myORCA vs Explore Bainbridge
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- Load fares instantly
- Check card balance
- Manage multiple cards
- Purchase daily/monthly passes
- Set up autoloads
- Connect existing ORCA card
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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.
Explore Bainbridge
Discover local restaurants, shops, and attractions on an island. Plan your visit with curated itineraries and navigate easily with an interactive map. Stay updated on ferry schedules and local events.
- Curated local listings
- Searchable and filterable explore tab
- Interactive map with routes
- Curated itineraries
- Real-time ferry schedule
- Upcoming island events
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Explore Bainbridge is the essential companion for visiting Bainbridge Island, Washington. Whether you're stepping off the ferry for a day trip from Seattle or settling in for a longer stay, this free app puts everything you need right in your pocket. The app is 100% free. No ads. No in-app purchases. DISCOVER THE ISLAND Browse a curated collection of local restaurants, cafés, bars, shops, museums, parks, trails, and places to stay. Search by name or filter by category — Eat, Drink, Do, Walk, and Stay — to find exactly what you're looking for. Heart your favorites and come back to them anytime. PLAN YOUR VISIT Choose from ready-made itineraries designed around different interests and timeframes, from a quick afternoon in Winslow to a full day exploring the island by foot, bike, or car. Each itinerary maps out a route so you can spend less time planning and more time enjoying. NAVIGATE WITH EASE Switch to the interactive Map tab to see every listing at a glance. Tap a pin for details, get walking directions from the ferry terminal, and see estimated travel times. The app uses your location (with permission) to show your position and provide turn-by-turn context as you explore. STAY ON SCHEDULE WITH LIVE FERRY INFO The Ferry tab displays the real-time Washington State Ferries schedule for the Seattle–Bainbridge route, including departure times, countdowns, and live delay updates. Never miss a sailing again. SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING The Events tab highlights upcoming happenings across the island — art walks, farmers markets, live music, community gatherings, and more. Search events by name or browse what's coming up next. BUILT BY LOCALS Explore Bainbridge is created by the team behind BainbridgeIsland.com, the island's go-to online resource. Led by Bainbridge residents Michael and Erin Cyger, the app is an independent, community-driven project rooted in a love for the island. FEATURES AT A GLANCE • Curated local listings across dining, drinks, activities, walks, and lodging • Searchable and filterable Explore tab • Interactive map with walking routes and travel times • Curated itineraries for day trips and longer visits • Real-time ferry schedule with live delay tracking • Upcoming island events • Favorite spots and itineraries with a tap • No account required — just open and explore • Completely free with no ads or in-app purchases Step off the ferry, open the app, and start exploring.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Explore Bainbridge at 4.0 against myORCA's 2.5. Explore Bainbridge also leads on ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). myORCA's advantage is ratings volume (354 vs 4) and review sentiment (15% vs 0%). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and device support 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.
Explore Bainbridge holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 2.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: myORCA has 354 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 15% of myORCA's written reviews are positive against 0% of Explore Bainbridge's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
myORCA ships an update every 2 months, Explore Bainbridge every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | myORCA | Explore Bainbridge |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.5 (354 ratings) | 4.0 (4 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 15.2% of reviews — better | 0.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 354 — better | 4 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 5 weeks — better |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 15.1 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 46 MB | 34 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority | Web X.0 Media LLC |
Customer experience
myORCA
Explore Bainbridge
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
Explore Bainbridge
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
myORCA
No in-app purchases
Explore Bainbridge
No in-app purchases








