Comparison

iBorder vs Garitas

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

Head to head
About

iBorder

This app helps travelers save time at the US border by providing real-time wait times, traffic maps, and camera feeds. It offers customizable notifications and border exchange rate information, all for free.

Highlights
  • Real-time US border wait times
  • Traffic map and camera images
  • Customizable wait time notifications
  • Widget for instant updates
  • Border exchange rates
Features
Read full description

iBorder - Border Wait Times & Live Cameras iBorder makes international border crossing simple, fast, and predictable. • Never get stuck in unexpected border lines again. • Border wait times, lane breakdowns, live traffic cameras, and historical wait-time trends—all in one powerful app. • Plan your crossing with confidence across all major US–Mexico and US–Canada ports of entry. * Border Wait Time Estimates Get regular crossing time updates aggregated directly from official U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reports. • Lane Breakdowns: Reported wait times for Standard, Ready Lane, and SENTRI / NEXUS / FAST. • Travel Modes: Dedicated metrics for Passenger Vehicles, Pedestrians, and Commercial Cargo. * Live Border Cameras & Video Feeds Inspect the border lines with your own eyes before you drive. View live webcam feeds and snapshots at busy ports (San Ysidro, Otay Mesa, Calexico, El Paso, Laredo, Nogales, and more). * Live Activities, & Apple Watch (Pro) Keep an eye on current border wait times right from your Lock Screen and Apple Watch without having to unlock your phone or reopen the app. * Historical Trends & 24-Hour Charts Avoid peak congestion hours. Explore visual 24-hour crossing distributions and day-of-the-week historical averages to find the best time to cross. * Custom Wait Time Alerts & Notifications Set personalized wait time threshold alarms. Receive push notifications when reported wait times drop below your preferred target. * Currency Exchange Calculator Track updated USD / MXN exchange rates with an interactive currency converter to help plan your purchases and travel expenses. * Interactive Maps & Direction Navigation Instantly view port locations, traffic conditions, and get one-tap directions via Apple Maps or Google Maps. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Garitas

This app provides real-time border wait times for various lanes, helping you plan your crossing. It offers historical data and visual maps to compare current conditions with typical patterns, enabling you to choose the best time to travel.

Highlights
  • Real-time wait times by lane
  • Compare current vs. previous hour waits
  • 24-hour historical wait charts
  • Visual traffic maps
  • Favorite crossings with live map
  • Dark and Light Mode support
  • Home Screen widgets
Features
Read full description

Check border wait times before you leave. Compare lanes, save your favorite crossings, and explore hourly patterns to help plan a trip from Mexico or Canada into the United States. TWO BORDERS, ONE LIST • Explore Mexico–U.S. and Canada–U.S. crossings separately. • Check 29 Canadian crossings and the available Mexican border ports. • Keep every favorite in one Home order, regardless of country. • Search, compare nearby crossings, and explore them on the map. CLEAR TIMES BY LANE • Check General, Ready Lane, SENTRI or NEXUS, pedestrian, and commercial waits. • Spot the fastest lane and compare the current wait with the previous hour. • If a source stops updating, Garitas avoids presenting it as live. PLAN A BETTER TIME • The 24-hour chart compares today with the typical pattern. • During a holiday week, compare Now, Typical, and the same holiday last year. It is historical context, not a forecast. TRAVEL FROM YOUR LOCATION • In Passenger mode, see an estimated drive to a crossing’s access area where available, with precise location enabled and a matching physical country. • Travel and border waits stay separate. Refresh the dated estimate when needed. GARITAS PRO • Schedule recurring alerts from a crossing’s calendar, using its local time, opening hours and chosen weekdays. Creating/editing requires Garitas Pro and notification permission. • Follow one crossing and lane with a Live Activity on supported Lock Screen, Dynamic Island, Apple Watch and CarPlay surfaces. Requires Garitas Pro; system availability and update delivery may vary. • Choose a lane before starting and confirm before replacing an existing Live Activity. • Check waits and favorites, compare crossings, and find the best remaining hour with Siri and Shortcuts. Requires Garitas Pro. • Get alerts, use Lock Screen widgets, and check favorites, detail, and complications on Apple Watch. • Home Screen, CarPlay and StandBy widgets, maps, and statistics remain free. • Auto-renewing annual subscription; the App Store shows the current price and any available trial before confirmation. • Manage or cancel in Settings › Apple Account › Subscriptions. BUILT FOR IPHONE AND IPAD • XXL iPad widget with a wait table, hourly chart and best hours. Vertical XL iPhone widget on iOS 27. Home Screen widgets are free. • In wide windows on iPad and iPhone Duo, see favorites and details side by side, with larger maps and charts. Compact crossing-type icons and readable values make the smaller sidebar easier to use. • On iPhone Duo, use the system’s vertical toolbar for crossing types, Ports, PRO and What’s New. In a wide window, show or hide Favorites with the separate button above PRO. Calendar and alarm stay in crossing details. • Wide iPad details align wait times and a nearby crossing in one row, travel and traffic in another, and hourly statistics below. • Light and Dark Mode, Dynamic Type, and VoiceOver. • English, Latin American Spanish, and Canadian French. • No account or login required. Terms: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy: https://garitas.app/privacy_terms Wait times come from official sources. Garitas is not affiliated with CBP or any government authority. Always verify conditions before traveling.

Screenshots

iBorder4 screens
Garitas4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: iBorder at 4.7 against Garitas's 2.5. iBorder also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ratings volume (36 vs 2). Garitas's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 3 days vs every 8 days). On price, review sentiment and device support 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. Garitas sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $9.99 per year. iBorder asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

iBorder holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 2.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: iBorder has 36 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 50% and 50% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

iBorder ships an update every 8 days, Garitas every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
iBorder versus Garitas: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameteriBorderGaritas
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (36 ratings) — better2.5 (2 ratings)
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews50.0% of reviews
Number of ratings36 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 8 daysEvery 3 days — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationAd-supportedFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS18.6 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size48 MB33 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJose Luis DuranSergio Burgueno

Customer experience

iBorder

All ratings37 ratings
Positive94.6%
Neutral0.0%
Negative5.4%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

Garitas

All ratings2 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

In-app purchases

None

iBorder

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Garitas

Subscriptions1
  • Garitas Pro Annual1 Month trial$9.991 Year

Questions

Is iBorder free?
iBorder is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Garitas free?
Garitas is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, iBorder or Garitas?
iBorder is rated higher. iBorder averages 4.7 out of 5 from 36 ratings, while Garitas averages 2.5 from 2 ratings.
Do iBorder or Garitas have ads?
iBorder shows ads; Garitas does not.
Which is updated more often, iBorder or Garitas?
iBorder ships an update every 8 days, and Garitas every 3 days. Most recently, iBorder was updated on October 27, 2026 and Garitas on October 24, 2026.

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