Mode Car vs Ride SMART Flex
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Mode Car
Book rides on-demand or schedule them in advance. If a pre-booked ride is late, it's free. This service operates within the greater Ann Arbor Area.
- On-demand ride booking
- Pre-arranged ride scheduling
- On-time guarantee for pre-booked rides
- Ride is free if pre-booked ride is late
- Service available in Ann Arbor
Read full descriptionHide full description
A mobile app to order quality on-demand or pre-arranged rides. For pre-arranged rides, Mode is on-time or the ride is free. Mode is available in the greater Ann Arbor Area.
Ride SMART Flex
Book on-demand rideshare services in the Detroit Area. This app connects you with transit heading your way, offering an affordable, easy, and eco-friendly transportation option. Enjoy shared rides, lower prices, and reduced carbon emissions.
- On-demand ride booking
- Shared rides
- Affordable pricing
- Sustainable transportation
- Fixed route schedules
- Nearby pick-up points
Read full descriptionHide full description
Think of SMART Flex as a whole new way to get around the Detroit Area — a ridesharing service that’s smart, easy, affordable, and green. With a few taps, book an on-demand ride in the app and our technology will connect you with transit headed your way. No detours, no delays. How it works: - Book a ride on your phone. - Get picked up on a nearby corner. - Share your ride with others. - Save cash and reduce carbon emissions. What we’re about: AFFORDABLE. Our low prices make it easy to get around SMART’s service zone without paying top dollar. Eligible users can also pay using pre-tax transit dollars through approved commuter benefit debit cards. SUSTAINABLE. Sharing rides reduces the number of vehicles on the roads, bringing down congestion and CO2 emissions. With a couple of taps, you get to do your part to make your city a little bit greener and cleaner, every time you ride. CONNECTED. Check the app for fixed route schedules and wait times to get you to your destination as soon as possible. Navigate the entire SMART network with ease. Questions? Reach out at support-smart@ridewithvia.com Loving your experience so far? Throw us a 5-star rating. You’ll have our eternal gratitude.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Ride SMART Flex at 4.7 against Mode Car's 3.0. Ride SMART Flex also leads on ratings volume (2.2K vs 2). Mode Car's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and review sentiment (50% vs 32%). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Ride SMART Flex holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Ride SMART Flex has 2.2K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 50% of Mode Car's written reviews are positive against 32% of Ride SMART Flex's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Mode Car ships an update every 5 weeks, Ride SMART Flex every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Mode Car | Ride SMART Flex |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.0 (2 ratings) | 4.7 (2.2K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews — better | 32.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 2 | 2.2K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | Every 4 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 8.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 20 MB | 130 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Dashride, Inc. | Via Transportation, Inc. |
Customer experience
Mode Car
Ride SMART Flex
Bugs and requests
Mode Car
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Ride SMART Flex
Reported bugs
3 issues- Frequent app crashes and technical issues
- Inaccurate driver location and pickup information
- Billing and payment problems
Requested features
4 requests- Improve scheduling and real-time tracking
- Expand service areas and coverage
- Enhance app usability and accessibility
- Provide better customer support and communication
In-app purchases
Mode Car
No in-app purchases
Ride SMART Flex
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Mode Car free?
Is Ride SMART Flex free?
Which has better reviews, Mode Car or Ride SMART Flex?
Do Mode Car or Ride SMART Flex have ads?
Which is updated more often, Mode Car or Ride SMART Flex?
Other comparisons
