# Universal Studios Hollywood™ vs TAP LA

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Universal Studios Hollywood™ at 54% against TAP LA's 12%. Universal Studios Hollywood™ also leads on rating (4.8 vs 1.9) and ratings volume (211K vs 851). TAP LA's advantage is iOS requirement (13 vs 17.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

Universal Studios Hollywood™ holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 1.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Universal Studios Hollywood™ has 211K ratings behind it against 851, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 54% of Universal Studios Hollywood™'s written reviews are positive against 12% of TAP LA's.

Universal Studios Hollywood™ ships an update monthly, TAP LA every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Universal Studios Hollywood™ | TAP LA |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (211K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universal-studios-hollywood/id1148662693/reviews)** | [1.9 (851 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tap-la/id1505839730/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **211K** | 851 |
| Positive reviews | **54.3% of reviews** | 11.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | **#57** | #205 |
| Size | 197 MB | 84 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **13** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPod** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [NBCUniversal Media, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/303544359) | [Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority](https://appshunter.io/developer/1353337562) |

## What reviewers say

### Universal Studios Hollywood™

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universal-studios-hollywood/id1148662693)

**Currently charting:** #57 Top Free · Travel (US App Store)

Plan your visit to a major theme park with this app. Access park maps, check wait times, join virtual queues, and order food ahead. Enhance your experience with interactive features and manage your tickets and reservations.

**Highlights:** Dynamic digital park map, Virtual Line Access, Mobile Food & Drink Ordering, Link tickets and payment, Dining reservations, Interactive play with Power-Up Band

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 🚀 Helpful wait time tracking
- 👍 Useful map and itinerary features
- 👍 Accurate ride and show information

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App crashes and glitches
- 🔍 Confusing navigation and layout
- 🚫 Inability to purchase tickets in-app
- 💰 Overpriced food and merchandise

**Reported bugs**

- Ticket purchase issues and delays
- Unreliable wait time alerts
- Inconsistent app performance

**Requested features**

- Link annual pass to app account
- Add GPS navigation within the park
- Improve mobile food ordering experience
- Provide more detailed park information


### TAP LA

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tap-la/id1505839730)

**Currently charting:** #205 Top Free · Travel (US App Store)

Pay for transit fares across Los Angeles with your mobile device. This app allows you to purchase passes, manage multiple cards, and use touchless payment on numerous bus and train systems. It also offers trip planning and access to multimodal programs.

**Highlights:** Touchless payment, Add TAP card to iPhone/Apple Watch, Purchase transit passes, Manage multiple TAP cards, Add TAP card to Apple Wallet, Trip planning tools, Reduced fare support

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- ✨ Convenient digital tap card
- 💳 Ability to load funds
- 🗺️ Trip planning functionality

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App crashes and glitches
- 💰 Charges money without adding funds
- ⏱️ Slow load times and processing
- 🤷‍♀️ Confusing user experience
- 🚫 Doesn't work for tourists/visitors

**Reported bugs**

- Card registration and activation issues
- Disappearing funds and balances
- Inconsistent app performance

**Requested features**

- Allow multiple devices for one account
- Improve reliability of fund loading
- Provide more transparent transaction history
- Integrate with more payment methods


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Universal Studios Hollywood™ free?

Universal Studios Hollywood™ is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is TAP LA free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Universal Studios Hollywood™ or TAP LA?

Universal Studios Hollywood™ is rated higher. Universal Studios Hollywood™ averages 4.8 out of 5 from 211K ratings, while TAP LA averages 1.9 from 851 ratings.

### Do Universal Studios Hollywood™ or TAP LA have ads?

Neither Universal Studios Hollywood™ nor TAP LA shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Universal Studios Hollywood™ or TAP LA?

Universal Studios Hollywood™ ships an update monthly, and TAP LA every 5 months. Most recently, Universal Studios Hollywood™ was updated on October 31, 2026 and TAP LA on October 29, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Universal Studios Hollywood™ or TAP LA?

Universal Studios Hollywood™ currently peaks at #57 in the App Store charts, and TAP LA at #205. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*