# Explore Beijing vs Beijing Rail Map Lite

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Beijing Rail Map Lite at none against Explore Beijing's 1. Beijing Rail Map Lite also leads on ads (none vs shown) and rating (5.0 vs 4.7). Explore Beijing's advantage is ratings volume (495 vs 1). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

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

Beijing Rail Map Lite holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Explore Beijing has 495 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 80% of Explore Beijing's written reviews are positive against 75% of Beijing Rail Map Lite's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Explore Beijing ships an update every 4 months, Beijing Rail Map Lite every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Explore Beijing | Beijing Rail Map Lite |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (495 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/explore-beijing/id349252601/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/beijing-rail-map-lite/id718204022/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **495** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | **80.2% of reviews** | 75.0% 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 | 23 MB |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | **8.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [ExploreMetro](https://appshunter.io/developer/340706618) | [Urban-Map](https://appshunter.io/developer/628107372) |

## 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


### Beijing Rail Map Lite

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/beijing-rail-map-lite/id718204022)

This app provides a clear and beautiful route map for navigating rail and subway systems. It includes a route planner, station index, line overviews, and GPS support to find nearby stations. High-resolution graphics and interactive features enhance the user experience.

**Highlights:** Beautiful rail map design, Fast route planner, Station index and lookup, Lines overview, GPS support for nearby stations, High-resolution graphics, Rotate and zoom functionality

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Explore Beijing free?

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

### Is Beijing Rail Map Lite free?

Beijing Rail Map Lite is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Explore Beijing or Beijing Rail Map Lite?

Beijing Rail Map Lite is rated higher. Explore Beijing averages 4.7 out of 5 from 495 ratings, while Beijing Rail Map Lite averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Explore Beijing or Beijing Rail Map Lite have ads?

Explore Beijing shows ads; Beijing Rail Map Lite does not.

### Which is updated more often, Explore Beijing or Beijing Rail Map Lite?

Explore Beijing ships an update every 4 months, and Beijing Rail Map Lite every 3 months. Most recently, Explore Beijing was updated on October 14, 2026 and Beijing Rail Map Lite on October 6, 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.*