# SmarTrip vs RideNOVA

The clearest difference is update cadence: RideNOVA at every 2 days against SmarTrip's every 5 months. RideNOVA also leads on iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

SmarTrip ships an update every 5 months, RideNOVA every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SmarTrip | RideNOVA |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[2.5 (57 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartrip/id1516539463/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **57** | — |
| Positive reviews | 10.4% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 66 MB | 12 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | **11.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority](https://appshunter.io/developer/1257235533) | [Northern Virginia Community College](https://appshunter.io/developer/635279931) |

## What reviewers say

### SmarTrip

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartrip/id1516539463)

Manage your SmarTrip card and account with this optional tool. Register your card for balance protection, check benefits, set up auto-reload, or purchase transit passes. It can also be added to Apple Wallet for easy tap-to-pay.

**Highlights:** Manage SmarTrip card and account, Add SmarTrip to Apple Wallet, Register card for balance protection, Check SmartBenefits, Setup Auto-Reload, Buy unlimited transit passes

**Features:** Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Convenient for commuting
- 🚀 Seamless integration with Apple Wallet
- 🚀 Straightforward account setup

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Unreliable card reading at turnstiles
- 🐛 Delayed balance updates
- 🐛 Buggy app functionality
- 🔒 Excessive personal information required
- 🔒 Difficult to recover account

**Reported bugs**

- Unable to activate account due to missing activation email
- Password reset process not working
- Inconsistent behavior when adding value to card

**Requested features**

- Ability to transfer balance between cards
- Real-time balance updates
- Improved trip planning tools
- Apple Watch support


### RideNOVA

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ridenova/id6753594925)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SmarTrip free?

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

### Is RideNOVA free?

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

### Do SmarTrip or RideNOVA have ads?

Neither SmarTrip nor RideNOVA shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SmarTrip or RideNOVA?

SmarTrip ships an update every 5 months, and RideNOVA every 2 days. Most recently, SmarTrip was updated on October 18, 2026 and RideNOVA on October 1, 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.*