Comparison

Empire Express vs High Valley Transit

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

Head to head
About

Empire Express

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
Read full description

Empire Express is an on-demand ride service for Empire Pass owners and their guests. Download the app and request a ride today! PLEASE NOTE: This ride service is for Empire Pass owners and their guests only. All others will be considered to be trespassing.

About

High Valley Transit

Plan your journeys and book on-demand rides with this public transit app. Get real-time bus schedules, track your vehicle, and find the most efficient routes. All rides are completely free.

Highlights
  • Book on-demand rides
  • Check bus schedules
  • Track vehicle location
  • Plan multi-leg journeys
  • Find efficient routes
  • Wheelchair accessible vehicles
Features
Read full description

Welcome to High Valley Transit, the Wasatch Back’s newest public transit provider. The High Valley Transit app makes it easier than ever to move around Summit County — with a few taps, you can book on-demand rides, check bus schedules, track your vehicle on its way to you, and plan multi-leg journeys. Plus, it’s all totally free! How does the High Valley Transit app work? The High Valley Transit app is both an on-demand rideshare service and general trip planning and mobility app. Input your address and we’ll give you the most efficient way to get there, whether that means matching you with a vehicle going your way or pointing you to the closest bus stop. Using the High Valley Transit app you can: BOOK AN ON-DEMAND RIDE. Our tech matches people headed in the same direction. This means you’re getting the convenience and comfort of a private ride with the efficiency, speed, and affordability of a public one. CHECK BUS ROUTES AND SCHEDULES. Our app has the most up to date information on bus routes and schedules, as well as a dynamic interface of stop points throughout the zone. TRACK YOUR RIDE ON ITS WAY TO YOU. Once you have booked a trip, you can track the location of the van in the app until it arrives at your indicated pickup point. High Valley Transit is focused on accessibility. Cost should be no barrier to access, so all rides are 100% free. In addition, High Valley Transit operates wheelchair accessible vehicles and a complementary ADA service. To learn more about free ADA services (formerly the Park City Mobility Bus), visit highvalleytransit.org. Questions? Head to highvalleytransit.org or reach out at highvalleytransit@ridewithvia.com. Loving your experience so far? Give us a 5-star rating.

Screenshots

Empire Express3 screens
High Valley Transit4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: High Valley Transit at every 2 weeks against Empire Express's every 22 months. High Valley Transit also leads on ratings volume (1.2K vs 41). Empire Express's advantage is iOS requirement (13.4 vs 15.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads 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

High Valley Transit holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: High Valley Transit has 1.2K ratings behind it against 41, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 33% of Empire Express's written reviews are positive against 37% of High Valley Transit's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Empire Express ships an update every 22 months, High Valley Transit every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Empire Express versus High Valley Transit: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterEmpire ExpressHigh Valley Transit
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (41 ratings)4.7 (1.2K ratings) — better
Positive reviews33.3% of reviews36.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings411.2K — better
Update frequencyEvery 22 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS13.4 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size41 MB131 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDowntowner App, Inc.Via Transportation, Inc.

Customer experience

Empire Express

All ratings39 ratings
Positive87.2%
Neutral7.7%
Negative5.1%
Written reviews6 reviews
Positive33.3%
Neutral16.7%
Negative50.0%

High Valley Transit

All ratings1,210 ratings
Positive92.9%
Neutral1.4%
Negative5.7%
Written reviews49 reviews
Positive36.7%
Neutral10.2%
Negative53.1%

Bugs and requests

Empire Express

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

High Valley Transit

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • App issues causing missed rides
  • Incorrect route and schedule information
  • Continuous loop between app and website

Requested features

4 requests
  • Improve app user experience and reliability
  • Expand service area and routes
  • Add more vehicles and drivers to meet demand
  • Improve winter operations and snow tires

In-app purchases

None

Empire Express

No in-app purchases

None

High Valley Transit

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Empire Express free?
Empire Express is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is High Valley Transit free?
High Valley Transit is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Empire Express or High Valley Transit?
High Valley Transit is rated higher. Empire Express averages 4.5 out of 5 from 41 ratings, while High Valley Transit averages 4.7 from 1.2K ratings.
Do Empire Express or High Valley Transit have ads?
Neither Empire Express nor High Valley Transit shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Empire Express or High Valley Transit?
Empire Express ships an update every 22 months, and High Valley Transit every 2 weeks. Most recently, Empire Express was updated on October 24, 2026 and High Valley Transit on October 24, 2026.

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