# CHI Next Bus vs Chicago CTA Bus Tracker

The clearest difference is rating: CHI Next Bus at 5.0 against Chicago CTA Bus Tracker's 4.2. CHI Next Bus also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 60%) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 37 months). Chicago CTA Bus Tracker's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ratings volume (203 vs 1). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. CHI Next Bus sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Chicago CTA Bus Tracker asks for nothing beyond the download.

CHI Next Bus holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chicago CTA Bus Tracker has 203 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of CHI Next Bus's written reviews are positive against 60% of Chicago CTA Bus Tracker's.

CHI Next Bus ships an update every 2 months, Chicago CTA Bus Tracker every 37 months. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | CHI Next Bus | Chicago CTA Bus Tracker |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chi-next-bus/id548279377/reviews)** | [4.2 (203 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chicago-cta-bus-tracker/id1369778129/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **203** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 59.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 37 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 64 MB | 12 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, Apple Watch | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Junebot, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/488580697) | [Naiara Albaina](https://appshunter.io/developer/1225698348) |

## What reviewers say

### CHI Next Bus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chi-next-bus/id548279377)

Get real-time arrival information for Chicago bus stops and train stations. Navigate using your location or by map, save favorite stops, and view system-wide CTA notifications. Includes a watch app for convenient access.

**Highlights:** Real-time bus and train arrival info, Location-based stop identification, Map navigation integration, Save favorite stops, System-wide CTA notifications, Watch app and complication

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

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


### Chicago CTA Bus Tracker

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chicago-cta-bus-tracker/id1369778129)

Track Chicago CTA buses in real-time. Select your route, direction, and stop to view upcoming bus arrivals. Save favorite stops for quick access to arrival times.

**Highlights:** Live bus tracking, Route and direction selection, Stop arrival predictions, Save favorite stops, Fast and easy to use

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use and navigate
- 🚀 Fast and efficient
- ✅ Accurate time estimations
- 👍 Helpful for planning trips
- 👍 User-friendly for seniors

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App doesn't update or refresh
- 🐛 Home page sometimes doesn't load
- 🐛 Inconsistent loading
- 🐛 No train tracking available
- 🐛 Ads are intrusive and annoying

**Reported bugs**

- App doesn't update
- App doesn't refresh
- Home page doesn't load
- No information available when searching
- App freezes sometimes

**Requested features**

- Ability to rearrange favorites
- Add a refresh button
- Improve user-friendliness on the go
- Add train tracking
- Fix discrepancy between app and website


## Frequently asked questions

### Is CHI Next Bus free?

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

### Is Chicago CTA Bus Tracker free?

Chicago CTA Bus Tracker is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, CHI Next Bus or Chicago CTA Bus Tracker?

CHI Next Bus is rated higher. CHI Next Bus averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Chicago CTA Bus Tracker averages 4.2 from 203 ratings.

### Do CHI Next Bus or Chicago CTA Bus Tracker have ads?

Both CHI Next Bus and Chicago CTA Bus Tracker show ads.

### Which is updated more often, CHI Next Bus or Chicago CTA Bus Tracker?

CHI Next Bus ships an update every 2 months, and Chicago CTA Bus Tracker every 37 months. Most recently, CHI Next Bus was updated on October 13, 2026 and Chicago CTA Bus Tracker on October 22, 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.*