# NW Ferry vs flySEA

The clearest difference is review sentiment: NW Ferry at 68% against flySEA's 8%. NW Ferry also leads on rating (4.7 vs 2.6) and ratings volume (2.2K vs 162). flySEA's advantage is price (Free vs $1.99) and iOS requirement (18.0 vs 26.0). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

flySEA 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 2.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: NW Ferry has 2.2K ratings behind it against 162, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 68% of NW Ferry's written reviews are positive against 8% of flySEA's.

NW Ferry ships an update every 6 months, flySEA every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | NW Ferry | flySEA |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $1.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.7 (2.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nw-ferry/id427430871/reviews)** | [2.6 (162 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flysea/id1171249740/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2.2K** | 162 |
| Positive reviews | **67.6% of reviews** | 8.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Every 3 months** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | **#172** | — |
| Size | 10 MB | 62 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **18.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Durbinware](https://appshunter.io/developer/371905346) | [Port of Seattle](https://appshunter.io/developer/1171249739) |

## What reviewers say

### NW Ferry

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

**Currently charting:** #172 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


### flySEA

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flysea/id1171249740)

Navigate your airport experience with ease. Find the shortest security lines, locate dining and shopping, and discover amenities. Get real-time flight updates and ground transportation information to make your journey smooth.

**Highlights:** TSA security checkpoint wait times, Parking spot reminder, Airport directory and map, Explore amenities, Find your flight and gate, Ground transportation information

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🗺️ Helpful wayfinding and navigation between gates
- ✈️ Flight status and delay notifications
- 🎯 Gate and concourse location information
- 🍽️ Restaurant and dining location finder
- 📍 Interactive airport map with directions

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Security wait times broken for months
- ❌ Inaccurate wait time reporting
- 🗺️ Poor map functionality and confusing layout
- 🔄 Inconsistent and unreliable performance
- 📱 Frequent app crashes and glitches

**Reported bugs**

- Security wait times not displaying or updating
- App crashes when selecting retail shops
- Flight search returns 'Not Found' errors
- Map resets zoom level unexpectedly
- Blank white screens on multiple tabs

**Requested features**

- Direct turn-by-turn navigation between specific gates
- TSA PreCheck checkpoint identification on map
- Multiple location viewing on single map
- Real-time train and light rail status
- Traffic and parking lot availability information


## Frequently asked questions

### Is NW Ferry free?

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

### Is flySEA free?

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

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

NW Ferry is rated higher. NW Ferry averages 4.7 out of 5 from 2.2K ratings, while flySEA averages 2.6 from 162 ratings.

### Do NW Ferry or flySEA have ads?

Neither NW Ferry nor flySEA shows ads.

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

NW Ferry ships an update every 6 months, and flySEA every 3 months. Most recently, NW Ferry was updated on November 1, 2026 and flySEA on October 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.*