# SamTrans Mobile vs Clipper Card

SamTrans Mobile and Clipper Card both sit at 3.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 35% of SamTrans Mobile's written reviews are positive against 3% of Clipper Card's. Clipper Card's advantage is ratings volume (11K vs 138) and chart position (#154 vs unranked). 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.

Clipper Card holds the better App Store score, 3.8 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Clipper Card has 11K ratings behind it against 138, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 35% of SamTrans Mobile's written reviews are positive against 3% of Clipper Card's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

SamTrans Mobile ships an update every 6 months, Clipper Card every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SamTrans Mobile | Clipper Card |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.6 (138 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/samtrans-mobile/id1430107073/reviews) | **[3.8 (11K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/clipper-card/id1534042451/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 138 | **11K** |
| Positive reviews | **34.8% of reviews** | 2.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Every 3 months** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | — | **#154** |
| Size | 87 MB | 61 MB |
| Requires iOS | **10.0** | 11.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Bytemark, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/925346607) | [Metropolitan Transportation Commission](https://appshunter.io/developer/577603960) |

## What reviewers say

### SamTrans Mobile

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/samtrans-mobile/id1430107073)

This app allows users to purchase and use bus fares directly from their mobile device. Avoid carrying cash or searching for exact change by paying securely with a debit or credit card. Tickets can be bought instantly and activated when boarding.

**Highlights:** Pay bus fare with phone, Buy single or group fares, Use debit/credit card, Instant ticket purchase, Activate tickets before boarding, Store tickets on device

**Features:** Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases:** none


### Clipper Card

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/clipper-card/id1534042451)

**Currently charting:** #154 Top Free · Travel (US App Store)

Manage your transit card for contactless fare payments across the San Francisco Bay Area. Load value, plan trips with real-time information, and pay fares directly from your iPhone or Apple Watch.

**Highlights:** Pay fares with Clipper in Apple Pay, Manage transit accounts, Load cash value and transit passes, Plan trips with real-time info, Add/transfer cards to Apple Wallet, View account activity

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Convenient to add Clipper card to Apple Wallet
- 👍 Easy to manage Clipper card balance

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy app with frequent issues
- ⏱️ Slow to update card balance and transaction history
- 💳 Difficult to cancel auto-load or transfer card balances
- 🤖 Poor customer service and unresponsive support
- 🔒 Security concerns with lost/stolen cards

**Reported bugs**

- App freezes and crashes frequently
- Card balances not updating properly
- Issues with adding cards to Apple Wallet
- Inconsistent behavior when loading funds

**Requested features**

- Improve real-time sync of card balance and transactions
- Streamline process to cancel auto-load and transfer balances
- Provide better customer support and communication
- Enhance security features for lost/stolen cards
- Eliminate unnecessary fees


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SamTrans Mobile free?

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

### Is Clipper Card free?

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

### Which has better reviews, SamTrans Mobile or Clipper Card?

Clipper Card is rated higher. SamTrans Mobile averages 3.6 out of 5 from 138 ratings, while Clipper Card averages 3.8 from 11K ratings.

### Do SamTrans Mobile or Clipper Card have ads?

Neither SamTrans Mobile nor Clipper Card shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SamTrans Mobile or Clipper Card?

SamTrans Mobile ships an update every 6 months, and Clipper Card every 3 months. Most recently, SamTrans Mobile was updated on October 14, 2026 and Clipper Card on October 18, 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.*