# Metro Transit vs Jefferson Lines

The clearest difference is ads: Metro Transit at none against Jefferson Lines's shown. Metro Transit also leads on update cadence (every 3 months vs every 10 months) and ratings volume (355 vs 30). Jefferson Lines's advantage is rating (1.9 vs 1.6). On price, review sentiment, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

Jefferson Lines holds the better App Store score, 1.9 against 1.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Metro Transit has 355 ratings behind it against 30, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 14% of Metro Transit's written reviews are positive against 9% of Jefferson Lines's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Metro Transit ships an update every 3 months, Jefferson Lines every 10 months. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Metro Transit | Jefferson Lines |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [1.6 (355 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/metro-transit/id1153451926/reviews) | **[1.9 (30 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/jefferson-lines/id1483043022/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **355** | 30 |
| Positive reviews | **13.9% of reviews** | 9.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 months** | Every 10 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Ad-supported |
| Size | 40 MB | 36 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Metropolitan Council](https://appshunter.io/developer/1153451925) | [Jefferson Partners L.P.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1483043021) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### Jefferson Lines

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/jefferson-lines/id1483043022)

Purchase bus tickets, locate stops, and receive travel alerts directly from your phone. This app offers contactless travel tools to enhance your journey without unnecessary interaction.

**Highlights:** Contactless ticket purchasing, Locate nearby bus stops, Monitor travel alerts, Track your bus in real-time, Innovative travel tools

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Metro Transit free?

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

### Is Jefferson Lines free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Metro Transit or Jefferson Lines?

Jefferson Lines is rated higher. Metro Transit averages 1.6 out of 5 from 355 ratings, while Jefferson Lines averages 1.9 from 30 ratings.

### Do Metro Transit or Jefferson Lines have ads?

Jefferson Lines shows ads; Metro Transit does not.

### Which is updated more often, Metro Transit or Jefferson Lines?

Metro Transit ships an update every 3 months, and Jefferson Lines every 10 months. Most recently, Metro Transit was updated on November 2, 2026 and Jefferson Lines on November 3, 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.*