# MARTA vs CATS

The clearest difference is rating: CATS at 4.8 against MARTA's 4.2. CATS also leads on review sentiment (53% vs 15%). MARTA's advantage is update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 4 months). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

CATS holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 8.4K and 17K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 15% of MARTA's written reviews are positive against 53% of CATS's.

MARTA ships an update every 5 weeks, CATS every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | MARTA | CATS |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.2 (8.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/marta-official/id386648039/reviews) | **[4.8 (17K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cats-pass/id1570679604/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 8.4K | **17K** |
| Positive reviews | 15.4% of reviews | **53.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 weeks** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 63 MB | 122 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.4** | 16.6 |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [MARTA](https://appshunter.io/developer/386648042) | [City of Charlotte](https://appshunter.io/developer/366647746) |

## What reviewers say

### MARTA

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/marta-official/id386648039)

Access real-time bus and rail schedules for the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority. Plan your trips with up-to-the-minute arrival and departure information.

**Highlights:** Bus schedules, Rail schedules, Real-time information, Trip planning

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Reliable train arrival times
- 🚀 Helpful real-time bus tracking
- 💡 Useful schedule information

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes
- 🕰️ Inaccurate bus schedules
- 🗺️ Unreliable real-time bus location data
- 🔍 Difficult to navigate and find information

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when accessing real-time map
- Favorites feature not working as expected
- Inconsistent display of train/bus arrival times

**Requested features**

- Add ability to plan trips with bus and train routes
- Improve real-time bus tracking accuracy
- Redesign user interface for better usability
- Integrate with mobile payment options


### CATS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cats-pass/id1570679604)

This app provides a convenient mobile ticketing solution for public transit. Users can instantly purchase and use tickets directly from their smartphone, plan trips with step-by-step directions, and manage their transit passes. It offers multiple payment options and integration with other transit-related services.

**Highlights:** Instant mobile ticket purchase, Trip planning with directions, Debit/credit card and mobile payment options, Save favorite routes and passes, Connect to other CATS apps

**Features:** Apple Wallet, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use and navigate
- 🚀 Convenient ticket purchasing
- 💡 Helpful for events and concerts
- 🚀 Real-time bus tracking

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional app crashes or bugs
- 🔒 Restrictive device limit issues
- 🔒 Difficult to manage payment methods
- 🕰️ Inaccurate bus schedule information

**Reported bugs**

- Unable to create new user accounts
- Keyboard issues during sign-up process
- Discrepancies between app and physical bus stop times

**Requested features**

- Ability to delete payment methods
- Improved bus and train schedule information
- Notifications for bus arrival times
- Discounted passes for seniors and disabled riders


## Frequently asked questions

### Is MARTA free?

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

### Is CATS free?

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

### Which has better reviews, MARTA or CATS?

CATS is rated higher. MARTA averages 4.2 out of 5 from 8.4K ratings, while CATS averages 4.8 from 17K ratings.

### Do MARTA or CATS have ads?

Neither MARTA nor CATS shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, MARTA or CATS?

MARTA ships an update every 5 weeks, and CATS every 4 months. Most recently, MARTA was updated on October 29, 2026 and CATS on October 30, 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.*