# onTime LIRR vs MTA TrainTime

The clearest difference is rating: MTA TrainTime at 4.9 against onTime LIRR's 3.6. MTA TrainTime also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ratings volume (211K vs 543). On price, review sentiment, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. onTime LIRR sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $4.99 per year. MTA TrainTime asks for nothing beyond the download.

MTA TrainTime holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: MTA TrainTime has 211K ratings behind it against 543, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 45% of onTime LIRR's written reviews are positive against 52% of MTA TrainTime's.

onTime LIRR ships an update every 6 weeks, MTA TrainTime weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 4, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | onTime LIRR | MTA TrainTime |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.6 (543 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ontime-lirr/id429708087/reviews) | **[4.9 (211K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mta-traintime/id1104885987/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 543 | **211K** |
| Positive reviews | 44.6% of reviews | **52.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | — | **#15** |
| Size | 133 MB | 130 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Mobileware Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/327006121) | [Metropolitan Transportation Authority](https://appshunter.io/developer/528916105) |

## What reviewers say

### onTime LIRR

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ontime-lirr/id429708087)

Quickly access Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) train schedules and real-time updates. This app is designed for commuters, offering paperless access to train times, service alerts, and countdowns to your next departure.

**Highlights:** LIRR service/outage notifications, Track number lookup, Paperless schedules, Countdown to next train, Peak indicator, Holiday schedules, Works offline

**Features:** Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium | $4.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Accurate schedules
- 💡 Useful features like track prediction
- 👍 Easy to use and navigate
- 🚀 Reliable and dependable

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inaccurate train times and delays
- 🔍 Lack of real-time updates
- 🔋 Battery draining issues
- 🤖 Aggressive advertising and pop-ups
- 🚫 Frequent app crashes and bugs

**Reported bugs**

- Schedules not updating for construction changes
- Incorrect track information leading to missed trains
- Login and account issues
- Compatibility problems with newer devices

**Requested features**

- Improved real-time tracking and notifications
- Customizable alerts for preferred trains
- Offline mode for schedules
- Cleaner and less intrusive UI design


### MTA TrainTime

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mta-traintime/id1104885987)

**Currently charting:** #15 Top Free · Navigation (US App Store)

This app allows railroad customers to buy and use tickets, plan journeys, and track trains in real-time. It offers features like split payments, multi-station trip planning, and real-time GPS tracking for a seamless travel experience.

**Highlights:** Buy and use railroad tickets, Plan trips with departure times, Real-time GPS train tracking, View train car layouts and crowding, Split ticket payments, Share trip details

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Efficient and easy to use
- 👍 Consolidated app with all features
- 🚅 Accurate real-time train tracking
- 💳 Seamless ticket purchasing
- 📆 Helpful calendar integration

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches
- 🕰️ Inconsistent train arrival/departure times
- 🔍 Difficult to find older tickets
- 🔀 Confusing ticket type selection

**Reported bugs**

- Ticket purchase failures
- Device blocked from purchasing tickets
- Incorrect track information displayed

**Requested features**

- Apple Watch support
- Ability to plan trips for future dates
- More detailed crowding/capacity information
- Improved search and filtering options


## Frequently asked questions

### Is onTime LIRR free?

onTime LIRR is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is MTA TrainTime free?

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

### Which has better reviews, onTime LIRR or MTA TrainTime?

MTA TrainTime is rated higher. onTime LIRR averages 3.6 out of 5 from 543 ratings, while MTA TrainTime averages 4.9 from 211K ratings.

### Do onTime LIRR or MTA TrainTime have ads?

Neither onTime LIRR nor MTA TrainTime shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, onTime LIRR or MTA TrainTime?

onTime LIRR ships an update every 6 weeks, and MTA TrainTime weekly. Most recently, onTime LIRR was updated on October 4, 2026 and MTA TrainTime on October 21, 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.*