# TAP LA vs RydeMates

The clearest difference is review sentiment: RydeMates at 100% against TAP LA's 12%. RydeMates also leads on rating (4.8 vs 1.9) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 5 months). TAP LA's advantage is ratings volume (850 vs 4) and chart position (#192 vs unranked). 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.

RydeMates holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 1.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: TAP LA has 850 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 12% of TAP LA's written reviews are positive against 100% of RydeMates's.

TAP LA ships an update every 5 months, RydeMates every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | TAP LA | RydeMates |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [1.9 (850 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tap-la/id1505839730/reviews) | **[4.8 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rydemates/id6753019898/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **850** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 11.9% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | **#192** | — |
| Size | 84 MB | 17 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13** | 18.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority](https://appshunter.io/developer/1353337562) | [Devon Bradley](https://appshunter.io/developer/1842183084) |

## What reviewers say

### TAP LA

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tap-la/id1505839730)

**Currently charting:** #192 Top Free · Travel (US App Store)

Pay for transit fares across Los Angeles with your mobile device. This app allows you to purchase passes, manage multiple cards, and use touchless payment on numerous bus and train systems. It also offers trip planning and access to multimodal programs.

**Highlights:** Touchless payment, Add TAP card to iPhone/Apple Watch, Purchase transit passes, Manage multiple TAP cards, Add TAP card to Apple Wallet, Trip planning tools, Reduced fare support

**Features:** Apple Wallet, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- ✨ Convenient digital tap card
- 💳 Ability to load funds
- 🗺️ Trip planning functionality

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App crashes and glitches
- 💰 Charges money without adding funds
- ⏱️ Slow load times and processing
- 🤷‍♀️ Confusing user experience
- 🚫 Doesn't work for tourists/visitors

**Reported bugs**

- Card registration and activation issues
- Disappearing funds and balances
- Inconsistent app performance

**Requested features**

- Allow multiple devices for one account
- Improve reliability of fund loading
- Provide more transparent transaction history
- Integrate with more payment methods


### RydeMates

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rydemates/id6753019898)

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.

**Highlights:** 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

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is TAP LA free?

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

### Is RydeMates free?

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

### Which has better reviews, TAP LA or RydeMates?

RydeMates is rated higher. TAP LA averages 1.9 out of 5 from 850 ratings, while RydeMates averages 4.8 from 4 ratings.

### Do TAP LA or RydeMates have ads?

Neither TAP LA nor RydeMates shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, TAP LA or RydeMates?

TAP LA ships an update every 5 months, and RydeMates every 2 months. Most recently, TAP LA was updated on October 25, 2026 and RydeMates on October 11, 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.*