# SF Next Bus vs xtBus 3

The clearest difference is update cadence: xtBus 3 at fortnightly against SF Next Bus's every 2 months. xtBus 3 also leads on iOS requirement (14.1 vs 16.0). SF Next Bus's advantage is review sentiment (40% vs 20%). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SF Next Bus sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and xtBus 3 sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

SF Next Bus ships an update every 2 months, xtBus 3 fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 19, 2026 and June 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SF Next Bus | xtBus 3 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[2.3 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sf-next-bus/id542987257/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **12** | — |
| Positive reviews | **40.0% of reviews** | 20.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 38 MB | 24 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **14.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Junebot, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/488580697) | [Idemfactor Solutions Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/301061386) |

## What reviewers say

### SF Next Bus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sf-next-bus/id542987257)

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.

**Highlights:** Real-time arrival predictions, Location-based stop identification, Map navigation integration, Bus and BART route viewing, Favorite stop saving, System-wide notifications

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| SF Next Bus - No Ads | $2.99 | one-time |


### xtBus 3

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xtbus-3/id1093022685)

Track real-time bus arrivals across numerous transit agencies in the USA and Canada. Simply open the app and allow location access to find available routes and services in your area.

**Highlights:** Real-time bus tracking, Supports thousands of routes, Covers USA and Canada transit agencies, Location-based service availability, Ad-free option via subscription

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| VIP Service | $0.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SF Next Bus free?

SF Next Bus is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is xtBus 3 free?

xtBus 3 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do SF Next Bus or xtBus 3 have ads?

Both SF Next Bus and xtBus 3 show ads.

### Which is updated more often, SF Next Bus or xtBus 3?

SF Next Bus ships an update every 2 months, and xtBus 3 fortnightly. Most recently, SF Next Bus was updated on September 19, 2026 and xtBus 3 on June 3, 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.*