Comparison

Melbourne Rail Map Lite vs Beam

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

Head to head
About

Melbourne Rail Map Lite

This app provides a clear and beautiful route map for the Melbourne rail and subway system. It includes a route planner, station index, and line overviews, with day and night map options for easy viewing. GPS support helps you find nearby stations.

Highlights
  • Beautiful rail map design
  • Instant route planner
  • Stations index and lookup
  • Day and night map modes
  • GPS support for nearby stations
  • High-resolution graphics
  • Universal app support
Features
Read full description

Rail & Subway Map is a clear and concise route map that features: THE MOST BEAUTIFUL RAIL MAP - representing the state of the art in information design. ROUTE PLANNER - instantly finds the fastest route and displays it on the map including transfer stations. STATIONS INDEX - quickly jump to any station. LINES OVERVIEW - shows the order of stations on each line with transit options. DAY and NIGHT MAPS - for easy legibility switching between a light and dark version of the map is possible. This can also be done automatically depending on the time of day. GPS SUPPORT - find the station closest to you. HIGH RESOLUTION GRAPHICS - looks stunning on retina displays. ROTATE and ZOOM - hold your device any way you want. UNIVERSAL APP - optimized for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. LARGE MAP - includes the most important stations STATION LOOKUP - search for a station by name APPLE MAPS INTEGRATION - lookup your route directly from Apple Maps The LITE-Version is fully functional but needs an internet connection. If you like the app but need offline access you can get the regular version for a big discount. (Only for limited time!) ========= Disclaimer: Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life.

About

Beam

This app provides access to electric scooters for urban transportation, offering a fun, affordable, and eco-friendly way to travel. It allows users to easily find, unlock, and ride scooters for commuting, exploring, or leisure.

Highlights
  • Electric scooter sharing
  • Find and unlock scooters
  • Affordable urban transport
  • Eco-friendly travel
  • Fun and convenient
  • Location-based services
Features
Read full description

“Wherever you’re headed - Beam there.” At Beam, we want to help cities flow better for everyone. We’re reimagining urban transport - replacing car trips with something cleaner, smarter, and way more fun. As one of the leading micro mobility platforms across Asia Pacific and beyond, Beam is already helping people in 80+ cities in 7 countries move more freely. Riding a Beam is affordable, convenient and much better for the environment. Oh, and did we mention it’s really fun? - whether you’re commuting, exploring, or just cruising with friends. No deposit. No traffic. No stress. Just tap, ride, and feel the flow. Why Beam? - Trusted by millions across the globe - Fast, flexible, and affordable - Better for the environment - And yes - it’s seriously fun How it works: 1. Download the app 2. Create your account 3. Find and unlock a Beam nearby 4. Check your local road rules 5. Enjoy the ride Wherever you’re going - Beam there Let’s help cities flow better. Together [Required Permissions] - Location: Location permission to find and use nearby Beam vehicles and provide parking location guidance - Camera: Camera permission to scan Beam device QR codes and take parking photos - Bluetooth: Bluetooth permission to rent and return Beam devices and related accessories (helmets) - Service notifications: To send you important service-related messages (updates to T&Cs, payment issues etc) [Optional Permissions] - Marketing Notifications: Permission to receive promotional messages *Optional permissions are only needed when using the relevant features. Other services can still be used even if these permissions are not granted.

Screenshots

Melbourne Rail Map Lite4 screens
Beam4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Beam at 4.8 against Melbourne Rail Map Lite's 3.3. Beam also leads on ratings volume (6.5K vs 3) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months). Melbourne Rail Map Lite's advantage is review sentiment (67% vs 54%) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 15.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Beam holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Beam has 6.5K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 67% of Melbourne Rail Map Lite's written reviews are positive against 54% of Beam's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Melbourne Rail Map Lite ships an update every 3 months, Beam every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Melbourne Rail Map Lite versus Beam: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMelbourne Rail Map LiteBeam
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.3 (3 ratings)4.8 (6.5K ratings) — better
Positive reviews66.7% of reviews — better53.9% of reviews
Number of ratings36.5K — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS8.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size30 MB276 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperUrban-MapAPAC ESCOOTERS PTE. LTD.

Customer experience

Melbourne Rail Map Lite

All ratings3 ratings
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%

Beam

All ratings6,461 ratings
Positive96.2%
Neutral1.0%
Negative2.8%
Written reviews967 reviews
Positive53.9%
Neutral4.2%
Negative41.9%

Bugs and requests

Melbourne Rail Map Lite

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Beam

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Inability to end rides properly
  • Incorrect location detection
  • Billing and payment problems
  • App login and account issues

Requested features

4 requests
  • Improved navigation and mapping
  • More affordable pricing options
  • Expanded service areas and coverage
  • Better maintenance and reliability of scooters

In-app purchases

None

Melbourne Rail Map Lite

No in-app purchases

None

Beam

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Melbourne Rail Map Lite free?
Melbourne Rail Map Lite is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Beam free?
Beam is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Melbourne Rail Map Lite or Beam?
Beam is rated higher. Melbourne Rail Map Lite averages 3.3 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while Beam averages 4.8 from 6.5K ratings.
Do Melbourne Rail Map Lite or Beam have ads?
Neither Melbourne Rail Map Lite nor Beam shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Melbourne Rail Map Lite or Beam?
Melbourne Rail Map Lite ships an update every 3 months, and Beam every 3 weeks. Most recently, Melbourne Rail Map Lite was updated on November 4, 2026 and Beam on November 7, 2026.

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