Explore Shanghai ships an update every 2 months, and Time4Travel fortnightly. Most recently, Explore Shanghai was updated on October 29, 2026 and Time4Travel on October 25, 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.*