Comparison

Explore Singapore vs SGBusStop

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

Head to head
About

Explore Singapore

Navigate Singapore's public transport system with an up-to-date, offline subway map. Features include a route planner, GPS integration, and street maps for every station. Available in English and Chinese.

Highlights
  • Up-to-date MRT map
  • Offline functionality
  • Route planner
  • GPS integration
  • Street maps for stations
  • English and Chinese language support
Features
Read full description

Recommended by CNN and Lonely Planet, this is Singapore's best subway map! Up-to-date with all the metro lines; Works offline; Routeplanner, GPS, Street maps; English and Chinese included. Download the app completely free! The free app is ad-supported. Upgrade to VIP features if you'd like to get extra features, remove ads and support future development! WHY EXPLOREMETRO? 1. Fully up-to-date Accurate metro map, includes every station on every line. Free updates for future station openings and timetable changes. 2. Designed for the latest devices Our gorgeous maps have been fully redesigned for the latest iOS devices. Runs on all iOS 14+ devices. 3. Designed for iPad Specially redesigned interface for the larger iPad screen with split screen. Drag and drop station names, tips, maps and timetables into other apps. 4. Street maps for every station Need to get your bearings at a station? Integrated Street maps show you metro exits and nearby streets for every station. 5. Route-planner A really easy route-planner. Get route and time information for any journey with just three taps. 6. "Find my nearest station" Using your GPS, see a list of the closest metro stations to your current location. 7. Works offline Everything works without an Internet connection. Search stations and plan routes on the go. UPGRADE TO VIP FOR EVEN MORE FEATURES I've been developing this app for 15 years. Upgrading to VIP helps support future development of the app. VIP users get additional features, like NO ADS, accurate prices for every journey, first/last train times, offline street maps, tips at every station, and a general warm fuzzy feeling. REVIEWS CNN Travel: "These maps are very easy on the eye and simple to navigate. They work offline and also include free updates of stations that have yet to be completed, operating hours and schedules." Lonely Planet: "Easy to use, up to date and work offline. Very handy, especially when they've run out of paper maps at the stations." SUGGESTIONS We'd love to hear your comments and suggestions on ways to improve the app. Please contact us via support@exploremetro.com, as we can't respond to comments left in the reviews.

About

SGBusStop

This travel app provides real-time bus arrival times, distances, and destinations for Singapore. It also offers MRT station transfer information and weather forecasts. All essential public transport details are readily available.

Highlights
  • Real-time bus arrival times
  • Bus distance and destination
  • MRT station transfer info
  • Weather forecast
  • Nearby bus information
Read full description

Provide Singapore bus and MRT information Nearby bus arrive time, distance, destination and other useful information All MRT stations’s transfer information and weather forecast Free

Screenshots

Explore Singapore4 screens
SGBusStop2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: SGBusStop at none against Explore Singapore's 1. SGBusStop also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (100% vs 74%). Explore Singapore's advantage is ratings volume (494 vs 1) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 5 months). On price, 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. Explore Singapore sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. SGBusStop asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

SGBusStop holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Explore Singapore has 494 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 74% of Explore Singapore's written reviews are positive against 100% of SGBusStop's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Explore Singapore ships an update every 2 months, SGBusStop every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and September 16, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Explore Singapore versus SGBusStop: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterExplore SingaporeSGBusStop
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (494 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews74.2% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings494 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 2 months — betterEvery 5 months
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS14.014.0
Further details — not scored
Size37 MB3 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperExploreMetroJiang Nan Qing

Customer experience

Explore Singapore

All ratings494 ratings
Positive92.1%
Neutral3.6%
Negative4.3%
Written reviews66 reviews
Positive74.2%
Neutral7.6%
Negative18.2%

SGBusStop

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Explore Singapore

Reported bugs

14 issues
  • Map is very outdated with nonexistent lines
  • Immediately charged when downloaded
  • No fare shown with itinerary
  • Keeps hanging after one destination
  • App expired
Show 9 more
  • MRT fare not accurate
  • Misleading as free, charged £1.99
  • On street view does not allow navigation to MRT station
  • When choosing closest, nothing happens
  • Crash's down when going onto tips
  • Cannot locate destination
  • Map not updated
  • What happened to DTL 1 & 2..?
  • Fares information outdated

Requested features

11 requests
  • Update Singapore MRT map
  • Add new routes
  • Show fare with itinerary
  • Update fare information
  • Add bus app for Singapore
Show 6 more
  • Locate automatically pulls up map view
  • Offline map option
  • Add new MRT map for Singapore metro
  • Add new map for Singapore MRT
  • Offline map
  • Ipad version

SGBusStop

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Explore Singapore

One-time1
  • VIP mode$4.99
None

SGBusStop

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Explore Singapore free?
Explore Singapore is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is SGBusStop free?
SGBusStop is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Explore Singapore or SGBusStop?
SGBusStop is rated higher. Explore Singapore averages 4.7 out of 5 from 494 ratings, while SGBusStop averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Explore Singapore or SGBusStop have ads?
Explore Singapore shows ads; SGBusStop does not.
Which is updated more often, Explore Singapore or SGBusStop?
Explore Singapore ships an update every 2 months, and SGBusStop every 5 months. Most recently, Explore Singapore was updated on October 19, 2026 and SGBusStop on September 16, 2026.

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