# Busly vs NoTow SF

The clearest difference is update cadence: Busly at fortnightly against NoTow SF's every 3 months. Busly also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 26.5). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Busly sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and NoTow SF sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Busly ships an update fortnightly, NoTow SF every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Busly | NoTow SF |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (558 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/busly/id1435737758/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **558** | — |
| Positive reviews | 42.9% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 29 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 26.5 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Alex Perez](https://appshunter.io/developer/362919234) | [Joshua Nwankwo](https://appshunter.io/developer/6775684101) |

## What reviewers say

### Busly

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/busly/id1435737758)

This app provides real-time transit information for buses and trains in major U.S. cities. View live vehicle locations, arrival times, and detailed route information on an interactive map. Save favorite routes and stops for quick access.

**Highlights:** Live map with vehicle locations, Real-time arrival times, Detailed vehicle information, Favorite routes and stops, Nearby stops, Fare information, Light and dark themes

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Busly Pro Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| Busly Pro Annual | $9.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Accurate GPS
- 👍 Real-time arrival accuracy
- 👍 Efficient and simple GUI
- 👍 Valuable for MUNI supervisors
- 👍 Good for Atlanta transit

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inaccurate arrival times
- 🐛 App crashes frequently
- 🐛 Routes not showing up
- 🐛 App cuts off unexpectedly
- 🐛 App is unstable

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes
- Routes do not show up
- App cuts off
- App is unstable
- Long calibration times

**Requested features**

- Show bus numbers
- Show run numbers
- Color-code different bus lines on map
- Display bus number instead of line name when clicking a stop
- Improve refresh rate (currently 5 minutes)


### NoTow SF

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notow-sf/id6775684099)

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| NoTow SF Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| NoTow SF Yearly | $49.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Busly free?

Busly is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is NoTow SF free?

NoTow SF is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do Busly or NoTow SF have ads?

Neither Busly nor NoTow SF shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Busly or NoTow SF?

Busly ships an update fortnightly, and NoTow SF every 3 months. Most recently, Busly was updated on October 26, 2026 and NoTow SF on October 1, 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.*