# Caltrain+ vs NorthStarVIP

The clearest difference is rating: Caltrain+ at 4.8 against NorthStarVIP's 4.3. Caltrain+ also leads on ratings volume (2.3K vs 11). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

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

Caltrain+ holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Caltrain+ has 2.3K ratings behind it against 11, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 86% of Caltrain+'s written reviews are positive against 80% of NorthStarVIP's.

Caltrain+ ships an update every 3 weeks, NorthStarVIP monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Caltrain+ | NorthStarVIP |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (2.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/caltrain-plus/id1570049004/reviews)** | [4.3 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/northstarvip/id1612692983/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2.3K** | 11 |
| Positive reviews | **85.7% of reviews** | 80.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 16 MB | 50 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Jonathan Sahoo](https://appshunter.io/developer/970144714) | [John L Merriweather](https://appshunter.io/developer/1129846578) |

## What reviewers say

### Caltrain+

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/caltrain-plus/id1570049004)

Plan your Caltrain trips with ease. Get real-time schedules, find the fastest routes, and view service alerts. Perfect for commuters and occasional riders needing to navigate the Caltrain system efficiently.

**Highlights:** Trip planning by departure and arrival station, View full timetables, Access service alerts, System map integration, Filter by 'arrive by' time, View scheduled stops for each train

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easily accessible
- 👍 User friendly
- 👍 Great UI
- 👍 Helpful
- 👍 Useful

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inaccurate train times
- 🐛 Inconvenient, unable to process payments

**Reported bugs**

- App doesn't open
- Unable to process payments

**Requested features**

- Expand service to Gilroy
- Post more info on the app like ticketing and upcoming changes
- Add dark mode


### NorthStarVIP

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/northstarvip/id1612692983)

This app provides comprehensive guides for new residents, covering city overviews, local news, weather, real estate markets, schools, and attractions. It aims to help people quickly settle into their new surroundings by offering essential local information.

**Highlights:** Area guides, Local news and weather, Real estate market info, School information, Things to do, Restaurant listings

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Caltrain+ free?

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

### Is NorthStarVIP free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Caltrain+ or NorthStarVIP?

Caltrain+ is rated higher. Caltrain+ averages 4.8 out of 5 from 2.3K ratings, while NorthStarVIP averages 4.3 from 11 ratings.

### Do Caltrain+ or NorthStarVIP have ads?

Neither Caltrain+ nor NorthStarVIP shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Caltrain+ or NorthStarVIP?

Caltrain+ ships an update every 3 weeks, and NorthStarVIP monthly. Most recently, Caltrain+ was updated on October 20, 2026 and NorthStarVIP on October 4, 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.*