# MOWD.io vs SmartStops

The clearest difference is update cadence: SmartStops at every 9 days against MOWD.io's monthly. SmartStops also leads on device support (3 vs 1). MOWD.io's advantage is ratings volume (174 vs 10) and chart position (#182 vs unranked). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. MOWD.io sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month and SmartStops sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for MOWD.io against 5.0 for SmartStops. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: MOWD.io has 174 ratings behind it against 10, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 99% of MOWD.io's written reviews are positive against 100% of SmartStops's.

MOWD.io ships an update monthly, SmartStops every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | MOWD.io | SmartStops |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.9 (174 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mowdio/id6743485923/reviews) | **[5.0 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartstops-road-trip-planner/id6747735128/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **174** | 10 |
| Positive reviews | 98.7% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#182** | — |
| Size | 169 MB | 47 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [MOWD Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1803115474) | [Maple Ridge LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1822379851) |

## What reviewers say

### MOWD.io

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mowdio/id6743485923)

**Currently charting:** #182 Top Grossing · Travel (US App Store)

This app helps you plan theme park visits by providing real-time wait times, dining menus, crowd trends, and planning tools. Make informed decisions about your park day with easy-to-use information.

**Highlights:** Live wait time data, Dining menus and food search, Crowd calendars, Estimated ride reopening insights, Trip and day planning tools

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| MOWD Premium Monthly | $7.99 | per month |
| MOWD Premium Annual | $59.99 | per year |


### SmartStops

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartstops-road-trip-planner/id6747735128)

This app helps families plan road trips by finding parks, playgrounds, and rest stops along their route. It balances drive time with convenient and kid-friendly stopping points, reducing stress for everyone on long journeys.

**Highlights:** Find parks and playgrounds on route, Locate rest stops and amenities, Preview stops on interactive maps, Save and reuse routes, Discover kid-friendly food options, Compare nearby cities at stops

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekender | $4.99 | one-time |
| Adventurer | $39.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is MOWD.io free?

MOWD.io is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is SmartStops free?

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

### Which has better reviews, MOWD.io or SmartStops?

SmartStops is rated higher. MOWD.io averages 4.9 out of 5 from 174 ratings, while SmartStops averages 5.0 from 10 ratings.

### Do MOWD.io or SmartStops have ads?

Neither MOWD.io nor SmartStops shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, MOWD.io or SmartStops?

MOWD.io ships an update monthly, and SmartStops every 9 days. Most recently, MOWD.io was updated on November 8, 2026 and SmartStops on November 5, 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.*