# Amtrak vs NJ TRANSIT

The clearest difference is monetization model: NJ TRANSIT at free against Amtrak's free with in-app purchases. Amtrak's advantage is review sentiment (31% vs 10%). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Amtrak against 4.8 for NJ TRANSIT. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 221K and 270K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 31% of Amtrak's written reviews are positive against 10% of NJ TRANSIT's.

Amtrak ships an update monthly, NJ TRANSIT every 6 weeks. Both last shipped on October 18, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Amtrak | NJ TRANSIT |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (221K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/amtrak/id405074003/reviews) | **[4.8 (270K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nj-transit/id589549928/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 221K | **270K** |
| Positive reviews | **30.5% of reviews** | 10.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#25** | #56 |
| Size | 145 MB | 90 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **16.4** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | +4 | 4+ |
| Developer | [Amtrak](https://appshunter.io/developer/405074008) | [NEW JERSEY TRANSIT CORPORATION](https://appshunter.io/developer/589549971) |

## What reviewers say

### Amtrak

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/amtrak/id405074003)

**Currently charting:** #25 Top Free · Travel (US App Store)

Book train tickets, manage your account, and access travel information on the go. Show your eTicket digitally and save payment details for quick purchases. Find station info and check train status easily.

**Highlights:** Digital eTickets, Ticket purchasing, Train status checks, Station information, Account management, Apple Wallet integration

**Features:** Apple Wallet, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to navigate
- 👍 Helpful for tracking delays and notifications
- 🚂 Positive travel experience overall
- 💻 Reliable for booking and managing trips

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and errors
- 🕰️ Lack of real-time updates on train status
- 📱 Unintuitive and confusing app interface
- 💳 Issues with booking and payment functionality

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to modify or cancel reservations
- Inconsistent behavior when booking multi-leg trips
- Problems with logging in and accessing account information

**Requested features**

- Add more detailed train information (amenities, quiet cars, etc.)
- Improve trip planning and itinerary management features
- Integrate with mobile wallets for easier ticketing
- Provide better communication during service disruptions


### NJ TRANSIT

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nj-transit/id589549928)

**Currently charting:** #56 Top Free · Travel (US App Store)

Plan your trips across New Jersey, New York, and Philadelphia with real-time transit information. Purchase and display mobile tickets and passes securely. Receive instant alerts for rail, bus, and light rail services.

**Highlights:** Mobile ticketing and passes, Real-time arrival/departure info, Trip planning for rail, bus, light rail, Push notifications for travel alerts, Secure mobile wallet for cash value, Station-to-station schedule lookup

**Features:** Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 👍 User-friendly
- 🚀 Convenient ticket purchase
- 👍 Helpful features like Departure Vision

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Unreliable app performance
- 🐛 Frequent app crashes
- 🐛 Inaccurate schedule information
- 🐛 Inconsistent ticket activation
- 👎 Poor customer service

**Reported bugs**

- Login issues due to expired verification codes
- Inability to save trip plans or favorite stops
- Ticket purchases not always reflected in app
- App logging users out unexpectedly

**Requested features**

- Integrate with mobile wallet
- Add live bus/train tracking
- Improve service disruption notifications
- Simplify ticket purchase and activation
- Provide interactive station/route maps


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Amtrak free?

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

### Is NJ TRANSIT free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Amtrak or NJ TRANSIT?

NJ TRANSIT is rated higher. Amtrak averages 4.7 out of 5 from 221K ratings, while NJ TRANSIT averages 4.8 from 270K ratings.

### Do Amtrak or NJ TRANSIT have ads?

Neither Amtrak nor NJ TRANSIT shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Amtrak or NJ TRANSIT?

Amtrak ships an update monthly, and NJ TRANSIT every 6 weeks. Most recently, Amtrak was updated on October 18, 2026 and NJ TRANSIT on October 18, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Amtrak or NJ TRANSIT?

Amtrak currently peaks at #25 in the App Store charts, and NJ TRANSIT at #56. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*