Comparison

myORCA vs STA Connect

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

Head to head
About

myORCA

Manage your Puget Sound transit card for buses, trains, and ferries. Load fares, check balances, and purchase passes on the go. Connect your existing card or order a new one to simplify your commute.

Highlights
  • Load fares instantly
  • Check card balance
  • Manage multiple cards
  • Purchase daily/monthly passes
  • Set up autoloads
  • Connect existing ORCA card
Features
Read full description

ORCA is the Puget Sound’s all-in-one transit card. Use it to ride the bus, train and ferry in the Seattle-Tacoma metropolitan area. To get started, download the app and create an account. You need an ORCA card to use the myORCA app. You can connect your existing card or order a new card. Now you can manage your ORCA card anywhere, 24/7 with the myORCA app. With the myORCA app, you can: - Load fares instantly - Check your balance - Purchase and manage multiple ORCA cards - Purchase daily or monthly passes - Set up autoloads - And much more! With ORCA, you can pay for trips and transfers on Community Transit, Everett Transit, King County Metro, Kitsap Transit, Pierce Transit, Sound Transit and Washington State Ferries. Some exclusions apply on special trips and Washington State Ferries. To use ORCA, be sure to tap your card on the ORCA card reader on board, on the train platform, or at your stop. Reduced fare programs are available to qualified riders with low incomes, seniors (65+ years), youth (6-18 years), and persons with disabilities. Reduced fare cards work with the myORCA app, call 888-988-6722 / TTY: 711 to find out which card is right for you. This app requires iOS 13 and above.

About

STA Connect

Manage your transit fare cards, add value, and track your spending. This app allows you to link physical cards or create virtual ones, view your balance, and monitor fare capping progress. It also supports autoload and provides a history of your rides.

Highlights
  • Link physical or create virtual fare cards
  • Add value and passes
  • Check card balance
  • View fare capping progress
  • Enable autoload
  • Lock lost/stolen cards
  • Manage payment methods
  • View ride history
Features
Read full description

The Spokane Transit Authority (STA) Connect app is packed full of features! With the STA Connect app you can: - Link a physical Connect card or create a virtual eConnect card - Add value or passes - Check your balance - View fare capping progress - Enable autoload - Lock lost or stolen cards - Manage payment methods - View card activity, including ride history Virtual eConnect cards are separate from physical Connect cards. eConnect cards are completely virtual and exist only in your mobile phone. Every card, whether physical or eConnect, has a unique 20 digit number, and that 20 digit number has its own separate balances and fare capping totals from any other Connect card number, even when linked within the same STA Connect app account profile. To add value to an eConnect or physical Connect card, simply add a credit or debit card to your Connect account, then add value to your cart and check out. With value added to your card, you are ready to ride! Please note that no refund can be given on funds loaded to a physical or eConnect card. When you board the bus, bring up the fare payment QR code and hold your phone approximately eight inches below the fare validator with the screen facing up. When your eConnect card has been validated and fare collected, you’ll hear a beep and see a green check mark. Riders with a Universal Transit Access Pass (UTAP) through a local university (e.g. EWU, Gonzaga, SCC, SFCC, Whitworth, or WSU Spokane), employer (e.g. City of Spokane or Spokane County), or other partner agency (e.g. Kendall Yards) can now link their UTAP to their virtual Connect card directly in the STA Connect app. Simply register with your UTAP email address and use the “Partner Agency” widget on the home screen to get started. Learn more about the Connect fare system at spokanetransit.com/connect/

Screenshots

myORCA1 screens
STA Connect4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: STA Connect at none against myORCA's shown. myORCA's advantage is rating (2.5 vs 2.3) and ratings volume (354 vs 40). On price, review sentiment, update cadence 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

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

myORCA holds the better App Store score, 2.5 against 2.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: myORCA has 354 ratings behind it against 40, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 16% and 16% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

myORCA ships an update every 2 months, STA Connect every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and August 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
myORCA versus STA Connect: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParametermyORCASTA Connect
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.5 (354 ratings) — better2.3 (40 ratings)
Positive reviews15.5% of reviews16.1% of reviews — better
Number of ratings354 — better40
Update frequencyEvery 2 months — betterEvery 3 months
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS13.013.0
Further details — not scored
Size46 MB44 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCentral Puget Sound Regional Transit AuthoritySpokane Transit Authority

Customer experience

myORCA

All ratings344 ratings
Positive32.6%
Neutral8.4%
Negative59.0%
Written reviews193 reviews
Positive15.5%
Neutral11.9%
Negative72.5%

STA Connect

All ratings40 ratings
Positive25.0%
Neutral7.5%
Negative67.5%
Written reviews31 reviews
Positive16.1%
Neutral9.7%
Negative74.2%

Bugs and requests

myORCA

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Login credentials not recognized
  • Payment method addition/removal not working
  • Recent activity data displaying incorrectly

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add Apple Wallet/Pay support
  • Implement Face ID/Touch ID login
  • Improve app stability and reliability
  • Expand functionality to match website

STA Connect

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

myORCA

No in-app purchases

None

STA Connect

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is myORCA free?
myORCA is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is STA Connect free?
STA Connect is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, myORCA or STA Connect?
myORCA is rated higher. myORCA averages 2.5 out of 5 from 354 ratings, while STA Connect averages 2.3 from 40 ratings.
Do myORCA or STA Connect have ads?
myORCA shows ads; STA Connect does not.
Which is updated more often, myORCA or STA Connect?
myORCA ships an update every 2 months, and STA Connect every 3 months. Most recently, myORCA was updated on September 22, 2026 and STA Connect on August 30, 2026.

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