# SmartShanghai vs Beijing Guide by Civitatis.com

SmartShanghai and Beijing Guide by Civitatis.com are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SmartShanghai | Beijing Guide by Civitatis.com |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (560 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartshanghai/id353096339/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **560** | — |
| Positive reviews | 39.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 55 MB | 101 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [SmartShanghai (Shanghai Huangfei Consulting Ltd.)](https://appshunter.io/developer/353096342) | [CIVITATIS TOURS S.L.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1199835690) |

## What reviewers say

### 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- ⚠️ Outdated and inaccurate information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


### Beijing Guide by Civitatis.com

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/beijing-guide-by-civitatiscom/id1126246179)

**Features:** Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SmartShanghai free?

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

### Is Beijing Guide by Civitatis.com free?

Beijing Guide by Civitatis.com is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do SmartShanghai or Beijing Guide by Civitatis.com have ads?

Neither SmartShanghai nor Beijing Guide by Civitatis.com shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SmartShanghai or Beijing Guide by Civitatis.com?

SmartShanghai ships an update every 3 months, and Beijing Guide by Civitatis.com every 3 months. Most recently, SmartShanghai was updated on September 21, 2026 and Beijing Guide by Civitatis.com on September 10, 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.*