Comparison

Next Caltrain vs Caltrain+

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Next Caltrain

Get real-time Caltrain arrival predictions for your favorite stations. Quickly view upcoming trains with a widget and explore train destinations with a simple touch. This app provides essential commuter information for the San Francisco Bay Area.

Highlights
  • Real-time arrival predictions
  • Favorite station selection
  • Train destination lookup
  • Home screen widget
  • Supports iPhone and iPad
Features
Read full description

Always know when the next Caltrain is coming! • Add your favorite stations and see the next 3 predicted arrivals at that station • Force touch on a train to see where it's going • Use the widget to get a quick peek at the coming trains without opening the app Caltrain© is a California commuter rail line that operates between San Francisco and Santa Clara Valley This application is not affiliated with or sponsored by Caltrain© commuter rail

About

Caltrain+

Plan your Caltrain trips with ease. Get real-time schedules, find the fastest routes, and view service alerts. Perfect for commuters and occasional riders needing to navigate the Caltrain system efficiently.

Highlights
  • Trip planning by departure and arrival station
  • View full timetables
  • Access service alerts
  • System map integration
  • Filter by 'arrive by' time
  • View scheduled stops for each train
Features
Read full description

Caltrain+ is a Caltrain schedule and trip planning app that lets you quickly and easily figure out which train to take to get you from Station A to Station B. Additionally you can view full timetables, service alerts, and a system map all from within the app. To use Caltrain+, simply select the station you want to depart from, the station you want to arrive at, and the timetable (Weekday or Weekend), and Caltrain+ will show you a complete list of every matching train you could take along with its number, service type (i.e. Local, Limited, Express, or South County Connector), departure and arrival time, and trip duration. Optionally specify an “arrive by” time to filter the list of trains to only include those which will get you to your destination station before the specified time. You can also view the full list of scheduled stops for a particular train just by tapping on it. Transit data provided by 511.org. Icon made by Freepik from www.flaticon.com.

Screenshots

Next Caltrain1 screens
Caltrain+4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Caltrain+ at 4.8 against Next Caltrain's 3.0. Caltrain+ also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 7 months) and ratings volume (2.4K vs 2). Next Caltrain's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (11.1 vs 16.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Caltrain+ holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Caltrain+ has 2.4K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Next Caltrain ships an update every 7 months, Caltrain+ every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Next Caltrain versus Caltrain+: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNext CaltrainCaltrain+
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.0 (2 ratings)4.8 (2.4K ratings) — better
Positive reviews—85.7% of reviews
Number of ratings22.4K — better
Update frequencyEvery 7 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS11.1 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size10 MB16 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAndrew FangJonathan Sahoo

Customer experience

Next Caltrain

All ratings2 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

Caltrain+

All ratings2,344 ratings
Positive96.3%
Neutral1.4%
Negative2.3%
Written reviews35 reviews
Positive85.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative14.3%

Bugs and requests

Next Caltrain

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Caltrain+

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • App doesn't open
  • Unable to process payments

Requested features

3 requests
  • Expand service to Gilroy
  • Post more info on the app like ticketing and upcoming changes
  • Add dark mode

In-app purchases

None

Next Caltrain

No in-app purchases

None

Caltrain+

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Next Caltrain free?
Next Caltrain is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Caltrain+ free?
Caltrain+ is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Next Caltrain or Caltrain+?
Caltrain+ is rated higher. Next Caltrain averages 3.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Caltrain+ averages 4.8 from 2.4K ratings.
Do Next Caltrain or Caltrain+ have ads?
Neither Next Caltrain nor Caltrain+ shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Next Caltrain or Caltrain+?
Next Caltrain ships an update every 7 months, and Caltrain+ every 3 weeks. Most recently, Next Caltrain was updated on October 29, 2026 and Caltrain+ on November 3, 2026.

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