Comparison

MARTA vs the Buc

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

Head to head
About

MARTA

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
Read full description

MARTA brings real-time Atlanta transit information, trip planning, service alerts, and safety reporting together in one app. Plan your trip, stay on top of service changes, and get the latest bus and rail information before you ride. When needed, you can also use the app to report safety concerns and get help. Features: Plan your trip on MARTA buses and trains See real-time arrivals and service information View alerts and updates before you travel Report safety issues directly from your phone

About

the Buc

Book on-demand shared rides within Buckhead, GA. This app matches you with others heading in the same direction for a convenient, efficient, and affordable transit experience. Enjoy faster journeys and contribute to a greener city with every ride.

Highlights
  • On-demand ride booking
  • Shared rides for efficiency
  • Real-time ETA estimates
  • In-app ride tracking
  • Affordable fares
  • Free rides to/from MARTA stations
Features
Read full description

The Buc app makes it easier than ever to move around Buckhead, GA—with a few taps, book a ride using the app and we’ll pair you with others headed your way. No detours, no delays. What we’re about: CONVENIENT. Our tech matches people headed in the same direction. This means you’re getting the convenience and comfort of a private ride with the efficiency, speed, and affordability of a public one. SUSTAINABLE. Sharing rides reduces the number of vehicles on the roads, bringing down congestion and CO2 emissions. 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. AFFORDABLE. Aggregating people into one vehicle brings down prices. Enough said. Plus, all rides to or from a MARTA station are free! Head to bucride.com for more information. How does the Buc work? - The Buc is an on-demand travel concept that takes multiple passengers heading in the same direction and books them into a shared vehicle. -Using the Buc app, input your address and we’ll match you with a vehicle going your way. We’ll pick you up on a nearby corner and drop you off within a short walk of your chosen destination. -Now for the clever bit: our algorithms provide journey times that are comparable to a taxi and much more convenient than other modes of travel, making public transportation easier than ever before! How long will I wait? - You'll always get an accurate estimate of your pick-up ETA before booking. - You can also track your bus in real time using the app. Questions? Head to bucride.com or reach out at support-buc@ridewithvia.com. Loving your experience so far? Give us a 5-star rating.

Screenshots

MARTA4 screens
the Buc4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: the Buc at 4.9 against MARTA's 4.2. the Buc also leads on review sentiment (56% vs 15%). MARTA's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and ratings volume (8.4K vs 346). On price, update cadence, ads 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

the Buc holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: MARTA has 8.4K ratings behind it against 346, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 15% of MARTA's written reviews are positive against 56% of the Buc's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

MARTA ships an update every 5 weeks, the Buc monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
MARTA versus the Buc: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMARTAthe Buc
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.2 (8.4K ratings)4.9 (346 ratings) — better
Positive reviews15.4% of reviews55.6% of reviews — better
Number of ratings8.4K — better346
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeksMonthly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.415.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size63 MB130 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMARTAVia Transportation, Inc.

Customer experience

MARTA

All ratings6,167 ratings
Positive77.2%
Neutral3.4%
Negative19.3%
Written reviews286 reviews
Positive15.4%
Neutral10.8%
Negative73.8%

the Buc

All ratings346 ratings
Positive97.4%
Neutral0.9%
Negative1.7%
Written reviews9 reviews
Positive55.6%
Neutral0.0%
Negative44.4%

Bugs and requests

MARTA

Reported bugs

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

Requested features

4 requests
  • 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

the Buc

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

MARTA

No in-app purchases

None

the Buc

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is MARTA free?
MARTA is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is the Buc free?
the Buc is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, MARTA or the Buc?
the Buc is rated higher. MARTA averages 4.2 out of 5 from 8.4K ratings, while the Buc averages 4.9 from 346 ratings.
Do MARTA or the Buc have ads?
Neither MARTA nor the Buc shows ads.
Which is updated more often, MARTA or the Buc?
MARTA ships an update every 5 weeks, and the Buc monthly. Most recently, MARTA was updated on October 29, 2026 and the Buc on October 22, 2026.

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