# ParkChicago®Map vs MetraNow

The clearest difference is review sentiment: MetraNow at 100% against ParkChicago®Map's 8%. MetraNow also leads on rating (5.0 vs 2.1) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 7 months). ParkChicago®Map's advantage is ratings volume (121 vs 1) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

MetraNow holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 2.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ParkChicago®Map has 121 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 8% of ParkChicago®Map's written reviews are positive against 100% of MetraNow's.

ParkChicago®Map ships an update every 7 months, MetraNow every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ParkChicago®Map | MetraNow |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.1 (121 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/parkchicagomap/id1298072690/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/metranow/id6803327065/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **121** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 8.3% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 25 MB | 9 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Chicago Parking Meters, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1455227699) | [Dissident Design LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1806542819) |

## What reviewers say

### ParkChicago®Map

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/parkchicagomap/id1298072690)

Find affordable on-street parking in Chicago with an interactive map. View real-time availability, rates, and get directions to your chosen spot. This free service complements a payment app for a seamless parking experience.

**Highlights:** Interactive parking map, Search for parking spots, View parking availability, Get directions to parking, See parking rates and restrictions, Predictive availability feature

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Accurate meter locations and pricing (one user)
- 👍 Helpful for finding parking (two users)
- 👍 Can direct to payment app (one user)

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App crashes frequently
- 🐛 App does not open
- 🐛 Parking availability is inaccurate
- 🐛 Inaccurate meter locations
- 🐛 Zoom function doesn't work

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on opening
- App does not open
- Cannot change card on file
- Parking availability is inaccurate
- Meter locations are not accurate

**Requested features**

- Integrate into the main ParkChicago app
- Fix app crashing issues
- Improve parking availability accuracy
- Fix meter location accuracy
- Fix zoom functionality


### MetraNow

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/metranow/id6803327065)

Get instant, real-time departure information for Chicago Metra trains. Save your commute for quick access to countdowns and live delay alerts. Features include interactive line diagrams and offline schedule caching.

**Highlights:** Real-time departures with live delay alerts, Save and access commutes with one tap, Interactive line diagram with live train positions, Offline schedule caching, Full light and dark mode support, Supports all 11 Metra lines

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ParkChicago®Map free?

ParkChicago®Map is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is MetraNow free?

MetraNow is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, ParkChicago®Map or MetraNow?

MetraNow is rated higher. ParkChicago®Map averages 2.1 out of 5 from 121 ratings, while MetraNow averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do ParkChicago®Map or MetraNow have ads?

Neither ParkChicago®Map nor MetraNow shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ParkChicago®Map or MetraNow?

ParkChicago®Map ships an update every 7 months, and MetraNow every 2 weeks. Most recently, ParkChicago®Map was updated on November 3, 2026 and MetraNow on October 31, 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.*