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Wave by OCTA

Wave by OCTA

The easiest way to pay & ride

155 ratings
90 reviews
With Ads
✈️ Travel
Free
With Ads

Details

  • Released
  • Updated
  • September 19, 2025
  • June 24, 2026

Features

Developer

Orange County Transportation Authority
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About

This app simplifies public transit by allowing users to pay for rides and manage their transit cards. It automatically caps fares to ensure the best price and offers real-time bus information for trip planning. Users can easily add value, manage multiple cards, and utilize features like autopay and virtual cards for seamless travel.

✓Automatic fare capping
✓Pay as you ride
✓Real-time bus information
✓Virtual card creation
✓Add value with cash
✓Autopay for reloads
✓Manage multiple cards
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What users say

Summarized from real user reviews of Wave by OCTA. Based on 155 reviews and a 1.9/5 average, it highlights the 2 positives and 5 negatives reviewers mention most about this Travel app.

Positive things

  • 👍Easy to use
  • 💡Needs NFC support

Negative things

  • 🐛Can't sign in
  • 🐛Not working
  • 🐛Totally unable to sign in
  • 🐛No free virtual on update
  • 🐛Where's the free 15th-31st rides?
See all reviews

What's New in Wave by OCTA

1.4.0

June 24, 2026

We’ve been working hard to improve your experience. This update includes: - General performance improvements - Bug fixes and stability enhancements - Minor UI and usability updates Thank you for using Wave.

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User reviews

Most RecentHighest RatedLowest Rated

Random log outs

App works fine but sometimes it has a bad habit of logging you out and at the worst time just before the bus comes. Not to mention that it won’t remember your password stored on your phone so the process takes longer and then the bus leaves
UhubhhUhubhh

Ridiculously stupid

So, I downloaded an app to purchase physical cards, that I subsequently have to pay to be mailed to me?
 The main purpose of installing an app on your mobile device is to pay for services without requiring any other physical instrument to process payment.
 Whose idea was this? Pay a consultant to hire a software developer from Upwork.
 Then a passenger could just purchase passes that can be added to their digital wallet.
 This is a ridiculous waste of time and resources when it is more convenient to just pay with cash when a person needs to take a bus somewhere.
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OC FrostyOC Frosty

DIDNT WORK WHEN I NEEDED IT.

If you expect this to work every time don’t. I always check my balance at least 10 minutes before I get on the bus, I check it five minutes before, I even leave the page open. When I needed to take the bus I opened it on my way to the bus stop and IT WOULD NOT LOG IN. It kept saying error or invalid. I even made a new account and it still wouldn’t work. The bus I needed doesn’t pass that often so I had to wait even longer to take the next one. Guess what. It still didn’t work, yes I know I can use cash but at that moment I didn’t have any this app is supposed to be reliable and make things easier but it didn’t. Please fix your app!!
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IwouldgiveyouazeroIwouldgiveyouazero

Sign Out

This app keeps logging me out even though I have an account with them. The struggle is so real when I put in my password that is correct it keeps saying error so please fix this bug…
User0059User0059

Missed bus due to errors

I missed the bus 4 times already due to payment not letting me thru I never had this problem with older app
DalifvvdfDalifvvdf
See 85 more reviews

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User experience

🐞

Reported Bugs

5 issues

Can't sign in

Bug

Not working

Bug

Totally unable to sign in

Bug

No free virtual on update

Bug

Where's the free 15th-31st rides?

Bug
✨

Requested Features

2 requests

Free bus pass option

Feature

Easier college pass transfer

Feature

FAQ

What does the Wave by OCTA app do?

The Wave by OCTA app makes riding OC Bus easier by allowing you to pay for your trips and manage your transit card. It automatically caps your daily and monthly fares, ensuring you always get the best price. You can also access real-time bus information to plan your journeys effectively.

How does the fare capping work?

The app automatically caps your fares, meaning you'll never overpay for your bus rides. Once your spending reaches a certain threshold for a day or month, you won't be charged further for additional rides within that period, guaranteeing you the lowest possible fare.

Is the app free to use?

Yes, the app itself is free to download and use. While there are no upfront costs to get a virtual card, you will need to add value to your card to pay for your bus rides. This value can be added directly through the app or at participating retailers.

What are the key features of the Wave app?

Key features include paying as you ride without pre-paying for passes, automatic fare capping for the best prices, creating a free virtual card, setting up autopay for automatic reloads, adding value with cash at retailers, and managing up to eight reusable Wave cards.

Can I use this app for trip planning?

While the app provides real-time bus information to help you plan your trip, it also connects to the Transit App for more comprehensive trip planning features. This integration allows for seamless planning and execution of your public transit journeys.