Comparison

LA Bus vs LAnow

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

Head to head
About

LA Bus

Get real-time arrival information for LADOT DASH and Commuter Express buses. Plan your trips, save favorite stops, and receive timely alerts for your bus routes.

Highlights
  • Real-time bus arrival information
  • LADOT DASH and Commuter Express support
  • Favorite stop marking
  • Trip planning
  • Arrival alerts and reminders
Features
Read full description

LA Bus provides real-time arrival information for LADOT DASH and Commuter Express. Use the app to mark favorite stops, set reminders, get alerts, and plan your trip.

About

LAnow

This app offers on-demand shared rides within West Los Angeles, connecting you to destinations not served by traditional bus routes. Book a ride via the app or phone, and be picked up or dropped off within a quarter mile of your desired location.

Highlights
  • On-demand shared rides
  • Book via app or phone
  • Pick-up/drop-off within 1/4 mile
  • Real-time vehicle tracking
  • Estimated pick-up ETAs
  • Rideshare Hub access
Features
Read full description

LAnow is a new on demand shared-ride service. Book a ride through the LAnow smartphone app or by phone, meet your shuttle at your scheduled LAnow pick-up/drop-off point, and ride to your destination. Get out of your car and relax or go where existing bus service can’t take you. Pick-up/drop-off points are never more than a few blocks (1/4 mile) away. You can also meet us at the LAnow Rideshare Hub at the Palms Expo Station. How does LAnow work? LAnow is an on-demand travel concept that takes multiple passengers heading in the same direction and books them into a shared vehicle. Using the LAnow app, input your address and we’ll match you with a vehicle going your way. We’ll pick you up and drop you off within a quarter mile of your requested origin and destination, never more than a few blocks away. Get out of your car and relax or go where existing bus service can’t take you. How long will I wait? - You'll always get an accurate estimate of your pick-up ETA before booking. You can also track your vehicle in real time in the app. Try this new on-demand transport app that is guaranteed to change the way that you think about traveling. We look forward to seeing you on your next journey. Just click, pay, go! Love our app? Please rate us! Questions? Email us at lanow@ladottransit.com

Screenshots

LA Bus4 screens
LAnow4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: LAnow at 4.7 against LA Bus's 3.0. LAnow also leads on ratings volume (243 vs 2) and update cadence (monthly vs every 4 months). On price, review sentiment, 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

LAnow holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: LAnow has 243 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 33% and 33% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

LA Bus ships an update every 4 months, LAnow monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
LA Bus versus LAnow: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLA BusLAnow
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.0 (2 ratings)4.7 (243 ratings) — better
Positive reviews33.3% of reviews33.3% of reviews
Number of ratings2243 — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsMonthly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS16.415.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size33 MB179 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSyncromaticsVia Transportation, Inc.

Customer experience

LA Bus

All ratings2 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive33.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative66.7%

LAnow

All ratings243 ratings
Positive91.4%
Neutral1.6%
Negative7.0%
Written reviews12 reviews
Positive33.3%
Neutral16.7%
Negative50.0%

In-app purchases

None

LA Bus

No in-app purchases

None

LAnow

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is LA Bus free?
LA Bus is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is LAnow free?
LAnow is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, LA Bus or LAnow?
LAnow is rated higher. LA Bus averages 3.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while LAnow averages 4.7 from 243 ratings.
Do LA Bus or LAnow have ads?
Neither LA Bus nor LAnow shows ads.
Which is updated more often, LA Bus or LAnow?
LA Bus ships an update every 4 months, and LAnow monthly. Most recently, LA Bus was updated on November 6, 2026 and LAnow on November 7, 2026.

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