# Explore Beijing vs SmartShanghai

Explore Beijing and SmartShanghai both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 80% of Explore Beijing's written reviews are positive against 39% of SmartShanghai's. SmartShanghai's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Explore Beijing against 4.7 for SmartShanghai. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 495 and 560 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 80% of Explore Beijing's written reviews are positive against 39% of SmartShanghai's.

Explore Beijing ships an update every 4 months, SmartShanghai every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Explore Beijing | SmartShanghai |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (495 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/explore-beijing/id349252601/reviews) | **[4.7 (560 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartshanghai/id353096339/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 495 | **560** |
| Positive reviews | **80.2% of reviews** | 39.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 3 months** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 54 MB | 55 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [ExploreMetro](https://appshunter.io/developer/340706618) | [SmartShanghai (Shanghai Huangfei Consulting Ltd.)](https://appshunter.io/developer/353096342) |

## What reviewers say

### Explore Beijing

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/explore-beijing/id349252601)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| VIP mode | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 User-friendly and intuitive interface
- 🗺️ Comprehensive subway map with clear layout
- 🚀 Efficient route planning and transfer suggestions
- ⏱️ Accurate travel time estimates
- 📱 Offline functionality for map viewing

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes after iOS updates
- ⚠️ Outdated map information and slow updates
- 📍 Location/nearest station feature unreliable
- 🔌 Requires internet for some features
- 💳 Requires separate purchases for each city

**Reported bugs**

- 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

**Requested features**

- 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


### SmartShanghai

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartshanghai/id353096339)

Access a comprehensive directory of over 16,000 Shanghai businesses, events, and classifieds. Discover nearby venues, happy hours, and essential city information. Find housing, jobs, and buy/sell items with this city guide.

**Highlights:** 16,000+ business directory, Location-based venue discovery, Curated editorial content, Comprehensive events calendar, Housing and job classifieds, Buy & Sell marketplace, Emergency contact information

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Useful app for life in Shanghai
- 🚀 Comprehensive directory of venues
- 🚕 Helpful taxi address cards
- 💡 Integrates with Amap

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- ⚠️ Outdated and inaccurate information
- 🕰️ Slow performance and long loading times
- 🗺️ Lacking up-to-date subway map

**Reported bugs**

- Venues randomly disappearing from the app
- Inability to access favorites after updates
- Compatibility issues with newer iOS devices
- Frequent crashes and freezes

**Requested features**

- Improve search and filtering functionality
- Add ability to rate and review venues
- Integrate more location-based features
- Provide regular content updates


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Explore Beijing free?

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

### Is SmartShanghai free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Explore Beijing or SmartShanghai?

SmartShanghai is rated higher. Explore Beijing averages 4.7 out of 5 from 495 ratings, while SmartShanghai averages 4.7 from 560 ratings.

### Do Explore Beijing or SmartShanghai have ads?

Explore Beijing shows ads; SmartShanghai does not.

### Which is updated more often, Explore Beijing or SmartShanghai?

Explore Beijing ships an update every 4 months, and SmartShanghai every 3 months. Most recently, Explore Beijing was updated on September 28, 2026 and SmartShanghai on September 21, 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.*