Bluebikes vs MBTA Go
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Bluebikes
This app provides access to a public bike share system in Metro-Boston. Users can find nearby stations, check bike and dock availability in real-time, purchase passes, and unlock bikes for convenient, one-way travel. It's ideal for commutes, errands, and exploring the city.
- Find nearby stations
- Real-time bike/dock availability
- Purchase passes
- Unlock bikes
- Track ride time
- Save favorite stations
Read full descriptionHide full description
Bluebikes is metro-Boston’s public bike share system. With thousands of bikes available 24/7 at hundreds of stations throughout Metro-Boston, Bluebikes is one of the most popular bike shares in the country. Use the app to find your closest station and purchase a pass. Then unlock one of Bluebikes' safe, sturdy, easy to ride bikes, and get riding right away. When you’re done riding, simply return the bike to an available dock at any station in the network. The app will show you all station locations, with real-time bike and dock availability, and you can save your favorites for later reference. Tap a station pin or location and the app will show you the best route to get there. Ideal for one-way trips, commutes to work or school, running errands, meeting friends for dinner, going to a game, or just cruising around metro-Boston to see the sights. All trips under 45 minutes are included for members (the app will track your time for you). Take as many rides as you want during the term of your pass. Enjoy the ride!
MBTA Go
Get real-time public transit information for the Greater Boston area. Track buses, trains, and ferries live on a map, receive personalized disruption notifications, and stay updated on route closures.
- Live arrival times
- Vehicle tracking on map
- Personalized disruption notifications
- Route closure alerts
- Accessibility features (VoiceOver, Switch Control)
Read full descriptionHide full description
MBTA Go is the official app for live, public transit information in the Greater Boston area. Check live arrival times, track your vehicle, and learn about the latest closures. App features: • Check live arrival times: Get the latest estimates of when your bus or train will get to you. • Track your vehicle: Follow your bus, train, and ferry live on the map. • Get notified before your trip: Get personalized disruption notifications when you need them. • Learn about the latest closures: Find out if your there is a closure on your route with clear alerts and maps. We want to make MBTA Go accessible to all riders who have a smartphone. The app supports language translations and the following mobile accessibility features: • VoiceOver for riders who are blind or have low-vision • Switch and Voice Control for riders with mobility impairments If you have questions about MBTA Go, email us at apphelp@mbta.com.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Bluebikes at 4.5 against MBTA Go's 4.1. Bluebikes also leads on ratings volume (3K vs 152) and update cadence (weekly vs fortnightly). MBTA Go's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and review sentiment (62% vs 38%). On price, ads, in-app purchases and chart position 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.
Bluebikes holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Bluebikes has 3K ratings behind it against 152, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 38% of Bluebikes's written reviews are positive against 62% of MBTA Go's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Bluebikes ships an update weekly, MBTA Go fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Bluebikes | MBTA Go |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.5 (3K ratings) — better | 4.1 (152 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 37.6% of reviews | 62.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 3K — better | 152 |
| Update frequency | Weekly — better | Fortnightly |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Best chart rank | #59 | #34 — better |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 16.4 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 251 MB | 80 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Lyft Bikes and Scooters, LLC | MBTA |
Customer experience
Bluebikes
MBTA Go
User reviews
Bluebikes
From 3K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Convenient bike sharing service
- 🚲 Bikes in good condition
- 💡 Helpful app features (route planning, bike/dock availability)
Room to improve
- 🐛 Unreliable docking stations and bikes
- 🤯 Confusing and misleading pricing
- 🔍 Lack of transparency in app and customer service
- 🤖 Poor customer service and responsiveness
- 🤔 Buggy and glitchy app
MBTA Go
From 152 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Reliable real-time information
- 👍 Intuitive and clean user interface
- 🚀 Accurate bus and train tracking
Room to improve
- 🐛 Inconsistent data accuracy
- 🔓 Lack of mobile payment options
- 🔍 Missing trip planning features
Bugs and requests
Bluebikes
Reported bugs
5 issues- Inability to log in or create account
- Incorrect bike and dock availability information
- Unreliable bike locking and unlocking
- Unexpected charges and billing issues
- App crashes and freezes
Requested features
5 requests- Improved bike and dock availability tracking
- Better route planning and navigation
- Integration with Apple Health/Fitness apps
- Ability to report issues with bikes and docks
- More user-friendly app interface
MBTA Go
Reported bugs
2 issues- App crashes or fails to load at times
- Discrepancies between app data and actual transit times
Requested features
3 requests- Integrate with bike-sharing services
- Add ability to purchase tickets/passes through the app
- Improve trip planning functionality
In-app purchases
Bluebikes
No in-app purchases
MBTA Go
No in-app purchases
