# WSDOT vs NW Ferry

The clearest difference is price: WSDOT at Free against NW Ferry's $1.99. WSDOT also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 6 months) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 26.0). NW Ferry's advantage is review sentiment (68% vs 24%) and rating (4.7 vs 2.9). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

WSDOT is free to download; NW Ferry costs $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

NW Ferry holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 2.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: NW Ferry has 2.2K ratings behind it against 280, 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 68% of NW Ferry's.

WSDOT ships an update monthly, NW Ferry every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | WSDOT | NW Ferry |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $1.99 |
| Rating | [2.9 (280 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wsdot/id387209224/reviews) | **[4.7 (2.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nw-ferry/id427430871/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 280 | **2.2K** |
| Positive reviews | 24.3% of reviews | **67.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 6 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | — | **#52** |
| Size | 54 MB | 10 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Washington State Department of Transportation](https://appshunter.io/developer/387209227) | [Durbinware](https://appshunter.io/developer/371905346) |

## What reviewers say

### WSDOT

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wsdot/id387209224)

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 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

**Reported bugs**

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- Inaccurate and outdated traffic and ferry information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

**Requested features**

- 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


### NW Ferry

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nw-ferry/id427430871)

**Currently charting:** #52 Top Paid · Travel (US App Store)

Plan your Washington State Ferry trips with real-time schedules, live vessel tracking, and service alerts. This app provides terminal cameras and drive-up space estimates to help you stay informed and ahead of delays.

**Highlights:** Real-time schedules & fares, Live vessel tracking, Service alerts, Terminal cameras, Drive-up space estimates, Favorites & recents, Apple Watch app & widgets

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Accurate and up-to-date
- 📊 Helpful for planning ferry trips
- 🔍 Useful camera views
- 🗓️ Essential for frequent ferry users

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Unreliable data and inaccurate information
- 🔍 Missing important features like arrival times
- 💰 Paid app with limited functionality compared to free options
- 🔄 Slow to update and unresponsive to schedule changes
- 🔧 Buggy and crashes frequently

**Reported bugs**

- App won't open on Apple Watch
- Broken links to customer support
- Inconsistent display of car capacity information

**Requested features**

- Display full day's schedule instead of just upcoming ferries
- Allow customization of routes/terminals shown
- Add real-time updates for delayed/late ferries
- Integrate ticket purchasing/reservation functionality
- Improve widget and 3D Touch functionality


## Frequently asked questions

### Is WSDOT free?

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

### Is NW Ferry free?

NW Ferry costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, WSDOT or NW Ferry?

NW Ferry is rated higher. WSDOT averages 2.9 out of 5 from 280 ratings, while NW Ferry averages 4.7 from 2.2K ratings.

### Do WSDOT or NW Ferry have ads?

Neither WSDOT nor NW Ferry shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, WSDOT or NW Ferry?

WSDOT ships an update monthly, and NW Ferry every 6 months. Most recently, WSDOT was updated on October 5, 2026 and NW Ferry on October 14, 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.*