# Empire Express vs Mountaineer

Empire Express and Mountaineer both sit at 4.5 stars, but that hides the real split: 67% of Mountaineer's written reviews are positive against 33% of Empire Express's. Mountaineer also leads on ratings volume (123 vs 41). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for Empire Express against 4.6 for Mountaineer. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 41 and 123 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 33% of Empire Express's written reviews are positive against 67% of Mountaineer's.

Empire Express ships an update every 22 months, Mountaineer every 13 months. Both last shipped on November 2, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Empire Express | Mountaineer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (41 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/empire-express/id1322527679/reviews) | **[4.6 (123 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mountaineer/id1442735883/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 41 | **123** |
| Positive reviews | 33.3% of reviews | **66.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 22 months | **Every 13 months** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 41 MB | 39 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.4 | 13.4 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Downtowner App, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/935767678) | [Downtowner App, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/935767678) |

## What reviewers say

### Empire Express

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/empire-express/id1322527679)

This app provides on-demand rides for authorized users and their guests. It is exclusively for Empire Pass owners, ensuring a secure and convenient transportation service. Request a ride easily through the application.

**Highlights:** On-demand ride requests, Guest ride access, Exclusive service for Empire Pass owners, Secure transportation

**In-app purchases:** none


### Mountaineer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mountaineer/id1442735883)

Request free, on-demand rides within Olympic Valley and Alpine Meadows. See estimated wait times, track your driver's progress, and monitor specific express routes.

**Highlights:** On-demand ride requests, Estimated wait times, Real-time driver tracking, Route tracking, Complimentary service

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Empire Express free?

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

### Is Mountaineer free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Empire Express or Mountaineer?

Mountaineer is rated higher. Empire Express averages 4.5 out of 5 from 41 ratings, while Mountaineer averages 4.6 from 123 ratings.

### Do Empire Express or Mountaineer have ads?

Neither Empire Express nor Mountaineer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Empire Express or Mountaineer?

Empire Express ships an update every 22 months, and Mountaineer every 13 months. Most recently, Empire Express was updated on November 2, 2026 and Mountaineer on November 2, 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.*