Explore Beijing vs Beijing Guide by Civitatis.com
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Explore Beijing
Navigate Beijing's extensive subway system with an up-to-date, offline map and route planner. Features include GPS integration, street maps for station exits, and support for both English and Chinese.
- Up-to-date metro map
- Offline functionality
- Route planner
- GPS integration
- Street maps for stations
- English and Chinese support
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Recommended by CNN and Lonely Planet, this is Beijing's best subway map! Up-to-date with all the metro lines; Works offline; Routeplanner, GPS, Street maps; English and Chinese included. Download the app completely free! The free app is ad-supported. Upgrade to VIP features if you'd like to get extra features, remove ads and support future development! WHY EXPLOREMETRO? 1. Fully up-to-date Accurate metro map, includes every station on every line. Free updates for future station openings and timetable changes. 2. Designed for iPhone Our gorgeous maps have been fully redesigned for all iPhone devices. Runs on all iOS10-14 devices. 3. Designed for iPad Specially redesigned interface for the larger iPad screen with split screen. Drag and drop station names, tips, maps and timetables into other apps. 4. Street maps for every station Need to get your bearings at a station? Integrated Street maps show you metro exits and nearby streets for every station. 5. Route-planner A really easy route-planner. Get route and time information for any journey with just three taps. 6. "Find my nearest station" Using your GPS, see a list of the closest metro stations to your current location. 7. Works offline Everything works without an Internet connection. Search stations and plan routes on the go. UPGRADE TO VIP FOR EVEN MORE FEATURES I've been developing this app for more than 10 years. Upgrading to VIP helps support future development of the app. VIP users get additional features, like NO ADS, accurate prices for every journey, first/last train times, offline street maps, tips at every station, and a general warm fuzzy feeling. REVIEWS CNN Travel: "These maps are very easy on the eye and simple to navigate. They work offline and also include free updates of stations that have yet to be completed, operating hours and schedules." Lonely Planet: "Easy to use, up to date and work offline. Very handy, especially when they've run out of paper maps at the stations." SUGGESTIONS We'd love to hear your comments and suggestions on ways to improve the app. Please contact us via support@exploremetro.com, as we can't respond to comments left in the reviews.
Beijing Guide by Civitatis.com
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This Beijing guide is completely free and has been created by the Civitatis team, the leading company in the sale of guided tours, excursions, and free tours in English all over the world. So you can guess what you'll find there: all the tourist information you need to make the most of your trip to Beijing, with a perfect combination of cultural, sightseeing, and entertainment options. You'll also find in this Beijing guide practical information that will help you organize your trip to Beijing, as well as tips and advice to make the most of your time in Beijing. What to see in Beijing? Where to eat, where to sleep? What are the places you really have to visit? Any tips to save money? Our Beijing guide will answer all these and more. The most interesting sections of this free guide to Beijing are: • General information: Learn how to plan your trip to Beijing and find out what is the necessary documentation to visit it, what is the weather like at the time you're traveling, or what are the opening hours of its stores. • What to see: Discover the main attractions in Beijing, as well as practical information on how to visit these tourist spots, how to get there, opening hours, closing days, prices, etc. • Where to eat: Learn more about the most traditional dishes in China and the best places to sample them in Beijing. And why not do it for the best price? We tell you the best places to eat on a budget in Beijing. • Where to stay: Are you looking for a quiet neighborhood to rest or a lively one to party until dawn? Our free travel guide will let you know in which area you should look for your accommodation in Beijing. • Transport: Find out how to get around Beijing and which are the best ways to move around depending on your budget or your time. • Shopping: Get the perfect souvenirs and save time and money by knowing in advance which are the best areas to go shopping in Beijing. • Map: The most comprehensive map of Beijing, where you can see all the must-see sights, where to eat, the best area to book your hotel, or the neighborhood with the greatest and liveliest atmosphere in Beijing. • Activities: With our Beijing guide, you can also book the best Civitatis activities for your trip. Guided tours, excursions, tickets, free tours... Everything to fill your trip! We know that when you're traveling, there's no time to waste. And even more, when there are so many things to do in Beijing. That's why, with this free travel guide, we want to help you fill your trip to Beijing. Have a blast and enjoy your vacation! P.S. The information and tips in this guide were written by and for travelers and were collected on January 2023. If you find any inaccuracies or find something you think we should change, please contact us (https://www.civitatis.com/en/contact/).
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Beijing Guide by Civitatis.com at none against Explore Beijing's 1. Beijing Guide by Civitatis.com also leads on ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Explore Beijing sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Beijing Guide by Civitatis.com asks for nothing beyond the download.
Explore Beijing ships an update every 4 months, Beijing Guide by Civitatis.com every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 10, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Explore Beijing | Beijing Guide by Civitatis.com |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (495 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 80.2% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 495 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | Every 3 months — better |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | 14.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 54 MB | 101 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | ExploreMetro | CIVITATIS TOURS S.L. |
Bugs and requests
Explore Beijing
Reported bugs
10 issues- App crashes on iOS 10 and later
- Line 13 not showing as faster route option
- Missing stations (Erligou on Line 6/16)
- Daxing Airport Line missing pricing information
- Daxing Airport Line disappears in Chinese version
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- App fails to load at low memory
- Location services not working despite being enabled
- Email support option non-functional
- Timing data 6-10 minutes inaccurate at some stations
- Incompatibility with iOS 3.0
Requested features
11 requests- Station exit maps with offline access
- Detailed station layout diagrams
- Bus route integration
- First and last train time schedules in prominent position
- Station exit letter identifiers matching actual signage
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- Timetable adjustments for construction projects
- Full network view in landscape orientation
- Improved language switching within app
- Accessibility features for colorblind users
- Maps.me integration for China
- Subway exit information offline
Beijing Guide by Civitatis.com
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Explore Beijing
- VIP mode$4.99
Beijing Guide by Civitatis.com
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Explore Beijing free?
Is Beijing Guide by Civitatis.com free?
Do Explore Beijing or Beijing Guide by Civitatis.com have ads?
Which is updated more often, Explore Beijing or Beijing Guide by Civitatis.com?
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