Comparison

Chicago Loop Walking Tour vs Chicago Subway map

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

Head to head
About

Chicago Loop Walking Tour

Explore Chicago's Loop with an interactive audio walking tour guided by a PBS host. Discover the city's rich architectural history, iconic buildings, and the stories behind them at your own pace. Includes maps, photography, and videos for an immersive experience.

Highlights
  • Audio tour with expert guide
  • Interactive map navigation
  • Stunning building photography
  • Video content
  • Self-paced exploration
Features
Read full description

With WTTW Chicago PBS popular host, producer and Chicago Architecture Foundation docent Geoffrey Baer as your audio tour guide, this interactive walking tour invites you to experience the fascinating architectural history of Chicago's Loop up close and in person. Starting and stopping at your own pace, you'll discover why Chicago became an architectural mecca starting in the 1880s. The run-time of the audio tour is approximately 47 minutes. The Loop is Chicago's official downtown area, one of the most vital city centers in the world. Join us on an interactive audio walking tour of this great American space. You'll explore the stunning and world-famous architecture, and the stories and the people behind them. You'll learn about architectural giants from the past and present, including Ludwig Mies van der Rohe; Louis Sullivan; Daniel Burnham; Skidmore, Owings & Merrill; and Studio Gang. This immersive and exciting walking tour of Chicago's famous Loop introduces you to the architecture, architects, art, and artists that have made it one of the most recognizable skylines in the world. Key features: o Take an audio architecture tour with WTTW Chicago's Geoffrey Baer as he shares facts, stories and unique insights. o Navigate the tour and city with an interactive map. o Explore stunning photography of the famous buildings and art works that populate the Loop, and learn about the architects and artists behind them. o Watch video to go inside this fascinating and treasured city center. Chicago's Loop is one of the great American city spaces. Discover its history, architecture, excitement and stories. Take the Loop Tour!

About

Chicago Subway map

Features
Read full description

Chicago subway map, offline route planning and a city guide in one app. Navigate the CTA “L”, explore Metra connections and discover what to do between stops. From your first arrival at O’Hare to a weekend around the Loop, keep your transport map and Chicago travel ideas together. PLAN YOUR NEXT RIDE Choose your starting point and destination, search stations and review the connections in your journey. Explore the Red, Blue, Brown, Green, Orange, Pink, Purple and Yellow Lines. Use transport filters to browse CTA rail, buses, Pace, Metra and water taxi layers on the regional map. YOUR MAP, READY WHEN YOU NEED IT Zoom into the built-in CTA map, follow color-coded lines and see where stations connect. Select a station on the interactive map and send it straight to the planner as your origin or destination. The offline planner uses transport data stored on your device. Online maps, airport boards and external services require an internet connection. ARRIVE VIA O’HARE OR MIDWAY Find airport information for ORD and MDW, with practical context for the Blue Line connection to O’Hare and the Orange Line connection to Midway. View available departure and arrival boards, then prepare the next part of your trip into Chicago. DISCOVER CHICAGO BEYOND THE PLATFORM Explore attractions and photo spots around Millennium Park, Cloud Gate, the Chicago Riverwalk and the city’s neighborhoods. Search places by category, open map links and listen to available attraction descriptions with the audio guide. Use the city guide to connect sightseeing ideas with nearby transport stops. ONE DAY OR A WHOLE WEEK Browse itineraries for one to seven days. Choose your trip length, switch between days and find ideas for parks, museums, architecture and lakefront walks. Keep a flexible plan for a short city break, a family visit or more time exploring Chicago. FIND THE BEST LIGHT Check sunrise, sunset and solar noon for your selected date. Explore suggested viewpoints for a morning by Lake Michigan, reflections along the river or an evening skyline photograph. PRACTICAL TRAVEL TOOLS Save useful places in the address book and keep transport information, emergency contacts and travel essentials close at hand. Explore available links for hotels, flights, car rentals, tours and mobile data. External providers set their own prices, availability and terms. Built for visitors and everyday journeys alike, Chicago Subway Map brings maps, route planning and city discoveries into one place. Start with a station, plan your ride and make more of the city around you. An independent app, not affiliated with or endorsed by CTA, Metra, Pace or the City of Chicago. Routes and journey times are estimates based on stored data. Check official operators for current service, disruptions, fares and airport instructions before traveling.

Screenshots

Chicago Loop Walking Tour3 screens
Chicago Subway map4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Chicago Subway map at none against Chicago Loop Walking Tour's shown. On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and device support 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Chicago Loop Walking Tour ships an update every 10 months, Chicago Subway map every 17 months. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Chicago Loop Walking Tour versus Chicago Subway map: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterChicago Loop Walking TourChicago Subway map
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (12 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings12 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 10 months — betterEvery 17 months
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationAd-supported—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size58 MB37 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperWindow To The World Communications, Inc.Yaroslav Mykolaienko

In-app purchases

None

Chicago Loop Walking Tour

No in-app purchases

None

Chicago Subway map

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Chicago Loop Walking Tour free?
Chicago Loop Walking Tour is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Chicago Subway map free?
Chicago Subway map is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Chicago Loop Walking Tour or Chicago Subway map have ads?
Chicago Loop Walking Tour shows ads; Chicago Subway map does not.
Which is updated more often, Chicago Loop Walking Tour or Chicago Subway map?
Chicago Loop Walking Tour ships an update every 10 months, and Chicago Subway map every 17 months. Most recently, Chicago Loop Walking Tour was updated on October 23, 2026 and Chicago Subway map on October 25, 2026.

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