LAnow vs RydeMates
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
LAnow
This app provides on-demand shared rides within West Los Angeles. Book a shuttle via the app or phone, and it will pick you up and drop you off within a quarter mile of your requested locations. It offers flexible transportation where traditional bus services may not reach.
- On-demand shared rides
- Book via app or phone
- Real-time vehicle tracking
- Pick-up/drop-off within 1/4 mile
- Flexible transportation options
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LAnow is a new on demand shared-ride service. Book a ride through the LAnow smartphone app or by phone, meet your shuttle at your scheduled LAnow pick-up/drop-off point, and ride to your destination. Get out of your car and relax or go where existing bus service can’t take you. Pick-up/drop-off points are never more than a few blocks (1/4 mile) away. You can also meet us at the LAnow Rideshare Hub at the Palms Expo Station. How does LAnow work? LAnow is an on-demand travel concept that takes multiple passengers heading in the same direction and books them into a shared vehicle. Using the LAnow app, input your address and we’ll match you with a vehicle going your way. We’ll pick you up and drop you off within a quarter mile of your requested origin and destination, never more than a few blocks away. Get out of your car and relax or go where existing bus service can’t take you. How long will I wait? - You'll always get an accurate estimate of your pick-up ETA before booking. You can also track your vehicle in real time in the app. Try this new on-demand transport app that is guaranteed to change the way that you think about traveling. We look forward to seeing you on your next journey. Just click, pay, go! Love our app? Please rate us! Questions? Email us at lanow@ladottransit.com
RydeMates
This app facilitates carpooling for UCLA students traveling to and from LAX. Users can create or join groups of up to four students to share rides, saving money and reducing environmental impact. Coordinate logistics and connect with fellow students for a simpler travel experience.
- Connect UCLA students for rides
- Carpooling to and from LAX
- Group creation and joining
- In-app chat for coordination
- Save money on travel
- Reduce carbon emissions
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RydeMates connects college students who need rides between their campus and LAX, making carpooling simple, safe, and rewarding. Whether you're heading to LAX or back to UCLA or USC, find a group of up to 4 students to ride with and turn every journey into an opportunity to save money, reduce emissions, and make new friends. Users can create or join carpools listed on the groups page and chat with other riders within their group to coordinate ride logistics. Download now to help the planet and your wallet!
Screenshots
Verdict
LAnow and RydeMates both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of RydeMates's written reviews are positive against 33% of LAnow's. RydeMates also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). LAnow's advantage is ratings volume (241 vs 4) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.4). On price, rating, update cadence and ads 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for LAnow against 4.8 for RydeMates. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: LAnow has 241 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 33% of LAnow's written reviews are positive against 100% of RydeMates's.
LAnow ships an update every 5 weeks, RydeMates every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | LAnow | RydeMates |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (241 ratings) | 4.8 (4 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 33.3% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 241 — better | 4 |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 18.4 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 148 MB | 17 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Via Transportation, Inc. | Devon Bradley |
Customer experience
LAnow
RydeMates
In-app purchases
LAnow
No in-app purchases
RydeMates
No in-app purchases
