# ANC Explorer vs Metro Pulse

The clearest difference is review sentiment: ANC Explorer at 38% against Metro Pulse's 23%. ANC Explorer also leads on rating (3.0 vs 2.8). Metro Pulse's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ANC Explorer holds the better App Store score, 3.0 against 2.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 55 and 110 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 38% of ANC Explorer's written reviews are positive against 23% of Metro Pulse's.

ANC Explorer ships an update every 2 months, Metro Pulse every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ANC Explorer | Metro Pulse |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.0 (55 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/anc-explorer/id562937243/reviews)** | [2.8 (110 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/metro-pulse/id6737127867/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 55 | **110** |
| Positive reviews | **38.5% of reviews** | 22.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 143 MB | 70 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **16.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Arlington National Cemetery](https://appshunter.io/developer/562937246) | [Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority](https://appshunter.io/developer/1257235533) |

## What reviewers say

### ANC Explorer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/anc-explorer/id562937243)

Discover gravesites and points of interest within a cemetery. Get directions, capture marker photos, and receive important notifications. Create custom walking tours by saving favorite locations.

**Highlights:** Locate gravesites and points of interest, Generate marker and monument photos, Step-by-step directions, Emergency and event notifications, Save favorite places, Create custom walking tours

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 📍 Accurate grave location finding
- 🗺️ Easy navigation to graves
- 📸 Photo of headstone available
- 👍 User-friendly interface
- ⏱️ Saves time searching

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐌 Very slow performance
- ❌ Search feature unreliable
- 🚫 No back button
- 📉 Inconsistent performance
-  unresponsive app

**Reported bugs**

- Unable to delete duplicate entries in My Content
- Start Tour function doesn't work
- Search yields zero results
- No back button
- Directions are horrible

**Requested features**

- Add a back button
- Include a north arrow
- Improve reliability of directions
- Enhance customer service for tech support
- Update notable graves list


### Metro Pulse

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/metro-pulse/id6737127867)

This app provides real-time transit information for the Washington region, including arrival times, service alerts, and trip planning. It offers practical details on nearby stations, elevator status, and offline maps for convenient travel.

**Highlights:** Real-time arrival times, Nearby station information, Trip planner with fare estimates, Service alerts and notifications, Offline route maps, SmarTrip® integration, Online chat support

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Informative app
- 💡 Great for transit enthusiasts

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inaccurate route and location data
- 🐛 Confusing and clunky UI
- 🐛 Laggy performance
- 🐛 Welcome screen cannot be closed

**Reported bugs**

- Old bus route numbers displayed on iPad app
- Location permissions not working
- Inability to switch between train and bus

**Requested features**

- Ability to plan future trips
- Fare data integration
- Scrollable and closable welcome screen


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ANC Explorer free?

ANC Explorer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Metro Pulse free?

Metro Pulse is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, ANC Explorer or Metro Pulse?

ANC Explorer is rated higher. ANC Explorer averages 3.0 out of 5 from 55 ratings, while Metro Pulse averages 2.8 from 110 ratings.

### Do ANC Explorer or Metro Pulse have ads?

Neither ANC Explorer nor Metro Pulse shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ANC Explorer or Metro Pulse?

ANC Explorer ships an update every 2 months, and Metro Pulse every 2 weeks. Most recently, ANC Explorer was updated on September 22, 2026 and Metro Pulse on September 19, 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.*