# SmartShanghai vs NaviGo

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | SmartShanghai | NaviGo |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 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** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 55 MB | 128 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [SmartShanghai (Shanghai Huangfei Consulting Ltd.)](https://appshunter.io/developer/353096342) | [NaviGo App](https://appshunter.io/developer/1824109811) |

## 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- ⚠️ Outdated and inaccurate information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


### NaviGo

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/navigo-travel-guide/id6748052923)

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

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Navigo 1 Month Subscription | $14.99 | per month |
| Navigo 1 Route Subscription | $0.99 | one-time |
| Navigo 1 Day Subscription | $3.99 | one-time |
| Navigo 3 Days Subscription | $8.99 | one-time |
| Navigo 7 Day Subscription | $11.99 | one-time |
| Navigo 30 Day Subscription | $12.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked 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.

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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.*