# Subway Now vs Smart Maps

The clearest difference is rating: Subway Now at 4.8 against Smart Maps's 4.3. Subway Now also leads on review sentiment (90% vs 67%) and update cadence (weekly vs monthly). Smart Maps's advantage is chart position (#155 vs unranked). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Subway Now sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Smart Maps sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Subway Now holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Subway Now has 82 ratings behind it against 11, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 90% of Subway Now's written reviews are positive against 67% of Smart Maps's.

Subway Now ships an update weekly, Smart Maps monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Subway Now | Smart Maps |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (82 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/subway-now-live-nyc-train-map/id6476543418/reviews)** | [4.3 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-maps-create-and-explore/id6504718134/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **82** | 11 |
| Positive reviews | **90.5% of reviews** | 66.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#155** |
| Size | 38 MB | 163 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **16.4** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Sunny Ng](https://appshunter.io/developer/1727072428) | [Lucas Rugar](https://appshunter.io/developer/1736127695) |

## What reviewers say

### Subway Now

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/subway-now-live-nyc-train-map/id6476543418)

This app provides real-time NYC subway arrival times and live train locations on an interactive map. It offers detailed service pattern views, transfer time estimates, and customizable alerts to help navigate the subway system efficiently.

**Highlights:** Live train location tracking, Real-time arrival times, Interactive subway map, Transfer time estimates, Customizable trip alerts, Data-driven service alerts

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Subway Now+ - Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| Subway Now+ - Yearly | $14.99 | per year |
| Subway Now+ - Lifetime | $74.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚊 Live train data and position tracking
- 🗺️ Detailed subway map with disruption updates
- ⏱️ Accurate arrival time predictions
- 🕰️ Helpful for weekend and night travel
- 🤖 Clean and functional interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🌐 Unavailable on macOS


### Smart Maps

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-maps-create-and-explore/id6504718134)

**Currently charting:** #155 Top Free · Navigation (US App Store)

Visualize detailed US Census data, including population density, home prices, and salaries, down to the street level. Discover upcoming events and explore hundreds of measures. An optional upgrade unlocks additional data layers for deeper insights.

**Highlights:** Street-level US Census data visualization, Population density mapping, Home price and salary data, Commute time analysis, Upcoming Ticketmaster events, Customizable information layers

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Smart Maps Plus | $0.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Subway Now free?

Subway Now is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Smart Maps free?

Smart Maps is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Subway Now or Smart Maps?

Subway Now is rated higher. Subway Now averages 4.8 out of 5 from 82 ratings, while Smart Maps averages 4.3 from 11 ratings.

### Do Subway Now or Smart Maps have ads?

Neither Subway Now nor Smart Maps shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Subway Now or Smart Maps?

Subway Now ships an update weekly, and Smart Maps monthly. Most recently, Subway Now was updated on October 19, 2026 and Smart Maps on October 18, 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.*