Comparison

Transit Stop vs onTime Metra, CTA

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Transit Stop

Get real-time Chicago bus and train arrival estimates for your favorite CTA stops. Track vehicle locations on a map, save frequent stops, and view service alerts. Integrates with Apple Watch for quick access.

Highlights
  • Real-time arrival estimates
  • Apple Watch integration
  • Location map view
  • Individual vehicle tracking
  • Save favorite stops
  • View multiple routes
  • CTA service alerts
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Find your next CTA ride with TransitStop. Check bus and train arrivals, explore stops on a map, and keep the stops you use most close at hand. - Browse nearby CTA bus and train stops on a map. - Check arrivals and service updates, with clear indicators when live tracking or arrival information is limited. - Save favorite stops and organize them into groups that fit your routine. - See nearby stops and the next arrivals for your Favorites. - View upcoming stop arrival times. - Check saved stops and arrivals from your Apple Watch. Whether you’re heading out or changing plans, TransitStop helps you see what’s nearby and what’s coming next. TransitStop is not affiliated with the CTA.

About

onTime Metra, CTA

This app provides live train schedules and real-time updates for commuters. Easily find your next train, track its progress, and receive service notifications. Go paperless and stay on time with convenient access to all necessary schedule information.

Highlights
  • Metra service/outage notification
  • Track number lookup
  • Paperless schedules
  • Countdown to next train
  • Holiday and eve schedules
  • Weekday and weekend schedules
  • Offline schedule access
Features
Read full description

Find the next Metra train schedule and more in a New York Minute. onTime is fast and easy to use. It is designed with commuters in mind. With onTime Metra, you can look up the Metra schedule anytime anywhere without having to carry and dig through paper schedules. Find the next train as easy as opening the app. Be on time and be environmental friendly at the same time. FEATURES: - Metra service/outage notification. - Track number - Paperless - Count down to the next train - Holiday and Holiday eve schedules - Weekdays and Weekends - Works on iPhone and iPod Touch without data connection - Latest schedule - Trip duration onTime Premium: – $4.99 USD (or equivalent) per year and may vary from country to country. – Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase – Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period – Account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period, and identify the cost of the renewal – Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's Account Settings after purchase – Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription to that publication, where applicable Term Of Service: http://www.mobilewareinc.com/legal/ontime_tos.html * Note: onTime App uses transit agencies' schedule data but it is not affiliated with any of the agencies.

Screenshots

Transit Stop4 screens
onTime Metra, CTA4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Transit Stop at 4.6 against onTime Metra, CTA's 4.0. Transit Stop also leads on ratings volume (33K vs 876) and chart position (#156 vs unranked). onTime Metra, CTA's advantage is iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.0). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Transit Stop sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and onTime Metra, CTA sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $4.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Transit Stop holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Transit Stop has 33K ratings behind it against 876, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 48% and 48% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 7 level
Transit Stop versus onTime Metra, CTA: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTransit StoponTime Metra, CTA
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (33K ratings) — better4.0 (876 ratings)
Positive reviews47.9% of reviews — better47.5% of reviews
Number of ratings33K — better876
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 2 months
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#156 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple WatchiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS17.015.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size39 MB133 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperKramer Concepts, LLCMobileware Inc.

Customer experience

Transit Stop

All ratings32,726 ratings
Positive91.3%
Neutral3.5%
Negative5.2%
Written reviews169 reviews
Positive47.9%
Neutral7.7%
Negative44.4%

onTime Metra, CTA

All ratings855 ratings
Positive76.7%
Neutral4.7%
Negative18.6%
Written reviews120 reviews
Positive47.5%
Neutral5.0%
Negative47.5%

User reviews

Transit Stop

From 33K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Accurate for trains and buses
  • 🚀 99% accuracy on time rate
  • 👍 Intuitive UI
  • 👍 Excellent paired with Apple Watch
  • 👍 Favorite transit app

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Inaccurate arrival times
  • 🐛 Crashes on iPad
  • 🐛 Turns off audio when app is open
  • 🐛 Unreliable, with ghost buses and delayed updates
  • 👎 Poor user interface

onTime Metra, CTA

From 876 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Accurate schedules
  • 🚀 Helpful for commuting
  • 👍 Easy to use
  • 👍 Reliable app
  • 👍 Useful features

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Inaccurate real-time information
  • 🐛 Unreliable train tracking
  • 🔍 Outdated schedules
  • 💩 Disruptive ads
  • 💩 Buggy app

Bugs and requests

Transit Stop

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Crashes after updates
  • Stops not recognized when searching
  • Inconsistent accuracy, especially for certain routes

Requested features

5 requests
  • Ability to set favorite routes, not just stops
  • Geolocation to automatically show nearest stops
  • Ability to change names of saved stops
  • Nearby stops button
  • Default stop when opening the app

onTime Metra, CTA

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • App crashes frequently
  • Incorrect train arrival/departure times
  • Inability to check-in or track trains
  • Compatibility issues with newer devices

Requested features

4 requests
  • Real-time delay notifications
  • Ability to purchase tickets in-app
  • Improved user interface
  • Better integration with Metra services

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Transit Stop

One-time1
  • Remove Ads$4.99
1 purchases

onTime Metra, CTA

Subscriptions1
  • onTime Premium$4.991 Year

Questions

Is Transit Stop free?
Transit Stop is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is onTime Metra, CTA free?
onTime Metra, CTA is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Transit Stop or onTime Metra, CTA?
Transit Stop is rated higher. Transit Stop averages 4.6 out of 5 from 33K ratings, while onTime Metra, CTA averages 4.0 from 876 ratings.
Do Transit Stop or onTime Metra, CTA have ads?
Both Transit Stop and onTime Metra, CTA show ads.
Which is updated more often, Transit Stop or onTime Metra, CTA?
Transit Stop ships an update every 2 months, and onTime Metra, CTA every 2 months. Most recently, Transit Stop was updated on October 27, 2026 and onTime Metra, CTA on October 22, 2026.

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