Comparison

NYC Ferry vs Evening Shuttle

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

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • Paperless ticketing
  • Live scheduling
  • Real-time updates
  • End-to-end trip planner
  • Push notifications
  • 30-day Unlimited Pass
Features
Read full description

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!

About

Evening Shuttle

This app offers on-demand rides for safe nighttime travel, acting as an alternative to walking alone. It connects you with other passengers heading in the same direction, making your journey efficient and cost-effective.

Highlights
  • Book on-demand rides
  • Get pickup instructions
  • Track your vehicle
  • Share rides with friends
  • Save money on travel
Features
Read full description

Evening Shuttle is a service that provides on-demand transportation as an alternative to walking alone at night. Columbia Transportation has partnered with Public Safety and Via to bring Evening Shuttle to life. The new Evening Shuttle application makes booking rides through the app incredibly easy! With a few taps, you can book an on-demand ride and our technology will pair you with other people headed in your direction. This service is the same Evening Shuttle service that you know and love. By downloading this app, you will be able to: - Book an on-demand ride from your phone. - Get pickup instructions, track your vehicle, and get picked up within minutes. - You have the option to share this service with others! Bring your friends along, and we'll match your ride with other passengers heading in the same direction. - Save money! Evening Shuttle is free and it's the safest way to get home at night. If you have any questions, please reach out to our support center by emailing cushuttle@ridewithvia.com. If you are loving your experience so far, throw us a 5-star rating. You'll have our eternal gratitude!

Screenshots

NYC Ferry4 screens
Evening Shuttle4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: NYC Ferry at 59% against Evening Shuttle's 8%. NYC Ferry also leads on ratings volume (54K vs 496) and rating (4.9 vs 4.6). 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

NYC Ferry holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: NYC Ferry has 54K ratings behind it against 496, 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 8% of Evening Shuttle's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

NYC Ferry ships an update every 6 weeks, Evening Shuttle every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 18, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
NYC Ferry versus Evening Shuttle: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNYC FerryEvening Shuttle
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (54K ratings) — better4.6 (496 ratings)
Positive reviews58.8% of reviews — better8.3% of reviews
Number of ratings54K — better496
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeks — betterEvery 3 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS13.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size121 MB134 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperHornblower Cruises & EventsVia Transportation, Inc.

Customer experience

NYC Ferry

All ratings53,522 ratings
Positive99.3%
Neutral0.3%
Negative0.4%
Written reviews199 reviews
Positive58.8%
Neutral6.5%
Negative34.7%

Evening Shuttle

All ratings496 ratings
Positive89.5%
Neutral0.2%
Negative10.3%
Written reviews24 reviews
Positive8.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative91.7%

User reviews

NYC Ferry

From 54K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Efficient and convenient
  • 🚢 Great ferry experience
  • 👍 User-friendly app
  • 💰 Affordable transportation
  • 🌉 Beautiful views and scenery

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Crashes and glitches
  • ⏱️ Unreliable and late schedules
  • 💳 Payment issues and overcharging
  • 🗺️ Confusing navigation and trip planning
  • 🚫 Lack of customer support

Evening Shuttle

From 496 App Store ratings

What we love

  • ❤️ Reliable service when working properly
  • 👨‍✈️ Knowledgeable and professional drivers
  • 🚗 Convenient daily transportation option

Room to improve

  • 🐛 App crashes on startup
  • 🚫 Login system completely broken
  • ⏱️ Extremely long and unpredictable wait times
  • 📍 Drivers arriving at wrong locations
  • 🚗 Drivers canceling rides without explanation

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

Evening Shuttle

Reported bugs

9 issues
  • App crashes upon opening
  • Login authentication fails with UNI and 2FA
  • No login page for existing users after logout
  • Phone verification code format mismatch
  • Connection error messages
Show 4 more
  • Wait times increase unexpectedly after booking
  • ETA changes dramatically after ride confirmation
  • Driver location not updating during breaks
  • App technical issues after system transfer

Requested features

6 requests
  • Driver break time status indicator
  • Multiple passenger support
  • Improved ETA accuracy
  • Better login page for existing users
  • Real-time driver location updates
Show 1 more
  • Ride ordering for other Columbia students

In-app purchases

None

NYC Ferry

No in-app purchases

None

Evening Shuttle

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is NYC Ferry free?
NYC Ferry is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Evening Shuttle free?
Evening Shuttle is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, NYC Ferry or Evening Shuttle?
NYC Ferry is rated higher. NYC Ferry averages 4.9 out of 5 from 54K ratings, while Evening Shuttle averages 4.6 from 496 ratings.
Do NYC Ferry or Evening Shuttle have ads?
Neither NYC Ferry nor Evening Shuttle shows ads.
Which is updated more often, NYC Ferry or Evening Shuttle?
NYC Ferry ships an update every 6 weeks, and Evening Shuttle every 3 months. Most recently, NYC Ferry was updated on September 24, 2026 and Evening Shuttle on September 18, 2026.

Other comparisons