Comparison

Explore Shenzhen vs 深圳地铁

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

Head to head
About

Explore Shenzhen

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
Read full description

Recommended by CNN and Lonely Planet, this is Shenzhen's best subway map! Up-to-date with all the metro lines; Works offline; Routeplanner, GPS, Street maps; English and Chinese included. Download the app completely free! The free app is ad-supported. Upgrade to VIP features if you'd like to get extra features, remove ads and support future development! WHY EXPLOREMETRO? 1. Fully up-to-date Accurate metro map, includes every station on every line. Free updates for future station openings and timetable changes. 2. Designed for iPhone Our gorgeous maps have been fully redesigned for all iPhone devices. Runs on all iOS10-14 devices. 3. Designed for iPad Specially redesigned interface for the larger iPad screen with split screen. Drag and drop station names, tips, maps and timetables into other apps. 4. Street maps for every station Need to get your bearings at a station? Integrated Street maps show you metro exits and nearby streets for every station. 5. Route-planner A really easy route-planner. Get route and time information for any journey with just three taps. 6. "Find my nearest station" Using your GPS, see a list of the closest metro stations to your current location. 7. Works offline Everything works without an Internet connection. Search stations and plan routes on the go. UPGRADE TO VIP FOR EVEN MORE FEATURES I've been developing this app for 9 years. Upgrading to VIP helps support future development of the app. VIP users get additional features, like NO ADS, accurate prices for every journey, first/last train times, offline street maps, tips at every station, and a general warm fuzzy feeling. REVIEWS CNN Travel: "These maps are very easy on the eye and simple to navigate. They work offline and also include free updates of stations that have yet to be completed, operating hours and schedules." Lonely Planet: "Easy to use, up to date and work offline. Very handy, especially when they've run out of paper maps at the stations." SUGGESTIONS We'd love to hear your comments and suggestions on ways to improve the app. Please contact us via support@exploremetro.com, as we can't respond to comments left in the reviews.

About

深圳地铁

This platform offers a comprehensive internet service for Shenzhen Metro users, integrating various business segments of the metro group. It provides convenient travel, ride, and community services, enhancing the daily metro experience for citizens.

Highlights
  • Integrated metro services
  • Ride services
  • Community services
  • Metro group business platform
  • Convenient daily travel
Features
Read full description

深圳地铁App ——深圳市地铁集团打造的涵盖深铁运营、深铁建设、深铁投、深铁置业、深铁商业等各业务版块的“地铁+”互联网服务平台。该平台秉承“厚德载运 深铁为民”的理念,汇聚地铁集团的出行服务、乘车服务、社区服务等,让广大市民尽享地铁生活之便。

Screenshots

Explore Shenzhen4 screens
深圳地铁4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Explore Shenzhen at 4.7 against 深圳地铁's 1.7. Explore Shenzhen also leads on review sentiment (53% vs 11%) and ratings volume (187 vs 17). 深圳地铁's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). On price, device support and iOS requirement 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. Explore Shenzhen sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. 深圳地铁 asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Explore Shenzhen holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 1.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Explore Shenzhen has 187 ratings behind it against 17, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 53% of Explore Shenzhen's written reviews are positive against 11% of 深圳地铁's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Explore Shenzhen ships an update every 4 months, 深圳地铁 every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 11, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Explore Shenzhen versus 深圳地铁: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterExplore Shenzhen深圳地铁
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (187 ratings) — better1.7 (17 ratings)
Positive reviews52.9% of reviews — better10.9% of reviews
Number of ratings187 — better17
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 6 weeks — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS14.013 — better
Further details — not scored
Size44 MB159 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperExploreMetro深圳地铁集团有限公司

Customer experience

Explore Shenzhen

All ratings187 ratings
Positive90.9%
Neutral3.7%
Negative5.3%
Written reviews17 reviews
Positive52.9%
Neutral11.8%
Negative35.3%

深圳地铁

All ratings17 ratings
Positive17.6%
Neutral0.0%
Negative82.4%
Written reviews55 reviews
Positive10.9%
Neutral9.1%
Negative80.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Explore Shenzhen

One-time1
  • VIP mode$4.99
None

深圳地铁

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Explore Shenzhen free?
Explore Shenzhen is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is 深圳地铁 free?
深圳地铁 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Explore Shenzhen or 深圳地铁?
Explore Shenzhen is rated higher. Explore Shenzhen averages 4.7 out of 5 from 187 ratings, while 深圳地铁 averages 1.7 from 17 ratings.
Do Explore Shenzhen or 深圳地铁 have ads?
Explore Shenzhen shows ads; 深圳地铁 does not.
Which is updated more often, Explore Shenzhen or 深圳地铁?
Explore Shenzhen ships an update every 4 months, and 深圳地铁 every 6 weeks. Most recently, Explore Shenzhen was updated on October 11, 2026 and 深圳地铁 on October 13, 2026.

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