Comparison

OneBusAway vs Seattle Transit

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

Head to head
About

OneBusAway

Get real-time transit information for multiple regions, including Puget Sound. Plan your trips, receive departure alerts, and view live arrival times. Easily find nearby stops and save your favorite routes for quick access.

Highlights
  • Real-time arrival information
  • Trip planning
  • Departure alerts
  • Map display of stops and routes
  • Nearby stops search
  • Favorite routes widget
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

When's my bus? OneBusAway answers that question in real time, at every stop, across your whole region. Now with Live Activities: start tracking a ride and watch it approach from your Lock Screen, without opening the app. Free, open source, and built by a nonprofit in partnership with your transit agency. WHAT'S NEW - Live Activities — follow your bus, train, or ferry from the Lock Screen and Dynamic Island. - A redesigned stop view that opens right from the map, putting real-time arrivals one tap away. FEATURES - Real-time arrivals wherever your agency provides them. - Departure alarms that nudge you before your ride pulls away. - Trip planning with door-to-door directions across every agency in your region. - See where your vehicle actually is on the map — buses, trains, ferries, streetcars, even funiculars. - Home Screen and Lock Screen widgets for the routes you check most. - Bookmarks and recent stops, so your daily commute is always a tap away. - Nearby stops found automatically, or search by route, address, or stop number. - Service alerts from your agency, right where you need them. WHERE ONEBUSAWAY WORKS - Davis, CA - New York, NY - San Diego, CA - Seattle / Tacoma / Puget Sound, WA - Tampa, FL - Washington, D.C. - Adelaide, Australia ABOUT OneBusAway is free and open source, maintained by transit riders and researchers since 2008. There are no ads and no account to create. The app is published by the Open Transit Software Foundation, an IRS-registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit that has earned Silver Transparency status on Candid. Questions, feedback, or support: https://onebusaway.org/ OTSF on Candid: https://www.guidestar.org/profile/84-1786969

About

Seattle Transit

This app provides real-time transit information for the Seattle and Puget Sound area. Track buses, trains, and ferries live, plan trips with step-by-step directions, and receive alerts for delays and detours. It's designed to make commuting easier for Seattle residents.

Highlights
  • Live bus, train, and ferry tracking
  • Real-time arrival and departure times
  • Trip planner with step-by-step directions
  • Stop and schedule alerts
  • Get Off Alerts for your stop
  • Offline route maps
  • Customizable widgets
Features
Read full description

Seattle Transit — Your Smarter Way Around Seattle Get real-time bus, light rail, and ferry updates across the Puget Sound — all in one simple, reliable app designed for Seattle commuters. “Seattle Transit makes getting around so much easier. Live arrivals are always accurate, and I love being able to see when my bus or train is actually coming.” Why Seattle riders love Seattle Transit: • Live King County Metro and Sound Transit tracking • Stop and schedule alerts • Trip planner with step-by-step directions • Live and offline route maps • One-tap “Get Me Home” journeys • Customizable widgets for quick access Never miss your stop again — with Get Off Alerts, Seattle Transit tells you exactly when to hop off. Track your bus, train, or ferry on the map in real time, see how crowded it is before boarding, and get instant alerts about delays, detours, and service changes. Whether you’re commuting to downtown Seattle, catching Link Light Rail to the airport, or taking a ferry across the Sound, Seattle Transit keeps you connected wherever you go. Coverage Includes: • King County Metro Buses • Sound Transit Express Buses and Link Light Rail • Sounder Commuter Rail • Community Transit and Everett Transit • Pierce Transit and Intercity Transit • Seattle Streetcar (South Lake Union & First Hill Lines) • Washington State Ferries • Real-time service alerts and detour updates Plan trips, check live arrivals, and save your favourite stops — all in one simple app built just for the Seattle area. -------- What is Seattle Transit? Seattle Transit is a real-time public transport app for the Seattle and Puget Sound region. It provides live bus, train, and ferry tracking, trip planning, and service alerts. Does it work with King County Metro? Yes — Seattle Transit supports all King County Metro routes with real-time arrivals and live tracking. Does it include Link Light Rail and Sound Transit? Absolutely. You can view live Link Light Rail trains and Sound Transit Express buses, as well as Sounder Commuter Rail schedules. Can I check ferry schedules? Yes. Seattle Transit includes Washington State Ferries with live times and alerts for delays or cancellations. Does it show service alerts and detours? Yes — you’ll get real-time notifications about route changes, construction, and other disruptions across all major agencies. Can I use Seattle Transit offline? Yes — offline maps and saved timetables let you plan trips even without mobile data. Will it remind me when to get off? Yes. “Get Off Alerts” use GPS to let you know just before your stop, so you never miss it. Is Seattle Transit free? Yes — it’s free to download and use, with optional premium features and widgets available via in-app purchase. How do I contact support? Email talk@travelwhiz.app or message @trymomego on X (Twitter). -------- Travel smarter with Seattle Transit — your all-in-one app for buses, trains, ferries, and more. Download now and get live times, trip planning, and real-time alerts for the entire Seattle area. Privacy Policy: travelwhiz.app/privacy Terms of Use: www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

