CHI Next Bus vs Live CTA
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
CHI Next Bus
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.
- 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
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A simple, but straightforward, location based application that identifies Chicago bus stops and train stations with arrival information. Location can be determined by location services, or by your own map navigation. Display routes, save favorite stops, and view system-wide CTA notifications. Now with a watch app and complication. Bus information provided by the CTA Bus Tracker API. Train information provided by the CTA Train Tracker API.
Live CTA
This app provides real-time train departure information for CTA stations. It automatically finds your nearest station or allows you to select one, displaying estimated arrival times, destinations, and route colors. Get up-to-the-minute transit updates to plan your journey.
- Real-time train departures
- Nearest station locator
- Select station by distance or name
- Destination and route color
- Delay information
- Feedback to developers
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Have you ever tried to catch a train at a CTA station, but didn't exactly know when the train was coming? How about guessing how long the train is, only to find out the train was shorter than you thought? If so, then Live CTA is for you! Live CTA will instantly locate the nearest CTA station, and display all the upcoming real-time estimated departures for that station. Additionally, you can also choose to select any other CTA station and get its estimated departures. KEY FEATURES: - Locates your nearest CTA station instantly. - Displays real-time estimated departures loaded directly from CTA servers. - Shows useful information for upcoming trains: - Destination - Estimated time until departure - Route color - Delay information - Allows you to select a station by distance or by name - Feedback tab to send messages directly to the development team SERVICE REQUIREMENTS: - Location Services - A working internet connection DISCLAIMERS and DATA DISTRIBUTION LIABILITY STATEMENT Jonajo Consulting LLC, the owner and producer of Live CTA, shall not be held liable for improper or incorrect use of the data described and/or contained herein. The information contained in these data is dynamic and may change over time. The data are not better than the original sources from which they were derived (https://www.transitchicago.com/developers/ttdocs/#_Toc296199903). It is the responsibility of the data user to use the data appropriately and consistent within the limitations of real-time estimated departure data in general and these data in particular. Jonajo Consulting LLC gives no warranty, expressed or implied, as to the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of these data. Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life. By using the Live CTA application, you agree to these terms and conditions.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Live CTA at none against CHI Next Bus's 1. Live CTA also leads on ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (13.2 vs 16.0). CHI Next Bus's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 8 months). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume 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. CHI Next Bus sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Live CTA asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for CHI Next Bus against 5.0 for Live CTA. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 2 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.
CHI Next Bus ships an update every 2 months, Live CTA every 8 months. The most recent releases landed on September 10, 2026 and June 4, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | CHI Next Bus | Live CTA |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (1 ratings) | 5.0 (2 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 2 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months — better | Every 8 months |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 13.2 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 64 MB | 9 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Junebot, LLC | Jonajo Consulting LLC |
Customer experience
CHI Next Bus
Live CTA
In-app purchases
CHI Next Bus
- CHI Next Bus - No Ads$2.99
Live CTA
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is CHI Next Bus free?
Is Live CTA free?
Which has better reviews, CHI Next Bus or Live CTA?
Do CHI Next Bus or Live CTA have ads?
Which is updated more often, CHI Next Bus or Live CTA?
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