Comparison

SMART eTickets vs LumaGo

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

Head to head
About

SMART eTickets

Purchase and use train tickets instantly on your phone with a debit or credit card. Register securely and buy single or round-trip tickets, with discounts for eligible passengers. Store, activate, and display tickets for easy travel.

Highlights
  • Instant ticket purchase
  • Debit/credit card payment
  • Discounted fares for youth, seniors, and disabled
  • Group ticket payment
  • Store multiple tickets
  • Activate tickets before boarding
  • Transfer tickets to new devices
Features
Read full description

The Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) eTickets app allows you to purchase and use tickets instantly on your phone using a debit or credit card. Simply download the free app, register your e-mail address in our secure system and you're ready to ride. With the SMART Train Mobile Tickets app, you can: · Purchase one-way or round-trip tickets · Receive a discounted fare if you qualify as: Youth (5 -18), Senior (65 & Older) or a passenger with disabilities · Pay a single fare or multiple fares for a group of riders · Store multiple tickets on your phone for future use · Activate tickets · Register your debit/credit card in our secure system IMPORTANT REMINDERS: · You need an account to use mobile tickets. An account only requires an email & password · Once you purchase your ticket it will appear in your "ticket wallet" · Activate your ticket shortly before boarding the SMART Train · If you purchased multiple tickets remember to activate all of them. Tickets are displayed in order of activation. Swipe to advance to the next ticket · Be prepared to show your active ticket(s) to SMART personnel · Keep an eye on your battery level. You are held responsible for having a mobile phone in good working order and usable prior to boarding. If your mobile phone is inoperable you must use some other payment method for the journey · Mobile tickets do not need cell phone or WiFi services to be activated. However, you do need connectivity during the purchase of the ticket. · Mobile tickets are valid for 90 minutes after activation · Mobile tickets that have been purchased, but not activated, will expire after 30 days · Transfer credits are not available via the SMART mobile ticket app · If you lose or purchase a new device you can transfer any valid, unused tickets to a new device. SMART POLICY ON REFUNDS: · Generally, SMART does not issue refunds on mobile products · In the case of extenuating circumstances, customers can submit a refund request · Refund form can be found on: www.SonomaMarinTrain.org

About

LumaGo

This app provides on-demand, shared transit services within Downtown Petaluma. Book rides easily with a few taps, and enjoy efficient, reliable transportation. It complements existing transit options for greater flexibility.

Highlights
  • On-demand ride booking
  • Smart route calculation
  • Real-time ride tracking
  • Shared ride efficiency
  • ADA accessible vehicles
  • Bicycle racks
Features
Read full description

Getting around Downtown Petaluma has never been easier! LumaGo is the newest addition to Petaluma Transit’s services, offering safe, reliable, and affordable on-demand transportation at your fingertips. Whether you're heading to work, grabbing groceries, or exploring the local scene, LumaGo makes your journey simple. With just a few taps, you can book a ride, and our smart technology will calculate the fastest, most efficient route to get you from your pick-up location to your destination. LumaGo is designed to complement Petaluma Transit’s fixed-route and paratransit services, giving you even more flexibility and convenience. Experience the future of transit in Petaluma—download, book, and ride with LumaGo today! HOW IT WORKS: - Book a ride by setting your pickup and dropoff addresses, and indicating if you’re riding with any additional passengers. - You’ll receive an estimated time of arrival when booking your trip. This will automatically update as your vehicle makes its way to you. - When your driver arrives, please promptly board the vehicle. - There may be other passengers on board, and your trip might include a few additional stops along the way! SHARING YOUR TRIP: Our algorithm matches riders headed in the same direction. This means you get the convenience of a private ride with the efficiency and reliability of a shared one. RELIABLE: Track your ride as the driver approaches your location and while you're on the vehicle. ACCESSIBLE: Our vehicles are ADA accessible and equipped with a wheelchair lift, ensuring that everyone in our community can ride with ease. Plus, our vehicles have bicycle racks, so you can bring your bike along for the ride. Questions? Reach out at LumaGo@cityofpetaluma.org or call 877-778-LUMA Loving your experience so far? Give us a 5-star rating!

Screenshots

SMART eTickets4 screens
LumaGo4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: LumaGo at 4.4 against SMART eTickets's 3.1. LumaGo also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 4 months) and review sentiment (40% vs 22%). SMART eTickets's advantage is monetization model (free vs ad-supported). On price, ratings volume, 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

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

LumaGo holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 36 and 14 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 22% of SMART eTickets's written reviews are positive against 40% of LumaGo's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SMART eTickets ships an update every 4 months, LumaGo monthly. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
SMART eTickets versus LumaGo: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSMART eTicketsLumaGo
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.1 (36 ratings)4.4 (14 ratings) — better
Positive reviews22.2% of reviews40.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings36 — better14
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsMonthly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterAd-supported
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS14.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size71 MB134 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSonoma-Marin Area Rail TransitVia Transportation, Inc.

Customer experience

SMART eTickets

All ratings31 ratings
Positive48.4%
Neutral16.1%
Negative35.5%
Written reviews9 reviews
Positive22.2%
Neutral22.2%
Negative55.6%

LumaGo

All ratings14 ratings
Positive85.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative14.3%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive40.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative60.0%

In-app purchases

None

SMART eTickets

No in-app purchases

None

LumaGo

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is SMART eTickets free?
SMART eTickets is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is LumaGo free?
LumaGo is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, SMART eTickets or LumaGo?
LumaGo is rated higher. SMART eTickets averages 3.1 out of 5 from 36 ratings, while LumaGo averages 4.4 from 14 ratings.
Do SMART eTickets or LumaGo have ads?
Neither SMART eTickets nor LumaGo shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SMART eTickets or LumaGo?
SMART eTickets ships an update every 4 months, and LumaGo monthly. Most recently, SMART eTickets was updated on October 24, 2026 and LumaGo on October 24, 2026.

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