# SmarTrip — user reviews > 325 indexed App Store user reviews of SmarTrip by Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, rated 2.50/5 from 57 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartrip/id1516539463/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartrip/id1516539463.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 17 · 4★ 0 · 3★ 4 · 2★ 8 · 1★ 28 ## What do users think of SmarTrip? Overall sentiment: negative **Pros** - 👍 Easy to use - 🚀 Convenient for commuting - 🚀 Seamless integration with Apple Wallet - 🚀 Straightforward account setup **Cons** - 🐛 Unreliable card reading at turnstiles - 🐛 Delayed balance updates - 🐛 Buggy app functionality - 🔒 Excessive personal information required - 🔒 Difficult to recover account - 💰 Additional fees for digital cards **Commonly reported bugs** - Unable to activate account due to missing activation email - Password reset process not working - Inconsistent behavior when adding value to card **Most requested features** - Ability to transfer balance between cards - Real-time balance updates - Improved trip planning tools - Apple Watch support ## Newest reviews (18 of 325) ### 2/5 — Not Up To Speed *2026-08-06, version 2.0.144* Having read multiple negative, and a couple positive, reviews I decided to see for myself. I'm a former IT pro, and I landed in the middle but on the "disappointed" side of the fence. The app feels old and inflexible, and it's just not intuitive. I purchased a second SmarTrip card by mistake because instructions were unclear and the app doesn't take into context what you've already purchased. Also, I tried multiple times to set up autoload but never succeeded. The most frustrating part is that there's no good reason this app can't be spectacular. It just seems that Metro's programmers (or their outsourced programmers) don't have a bird's eye understanding of the various tasks the app needs to perform. I'll give Metro the same advice as I give to every other company that has public-facing software: ask the CEO to use it and watch. If they don't find it intuitive, the general public won't, either. Then it's back to the drawing board. ### 2/5 — Barely works *2026-06-12, version 2.0.144* The card in my Apple wallet frequently fails to scan, and takes 3-4 tries to let me through. Very annoying, and frustrating glitch when you’re trying to catch a train. ### 2/5 — Adding $ to Cards *2026-06-06, version 2.0.144* Frustrating that it takes so long for $ to be added to the cards via the App. Have to plan way in advance. 12 hours after purchase and $ is not on card...and counting... ### 1/5 — scam *2026-05-16, version 2.0.144* bought monthly pass and used it all of one time for it to demand i add value at the turnstile ### 1/5 — User unfiendly *2026-05-02, version 2.0.144* The app sabotaged me each time I tried to create my account. Frustrating. ### 4/5 — Solid App-Bad Ratings are Haters who Don’t Know Technology *2026-04-23, version 2.0.144* When I started to look at whether or not I wanted to download this app, I saw a ton of 1-star reviews and that made me concerned that the app wasn’t worth downloading. After giving it a go anyway, I have to say that the 1-star ratings that I have seen are not supported by reality. Does the app need a few adjustments? Of course, what app doesn’t? I will say that getting my account set up took a little bit of time, but the app works really well on both Metro and Metro buses. Also, I was easily able to upload (and reload) my MetroCard. So, I would encourage the use of the app. I think you’ll enjoy it. PS-for the developers, I wonder if you can include an Apple Pay feature in the future update. That would significantly increase the convenience of the app. ### 2/5 — App isn’t letting us load money via apple pay! *2026-04-02, version 2.0.144* No one is able to add any money via Apple Pay. We all are having to use the machines. This error suddenly JUST started and it’s becoming a big problem. You’re letting cards being charged, without actually having our balances updated. For those who need to get home and suddenly money was taken but won’t return until the next day, THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE! Most get paid on a bi-weekly schedule and may only have the funds to make a round trip with that exact change. FIX. YOU. APP. AND. DO. BETTER. WMATA. ### 2/5 — App sucks *2026-03-30, version 2.0.144* Too many times I put money on the app. They take the money and I’m sitting around waiting for it to transfer to app and nothing ### 2/5 — Very hard time *2026-03-26, version 2.0.144* i’m sad it made me wait for my funds to transfer 😭😭😭😢😢😢🥺🥺🥺 ### 1/5 — Terrible *2026-03-25, version 2.0.144* Times are inaccurate. Shows that trains are arriving when in fact they are delayed by 10 minutes. Why