NYC Ferry vs TopView Sightseeing
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
NYC Ferry
This app offers a comfortable and enjoyable way to commute and explore New York City. It provides paperless ticketing, live scheduling with real-time updates, and a trip planner to discover new routes. Receive personalized notifications and consider an unlimited pass for frequent travel.
- Paperless ticketing
- Live scheduling
- Real-time updates
- End-to-end trip planner
- Push notifications
- 30-day Unlimited Pass
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Commuting made comfortable with NYC Ferry. Come see just how easy (and enjoyable) your journey can be. Here are 5 great things you can expect from the NYC Ferry app: Help NYC “go green” with paperless ticketing! Buy and use tickets directly from your phone. Take the stress out of your commute with live scheduling and real-time updates. Get ready for an adventure! Explore NYC with our end-to-end trip planner. Stay ahead of the game with push notifications for the routes that matter to YOU. Love to ride? Take advantage of our 30-day Unlimited Pass! Available in-app only. NYC Ferry (operated by Hornblower) proudly serves New Yorkers in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and The Bronx along the East River. Our state-of-the-art vessels offer you a better commuting experience—all for the same price as a subway ride!
TopView Sightseeing
Redeem tickets, access a fleet of double-decker buses stopping at major NYC attractions, and check live bus arrival status. Explore the city at your own pace with convenient sightseeing.
- Ticket redemption
- Double-decker bus access
- Major NYC attraction stops
- Live bus arrival status
- Reservation making
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Our app lets you redeem your TopView® tickets, access our large fleet of double decker buses which stop at major NYC attractions, check live bus arrival status, and make reservations. At TopView®, our mission is to provide the best sightseeing activities and help create the most unforgettable experience for NYC visitors. We strive to make it convenient for customers to explore the city at their own pace.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: NYC Ferry at 59% against TopView Sightseeing's 10%. NYC Ferry also leads on rating (4.9 vs 1.4) and ratings volume (54K vs 29). TopView Sightseeing's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 6 weeks). On price, ads and in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
NYC Ferry holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 1.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: NYC Ferry has 54K ratings behind it against 29, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 59% of NYC Ferry's written reviews are positive against 10% of TopView Sightseeing's.
NYC Ferry ships an update every 6 weeks, TopView Sightseeing every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on September 25, 2026.
| Parameter | NYC Ferry | TopView Sightseeing |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.9 (54K ratings) — better | 1.4 (29 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 58.8% of reviews — better | 10.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 54K — better | 29 |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | Every 2 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 16.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 121 MB | 24 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Hornblower Cruises & Events | TopView Sightseeing |
Customer experience
NYC Ferry
TopView Sightseeing
Bugs and requests
NYC Ferry
Reported bugs
5 issues- App freezing and crashing
- Inaccurate schedules and route information
- Payment processing errors
- Compatibility issues with newer devices
- Login and account management problems
Requested features
5 requests- Improved trip planning and route optimization
- Real-time service updates and delay notifications
- Ability to change account information
- More ferry routes and increased frequency
- Better integration with other transportation apps
TopView Sightseeing
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
NYC Ferry
No in-app purchases
TopView Sightseeing
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is NYC Ferry free?
Is TopView Sightseeing free?
Which has better reviews, NYC Ferry or TopView Sightseeing?
Do NYC Ferry or TopView Sightseeing have ads?
Which is updated more often, NYC Ferry or TopView Sightseeing?
Other comparisons
