# Metro Times Washington DC vs SmarTrip

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Metro Times Washington DC at 96% against SmarTrip's 10%. Metro Times Washington DC also leads on rating (4.8 vs 2.1) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 5 months). SmarTrip's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and chart position (#198 vs unranked). On price, ratings volume, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Metro Times Washington DC sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. SmarTrip asks for nothing beyond the download.

Metro Times Washington DC holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 2.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 169 and 116 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 96% of Metro Times Washington DC's written reviews are positive against 10% of SmarTrip's.

Metro Times Washington DC ships an update every 2 months, SmarTrip every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Metro Times Washington DC | SmarTrip |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (169 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/metro-times-washington-dc/id393754858/reviews)** | [2.1 (116 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartrip/id1516539463/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **169** | 116 |
| Positive reviews | **96.4% of reviews** | 10.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | — | **#198** |
| Size | 3 MB | 66 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [William Kendall](https://appshunter.io/developer/360850540) | [Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority](https://appshunter.io/developer/1257235533) |

## What reviewers say

### Metro Times Washington DC

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/metro-times-washington-dc/id393754858)

Find the nearest Metro entrance and get real-time train arrival information for DC, Maryland, and Virginia. Plan your commute with up-to-the-minute data, ensuring you never miss your train.

**Highlights:** Find nearest Metro entrance, Real-time train arrival times, DC, Maryland, Virginia coverage, Up-to-date Metro data, Commuter-friendly information

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Jefferson Tip | $1.99 | one-time |
| Lincoln Tip | $4.99 | one-time |


### SmarTrip

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartrip/id1516539463)

**Currently charting:** #198 Top Free · Travel (US App Store)

Manage your SmarTrip card and account with this optional tool. Register your card for balance protection, check benefits, set up auto-reload, or purchase transit passes. It can also be added to Apple Wallet for easy tap-to-pay.

**Highlights:** Manage SmarTrip card and account, Add SmarTrip to Apple Wallet, Register card for balance protection, Check SmartBenefits, Setup Auto-Reload, Buy unlimited transit passes

**Features:** Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Convenient for commuting
- 🚀 Seamless integration with Apple Wallet
- 🚀 Straightforward account setup

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Unreliable card reading at turnstiles
- 🐛 Delayed balance updates
- 🐛 Buggy app functionality
- 🔒 Excessive personal information required
- 🔒 Difficult to recover account

**Reported bugs**

- Unable to activate account due to missing activation email
- Password reset process not working
- Inconsistent behavior when adding value to card

**Requested features**

- Ability to transfer balance between cards
- Real-time balance updates
- Improved trip planning tools
- Apple Watch support


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Metro Times Washington DC free?

Metro Times Washington DC is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is SmarTrip free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Metro Times Washington DC or SmarTrip?

Metro Times Washington DC is rated higher. Metro Times Washington DC averages 4.8 out of 5 from 169 ratings, while SmarTrip averages 2.1 from 116 ratings.

### Do Metro Times Washington DC or SmarTrip have ads?

Neither Metro Times Washington DC nor SmarTrip shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Metro Times Washington DC or SmarTrip?

Metro Times Washington DC ships an update every 2 months, and SmarTrip every 5 months. Most recently, Metro Times Washington DC was updated on November 1, 2026 and SmarTrip on November 3, 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.*