# Ventra vs CONNECT Transit

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Ventra at 3.3K against CONNECT Transit's 26. Ventra also leads on chart position (#91 vs unranked) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.4). CONNECT Transit's advantage is review sentiment (24% vs 8%). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 1.8 for Ventra against 1.7 for CONNECT Transit. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Ventra has 3.3K ratings behind it against 26, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 8% of Ventra's written reviews are positive against 24% of CONNECT Transit's.

Ventra ships an update every 4 months, CONNECT Transit every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Ventra | CONNECT Transit |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[1.8 (3.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ventra/id1005645256/reviews)** | [1.7 (26 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/connect-transit/id1141916391/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **3.3K** | 26 |
| Positive reviews | 7.7% of reviews | **23.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 months** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | **#91** | — |
| Size | 61 MB | 34 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Chicago Transit Authority](https://appshunter.io/developer/1005645255) | [Syncromatics](https://appshunter.io/developer/1018907481) |

## What reviewers say

### Ventra

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ventra/id1005645256)

**Currently charting:** #91 Top Free · Travel (US App Store)

Manage your public transit fares and tickets for Chicago's CTA, Metra, and Pace services. Load value, buy Metra mobile tickets, and access real-time arrival information all in one place. Add your Ventra Card to your iPhone for seamless travel.

**Highlights:** Manage Ventra Card balance and passes, Load value and passes to Ventra Card, Buy Metra mobile tickets, Real-time CTA, Metra, Pace arrivals, Add Ventra Card to Apple Wallet

**Features:** Apple Wallet, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 🚀 Convenient for transit
- 🚀 Helpful for visitors
- 🚀 Reliable payment processing

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🐛 Inaccurate arrival/departure times
- 🐛 Confusing user interface
- 🐛 Unreliable login and account management
- 🐛 Payment issues and declined transactions

**Reported bugs**

- Purchase button not working on iPhones
- Favorites list glitches and resets
- Inconsistent and unreliable ticket display
- Frequent app crashes and login issues
- Payment processing failures and lost funds

**Requested features**

- Add ability to manage Ventra cards and balances
- Improve real-time transit tracking and notifications
- Allow saving of favorite routes and stations
- Integrate with Apple Wallet for easier access
- Provide more transparent and user-friendly payment options


### CONNECT Transit

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/connect-transit/id1141916391)

Track your bus in real time, get arrival predictions, and plan your trips. Receive service alerts and mark favorite stops to save time and reduce uncertainty when riding public transit.

**Highlights:** Real-time bus tracking, Bus arrival predictions, Trip planning, Service alerts, Favorite stop marking

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Ventra free?

Ventra is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is CONNECT Transit free?

CONNECT Transit is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Ventra or CONNECT Transit?

Ventra is rated higher. Ventra averages 1.8 out of 5 from 3.3K ratings, while CONNECT Transit averages 1.7 from 26 ratings.

### Do Ventra or CONNECT Transit have ads?

Neither Ventra nor CONNECT Transit shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Ventra or CONNECT Transit?

Ventra ships an update every 4 months, and CONNECT Transit every 5 months. Most recently, Ventra was updated on September 23, 2026 and CONNECT Transit on September 1, 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.*