WSDOT vs STA Connect
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- Statewide traffic map
- Live traffic cameras
- Ferry schedules and locations
- Mountain pass conditions
- Toll rates
- Border wait times
- Train schedules
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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.
STA Connect
Manage your transit fare cards, add value, and track your spending. This app allows you to link physical cards or create virtual ones, view your balance, and monitor fare capping progress. It also supports autoload and provides a history of your rides.
- Link physical or create virtual fare cards
- Add value and passes
- Check card balance
- View fare capping progress
- Enable autoload
- Lock lost/stolen cards
- Manage payment methods
- View ride history
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The Spokane Transit Authority (STA) Connect app is packed full of features! With the STA Connect app you can: - Link a physical Connect card or create a virtual eConnect card - Add value or passes - Check your balance - View fare capping progress - Enable autoload - Lock lost or stolen cards - Manage payment methods - View card activity, including ride history Virtual eConnect cards are separate from physical Connect cards. eConnect cards are completely virtual and exist only in your mobile phone. Every card, whether physical or eConnect, has a unique 20 digit number, and that 20 digit number has its own separate balances and fare capping totals from any other Connect card number, even when linked within the same STA Connect app account profile. To add value to an eConnect or physical Connect card, simply add a credit or debit card to your Connect account, then add value to your cart and check out. With value added to your card, you are ready to ride! Please note that no refund can be given on funds loaded to a physical or eConnect card. When you board the bus, bring up the fare payment QR code and hold your phone approximately eight inches below the fare validator with the screen facing up. When your eConnect card has been validated and fare collected, you’ll hear a beep and see a green check mark. Riders with a Universal Transit Access Pass (UTAP) through a local university (e.g. EWU, Gonzaga, SCC, SFCC, Whitworth, or WSU Spokane), employer (e.g. City of Spokane or Spokane County), or other partner agency (e.g. Kendall Yards) can now link their UTAP to their virtual Connect card directly in the STA Connect app. Simply register with your UTAP email address and use the “Partner Agency” widget on the home screen to get started. Learn more about the Connect fare system at spokanetransit.com/connect/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: WSDOT at 2.9 against STA Connect's 2.3. WSDOT also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
WSDOT holds the better App Store score, 2.9 against 2.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: WSDOT has 280 ratings behind it against 40, 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 16% of STA Connect's.
WSDOT ships an update monthly, STA Connect every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | WSDOT | STA Connect |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.9 (280 ratings) — better | 2.3 (40 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 24.3% of reviews — better | 16.1% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 280 — better | 40 |
| Update frequency | Monthly — better | Every 3 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 — better | 13.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 54 MB | 44 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Washington State Department of Transportation | Spokane Transit Authority |
Customer experience
WSDOT
STA Connect
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
STA Connect
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
WSDOT
No in-app purchases
STA Connect
No in-app purchases
