# UIUC Bus vs PennTransit Mobile

The clearest difference is rating: PennTransit Mobile at 4.8 against UIUC Bus's 4.2. PennTransit Mobile also leads on ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). UIUC Bus's advantage is update cadence (every 10 days vs every 8 months). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

PennTransit Mobile holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.3K and 760 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 28% of UIUC Bus's written reviews are positive against 25% of PennTransit Mobile's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UIUC Bus ships an update every 10 days, PennTransit Mobile every 8 months. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | UIUC Bus | PennTransit Mobile |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.2 (1.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/uiuc-bus/id1354079485/reviews) | **[4.8 (760 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/penntransit-mobile/id1642974291/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.3K** | 760 |
| Positive reviews | **28.4% of reviews** | 25.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 10 days** | Every 8 months |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | **Free** |
| Size | 18 MB | 55 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Rishi Masand](https://appshunter.io/developer/1221914865) | [University of Pennsylvania](https://appshunter.io/developer/437910363) |

## What reviewers say

### UIUC Bus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/uiuc-bus/id1354079485)

This app provides real-time transit information for the Champaign-Urbana area, including live bus locations, departure times, and route details. It helps users navigate campus and the city efficiently by offering up-to-date information beyond scheduled times.

**Highlights:** Real-time bus departure times, Live bus location tracking, Nearby bus stop identification, Bus route information, Map of all CUMTD stops, Favorite stop selection

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Accurate bus information
- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
- ✨ Great design and organization

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🔄 Lack of refresh functionality
- 🗺️ Inaccurate location tracking and bus routes
- 💔 Removal of key features in latest update

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when selecting bus stops
- Incorrect bus arrival times
- Disappearing bus icons and routes

**Requested features**

- Bring back manual refresh option
- Show bus stops on map
- Display user location on map
- Restore favorited stops


### PennTransit Mobile

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/penntransit-mobile/id1642974291)

Navigate campus and surrounding areas with real-time transit information. Plan trips, view schedules, and track shuttles for easy travel to, from, and around campus.

**Highlights:** Advanced Trip Planner, Real-time Vehicle Locations, Accurate Arrival Times, Schedule & Route Review, Intelligent Notifications, On-Demand Shuttle Tracking

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple to schedule rides
- 💡 Ability to favorite routes

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Notification issues
- 🐛 Inconsistent bus arrival times
- 🐛 Inefficient routing algorithm
- 🐛 Drivers not knowing routes

**Reported bugs**

- App not working properly
- Frequent route changes causing longer trips

**Requested features**

- Add notifications when buses arrive
- Provide more transparent bus schedules
- Improve security by calling users who don't show up


## Frequently asked questions

### Is UIUC Bus free?

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

### Is PennTransit Mobile free?

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

### Which has better reviews, UIUC Bus or PennTransit Mobile?

PennTransit Mobile is rated higher. UIUC Bus averages 4.2 out of 5 from 1.3K ratings, while PennTransit Mobile averages 4.8 from 760 ratings.

### Do UIUC Bus or PennTransit Mobile have ads?

UIUC Bus shows ads; PennTransit Mobile does not.

### Which is updated more often, UIUC Bus or PennTransit Mobile?

UIUC Bus ships an update every 10 days, and PennTransit Mobile every 8 months. Most recently, UIUC Bus was updated on September 21, 2026 and PennTransit Mobile on September 20, 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.*