Comparison

myORCA vs Pierce Transit On

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

Pierce Transit On

Book on-demand rides within designated zones where traditional bus routes are limited. This app allows you to schedule pickups and drop-offs, potentially sharing your ride with others for faster, more affordable, and sustainable transit.

Highlights
  • Book on-demand rides
  • Set pickup and drop-off locations
  • Share rides with others
  • Accepts ORCA card and passes
  • Sustainable ride-sharing
  • Fast booking process
Features
Read full description

Pierce Transit On-Demand makes it easier than ever to ride transit in Pierce County — with one simple smartphone app and just a few taps, book a ride within our Runner zones wherever the bus can’t take you. To provide the fastest service, we may pair you with others headed in a similar direction. HOW IT WORKS: - Download the app and create an account. - Get picked up and dropped off where you want. - Share your ride with others. - Save cash and time. What we’re about: CONVENIENT Use your phone to tell Pierce Transit Runner where you are and where you want to go. We’ll take you there. To provide faster service, you’ll be paired with others heading in a similar direction. FAST It just takes a minute to book your ride! The app will send you an approximate arrival time for your Pierce Transit Runner vehicle. AFFORDABLE Pierce Transit Runner costs the same as a bus trip, and daily and 30-day passes are accepted. Pay your fare using ORCA, Transit app on your smartphone, or a paper pass. To pay using cash, visit one of the many ORCA retail locations or vending machines to convert your cash to E-Purse value. For more information on buying or using an ORCA card, visit myorca.com. SUSTAINABLE. Sharing rides reduces the number of vehicles on the roads, bringing down congestion and CO2 emissions. You can even double up your green cred by connecting with other public transit services. With a couple of taps, you get to do your part to make your city a little bit greener and cleaner, every time you ride. Questions? Reach out to support-pierce@ridewithvia.com Loving your experience so far? Give us a 5-star rating. You’ll have our eternal gratitude.

Screenshots

myORCA1 screens
Pierce Transit On4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Pierce Transit On at 4.7 against myORCA's 2.5. Pierce Transit On also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (44% vs 15%). 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

Pierce Transit On holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 2.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 384 and 237 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 15% of myORCA's written reviews are positive against 44% of Pierce Transit On's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

myORCA ships an update every 2 months, Pierce Transit On every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
myORCA versus Pierce Transit On: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParametermyORCAPierce Transit On
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.5 (384 ratings)4.7 (237 ratings) — better
Positive reviews15.2% of reviews44.4% of reviews — better
Number of ratings384 — better237
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 6 weeks — 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 MB129 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 reviews197 reviews
Positive15.2%
Neutral12.2%
Negative72.6%

Pierce Transit On

All ratings237 ratings
Positive92.0%
Neutral1.3%
Negative6.8%
Written reviews18 reviews
Positive44.4%
Neutral22.2%
Negative33.3%

User reviews

myORCA

From 384 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

Pierce Transit On

From 237 App Store ratings

What we love

  • ✨ Great for short commutes
  • 👍 Wonderful and courteous drivers
  • 🚀 Fast and easy rides
  • 🚗 Comfortable and relaxing rides
  • ✅ Beats riding buses

Room to improve

  • ⚠️ Service is iffy, inconsistent availability
  • 😠 Rude drivers sometimes
  • 🗺️ Zones are confusing and restrictive
  • ⏰ Limited operating hours
  • 📍 Pickup location issues

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

Pierce Transit On

Reported bugs

7 issues
  • App not working, stuck at location selection
  • Cannot schedule rides, schedule button disappears
  • App marks pickup location incorrectly
  • App doesn't allow rebooking after cancellation
  • Bad cell service affects app functionality
Show 2 more
  • App cancels rides unexpectedly
  • Driver drives past pickup location

Requested features

8 requests
  • Expand pickup and drop-off zones
  • Allow scheduling rides in advance
  • Extend operating hours
  • Allow use of debit/credit cards for payment
  • Improve GPS usage by drivers
Show 3 more
  • Expand service boundaries to cover more of Washington state
  • Provide notification for no drivers available
  • Compensate users for long waits due to cancellations

In-app purchases

None

myORCA

No in-app purchases

None

Pierce Transit On

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is myORCA free?
myORCA is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Pierce Transit On free?
Pierce Transit On is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, myORCA or Pierce Transit On?
Pierce Transit On is rated higher. myORCA averages 2.5 out of 5 from 384 ratings, while Pierce Transit On averages 4.7 from 237 ratings.
Do myORCA or Pierce Transit On have ads?
myORCA shows ads; Pierce Transit On does not.
Which is updated more often, myORCA or Pierce Transit On?
myORCA ships an update every 2 months, and Pierce Transit On every 6 weeks. Most recently, myORCA was updated on October 22, 2026 and Pierce Transit On on October 25, 2026.

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