Comparison

Clipper Card vs CA DMV Wallet

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

Head to head
About

Clipper Card

Manage your transit card for contactless fare payments across the San Francisco Bay Area. Load value, plan trips with real-time information, and pay fares directly from your iPhone or Apple Watch.

Highlights
  • Pay fares with Clipper in Apple Pay
  • Manage transit accounts
  • Load cash value and transit passes
  • Plan trips with real-time info
  • Add/transfer cards to Apple Wallet
  • View account activity
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

The Clipper app is here! - Pay your fares with Clipper in Apple Pay - Manage your account(s) - Load cash value and transit passes - Plan your trips Clipper is the all-in-one transit card used for contactless fare payments throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. The new Clipper app lets you manage your Clipper account from your iPhone—add value, view your history, and plan your trip! Download the Clipper app today! Pay with Your iPhone or Apple Watch The Clipper app gives you step-by-step instructions for setting up a new Clipper card or transferring an existing Clipper card to your Apple Wallet. Manage Your Account The Clipper app gives you the same account access as the website, but on your iPhone! You can register a new card, load cash value and transit passes, set up Autoload, view your recent activity, and other features. Sign in and out of multiple Clipper accounts in the Clipper app to manage a card on behalf of someone else. Plan Your Trip The Clipper app has real-time transit information and helpful trip planning tools to make getting around the Bay easy! You can view nearby transit options and routes, get real-time travel and arrival information, and save your favorite locations, stops, and stations. By downloading this app, you agree to and accept the terms of the Clipper Mobile Application License Agreement (https://www.clippercard.com/ClipperWeb/mobile-application-agreement.html) and the Clipper Privacy Policy (https://www.clippercard.com/ClipperWeb/privacy.html). Clipper serves 24 transit services in the San Francisco Bay Area: AC Transit BART Caltrain City Coach County Connection Dumbarton Express FAST Golden Gate Ferry Golden Gate Transit Marin Transit Muni Petaluma Transit SamTrans San Francisco Bay Ferry Santa Rosa CityBus SMART SolTrans Sonoma County Transit Tri Delta Transit Union City Transit Vine VTA WestCAT Wheels By downloading this app, you agree to and accept the terms of the Clipper Mobile Application License Agreement (https://www.clippercard.com/ClipperWeb/mobile-application-agreement.html) and the Clipper Privacy Policy (https://www.clippercard.com/ClipperWeb/privacy.html).

About

CA DMV Wallet

Securely present your California driver's license or ID on your smartphone. Confirm age or identity without revealing sensitive personal data like birth date or address. Use it for airport security and age-verified purchases.

Highlights
  • Digital driver's license and ID
  • Secure data sharing
  • Age verification
  • Airport TSA screening
  • Online identity verification
  • Fraud and identity theft protection
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Now live in Pilot Phase – California DMV Mobile Wallet Californians now have a secure way to present their driver’s license or identification card using their smartphones via a Mobile Driver’s License (mDL) digital credential. California DMV Wallet gives you the control of the driver’s license data you share with others. For example, when buying age-restricted items, the app can confirm you are of legal age without having to share your birth date or address. With mDL in your CA DMV Wallet, you can breeze through the TSA queue at the airports using your phone. You can also enroll in the TruAge program via the Wallet Marketplace to purchase age-verified products at a corner store near you (starting with select pilot locations in California and expanding nationally). The Wallet will soon be supporting online identity verification for government and commercial applications. Designed with California's diverse population in mind, the CA DMV Wallet open-source platform uses state-of-the-art encryption algorithms and security technologies to combat fraud and reduce identity theft while improving privacy, transparency, and access for all Californians with a smartphone. Important note: While the mDL can be used as an official state-issued ID, per the pilot scope approved by the California legislature, you must still have a physical driver’s license or identification card with you. For more information, please visit: https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/ca-dmv-wallet/ California DMV Wallet is free, easy, secure, and convenient

Screenshots

Clipper Card4 screens
CA DMV Wallet4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: CA DMV Wallet at 52% against Clipper Card's 3%. CA DMV Wallet also leads on rating (4.8 vs 3.8) and update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 3 months). Clipper Card's advantage is iOS requirement (11.0 vs 16.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

CA DMV Wallet holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: CA DMV Wallet has 148K ratings behind it against 12K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 3% of Clipper Card's written reviews are positive against 52% of CA DMV Wallet's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Clipper Card ships an update every 3 months, CA DMV Wallet every 5 weeks. Both last shipped on November 7, 2026.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
Clipper Card versus CA DMV Wallet: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterClipper CardCA DMV Wallet
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.8 (12K ratings)4.8 (148K ratings) — better
Positive reviews2.9% of reviews52.3% of reviews — better
Number of ratings12K148K — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 5 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
Best chart rank#164#86 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS11.0 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size61 MB172 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperMetropolitan Transportation CommissionCalifornia Department of Motor Vehicles

Customer experience

Clipper Card

All ratings9,408 ratings
Positive68.4%
Neutral3.0%
Negative28.6%
Written reviews414 reviews
Positive2.9%
Neutral6.5%
Negative90.6%

CA DMV Wallet

All ratings145,608 ratings
Positive95.1%
Neutral1.8%
Negative3.1%
Written reviews1,143 reviews
Positive52.3%
Neutral9.3%
Negative38.4%

User reviews

Clipper Card

From 12K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Convenient to add Clipper card to Apple Wallet
  • 👍 Easy to manage Clipper card balance

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Buggy app with frequent issues
  • ⏱️ Slow to update card balance and transaction history
  • 💳 Difficult to cancel auto-load or transfer card balances
  • 🤖 Poor customer service and unresponsive support
  • 🔒 Security concerns with lost/stolen cards

CA DMV Wallet

From 148K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Fast and easy setup
  • 👍 Worked well for most users
  • 💡 Potential for digital ID convenience

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Scanning and authentication issues
  • 🔒 Security and privacy concerns
  • 👎 Lack of Apple Wallet integration

Bugs and requests

Clipper Card

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • App freezes and crashes frequently
  • Card balances not updating properly
  • Issues with adding cards to Apple Wallet
  • Inconsistent behavior when loading funds

Requested features

5 requests
  • Improve real-time sync of card balance and transactions
  • Streamline process to cancel auto-load and transfer balances
  • Provide better customer support and communication
  • Enhance security features for lost/stolen cards
  • Eliminate unnecessary fees

CA DMV Wallet

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Buttons and UI elements not visible
  • Repeated authentication failures
  • Inconsistent app behavior across devices

Requested features

3 requests
  • Add support for Apple Wallet
  • Improve user interface and navigation
  • Expand acceptance at more locations

In-app purchases

None

Clipper Card

No in-app purchases

None

CA DMV Wallet

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Clipper Card free?
Clipper Card is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is CA DMV Wallet free?
CA DMV Wallet is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Clipper Card or CA DMV Wallet?
CA DMV Wallet is rated higher. Clipper Card averages 3.8 out of 5 from 12K ratings, while CA DMV Wallet averages 4.8 from 148K ratings.
Do Clipper Card or CA DMV Wallet have ads?
Neither Clipper Card nor CA DMV Wallet shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Clipper Card or CA DMV Wallet?
Clipper Card ships an update every 3 months, and CA DMV Wallet every 5 weeks. Most recently, Clipper Card was updated on November 7, 2026 and CA DMV Wallet on November 7, 2026.
Which is more popular, Clipper Card or CA DMV Wallet?
Clipper Card currently peaks at #164 in the App Store charts, and CA DMV Wallet at #86. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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