# Ventra vs Metro Transit

The clearest difference is rating: Ventra at 1.9 against Metro Transit's 1.6. Ventra also leads on ratings volume (3.5K vs 333) and chart position (#85 vs unranked). On price, review sentiment, 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.

Ventra holds the better App Store score, 1.9 against 1.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Ventra has 3.5K ratings behind it against 333, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 8% of Ventra's written reviews are positive against 14% of Metro Transit's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Ventra | Metro Transit |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[1.9 (3.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ventra/id1005645256/reviews)** | [1.6 (333 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/metro-transit/id1153451926/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **3.5K** | 333 |
| Positive reviews | 7.9% of reviews | **13.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | **#85** | — |
| Size | 61 MB | 40 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Chicago Transit Authority](https://appshunter.io/developer/1005645255) | [Metropolitan Council](https://appshunter.io/developer/1153451925) |

## What reviewers say

### Ventra

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

**Currently charting:** #85 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


### Metro Transit

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/metro-transit/id1153451926)

Plan your transit trips, view real-time departure information for buses and trains, and purchase mobile tickets directly from your smartphone. This app simplifies navigating public transportation in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area.

**Highlights:** Trip Planner, Real-time departure information (NexTrip), Mobile ticket purchasing, Store multiple tickets, Secure payment options

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Works great
- ✨ Convenient for visiting
- 💳 Supports Apple Pay

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and unreliable
- 🤔 Confusing and unintuitive UI
- 🚫 Can't purchase tickets
- 🔄 Constant login issues
- 🔍 Lacks key features like trip planning

**Reported bugs**

- Payment buttons not functioning
- App crashing or getting stuck on loading screens
- Login issues and account problems
- Incompatibility with older devices or OS versions

**Requested features**

- Add prompt for first-time users to buy tickets
- Integrate trip planning and schedules into the app
- Allow purchasing multiple tickets at once
- Improve payment flow and reliability


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Ventra free?

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

### Is Metro Transit free?

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

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

Ventra is rated higher. Ventra averages 1.9 out of 5 from 3.5K ratings, while Metro Transit averages 1.6 from 333 ratings.

### Do Ventra or Metro Transit have ads?

Neither Ventra nor Metro Transit shows ads.

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

Ventra ships an update every 3 months, and Metro Transit every 3 months. Most recently, Ventra was updated on October 23, 2026 and Metro Transit on October 14, 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.*