Live CTA vs CTA Transit Tracker
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Live CTA
This app provides real-time train departure information for CTA stations. It automatically finds your nearest station or allows you to select one, displaying estimated arrival times, destinations, and route colors. Get up-to-the-minute transit updates to plan your journey.
- Real-time train departures
- Nearest station locator
- Select station by distance or name
- Destination and route color
- Delay information
- Feedback to developers
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Have you ever tried to catch a train at a CTA station, but didn't exactly know when the train was coming? How about guessing how long the train is, only to find out the train was shorter than you thought? If so, then Live CTA is for you! Live CTA will instantly locate the nearest CTA station, and display all the upcoming real-time estimated departures for that station. Additionally, you can also choose to select any other CTA station and get its estimated departures. KEY FEATURES: - Locates your nearest CTA station instantly. - Displays real-time estimated departures loaded directly from CTA servers. - Shows useful information for upcoming trains: - Destination - Estimated time until departure - Route color - Delay information - Allows you to select a station by distance or by name - Feedback tab to send messages directly to the development team SERVICE REQUIREMENTS: - Location Services - A working internet connection DISCLAIMERS and DATA DISTRIBUTION LIABILITY STATEMENT Jonajo Consulting LLC, the owner and producer of Live CTA, shall not be held liable for improper or incorrect use of the data described and/or contained herein. The information contained in these data is dynamic and may change over time. The data are not better than the original sources from which they were derived (https://www.transitchicago.com/developers/ttdocs/#_Toc296199903). It is the responsibility of the data user to use the data appropriately and consistent within the limitations of real-time estimated departure data in general and these data in particular. Jonajo Consulting LLC gives no warranty, expressed or implied, as to the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of these data. Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life. By using the Live CTA application, you agree to these terms and conditions.
CTA Transit Tracker
Track Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) buses in real-time. Get accurate arrival predictions for your chosen routes and stops. Save your favorite locations for quick access to upcoming bus times.
- Real-time CTA bus tracking
- Accurate arrival predictions
- Save favorite stops
- User-friendly interface
- Fast information retrieval
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"CTA Transit Tracker" is a dedicated real-time bus tracking app designed for residents and visitors in the Chicago area. This app allows you to effortlessly access real-time location and arrival information for Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) buses. Simply choose your route, direction, and stop to view the next bus arrivals. Additionally, you can save your frequently used stops for quick, one-touch access to upcoming bus arrivals. Key Features: Real-time tracking for CTA buses Save an unlimited number of favorite stops User-friendly interface Fast and efficient information retrieval CTA Transit Live Tracker utilizes data feeds from CTA Bus Time, ensuring accurate and reliable public transit information to enhance your commuting experience in Chicago. If you have any questions, please contact email: wuchaoyu1991@gmail.com
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Live CTA at 100% against CTA Transit Tracker's 0%. Live CTA also leads on ads (none vs shown) and rating (5.0 vs 4.6). CTA Transit Tracker's advantage is ratings volume (182 vs 2) and update cadence (every 3 months vs every 8 months). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement 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.
Live CTA holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: CTA Transit Tracker has 182 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Live CTA's written reviews are positive against 0% of CTA Transit Tracker's.
Live CTA ships an update every 8 months, CTA Transit Tracker every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on June 4, 2026 and September 28, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Live CTA | CTA Transit Tracker |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better | 4.6 (182 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better | 0.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 2 | 182 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | Every 3 months — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.2 | 13.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 9 MB | 23 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Jonajo Consulting LLC | 婧嘉 郭 |
Customer experience
Live CTA
CTA Transit Tracker
In-app purchases
Live CTA
No in-app purchases
CTA Transit Tracker
No in-app purchases








