# IU Ride vs BloomingtonLink

The clearest difference is rating: BloomingtonLink at 4.7 against IU Ride's 2.2. BloomingtonLink also leads on update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 3 months). IU Ride's advantage is ratings volume (19 vs 3). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

BloomingtonLink holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 2.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: IU Ride has 19 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two.

IU Ride ships an update every 3 months, BloomingtonLink every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 5, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | IU Ride | BloomingtonLink |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.2 (19 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/iu-ride/id1659428031/reviews) | **[4.7 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bloomingtonlink/id6499281173/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **19** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 63 MB | 32 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Indiana University](https://appshunter.io/developer/383456988) | [RideCo Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1097869971) |

## What reviewers say

### IU Ride

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/iu-ride/id1659428031)

This app provides free, safe rides home for students, faculty, and staff within Bloomington, Indiana. It operates nightly between 8 PM and 2 AM, offering a convenient transportation option for the university community.

**Highlights:** Free safe rides, Student, faculty, staff service, Nightly operation (8 PM - 2 AM), Within Bloomington city limits, University-run service

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### BloomingtonLink

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bloomingtonlink/id6499281173)

This app offers on-demand shared rides within specific zones, pairing multiple passengers heading in the same direction. Book your trip by entering pickup and drop-off locations to be matched with a vehicle. It provides an affordable and convenient transportation option.

**Highlights:** On-demand shared rides, Zone-based service, Multiple passenger pairing, Affordable fares, ADA-friendly vehicles, Reduced fares for seniors and students

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is IU Ride free?

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

### Is BloomingtonLink free?

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

### Which has better reviews, IU Ride or BloomingtonLink?

BloomingtonLink is rated higher. IU Ride averages 2.2 out of 5 from 19 ratings, while BloomingtonLink averages 4.7 from 3 ratings.

### Do IU Ride or BloomingtonLink have ads?

Neither IU Ride nor BloomingtonLink shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, IU Ride or BloomingtonLink?

IU Ride ships an update every 3 months, and BloomingtonLink every 5 weeks. Most recently, IU Ride was updated on September 5, 2026 and BloomingtonLink on September 21, 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.*