SmartShanghai vs NaviGo
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 16,000+ business directory
- Location-based venue discovery
- Curated editorial content
- Comprehensive events calendar
- Housing and job classifieds
- Buy & Sell marketplace
- Emergency contact information
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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.
NaviGo
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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
Verdict
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
Both are free to download. NaviGo sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per month. SmartShanghai asks for nothing beyond the download.
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.
| Parameter | SmartShanghai | NaviGo |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (560 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 39.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 560 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 5 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 55 MB | 128 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | SmartShanghai (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
SmartShanghai
No in-app purchases
NaviGo
- Navigo 1 Month Subscription$14.991 Month
- Navigo 1 Route Subscription$0.99
- Navigo 1 Day Subscription$3.99
- Navigo 3 Days Subscription$8.99
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- Navigo 7 Day Subscription$11.99
- Navigo 30 Day Subscription$12.99
Questions
Is SmartShanghai free?
Is NaviGo free?
Do SmartShanghai or NaviGo have ads?
Which is updated more often, SmartShanghai or NaviGo?
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