Comparison

Explore Beijing vs Beijing Metro Guide

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • Up-to-date metro map
  • Offline functionality
  • Route planner
  • GPS integration
  • Street maps for stations
  • English and Chinese support
Features
Read full description

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.

About

Beijing Metro Guide

Navigate Beijing's subway system with up-to-date route maps and accurate travel information. Find the fastest transfer plans, including route, time, ticket price, and distance. Offers offline functionality and nearby site information for a complete travel experience.

Highlights
  • Latest route map data
  • Accurate metro information
  • Route enquiry with transfer plans
  • Ticket price and distance calculation
  • Nearby site information
  • Real-time navigation
  • Offline functionality
Features
Read full description

You are worth it! . 1. The latest data in 2026. Exquisite route map, accurate metro information. 2. Route enquiry Select start, arrive, can obtain a variety of transfer plan. Includes: route, time, ticket price, distance. 3. Provide nearby site information and real-time navigation. 4. Site information, site perimeter. Provide more service information for your metro trip. 5.Work offline without traffic.

Screenshots

Explore Beijing4 screens
Beijing Metro Guide4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Beijing Metro Guide at none against Explore Beijing's shown. Explore Beijing's advantage is ratings volume (495 vs 5) and review sentiment (80% vs 70%). On price, rating, update cadence and in-app purchases 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Explore Beijing sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Beijing Metro Guide sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Explore Beijing against 4.6 for Beijing Metro Guide. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Explore Beijing has 495 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 80% of Explore Beijing's written reviews are positive against 70% of Beijing Metro Guide's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Explore Beijing ships an update every 4 months, Beijing Metro Guide every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and September 13, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Explore Beijing versus Beijing Metro Guide: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterExplore BeijingBeijing Metro Guide
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (495 ratings) — better4.6 (5 ratings)
Positive reviews80.2% of reviews — better70.0% of reviews
Number of ratings495 — better5
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 3 months — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS14.0 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size54 MB9 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperExploreMetro敏 吴

Customer experience

Explore Beijing

All ratings495 ratings
Positive93.9%
Neutral2.6%
Negative3.4%
Written reviews101 reviews
Positive80.2%
Neutral4.0%
Negative15.8%

Beijing Metro Guide

All ratings5 ratings
Positive80.0%
Neutral20.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews10 reviews
Positive70.0%
Neutral10.0%
Negative20.0%

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
Show 5 more
  • 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
Show 6 more
  • 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 Metro Guide

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Explore Beijing

One-time1
  • VIP mode$4.99
4 purchases

Beijing Metro Guide

One-time4
  • Weekly card$0.99
  • Monthly card$2.99
  • Quarter card$4.99
Show 1 more
  • Year card$7.99

Questions

Is Explore Beijing free?
Explore Beijing is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Beijing Metro Guide free?
Beijing Metro Guide is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Explore Beijing or Beijing Metro Guide?
Explore Beijing is rated higher. Explore Beijing averages 4.7 out of 5 from 495 ratings, while Beijing Metro Guide averages 4.6 from 5 ratings.
Do Explore Beijing or Beijing Metro Guide have ads?
Explore Beijing shows ads; Beijing Metro Guide does not.
Which is updated more often, Explore Beijing or Beijing Metro Guide?
Explore Beijing ships an update every 4 months, and Beijing Metro Guide every 3 months. Most recently, Explore Beijing was updated on September 28, 2026 and Beijing Metro Guide on September 13, 2026.

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