Explore Taipei vs Catalumia
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Explore Taipei
Navigate Taipei's subway system with an up-to-date, offline-capable map. Features include a route planner, GPS integration, and street maps for every station. Available in English and Chinese.
- Up-to-date metro map
- Offline functionality
- Route planner
- GPS and street maps
- English and Chinese support
- iPhone X and iPad optimized
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Recommended by CNN and Lonely Planet, this is Taipei'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 iPhone X Our gorgeous maps have been fully redesigned for the iPhone X. Runs on all iOS11+ 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 10 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.
Catalumia
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Catalumia is made by a team that has worked in education and travel since 2012. Everything about your trip in one place: your programme, your own route and what to read before you go. YOUR PROGRAMME, LIVE Enter your group code and your programme appears. The day-by-day flow, times, meeting points and stops are the same ones your tour leader is working from. If a time changes, it changes on your screen. The programme is saved on your device, so it opens on the plane or when your data runs out. BUILD YOUR OWN ROUTE Pick cities on the map, put them in order, see how many nights you spend where. The route is shown with city photographs, not as a plain list. It works without an account. READ BEFORE YOU GO Preparation files for 59 cities: what to wear, how to pay, which transport pass to buy, what to watch out for. Local phrases come with their sound, so you can hear how they are said. GET TO KNOW THE CITY For eight cities: the city's own moods, its rituals, the places that stay and the things that happen at certain times of year. Not a list of sights, but how the city is lived. CATALUMIA CLUB IS FREE Verify your account and Club opens: all the preparation files, the city entries and the audio. No price, no subscription, no payment details. THREE LANGUAGES The interface follows your device language: Turkish, English, Spanish. Catalumia S.L. · Barcelona
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Catalumia at none against Explore Taipei's 1. Catalumia also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 9 days vs every 8 months). Explore Taipei's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 16.4). On price 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. Explore Taipei sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Catalumia asks for nothing beyond the download.
Explore Taipei ships an update every 8 months, Catalumia every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Explore Taipei | Catalumia |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (186 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 186 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | Every 9 days — better |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 — better | 16.4 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 31 MB | 52 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | ExploreMetro | Catalumia |
In-app purchases
Explore Taipei
- VIP mode$4.99
Catalumia
No in-app purchases









