# BART (Official) vs Route

The clearest difference is rating: Route at 5.0 against BART (Official)'s 4.6. Route also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months) and iOS requirement (13.4 vs 17.6). BART (Official)'s advantage is ratings volume (28K vs 4). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

Route holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: BART (Official) has 28K ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two.

BART (Official) ships an update every 2 months, Route every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 10, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | BART (Official) | Route |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (28K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bart-official/id1439601871/reviews) | **[5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/route-get-around/id6468181288/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **28K** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 30.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 81 MB | 25 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **13.4** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District](https://appshunter.io/developer/1421336221) | [Gus Flusser](https://appshunter.io/developer/1649666344) |

## What reviewers say

### BART (Official)

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bart-official/id1439601871)

Plan your Bay Area transit journeys with real-time train departures and official service alerts. This app offers end-to-end trip planning, step-by-step navigation, and customized notifications for a hassle-free commute.

**Highlights:** Real-time train departures, End-to-end trip planner, Step-by-step navigation, Customized service alerts, Contactless parking payment, Service disruption information

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Convenient in-app parking payment
- 👍 Accurate real-time train information
- 🚀 Easy to use app
- 👍 Helpful for planning trips

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Unreliable real-time information
- 🔍 Confusing parking payment process
- 🔍 Lack of key features like checking Clipper card balance
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🔍 Not intuitive for first-time users

**Reported bugs**

- Real-time departure times not updating accurately
- Trip planning providing incorrect/nonsensical routes
- Login and password issues causing frequent logouts
- Parking payment not working as expected

**Requested features**

- Ability to check Clipper card balance
- Automatic license plate recognition for parking
- Offline mode for schedules and trip planning
- Better notifications for service advisories and delays
- More customization options for favorite stations


### Route

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/route-get-around/id6468181288)

This app simplifies college carpooling by connecting verified student drivers with passengers. It offers a safer, more affordable, and eco-friendly way for students to travel for weekend trips, events, or breaks.

**Highlights:** Verified college student community, Earn extra cash as a driver, Save money on travel as a passenger, Easy ride posting and booking, Safe and verified users, Sustainable travel through carpooling

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is BART (Official) free?

BART (Official) is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Route free?

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

### Which has better reviews, BART (Official) or Route?

Route is rated higher. BART (Official) averages 4.6 out of 5 from 28K ratings, while Route averages 5.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do BART (Official) or Route have ads?

Neither BART (Official) nor Route shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, BART (Official) or Route?

BART (Official) ships an update every 2 months, and Route every 2 weeks. Most recently, BART (Official) was updated on November 10, 2026 and Route on November 3, 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.*