Comparison

SamTrans Mobile vs MuniMobile

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

Head to head
About

SamTrans Mobile

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
Read full description

The official SamTrans Mobile ticketing app lets you use your phone to pay your fare on any SamTrans local or express routes. Just download the free app, register your debit/credit card in our secure system, and we’ll get you where you need to go. WHAT YOU CAN DO WITH THIS APP: * Pay bus fare using your phone without having to carry cash or worry about exact change. * Buy and use fares instantly using a debit/credit card for a single fare or multiple fares for a group of riders. Mobile tickets must be used within thirty days. HOW IT WORKS Tickets: 1. Go to Buy Tickets 2. Choose mode of travel 3. Add tickets to cart 4. Checkout 5. Activate ticket when bus arrives 6. Show ticket to driver COMMON QUESTIONS How do I pay for my tickets in the SamTrans Mobile app? Debit or credit (American Express, Visa, MasterCard, and Discover) cards are accepted. Can customers use a commuter debit card? Yes, provided you have funds in your account. If the card is denied, it will take three to five business days before the funding will appear back on your card. If I am having a problem loading the application, who should I call? Please call customer service at 1-800-660-4287. All problems should be directed to customer service which is available: weekdays 7am – 7pm, weekends & holidays 8am – 5pm. Do I need an internet connection to buy or use tickets? You will need an internet connection to buy and activate bus passes. However, if you save the purchased tickets in your device, you will not need to have internet connection to activate them. IMPORTANT REMINDERS: - Don’t uninstall the SamTrans Mobile app or erase your phone while you have active tickets on it. This will cause you to lose your tickets. Your tickets are stored on your phone (which makes it possible to use them without a cellular network or a wireless Internet connection). Before uninstalling the app or resetting your phone move tickets to the cloud (See Frequently Asked Questions for info). - Activate your ticket right before boarding - Show your ticket to the driver upon boarding - Watch your battery level. You cannot board without showing your ticket.

About

MuniMobile

Plan your trips and purchase transit fares instantly on your phone. Avoid paper tickets and cash by buying and using fares directly through the app with various payment options. Store multiple tickets for future use and manage your account securely.

Highlights
  • Trip planning
  • Mobile ticketing
  • Instant fare purchase
  • Multiple payment options
  • Store tickets
  • Group fares
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

The official trip planning and mobile ticketing app from San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA). MuniMobile helps you navigate the Muni transit network effortlessly and purchase and use fares and passes instantly on your phone—anywhere, anytime. Just download the free app, create an account and you're ready to go. WHY YOU'LL LOVE THIS APP: • No paper fares to keep track of. • No need to carry cash, count exact change, or find a ticket machine. • Buy and use fares using a debit/credit card, PayPal or Apple Pay • Store multiple tickets on your phone for future use. • Pay a single fare or multiple fares for a group of riders from a single device. • Register your debit/credit card(s) in our secure system. HOW IT WORKS: 1. CHOOSE RIDER TYPE: Adult, Senior/Disabled/Medicare, Youth, or SF Access 2. CHOOSE FARE: Single Trip Fare for Muni Bus & Rail, Single Ride Fare for Cable Car, or Passports 3. CHOOSE QUANTITY: You can buy multiple tickets to use later 4. CHECK OUT: Pay with debit/credit card, PayPal or Apple Pay COMMON QUESTIONS: Q: Do I need to be connected to the Internet? A cellular network or a wireless Internet connection is required to purchase tickets, but you can use/activate your tickets offline. Q: What if my battery dies? Just like with paper tickets, you're responsible for making sure you have a valid fare at all times, so be sure to plan ahead! IMPORTANT REMINDERS: • Activate your ticket before boarding. • In the subway, activate (“use”) your purchased mobile ticket before passing through metro station fare gates. Show your active ticket to the station agent, and pass through the fare gate closest to the station agent booth. If the station agent is not present, you may still pass through the gate as long as your ticket has been activated. Do not attempt to “tag” the gate. • On the surface, use your purchased mobile ticket before boarding the vehicle. You may board through any door. If you feel more comfortable boarding through the front door to show your ticket to the transit operator, please feel free to do so. • For Cable Car, use your purchased mobile ticket once you are on board the vehicle. Show your mobile ticket to the Cable Car conductor. • Watch your battery level! Just like with paper tickets, you're responsible for making sure you have a valid fare at all times. • Create an account before purchasing tickets, as this is the only way you can transfer your unused tickets if you get a new phone. (Note: Only unused tickets can be transferred. Use up any activated tickets before switching phones.) • Don't uninstall the MuniMobile app or erase your phone without transferring your unused tickets first. Your tickets are stored on your phone (which makes it possible to use them without a cellular network or a wireless Internet connection).

Screenshots

SamTrans Mobile4 screens
MuniMobile4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: SamTrans Mobile at 3.6 against MuniMobile's 1.0. SamTrans Mobile also leads on review sentiment (35% vs 7%) and ratings volume (138 vs 1). MuniMobile's advantage is chart position (#208 vs unranked). On price, update cadence, 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

SamTrans Mobile holds the better App Store score, 3.6 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SamTrans Mobile has 138 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 35% of SamTrans Mobile's written reviews are positive against 7% of MuniMobile's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SamTrans Mobile ships an update every 6 months, MuniMobile every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
SamTrans Mobile versus MuniMobile: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSamTrans MobileMuniMobile
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.6 (138 ratings) — better1.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews34.8% of reviews — better7.2% of reviews
Number of ratings138 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 6 monthsEvery 4 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
Best chart rank—#208 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS10.0 — better16.7
Further details — not scored
Size87 MB191 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBytemark, Inc.SFMTA

Customer experience

SamTrans Mobile

All ratings138 ratings
Positive63.8%
Neutral6.5%
Negative29.7%
Written reviews46 reviews
Positive34.8%
Neutral6.5%
Negative58.7%

MuniMobile

All ratings1 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%
Written reviews167 reviews
Positive7.2%
Neutral3.0%
Negative89.8%

Bugs and requests

SamTrans Mobile

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

MuniMobile

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Purchased tickets not showing up
  • Inability to log in or reset password
  • Incorrect stop locations on map

Requested features

4 requests
  • Default ticket/pass purchasing screen
  • Ability to save favorite routes
  • Improved accessibility for visually impaired users
  • Integration with other transit apps (Google Maps, etc.)

In-app purchases

None

SamTrans Mobile

No in-app purchases

None

MuniMobile

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is SamTrans Mobile free?
SamTrans Mobile is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is MuniMobile free?
MuniMobile is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, SamTrans Mobile or MuniMobile?
SamTrans Mobile is rated higher. SamTrans Mobile averages 3.6 out of 5 from 138 ratings, while MuniMobile averages 1.0 from 1 ratings.
Do SamTrans Mobile or MuniMobile have ads?
Neither SamTrans Mobile nor MuniMobile shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SamTrans Mobile or MuniMobile?
SamTrans Mobile ships an update every 6 months, and MuniMobile every 4 months. Most recently, SamTrans Mobile was updated on October 14, 2026 and MuniMobile on October 16, 2026.

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