# Iowa 511 vs 511PA

The clearest difference is rating: Iowa 511 at 3.4 against 511PA's 1.7. Iowa 511 also leads on review sentiment (27% vs 12%) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 4 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Iowa 511 holds the better App Store score, 3.4 against 1.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Iowa 511 has 606 ratings behind it against 61, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 27% of Iowa 511's written reviews are positive against 12% of 511PA's.

Iowa 511 ships an update every 2 months, 511PA every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on November 10, 2026 and November 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Iowa 511 | 511PA |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.4 (606 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/iowa-511/id528047799/reviews)** | [1.7 (61 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/511pa/id865333999/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **606** | 61 |
| Positive reviews | **26.7% of reviews** | 11.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 43 MB | 75 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **17.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Iowa Department of Transportation](https://appshunter.io/developer/547603903) | [Executive Office of The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania](https://appshunter.io/developer/1482180304) |

## What reviewers say

### Iowa 511

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/iowa-511/id528047799)

This app provides real-time traffic and traveler information for Iowa's interstates, U.S. routes, and state highways. It offers hands-free audio announcements, a zoomable map with traffic event icons and camera views, and updates on road conditions, incidents, and closures.

**Highlights:** Hands-free audio announcements, Zoomable map with traffic icons, Real-time road condition updates, Trucker Mode, Personalized account for saved routes, Traffic camera images and video, Weather radar and alerts

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great app for driving
- 👍 Helpful for winter driving
- 👍 Useful for seeing road conditions
- 👍 Loved the camera features

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Cameras not working
- 🐛 App freezes/crashes
- 🐛 Inaccurate road condition reporting
- 🤔 Confusing new layout

**Reported bugs**

- Cameras not loading
- Map not showing any information
- App locking up when trying to use layers
- Road condition data not updating in real-time

**Requested features**

- Include tow ban information with expiration times
- Improve map legend and visibility of road conditions
- Bring back old app design


### 511PA

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/511pa/id865333999)

Get real-time highway and traffic information to plan your routes safely. View roadwork, incidents, closures, and weather alerts on a zoomable map. Receive customizable audio notifications for events on your chosen route.

**Highlights:** Real-time traffic speeds, Road conditions and weather alerts, Incident and closure notifications, Snowplow tracking (Track My Plow), Customizable audio alerts, Interactive map with multiple info layers

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Works for winter info
- 👍 Provides needed info
- 👍 Simple, not too dressed up
- 👍 Not fancy, but works
- 👍 Gets info before leaving home

**What reviewers complain about**

- 👎 Horrible, frustrating, confusing
- 👎 Worst travel app
- 👎 No point, collects data
- 👎 Fails to be timely
- 👎 Old version was better

**Reported bugs**

- Turning on road conditions turns off other features
- Camera sometimes shows, sometimes doesn't
- Map doesn't load
- App freezes
- Doesn't show correct traffic speeds

**Requested features**

- Put search back to type locations
- Show plow data
- Show cameras easily without zooming
- Allow selection of region for info
- Go back to old version


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Iowa 511 free?

Iowa 511 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is 511PA free?

511PA is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Iowa 511 or 511PA?

Iowa 511 is rated higher. Iowa 511 averages 3.4 out of 5 from 606 ratings, while 511PA averages 1.7 from 61 ratings.

### Do Iowa 511 or 511PA have ads?

Neither Iowa 511 nor 511PA shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Iowa 511 or 511PA?

Iowa 511 ships an update every 2 months, and 511PA every 4 months. Most recently, Iowa 511 was updated on November 10, 2026 and 511PA on November 1, 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.*