Comparison

SmartShanghai vs NaviGo

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

Head to head
About

SmartShanghai

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
Read full description

SmartShanghai.com is the largest and most respected English web magazine and city-guide in Shanghai. With this app you have access to our huge listings database and curated content right on your phone. - The Full Directory: Search over 16,000 listings for restaurants, shops, and services. Print taxi cards and save venues you like to easily access them in the future - Location Based: Browse venues nearby, or see nearby happy hours, roof-top bars and more. - The Buzz: We curate the most interesting finds from our team and users. - Events: Shanghai’s best events calendar. Discover dining promotions, nightlife parties, live music, community events and more. - Classifieds: Browse Shanghai’s most trafficked classifieds for housing and jobs, and use our Buy & Sell marketplace. - Essentials and Emergency information Critical information about living in Shanghai, including emergency contacts.

About

NaviGo

Features
Read full description

Discover Shanghai, China — your journey starts here. Navigo is your personal city guide for foreigners and travelers in Shanghai. Whether you’ve just arrived or live here long-term, Navigo helps you navigate daily life, find great places, and uncover the city’s stories — all in one app. Walk with stories. Follow GPS-guided audio routes through historic streets, hidden cafés, and lively markets. As you walk, stories unlock automatically — no maps, no groups, no hassle. Just put on your headphones and let Shanghai reveal itself. Live like a local. Find handpicked restaurants, attractions, and shops across eight curated categories, plus clear newcomer guides on visas, payments, SIM cards, and transport — everything you need to feel at home. Why Navigo • Audio routes with immersive storytelling • Curated places locals love • Detailed newcomer tips • Free guides and affordable route passes Terms of use subscription: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

SmartShanghai4 screens
NaviGo4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: SmartShanghai at none against NaviGo's 6. NaviGo's advantage is update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 3 months). On price, ads, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. NaviGo sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per month. SmartShanghai asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SmartShanghai ships an update every 3 months, NaviGo every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 14, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
SmartShanghai versus NaviGo: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSmartShanghaiNaviGo
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (560 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews39.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings560 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 5 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.015.0
Further details — not scored
Size55 MB128 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperSmartShanghai (Shanghai Huangfei Consulting Ltd.)NaviGo App

Bugs and requests

SmartShanghai

Reported bugs

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

Requested features

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

NaviGo

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

SmartShanghai

No in-app purchases

6 purchases

NaviGo

Subscriptions1
  • Navigo 1 Month Subscription$14.991 Month
One-time5
  • Navigo 1 Route Subscription$0.99
  • Navigo 1 Day Subscription$3.99
  • Navigo 3 Days Subscription$8.99
Show 2 more
  • Navigo 7 Day Subscription$11.99
  • Navigo 30 Day Subscription$12.99

Questions

Is SmartShanghai free?
SmartShanghai is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is NaviGo free?
NaviGo is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do SmartShanghai or NaviGo have ads?
Neither SmartShanghai nor NaviGo shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SmartShanghai or NaviGo?
SmartShanghai ships an update every 3 months, and NaviGo every 5 weeks. Most recently, SmartShanghai was updated on September 21, 2026 and NaviGo on September 14, 2026.

Other comparisons