xtBus transit browser vs SF Next Bus
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
xtBus transit browser
This app helps you track bus arrivals and routes visually on a map. It allows you to bookmark your preferred transit agencies for easy access to real-time arrival estimates and bus locations.
- Real-time bus location on map
- Accurate arrival time estimates
- Bookmark local transit agencies
- Organize transit choices
- Visually pinpoint incoming buses
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Will the next bus arrive and which bus route to choose? Do you prefer waiting it at the stop or a snug coffee shop nearby? With the free services provided by Google and many other public transit sites, you can visually pin-point the location of every incoming buses on map as well as an accurate estimate of arrival time. And the all new xtBus browser 2.0 just makes it even easier for you to bookmark and organize your own choices of any local transit agency. **NOTE: xtBus app is not affiliated with nor endorsed by any transit web site. It's a bookmark utility with convenience oriented to public transportation. You can bookmark any other public available web site but the accuracy of information is beyond the responsibility of xtBus app.
SF Next Bus
Get real-time arrival predictions for San Francisco buses and BART trains. Navigate using location services or manual map input. Save favorite stops and view system-wide notifications.
- Real-time arrival predictions
- Location-based stop identification
- Map navigation integration
- Bus and BART route viewing
- Favorite stop saving
- System-wide notifications
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SF Next Bus shows real-time arrival predictions for Bay Area transit — Muni buses and Muni Metro in San Francisco, plus BART, Caltrain, and AC Transit. Find nearby stops on the map, tap one for the next arrivals, and save your regular stops as favorites. Service alerts keep you posted on delays and disruptions. Rebuilt from the ground up for the latest iOS, SF Next Bus now includes a companion Apple Watch app and watch-face complication. Data provided by 511 SF Bay (511.org), a service of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: xtBus transit browser at 4.0 against SF Next Bus's 2.3. xtBus transit browser also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months) and review sentiment (51% vs 40%). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. xtBus transit browser sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and SF Next Bus sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
xtBus transit browser holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 2.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 10 and 12 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 51% of xtBus transit browser's written reviews are positive against 40% of SF Next Bus's.
xtBus transit browser ships an update every 2 weeks, SF Next Bus every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on June 10, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | xtBus transit browser | SF Next Bus |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.0 (10 ratings) — better | 2.3 (12 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 51.4% of reviews — better | 40.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 10 | 12 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, Apple Watch |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 16.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 6 MB | 38 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Idemfactor Solutions Inc. | Junebot, LLC |
Customer experience
xtBus transit browser
SF Next Bus
Bugs and requests
xtBus transit browser
Reported bugs
3 issues- Maps not loading
- App freezing and crashing
- Incorrect location detection
Requested features
4 requests- Add bus route/line information
- Improve map functionality
- Allow setting default bus stop
- Integrate with other transit apps
SF Next Bus
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
xtBus transit browser
- add-on to remove in-app ads from this app$3.99
SF Next Bus
- SF Next Bus - No Ads$2.99
