Comparison

WSDOT vs FerryWatch

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

Head to head
About

WSDOT

Access real-time traffic conditions, ferry schedules, and mountain pass reports for Washington State. Stay informed about travel alerts, toll rates, and border wait times to plan your journeys efficiently.

Highlights
  • Statewide traffic map
  • Live traffic cameras
  • Ferry schedules and locations
  • Mountain pass conditions
  • Toll rates
  • Border wait times
  • Train schedules
Read full description

Washington State Traveler information provided by The Washington State Department of Transportation. Features • Traffic Map with statewide traffic cameras and travel alerts. • Ferry schedules, alerts, and real-time ferry locations. • Mountain pass conditions and weather reports. • Washington State toll rates. • Northbound Canadian Border Waits. • Amtrak Cascades Train Schedules.

About

FerryWatch

This app helps travelers by providing real-time information on Washington State Ferry sailings. It allows users to track favorite routes, view upcoming departures, and check the availability of drive-up spaces on vessels, simplifying travel planning around Puget Sound.

Highlights
  • Real-time ferry sailing information
  • Favorite route tracking
  • Next departing ferry alerts
  • Drive-up space availability
  • Companion Apple Watch app
  • Location-based departure finder
Read full description

Travelers rely on the Washington State Ferries to travel to the many destinations around Puget Sound. The FerryWatch app tells you when the next sailing is going to be, making the decision on whether to hustle through the terminal much easier. No need to navigate through a full list of ferries every time you want to check on a sailing. FerryWatch lets you add favorite routes to your ‘Watch List’ and finds the next departing ferry closest to your location. It also lets you know how many drive up spaces are still available on that vessel, so you know whether your vehicle will be able to board. The companion Apple Watch app provides a quick glance at your favorite route to find out whether you are going to make the boat. No need to stop and open the app on your phone as you rush to the terminal. Whether you are rushing downtown for a morning meeting or heading to Bainbridge Island for a winery tour, the FerryWatch app can make the trip across the Sound a little less stressful.

Screenshots

WSDOT4 screens
FerryWatch4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: FerryWatch at 4.0 against WSDOT's 2.9. FerryWatch also leads on review sentiment (50% vs 24%). WSDOT's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (monthly vs every 9 months). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement 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

FerryWatch holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 2.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: WSDOT has 280 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 24% of WSDOT's written reviews are positive against 50% of FerryWatch's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

WSDOT ships an update monthly, FerryWatch every 9 months. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and September 18, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
WSDOT versus FerryWatch: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterWSDOTFerryWatch
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.9 (280 ratings)4.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews24.3% of reviews50.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings280 — better1
Update frequencyMonthly — betterEvery 9 months
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterAd-supported
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPod, Apple Watch
Requires iOS12.0 — better13.0
Further details — not scored
Size54 MB9 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperWashington State Department of TransportationDogfish Technologies, LLC

Customer experience

WSDOT

All ratings280 ratings
Positive42.9%
Neutral8.9%
Negative48.2%
Written reviews111 reviews
Positive24.3%
Neutral9.9%
Negative65.8%

FerryWatch

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

Bugs and requests

WSDOT

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Frequent crashes and freezes
  • Inaccurate and outdated traffic and ferry information
  • Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add support for Apple CarPlay
  • Improve ferry ticket purchasing and management
  • Provide more detailed and real-time pass and road condition updates
  • Add ability to report potholes and other road issues

FerryWatch

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

WSDOT

No in-app purchases

None

FerryWatch

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is WSDOT free?
WSDOT is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is FerryWatch free?
FerryWatch is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, WSDOT or FerryWatch?
FerryWatch is rated higher. WSDOT averages 2.9 out of 5 from 280 ratings, while FerryWatch averages 4.0 from 1 ratings.
Do WSDOT or FerryWatch have ads?
FerryWatch shows ads; WSDOT does not.
Which is updated more often, WSDOT or FerryWatch?
WSDOT ships an update monthly, and FerryWatch every 9 months. Most recently, WSDOT was updated on October 5, 2026 and FerryWatch on September 18, 2026.

Other comparisons