OneBusAway4 screens
Seattle Transit4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: OneBusAway at none against Seattle Transit's 17. OneBusAway also leads on review sentiment (56% vs 43%) and iOS requirement (18.0 vs 26.0). Seattle Transit's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads 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. Seattle Transit sells 16 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. OneBusAway asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for OneBusAway against 4.7 for Seattle Transit. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2K and 830 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 56% of OneBusAway's written reviews are positive against 43% of Seattle Transit's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

OneBusAway ships an update every 2 months, Seattle Transit fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
OneBusAway versus Seattle Transit: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterOneBusAwaySeattle Transit
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (2K ratings) — better4.7 (830 ratings)
Positive reviews56.5% of reviews — better42.9% of reviews
Number of ratings2K — better830
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#180 — better#192
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS18.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size24 MB148 MB
Age rating4++4
DeveloperOpen Transit Software FoundationAdamton Apps ltd

Customer experience

OneBusAway

All ratings1,492 ratings
Positive96.4%
Neutral1.3%
Negative2.3%
Written reviews255 reviews
Positive56.5%
Neutral6.7%
Negative36.9%

Seattle Transit

All ratings828 ratings
Positive92.0%
Neutral3.0%
Negative5.0%
Written reviews14 reviews
Positive42.9%
Neutral7.1%
Negative50.0%

Bugs and requests

OneBusAway

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • App crashing when searching for routes
  • Bus stops not showing on map
  • Notifications not working
  • Inconsistent data between stops

Requested features

4 requests
  • Live bus tracking on map
  • Ability to report issues with bus arrivals
  • Apple Watch support
  • More customization options

Seattle Transit

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

OneBusAway

No in-app purchases

16 purchases

Seattle Transit

Subscriptions13
  • Weekly Plan$4.997 Days
  • PRO Weekly7 Days trial$4.997 Days
  • Seattle+ Annual$4.991 Year
Show 10 more
  • Seattle+ Monthly$6.001 Month
  • Seattle+ Monthly$7.991 Month
  • Secret Discount$7.991 Year
  • Seattle+ Annual$8.991 Year
  • Seattle+ Annual7 Days trial$9.001 Year
  • Seattle+ Annual$12.991 Year
  • Seattle+ Annual$17.991 Year
  • PRO Yearly$29.001 Year
  • Seattle+ Annual7 Days trial$29.001 Year
  • Seattle+ Annual7 Days trial$39.001 Year
One-time3
  • Remove Ads$8.99
  • Lifetime Pass - Sale$22.99
  • Lifetime Pass$89.00

Questions

Is OneBusAway free?
OneBusAway is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Seattle Transit free?
Seattle Transit is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, OneBusAway or Seattle Transit?
OneBusAway is rated higher. OneBusAway averages 4.8 out of 5 from 2K ratings, while Seattle Transit averages 4.7 from 830 ratings.
Do OneBusAway or Seattle Transit have ads?
Neither OneBusAway nor Seattle Transit shows ads.
Which is updated more often, OneBusAway or Seattle Transit?
OneBusAway ships an update every 2 months, and Seattle Transit fortnightly. Most recently, OneBusAway was updated on October 26, 2026 and Seattle Transit on October 24, 2026.
Which is more popular, OneBusAway or Seattle Transit?
OneBusAway currently peaks at #180 in the App Store charts, and Seattle Transit at #192. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

Other comparisons