# Metro Transit vs Smart Ride App

The clearest difference is rating: Smart Ride App at 4.0 against Metro Transit's 1.6. Metro Transit's advantage is ratings volume (355 vs 4) and update cadence (every 3 months vs every 11 months). 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.

Smart Ride App holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 1.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Metro Transit has 355 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Metro Transit ships an update every 3 months, Smart Ride App every 11 months. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Metro Transit | Smart Ride App |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [1.6 (355 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/metro-transit/id1153451926/reviews) | **[4.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-ride-app/id1543955552/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **355** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 13.9% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 months** | Every 11 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 40 MB | 66 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Metropolitan Council](https://appshunter.io/developer/1153451925) | [SPX Technologies](https://appshunter.io/developer/456725430) |

## 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


### Smart Ride App

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-ride-app/id1543955552)

This app provides a convenient way to pay fares and plan trips for public transit. Users can purchase various passes, view real-time bus updates, and utilize a comprehensive trip planner. Favorite stops and recent trips can be saved for easier future planning.

**Highlights:** Cash-free fare payment, Purchase 31-Day Passes, Mobile ticketing, Real-time bus updates, Comprehensive trip planner, Favorite stops, Recent trip history

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Metro Transit free?

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

### Is Smart Ride App free?

Smart Ride App is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Metro Transit or Smart Ride App?

Smart Ride App is rated higher. Metro Transit averages 1.6 out of 5 from 355 ratings, while Smart Ride App averages 4.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do Metro Transit or Smart Ride App have ads?

Neither Metro Transit nor Smart Ride App shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Metro Transit or Smart Ride App?

Metro Transit ships an update every 3 months, and Smart Ride App every 11 months. Most recently, Metro Transit was updated on October 24, 2026 and Smart Ride App on October 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.*