# China Train Booking vs VPN

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: China Train Booking at none against VPN's 12. China Train Booking also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 5 weeks). VPN's advantage is review sentiment (92% vs 83%). On price, rating, ratings volume and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. VPN sells 12 one-off in-app purchases. China Train Booking asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.3 for China Train Booking against 4.4 for VPN. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 96 and 38 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 83% of China Train Booking's written reviews are positive against 92% of VPN's.

China Train Booking ships an update every 2 weeks, VPN every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | China Train Booking | VPN |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (96 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/china-train-booking/id954970366/reviews) | **[4.4 (38 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vpn-flashback-guiyan/id1535425717/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **96** | 38 |
| Positive reviews | 82.9% of reviews | **92.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 94 MB | 48 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [China International Travel Service Guilin Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/918325045) | [HUABO TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL LIMITED](https://appshunter.io/developer/1522807914) |

## What reviewers say

### China Train Booking

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/china-train-booking/id954970366)

Book high-speed train tickets in China and use electronic tickets to board directly with your ID. Access real-time schedules, book last-minute tickets, and get human customer support for all your travel needs.

**Highlights:** Electronic ticket boarding with ID, Real-time train schedules and availability, Book tickets up to 1 hour before departure, Select preferred seats, Human customer service for refunds and exchanges, Station maps and layouts, Secure payment options

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and efficient booking process
- 👍 User-friendly interface for non-Chinese speakers
- 💬 Excellent English-speaking customer service via WeChat
- 🎯 Real-time train availability and seat selection
- 📦 Convenient ticket delivery to hotels

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Premium pricing compared to direct booking
- 🐛 App crashes and freezes during booking
- 📱 Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions
- 🔤 Poor text contrast and small fonts in UI
- ⏳ Occasional payment processing delays

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when uploading passenger photos
- Crashes on iPhone 17 Air with iOS 26.1
- Payment submission timeout errors
- Calendar display showing incorrect dates
- 404 errors when attempting cancellations

**Requested features**

- Support for Alipay and WeChat Pay payment methods
- Dark mode for better visibility
- Improved text contrast and larger fonts
- Support for multi-leg journey connections
- Offline ticket access


### VPN

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vpn-flashback-guiyan/id1535425717)

Access Chinese websites and applications from overseas with a fast, secure, and stable connection. Optimized for popular streaming services, games, and music apps, it ensures a smooth cross-border experience with advanced encryption and dedicated support.

**Highlights:** One-click acceleration for Chinese apps and games, Dedicated IP usage lines, Supports 4G, 5G, and WiFi networks, Stable acceleration for streaming, gaming, and business, Multiple encryption technologies for security and privacy, Supports multiple device logins, 24/7 customer service

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| First order offer | $0.99 | one-time |
| Value Package-Monthly Pass | $1.99 | one-time |
| 1 Week Plan | $2.99 | one-time |
| 娱乐版-月卡 | $4.99 | one-time |
| 商业版-月卡 | $6.99 | one-time |
| 1 Month Plan | $8.99 | one-time |
| 至尊版-月卡 | $11.99 | one-time |
| 娱乐版-半年卡 | $29.99 | one-time |
| 至尊版-半年卡 | $59.99 | one-time |
| 商业版-年卡 | $64.99 | one-time |
| 娱乐版-年卡 | $79.99 | one-time |
| 至尊版-年卡 | $119.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and stable connection
- 👍 Simple and easy to use
- 🔒 Reliable security
- 💡 Useful for bypassing geo-restrictions
- 🎮 Can be used for gaming

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional connection drops or lags
- 🔋 Concerns about battery drain
- 💰 Paid subscription may be expensive for some users

**Reported bugs**

- Automatic logout issues
- Inconsistent performance across platforms

**Requested features**

- Expand server locations
- Add more free trial days
- Improve compatibility with older devices


## Frequently asked questions

### Is China Train Booking free?

China Train Booking is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is VPN free?

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

### Which has better reviews, China Train Booking or VPN?

VPN is rated higher. China Train Booking averages 4.3 out of 5 from 96 ratings, while VPN averages 4.4 from 38 ratings.

### Do China Train Booking or VPN have ads?

VPN shows ads; China Train Booking does not.

### Which is updated more often, China Train Booking or VPN?

China Train Booking ships an update every 2 weeks, and VPN every 5 weeks. Most recently, China Train Booking was updated on October 24, 2026 and VPN on October 21, 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.*