# onTime vs Busly

The clearest difference is rating: Busly at 4.5 against onTime's 3.9. Busly also leads on ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). onTime's advantage is review sentiment (53% vs 43%) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. onTime sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $4.99 per year and Busly sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Busly holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Busly has 566 ratings behind it against 52, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 53% of onTime's written reviews are positive against 43% of Busly's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

onTime ships an update every 2 months, Busly fortnightly. Both last shipped on November 6, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | onTime | Busly |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.9 (52 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ontime-bart-muni-caltrain/id1254454311/reviews) | **[4.5 (566 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/busly/id1435737758/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 52 | **566** |
| Positive reviews | **52.9% of reviews** | 42.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 130 MB | 29 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Mobileware Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/327006121) | [Alex Perez](https://appshunter.io/developer/362919234) |

## What reviewers say

### onTime

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ontime-bart-muni-caltrain/id1254454311)

Get real-time transit information for BART, Muni, and Caltrain. View schedules, countdowns to the next train, and receive important service alerts. Go paperless and stay informed about your commute.

**Highlights:** Real-time train and bus countdowns, Commuter notification service, Automatic schedule updates, Online and offline schedule access, Paperless trip planning, Integrated transit maps

**Features:** Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium | $4.99 | per year |


### Busly

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/busly/id1435737758)

This app provides real-time transit information for buses and trains in major U.S. cities. View live vehicle locations, arrival times, and detailed route information on an interactive map. Save favorite routes and stops for quick access.

**Highlights:** Live map with vehicle locations, Real-time arrival times, Detailed vehicle information, Favorite routes and stops, Nearby stops, Fare information, Light and dark themes

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Busly Pro Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| Busly Pro Annual | $9.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Accurate GPS
- 👍 Real-time arrival accuracy
- 👍 Efficient and simple GUI
- 👍 Valuable for MUNI supervisors
- 👍 Good for Atlanta transit

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inaccurate arrival times
- 🐛 App crashes frequently
- 🐛 Routes not showing up
- 🐛 App cuts off unexpectedly
- 🐛 App is unstable

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes
- Routes do not show up
- App cuts off
- App is unstable
- Long calibration times

**Requested features**

- Show bus numbers
- Show run numbers
- Color-code different bus lines on map
- Display bus number instead of line name when clicking a stop
- Improve refresh rate (currently 5 minutes)


## Frequently asked questions

### Is onTime free?

onTime is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Busly free?

Busly is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, onTime or Busly?

Busly is rated higher. onTime averages 3.9 out of 5 from 52 ratings, while Busly averages 4.5 from 566 ratings.

### Do onTime or Busly have ads?

onTime shows ads; Busly does not.

### Which is updated more often, onTime or Busly?

onTime ships an update every 2 months, and Busly fortnightly. Most recently, onTime was updated on November 6, 2026 and Busly on November 6, 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.*