# Shanghai Rail Map Lite vs Explore Shenzhen

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Shanghai Rail Map Lite at 100% against Explore Shenzhen's 53%. Shanghai Rail Map Lite also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). Explore Shenzhen's advantage is rating (4.7 vs 4.4) and ratings volume (188 vs 8). On price, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Explore Shenzhen sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Shanghai Rail Map Lite asks for nothing beyond the download.

Explore Shenzhen holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Explore Shenzhen has 188 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 100% of Shanghai Rail Map Lite's written reviews are positive against 53% of Explore Shenzhen's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Shanghai Rail Map Lite ships an update every 2 months, Explore Shenzhen every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Shanghai Rail Map Lite | Explore Shenzhen |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shanghai-rail-map-lite/id758439029/reviews) | **[4.7 (188 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/explore-shenzhen/id816986822/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 8 | **188** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 52.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 22 MB | 44 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 14.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Urban-Map](https://appshunter.io/developer/628107372) | [ExploreMetro](https://appshunter.io/developer/340706618) |

## What reviewers say

### Shanghai Rail Map Lite

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shanghai-rail-map-lite/id758439029)

Navigate Shanghai's extensive rail and subway system with this visually stunning and user-friendly route planner. Find the fastest routes, explore station details, and easily locate nearby stations using GPS. Offers day and night map modes for optimal readability.

**Highlights:** Beautiful rail map design, Fast route planner with transfers, Stations index and lookup, Lines overview, Day and night map modes, GPS for nearby stations, Rotate and zoom functionality

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Explore Shenzhen

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/explore-shenzhen/id816986822)

Navigate Shenzhen's metro system with this comprehensive offline map and route planner. Features include station street maps, GPS location services, and multi-language support. Upgrade for ad-free experience and advanced journey details.

**Highlights:** Offline metro map, Route planner, GPS station finder, Integrated street maps, English and Chinese support, Free updates

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| VIP mode | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Shanghai Rail Map Lite free?

Shanghai Rail Map Lite is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Explore Shenzhen free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Shanghai Rail Map Lite or Explore Shenzhen?

Explore Shenzhen is rated higher. Shanghai Rail Map Lite averages 4.4 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while Explore Shenzhen averages 4.7 from 188 ratings.

### Do Shanghai Rail Map Lite or Explore Shenzhen have ads?

Explore Shenzhen shows ads; Shanghai Rail Map Lite does not.

### Which is updated more often, Shanghai Rail Map Lite or Explore Shenzhen?

Shanghai Rail Map Lite ships an update every 2 months, and Explore Shenzhen every 4 months. Most recently, Shanghai Rail Map Lite was updated on October 22, 2026 and Explore Shenzhen on October 26, 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.*