Comparison

WSDOT vs myORCA

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

myORCA

Manage your Puget Sound transit card for buses, trains, and ferries. Load fares, check balances, and purchase passes on the go. Connect your existing card or order a new one to simplify your commute.

Highlights
  • Load fares instantly
  • Check card balance
  • Manage multiple cards
  • Purchase daily/monthly passes
  • Set up autoloads
  • Connect existing ORCA card
Features
Read full description

ORCA is the Puget Sound’s all-in-one transit card. Use it to ride the bus, train and ferry in the Seattle-Tacoma metropolitan area. To get started, download the app and create an account. You need an ORCA card to use the myORCA app. You can connect your existing card or order a new card. Now you can manage your ORCA card anywhere, 24/7 with the myORCA app. With the myORCA app, you can: - Load fares instantly - Check your balance - Purchase and manage multiple ORCA cards - Purchase daily or monthly passes - Set up autoloads - And much more! With ORCA, you can pay for trips and transfers on Community Transit, Everett Transit, King County Metro, Kitsap Transit, Pierce Transit, Sound Transit and Washington State Ferries. Some exclusions apply on special trips and Washington State Ferries. To use ORCA, be sure to tap your card on the ORCA card reader on board, on the train platform, or at your stop. Reduced fare programs are available to qualified riders with low incomes, seniors (65+ years), youth (6-18 years), and persons with disabilities. Reduced fare cards work with the myORCA app, call 888-988-6722 / TTY: 711 to find out which card is right for you. This app requires iOS 13 and above.

Screenshots

WSDOT4 screens
myORCA1 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: WSDOT at none against myORCA's shown. WSDOT also leads on rating (2.9 vs 2.5) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, ratings volume, update cadence 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

WSDOT holds the better App Store score, 2.9 against 2.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 280 and 354 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 24% of WSDOT's written reviews are positive against 16% of myORCA's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

WSDOT ships an update monthly, myORCA every 2 months. Both last shipped on September 22, 2026.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
WSDOT versus myORCA: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterWSDOTmyORCA
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.9 (280 ratings) — better2.5 (354 ratings)
Positive reviews24.3% of reviews — better15.5% of reviews
Number of ratings280354 — better
Update frequencyMonthly — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS12.0 — better13.0
Further details — not scored
Size54 MB46 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperWashington State Department of TransportationCentral Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority

Customer experience

WSDOT

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

myORCA

All ratings344 ratings
Positive32.6%
Neutral8.4%
Negative59.0%
Written reviews193 reviews
Positive15.5%
Neutral11.9%
Negative72.5%

User reviews

WSDOT

From 280 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Helpful resource for Washington residents
  • 👍 Well-designed app
  • 💡 Useful features like ferry schedules and traffic information

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Crashes and freezes on launch
  • 🐛 Inaccurate and delayed information
  • 🔋 High battery consumption due to ads
  • 👎 Poor user experience and outdated design
  • 👎 Unreliable ferry-related features

myORCA

From 354 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 💻 Convenient to manage card on the go
  • ⚡ Instant card reloading
  • 🔍 Ability to view transaction history

Room to improve

  • 🔒 No Apple Wallet/Pay integration
  • 🔑 Frequent log-out issues
  • 🐛 Buggy payment method management
  • 📱 Limited functionality compared to website

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

myORCA

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Login credentials not recognized
  • Payment method addition/removal not working
  • Recent activity data displaying incorrectly

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add Apple Wallet/Pay support
  • Implement Face ID/Touch ID login
  • Improve app stability and reliability
  • Expand functionality to match website

In-app purchases

None

WSDOT

No in-app purchases

None

myORCA

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is WSDOT free?
WSDOT is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is myORCA free?
myORCA is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, WSDOT or myORCA?
WSDOT is rated higher. WSDOT averages 2.9 out of 5 from 280 ratings, while myORCA averages 2.5 from 354 ratings.
Do WSDOT or myORCA have ads?
myORCA shows ads; WSDOT does not.
Which is updated more often, WSDOT or myORCA?
WSDOT ships an update monthly, and myORCA every 2 months. Most recently, WSDOT was updated on September 22, 2026 and myORCA on September 22, 2026.

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