Comparison

Ride On Flex vs Elevated Rides

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

Head to head
About

Ride On Flex

Book on-demand rides within specific zones for convenient and affordable travel. This app offers a flexible alternative to fixed routes and schedules, providing real-time tracking and a shared vehicle experience.

Highlights
  • Book on-demand rides
  • No fixed stops or schedules
  • Real-time bus tracking
  • Wheelchair accessible buses
  • Free WiFi on buses
  • Shared vehicle experience
Features
Read full description

Traveling within the bounds of the Rockville or Glenmont/Wheaton Ride On Flex zone? Lucky you! Flex is a convenient new option for you at an incredible value. Download the Ride On Flex app to book your ride. No fixed stops or fixed schedules – the Flex comes when you book! Just enter your pickup and drop-off location within the zone, and you will be offered the next available time. Accept the booking and go to your pickup location—a corner near you. New 11-passenger Flex buses are wheelchair accessible and have free WiFi. Standard Ride On fare policy applies. That means your ride costs no more than $2! How does Ride On Flex work? - Ride On Flex takes multiple passengers heading in the same direction and books them into a shared vehicle. Using the Ride On Flex app, input the address and we’ll match you with a vehicle going your way. Flex picks you up at a nearby corner and drops you off within a few streets of your requested destination. Our smart algorithms provide trip times that are comparable to other ride shares and much more convenient than other modes of travel. How long will I wait? - You'll always get an accurate estimate of your pick-up time before booking. You can also track your bus in real time in the app. How many passengers will I share a vehicle with? - The number of passengers varies. Our comfortable buses can accommodate up to 11 people. Up to 6 seats can be reserved with each booking. Where can Flex take me? - Anywhere in your zone! It might be a Metro station, shopping center, office, library, other public facility—or home. You tell us. When is Flex available? - Hours of service vary by zone. Check here for details. What else do I need to know about Ride On Flex? NO BOARDING WITHOUT A BOOKED RESERVATION. The bus operator will ask for your name on boarding. Pay as you board with a SmarTrip card or cash/passes/tokens. You cannot add value to a SmarTrip card on Flex. Always have enough fare on your card or use cash/tokens/passes. Boarding is at designated corners, not fixed stops (curb-to-curb service for persons with wheelchairs). These Flex zones aren’t near me. When will it come to my neighborhood? - Ride On Flex is a pilot program of the Montgomery County Department of Transportation. We’re eager to learn how our residents use this innovative on-demand transit option and hope to bring it to more areas of the county over time. Please be patient as we experiment, listen and learn. The Ride On Flex app is guaranteed to change the way you think about traveling in the zones. We look forward to seeing you on the Flex. Just book and go! Love our app? Please rate us! Questions or suggestions? Email us at RideOn.FlexCustomerService@montgomerycountymd.gov.

About

Elevated Rides

Request on-demand rides as a complimentary service for Bear Claw & Edgemont owners and guests. Download the app to easily book your shuttle.

Highlights
  • On-demand ride requests
  • Complimentary service
  • Exclusive for owners and guests
  • Easy booking via app
Read full description

Elevated Rides is a complimentary on-demand ride service available to Bear Claw & Edgemont owners and guests. Download the app and request a ride today! PLEASE NOTE: The on-demand ride service is for Bear Claw & Edgemont owners and guests only. All others will be considered trespassing.

Screenshots

Ride On Flex4 screens
Elevated Rides3 screens

Verdict

The call

Ride On Flex and Elevated Rides both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of Elevated Rides's written reviews are positive against 64% of Ride On Flex's. Elevated Rides also leads on monetization model (free vs ad-supported) and iOS requirement (13.4 vs 15.0). Ride On Flex's advantage is update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 50 months) and ratings volume (57 vs 6). On price, rating, 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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Ride On Flex against 4.8 for Elevated Rides. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Ride On Flex has 57 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 64% of Ride On Flex's written reviews are positive against 100% of Elevated Rides's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Ride On Flex ships an update every 6 weeks, Elevated Rides every 50 months. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and June 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Ride On Flex versus Elevated Rides: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRide On FlexElevated Rides
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (57 ratings)4.8 (6 ratings) — better
Positive reviews63.6% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings57 — better6
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeks — betterEvery 50 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationAd-supportedFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.013.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size130 MB41 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperVia Transportation, Inc.Downtowner App Inc.

Customer experience

Ride On Flex

All ratings57 ratings
Positive93.0%
Neutral1.8%
Negative5.3%
Written reviews11 reviews
Positive63.6%
Neutral9.1%
Negative27.3%

Elevated Rides

All ratings6 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Ride On Flex

No in-app purchases

None

Elevated Rides

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Ride On Flex free?
Ride On Flex is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Elevated Rides free?
Elevated Rides is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Ride On Flex or Elevated Rides?
Elevated Rides is rated higher. Ride On Flex averages 4.7 out of 5 from 57 ratings, while Elevated Rides averages 4.8 from 6 ratings.
Do Ride On Flex or Elevated Rides have ads?
Neither Ride On Flex nor Elevated Rides shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Ride On Flex or Elevated Rides?
Ride On Flex ships an update every 6 weeks, and Elevated Rides every 50 months. Most recently, Ride On Flex was updated on September 26, 2026 and Elevated Rides on June 10, 2026.

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