DC Next Bus vs DC Metro ETA
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
DC Next Bus
This app provides real-time bus and metro predictions for Washington D.C. transit. It identifies nearby WMATA and Montgomery County Ride On stops, offering next arrival times. Users can also view bus routes and save favorite locations.
- Real-time bus and train predictions
- Identifies WMATA and Ride On stops
- Location services or map navigation
- View WMATA bus routes
- Save favorite stops
- Apple Watch app and complications
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New updated and modernized version of your favorite DC transit app! Now with an Apple Watch app and complications! A simple, but straightforward, location based application that identifies WMATA bus stop, WMATA metro stations, and Montgomery County Ride On bus stops with next bus and train predictions. Location can be determined by location services, or by your own map navigation. View WMATA bus routes and save your favorite stops. Bus and Metro information provided by the WMATA API. Montgomery County Ride On bus information provided by the Ride On API.
DC Metro ETA
Get real-time train arrival times for the Washington DC Metro system. The app displays arrival boards that mimic platform displays and includes an interactive system map for easy navigation and transfer planning.
- Live train arrival times
- Official WMATA API integration
- Nearest station auto-selection
- Interactive system map
- Service alerts and operating hours
- Home and lock screen widgets
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DC Metro ETA shows live train arrival times for the Washington DC Metro rail system. Open the app and the nearest station's arrival boards appear within seconds, styled to match the displays on the platforms so it is instantly recognizable. A familiar interactive system map stays visible behind the card, so you can see directions and transfer points at a glance. Features • Live arrivals from the official WMATA API • Auto-selects your nearest station • Search or tap any station on the map • Service alerts and metro operating hours • Widgets for your home screen and lock screen Privacy If you grant location permission, your coordinates are used on your device only. Nothing leaves your phone. Independent project. Not affiliated with the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: DC Metro ETA at 87% against DC Next Bus's 40%. DC Metro ETA also leads on rating (4.9 vs 2.8) and in-app purchases (none vs 1). On price, ratings volume, device support and iOS requirement 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. DC Next Bus sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. DC Metro ETA asks for nothing beyond the download.
DC Metro ETA holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 2.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 25 and 53 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 40% of DC Next Bus's written reviews are positive against 87% of DC Metro ETA's.
DC Next Bus ships an update every 3 weeks, DC Metro ETA every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | DC Next Bus | DC Metro ETA |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.8 (25 ratings) | 4.9 (53 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 39.7% of reviews | 87.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 25 | 53 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 5 days — better |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Best chart rank | — | #202 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, Apple Watch — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 58 MB | 9 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Junebot, LLC | Hordur Ragnarsson |
Customer experience
DC Next Bus
DC Metro ETA
Bugs and requests
DC Next Bus
Reported bugs
50 issues- Pornographic thumbnails
- App doesn't work at all
- Doesn't interface with WMATA data
- Shows every bus stop as having no arrivals
- Bus stop no longer on map
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- App struggles to catch up to bus line changes
- Clipboard copied into app
- Shows ghost buses
- Location button disappeared
- "No nearby buses" for all pins
- All over the map
- Not precise anymore
- Inaccurate timing
- Timing is off
- Unable to load errors
- Ride On bus not supported
- Some stops never show up
- Ride On buses don't show up
- Doesn't work for many bus lines at night
- Fails to download new stops database
- Takes almost a minute to update stops
- Shows buses that aren't scheduled
- Time displayed then disappears
- Redesigned app is useless
- Only shows stops within a block
- Transit predictions are off
- Doesn't support bus in Maryland area
- Routes are off
- Lots of stops don't work
- Predictions still have problems
- Stop with no info for months
- WMATA's crappy info
- Completely off
- Never accurate
- Map format annoying
- No maps
- Many other stops aren't there
- Gets worse with each improvement
- Times are never right anymore
- Shows three separate buses coming which never showed up
- New version no longer has bus schedules
- New upgrade is awful
- Last year it was great, now it keeps getting worse
- Went dead
- No information on any bus or route
- For entertainment use only
- Not accurate at all
- Awful
- Never accurate
- Not worth the money
Requested features
7 requests- Manual refresh button
- Search by station or route
- Trip planner functionality
- Bus destinations
- Favorites button
Show 2 moreShow fewer
- Larger countdown font
- Paid version without ads
DC Metro ETA
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
DC Next Bus
- DC Next Bus - No Ads$2.99
DC Metro ETA
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is DC Next Bus free?
Is DC Metro ETA free?
Which has better reviews, DC Next Bus or DC Metro ETA?
Do DC Next Bus or DC Metro ETA have ads?
Which is updated more often, DC Next Bus or DC Metro ETA?
Other comparisons
