# ABC7 Bay Area vs VTAlerts

The clearest difference is ads: VTAlerts at none against ABC7 Bay Area's shown. VTAlerts also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). ABC7 Bay Area's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 3 months) and ratings volume (16K vs 106). On price, review sentiment, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

ABC7 Bay Area holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ABC7 Bay Area has 16K ratings behind it against 106, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 31% of ABC7 Bay Area's written reviews are positive against 36% of VTAlerts's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

ABC7 Bay Area ships an update fortnightly, VTAlerts every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ABC7 Bay Area | VTAlerts |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (16K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/abc7-bay-area/id407314068/reviews)** | [4.3 (106 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vtalerts/id633600618/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **16K** | 106 |
| Positive reviews | 30.8% of reviews | **36.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 128 MB | 20 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Disney](https://appshunter.io/developer/284888248) | [ELERTS Corp](https://appshunter.io/developer/445885285) |

## What reviewers say

### ABC7 Bay Area

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/abc7-bay-area/id407314068)

Stream live local news, weather, and national top stories. Customize your news feed by interests and location, and receive alerts for breaking news and severe weather. Watch live newscasts and access on-demand video content.

**Highlights:** Stream live newscasts, Local and national news, Customizable news feed, Weather forecasts and alerts, Picture-in-picture video, On-demand video content

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🌟 Excellent morning news team
- 🌍 Keeps users connected to local news
- 🕰️ Timely updates throughout the day
- 📰 Comprehensive news coverage

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔊 Excessive and intrusive ads
- 🔁 Frequent app crashes and freezes
- 🔍 Difficult to find specific news stories
- 🔄 Automatic video playback is annoying
- 🔧 Buggy and unreliable app performance

**Reported bugs**

- Videos fail to play or stop unexpectedly
- App crashes when switching between stories
- Notifications don't always link to the correct story
- Scrolling issues and unresponsive UI

**Requested features**

- Add search functionality
- Implement a night mode theme
- Provide more control over video autoplay
- Improve app stability and reliability


### VTAlerts

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vtalerts/id633600618)

This safety app allows riders of the VTA bus and light rail system to discreetly report safety concerns and suspicious activities. Users can send text messages, photos, and locations directly to VTA Security or connect to police in emergencies. The app prioritizes quick report delivery and offers anonymous reporting options.

**Highlights:** Discreetly report safety concerns, Send text, photos, and locations, Anonymous reporting option, Direct connection to VTA Security, Emergency 911 call integration, BOLO alerts for persons of interest

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ABC7 Bay Area free?

ABC7 Bay Area is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is VTAlerts free?

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

### Which has better reviews, ABC7 Bay Area or VTAlerts?

ABC7 Bay Area is rated higher. ABC7 Bay Area averages 4.6 out of 5 from 16K ratings, while VTAlerts averages 4.3 from 106 ratings.

### Do ABC7 Bay Area or VTAlerts have ads?

ABC7 Bay Area shows ads; VTAlerts does not.

### Which is updated more often, ABC7 Bay Area or VTAlerts?

ABC7 Bay Area ships an update fortnightly, and VTAlerts every 3 months. Most recently, ABC7 Bay Area was updated on September 26, 2026 and VTAlerts on September 22, 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.*