ConnectingVA vs MicroCAT Powered by Via
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
ConnectingVA
Discover carpools, transit, and travel alternatives in Virginia. Log your journeys to track savings, environmental impact, and earn rewards. It's a free and simple way to explore transportation options.
- Carpool finder
- Transit options
- Trip logging
- Savings tracking
- Environmental impact tracking
- Rewards program
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Use the ConnectingVA app to find carpools, transit, and other travel options in Virginia. Then record your trips to see your savings, track your impact, and qualify for special rewards. Get started today – it's free and easy to do!
MicroCAT Powered by Via
This app offers on-demand, shared rides within Albemarle County. Request a trip from your current location to your destination and be picked up by a low-emissions microtransit van. Track your ride in real-time and enjoy an affordable, sustainable way to travel.
- On-demand ride requests
- Real-time vehicle tracking
- Shared rides for affordability
- Low-emissions vehicles
- Sustainable transportation option
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Give MicroCAT a try! How does it work? MicroCAT is a low-emissions microtransit service that provides on-demand rides for Albemarle County residents. To reserve your ride: Request a ride departing from your current location Enter your destination Get picked up by a MicroCAT van How long will I wait? Wait times vary. Track your reserved vehicle in real-time using the MicroCAT app. What we’re about: SHARED. Our algorithm matches people headed in the same direction. This means you’re getting the convenience and comfort of a private ride with the efficiency, speed, and affordability of a public one. AFFORDABLE. Aggregating people into one vehicle brings down prices. Enough said. SUSTAINABLE. Sharing rides reduces the number of vehicles on the roads, bringing down congestion and CO2 emissions. With a couple of taps, you get to do your part to make your community a little bit greener and cleaner, every time you ride. Questions? Reach out at support-microcat@ridewithvia.com or give us a call +1 434-442-2466. Loving your experience so far? Throw us a 5-star rating. You’ll have our eternal gratitude.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: MicroCAT Powered by Via at 4.9 against ConnectingVA's 3.9. MicroCAT Powered by Via also leads on ratings volume (305 vs 14) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). ConnectingVA's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and review sentiment (60% vs 50%). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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.
MicroCAT Powered by Via holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: MicroCAT Powered by Via has 305 ratings behind it against 14, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 60% of ConnectingVA's written reviews are positive against 50% of MicroCAT Powered by Via's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
ConnectingVA ships an update every 3 weeks, MicroCAT Powered by Via every 6 weeks. Both last shipped on October 25, 2026.
| Parameter | ConnectingVA | MicroCAT Powered by Via |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.9 (14 ratings) | 4.9 (305 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 60.0% of reviews — better | 50.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 14 | 305 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks — better | Every 6 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 32 MB | 130 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Agile Mile, Inc. | Via Transportation, Inc. |
Customer experience
ConnectingVA
MicroCAT Powered by Via
In-app purchases
ConnectingVA
No in-app purchases
MicroCAT Powered by Via
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is ConnectingVA free?
Is MicroCAT Powered by Via free?
Which has better reviews, ConnectingVA or MicroCAT Powered by Via?
Do ConnectingVA or MicroCAT Powered by Via have ads?
Which is updated more often, ConnectingVA or MicroCAT Powered by Via?
Other comparisons
