# MTA TrainTime vs Subway Time NYC

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: MTA TrainTime at none against Subway Time NYC's 2. MTA TrainTime also leads on ratings volume (211K vs 14K) and chart position (#15 vs unranked). Subway Time NYC's advantage is review sentiment (82% vs 53%) and device support (4 vs 2). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Subway Time NYC sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. MTA TrainTime asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for MTA TrainTime against 4.8 for Subway Time NYC. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: MTA TrainTime has 211K ratings behind it against 14K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 53% of MTA TrainTime's written reviews are positive against 82% of Subway Time NYC's.

MTA TrainTime ships an update weekly, Subway Time NYC every 5 days. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | MTA TrainTime | Subway Time NYC |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (211K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mta-traintime/id1104885987/reviews)** | [4.8 (14K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/subway-time-nyc/id1437971697/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **211K** | 14K |
| Positive reviews | 52.7% of reviews | **82.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Weekly | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#15** | — |
| Size | 129 MB | 56 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Metropolitan Transportation Authority](https://appshunter.io/developer/528916105) | [Rohan Mehta](https://appshunter.io/developer/1437971696) |

## What reviewers say

### MTA TrainTime

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mta-traintime/id1104885987)

**Currently charting:** #15 Top Free · Navigation (US App Store)

This app allows railroad customers to buy and use tickets, plan journeys, and track trains in real-time. It offers features like split payments, multi-station trip planning, and real-time GPS tracking for a seamless travel experience.

**Highlights:** Buy and use railroad tickets, Plan trips with departure times, Real-time GPS train tracking, View train car layouts and crowding, Split ticket payments, Share trip details

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Efficient and easy to use
- 👍 Consolidated app with all features
- 🚅 Accurate real-time train tracking
- 💳 Seamless ticket purchasing
- 📆 Helpful calendar integration

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches
- 🕰️ Inconsistent train arrival/departure times
- 🔍 Difficult to find older tickets
- 🔀 Confusing ticket type selection

**Reported bugs**

- Ticket purchase failures
- Device blocked from purchasing tickets
- Incorrect track information displayed

**Requested features**

- Apple Watch support
- Ability to plan trips for future dates
- More detailed crowding/capacity information
- Improved search and filtering options


### Subway Time NYC

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/subway-time-nyc/id1437971697)

Get real-time subway and bus arrival information directly from the MTA feed. Features include home and lock screen widgets, service alerts, live tracking, and offline maps. Supports Apple Watch for convenient access.

**Highlights:** Real-time arrival times, Home & Lock Screen widgets, Favorites list, Service alerts, Live train/bus tracking, Offline maps, Apple Watch support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $2.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Focused and intuitive
- 🚀 Accurate train times
- 👍 Convenient features like favorites and subway map
- 🚀 Helpful widgets for home screen

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Widget not showing live feed
- 🐛 Inaccurate train times in some cases

**Reported bugs**

- Train times not updating after a few minutes
- 7 train times not showing

**Requested features**

- Add express station indicators
- Show connecting train lines at major stations


## Frequently asked questions

### Is MTA TrainTime free?

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

### Is Subway Time NYC free?

Subway Time NYC is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, MTA TrainTime or Subway Time NYC?

MTA TrainTime is rated higher. MTA TrainTime averages 4.9 out of 5 from 211K ratings, while Subway Time NYC averages 4.8 from 14K ratings.

### Do MTA TrainTime or Subway Time NYC have ads?

Neither MTA TrainTime nor Subway Time NYC shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, MTA TrainTime or Subway Time NYC?

MTA TrainTime ships an update weekly, and Subway Time NYC every 5 days. Most recently, MTA TrainTime was updated on September 24, 2026 and Subway Time NYC on September 24, 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.*