is it so hard to pull real time data? The interface sucks so much. Can’t you just have ai code your app these days?! ### 1/5 — Waste of your time *2026-03-19, version 2.0.144* You have an easier time using the fair box at the train station with creating a digital SmarTrip card on Google pay or Apple Pay. Trying to get a pass on this thing for the first time was absolute hell with their lack of explanations on when my car would reactivate or how to activate that card which almost left me stranded at one of their subway stations. The app is now preventing me from logging in. I forgot my username and password so I went through the process to retrieve my username and reset my password did the stupid little security question she said to make you put in and a punk trying to create a new password it tells me that an error code doesn’t help me with the doesn’t give me an error code or what caused an error. Just tell me to contact customer support which is open at the most inconvenient times. Sounds like to me you app or whatever website isn’t capable of it immediately tells me to contact customer support after not giving me a valid error. ### 1/5 — Dont use this app *2026-02-17, version 2.0.144* Its 2026 and everyone will expect that money paid will show in the account once its paid, instead of seeing a pending store value forever. ### 1/5 — Frustrating *2026-02-04, version 2.0.142* This app doesn’t even have a map of the metro system on it. It’s also missing the trip planner tool on the WMATA website, which would be very useful to find metro or bus routes rather than searching them by name or location on the trip tools tab. The trip tools tab is quite useless. Unless the location you are searching is exactly located on a bus stop or the metro line, it doesn’t find the transit options in the area. When searching for transit options, the number on the bus should return that bus route in the results, but it does not. The search does not offer any similarly named suggestions, so finding bus routes to see the map and schedule is quite difficult. ### 2/5 — Unable to connect *2026-01-22, version 2.0.142* Reports error every time. ### 1/5 — Hard to add an existing registered card *2026-01-16, version 2.0.142* Try adding an existing registered card on this. Near impossible. It’s a mess and it keeps saying the data i entered is different to what they already have on the SmarTrip website. I do not understand at all. Complex to get a card i use already onto this app. ### 1/5 — Don’t switch *2026-01-08, version 2.0.142* I switched my physical SmartTrip card to digital, but am switching back after several months of trying to make it work. ~10% of the time, the card reader at the turnstile gives me a card read error, and then when I tap again, it tells me it’s invalid. So then I have to go to the station manager, because the tap counted, it just didn’t let me through. Twice, there was no station manager and after waiting fruitlessly stuck, I bought a card and added money so I could get to work. The system just bugs out too often—cancels out any convenience of having it on my phone. ### 1/5 — App and website both are terrible *2026-01-07, version 2.0.142* Better off, not using the app ### 2/5 — Worthless for directions *2025-12-27, version 2.0.142* Trying to get direction never works. Says nothing is available. Use it to manage my metro card. No other purpose of the app. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — worst app I have ever used *2026-08-06, version 2.0.144* I bought a monthly unlimited pass but there is no way to add it to Apple wallet or use it. So I’ve had to spend my own credit card on top of this big monthly fee. When trying to talk to customer service all of them say they can’t help with any issues. All the features are not straight forward and when purchasing they definitely don’t make this clear how to actually use what u buy. ### 1/5 — Absolute trash *2026-07-19, version 2.0.144* How difficult it is to create an account? This app has mastered it. Had to reset my password 3 times before giving up. The app will simply not accept your correct password to save your life. The developers of this app should return their degrees. ### 1/5 — Terrible doesn’t work *2026-07-13, version 2.0.144* I have a MetroCard in the app that I can use to ride the train. When I try to add value to the card, it gives me an error. Troubleshooting is pointless. ### 1/5 — not for travelers *2026-07-09, version 2.0.144* only for US ### 1/5 — c'est réellement mauvais *2026-07-04, version 2.0.144* Si tu n'as pas de num américain tu ne peux pas créer de compte (donc pas acheter de carte) Tu as cependant accès à une map interactive qui te donne ton trajet (youpi !), mais celle d'apple plan est déjà meilleure, donc aucun intérêt Cette application