# Inbound vs Smart Maps

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Inbound at none against Smart Maps's 1. Smart Maps's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Smart Maps sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $0.99 per month. Inbound asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Inbound against 4.6 for Smart Maps. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 13 and 9 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 71% of Inbound's written reviews are positive against 75% of Smart Maps's.

Inbound ships an update every 3 weeks, Smart Maps monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Inbound | Smart Maps |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (13 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/inbound-nyc-transit/id6479968496/reviews)** | [4.6 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-maps-create-and-explore/id6504718134/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **13** | 9 |
| Positive reviews | 71.4% of reviews | **75.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 60 MB | 182 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **16.4** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Inbound Transit LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1236276226) | [Lucas Rugar](https://appshunter.io/developer/1736127695) |

## What reviewers say

### Inbound

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/inbound-nyc-transit/id6479968496)

Navigate the NYC subway system with real-time arrival updates and personalized favorites. Get precise train times and an intuitive interface to make your commute seamless. Perfect for New Yorkers and visitors alike.

**Highlights:** Real-time arrival updates, Interactive home screen widgets, Intuitive user interface, Personalized favorite routes and stations, Accurate subway schedules

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Smart Maps

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

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 Inbound free?

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

### Is Smart Maps free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Inbound or Smart Maps?

Inbound is rated higher. Inbound averages 4.7 out of 5 from 13 ratings, while Smart Maps averages 4.6 from 9 ratings.

### Do Inbound or Smart Maps have ads?

Inbound shows ads; Smart Maps does not.

### Which is updated more often, Inbound or Smart Maps?

Inbound ships an update every 3 weeks, and Smart Maps monthly. Most recently, Inbound was updated on October 16, 2026 and Smart Maps on October 1, 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.*