Comparison

myORCA vs Metro Flex

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

Metro Flex

This app provides on-demand transit within a designated service area. Book a ride from your phone and get picked up at a nearby corner for the same price as a bus trip. Enjoy convenient and fast transportation.

Highlights
  • On-demand ride booking
  • Nearby pick-up locations
  • Affordable fares
  • ORCA card integration
  • Youth ride free
Features
Read full description

King County Metro Flex is an on-demand neighborhood transit service. Use your phone to ride anywhere in your service area for the same cost as a bus trip. HOW IT WORKS: - Download the app and create an account. - Book an on-demand ride on your phone. - Meet your driver on a nearby corner. CONVENIENT Use your phone to tell Metro Flex where you are and where you want to go. You’ll receive a nearby pick-up location for a Metro Flex vehicle only a short walk away. FAST It just takes a minute to book your ride! The app will send you an approximate arrival time for your Metro Flex vehicle. AFFORDABLE Metro Flex costs the same as a Metro bus trip. And with your ORCA card, you can transfer for free to or from a bus or Sound Transit Link light rail. You can also pay with a Transit GO Ticket or credit/debit card. Youth up to age 18 ride free. Questions? Reach out at support-sea@ridewithvia.com Loving your experience so far? Throw us a 5-star rating. You’ll have our eternal gratitude.

Screenshots

myORCA1 screens
Metro Flex4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Metro Flex at 4.6 against myORCA's 2.5. Metro Flex also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (43% vs 16%). myORCA's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, ratings volume, 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

Metro Flex holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 2.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 354 and 1K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 16% of myORCA's written reviews are positive against 43% of Metro Flex's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

myORCA ships an update every 2 months, Metro Flex monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
myORCA versus Metro Flex: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParametermyORCAMetro Flex
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.5 (354 ratings)4.6 (1K ratings) — better
Positive reviews15.5% of reviews42.6% of reviews — better
Number of ratings3541K — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsMonthly — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS13.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size46 MB136 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCentral Puget Sound Regional Transit AuthorityVia Transportation, Inc.

Customer experience

myORCA

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

Metro Flex

All ratings1,002 ratings
Positive89.4%
Neutral2.5%
Negative8.1%
Written reviews47 reviews
Positive42.6%
Neutral14.9%
Negative42.6%

User reviews

myORCA

From 354 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 💻 Convenient to manage card on the go
  • ⚡ Instant card reloading
  • 🔍 Ability to view transaction history

Room to improve

  • 🔒 No Apple Wallet/Pay integration
  • 🔑 Frequent log-out issues
  • 🐛 Buggy payment method management
  • 📱 Limited functionality compared to website

Metro Flex

From 1K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Convenient and helpful service
  • 👍 Kind and punctual drivers
  • 💡 Affordable transportation option
  • 👍 Easy to use app

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Unreliable app with glitches
  • ⏱️ Long wait times and unpredictable arrival times
  • 🚗 Not enough drivers/vehicles to meet demand
  • 🗺️ Limited service area coverage

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

Metro Flex

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • App crashing and freezing issues
  • Inaccurate GPS and location tracking
  • Inconsistent service hours and availability
  • Billing and account management problems

Requested features

4 requests
  • Ability to schedule rides in advance
  • Option to choose preferred pickup location
  • Real-time driver updates and communication
  • Integration with other transit options

In-app purchases

None

myORCA

No in-app purchases

None

Metro Flex

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is myORCA free?
myORCA is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Metro Flex free?
Metro Flex is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, myORCA or Metro Flex?
Metro Flex is rated higher. myORCA averages 2.5 out of 5 from 354 ratings, while Metro Flex averages 4.6 from 1K ratings.
Do myORCA or Metro Flex have ads?
myORCA shows ads; Metro Flex does not.
Which is updated more often, myORCA or Metro Flex?
myORCA ships an update every 2 months, and Metro Flex monthly. Most recently, myORCA was updated on September 22, 2026 and Metro Flex on September 23, 2026.

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