est donc totalement inutile si comme moi vous êtes en vacances aux US ### 1/5 — Don’t fall for it - just pay with your card *2026-06-28, version 2.0.144* The DC metro refers everyone to their app, but it’s glitchy, there’s no customer service. Nothing works. Even trying to call their so called customer service doesn’t work. All you receive is a recording that they are closed. The help link doesn’t do anything. Worst mistake ever was downloading this virus to my phone. If I could give it negative stars, I would. ### 1/5 — Clown show extraordinaire *2026-06-27, version 2.0.144* What an absolute joke of an app. I only leave reviews if something is so extraordinarily bad that I have to take time out of my busy day to rate the application. The create account process requiring three security questions?!?! I am at loss for words ### 1/5 — This app sucks *2026-06-23, version 2.0.144* This app does not work. I hate it. ### 1/5 — Will randomly cancel your card mid trip *2026-06-14, version 2.0.144* Card added to Apple wallet no problem. Card let me scan into a trip, then would not let me scan out, suddenly said card inactive cannot be used. Then had to create a new card and add to wallet, but at that point you still can’t scan out because it thinks you never scanned in. Also fun to try to set up a new card while having no service in the metro station, and very very poor public metro WiFi. ### 1/5 — Good Luck *2026-05-20, version 2.0.144* Added money to my account at 9 AM. 3 hours later, my money is still not on my account. I called customer service, and they were completely useless. I had a lady keep yelling at me asking “why I didn’t add the money through my Apple wallet?” Just a joke of a public transport system. I don’t understand how I paid for transportation the same way that I had attempted to now, but it no longer works. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Great App! *2026-05-23, version 2.0.144* This is a great app, this app is not antiguated, tedies, or redundant. I love this app. This app is a smart trip! ### 5/5 — I am very grateful. The best. *2026-02-20, version 2.0.144* I've been using this app for a long time. I've lost and added cards, and it works great. I can add weekly passes and set them to automatic, so I never have to worry about adding more money to the card again. If I lose a card, I just buy a new one, add it, go to the website, log in, delete the lost card, and add a new one—it's super easy. It's really helped me a lot; I'm very grateful. ### 5/5 — Good app! *2025-12-21, version 2.0.142* App was super easy to use - I was quickly able to create a card, add $$, and add it to my wallet. Just tap the phone at the station and voila. Worked like a charm. If I had any complaints (very minor), it would be that, during signup, it makes you enter a username but doesn’t validate it until later in the account creation process. Only then does it tell you that it can’t have numbers, which was annoying as I had to redo some of the signup process. And why not have the username just be our email? ### 5/5 — Great app *2025-12-14, version 2.0.142* It was my first time ever using this app and it worked just follow the steps thoroughly and everything will be smooth. I agree with the last review the people who are rating this low are the ones who don’t know how to work a device properly ### 5/5 — easy and intuitive *2025-12-05, version 2.0.142* I think, respectfully, that some of the negative reviews may come from individuals who just don’t know how to use a smartphone. I was able to create an account, confirm it, buy a pass, and link it to my Apple wallet in like 4 minutes. I’d gently suggest that those who are having trouble with the app ask their child or grandchild for assistance before assuming it is the app’s fault. ### 5/5 — As advertised *2025-07-18, version 2.0.140* Worked great. Don’t let the poor reviews scare you. They’re most likely from user error. ### 5/5 — Surprised by bad reviews *2025-06-26, version 2.0.140* It is worked fine for me and I’m so happy to not have Metro cards or have to trip to keep up with a smart trip card. I appreciate the efforts that WMATA is making to improve the user experience and I’m hoping for continued investment.. ### 5/5 — Exactly as advertised *2025-06-24, version 2.0.140* This app does exactly what it says it does ### 5/5 — Very convenient *2025-06-18, version 2.0.140* I’ve been using it for years and it has been amazing. No more issues of forgetting the card at home or in the office because I never walk away without having my phone on me. ### 5/5 — Pretty good experience so far *2025-06-05, version 2.0.140* I just downloaded the app and created my account. No issues at all with funding the account either. --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-25.*