# MAD Next Bus vs Madison Bus Tracker

The clearest difference is rating: Madison Bus Tracker at 3.8 against MAD Next Bus's 2.0. Madison Bus Tracker also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.0). MAD Next Bus's advantage is review sentiment (21% vs 0%). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

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

Madison Bus Tracker holds the better App Store score, 3.8 against 2.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 17 and 12 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 21% of MAD Next Bus's written reviews are positive against 0% of Madison Bus Tracker's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

MAD Next Bus ships an update every 6 weeks, Madison Bus Tracker every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on August 20, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | MAD Next Bus | Madison Bus Tracker |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.0 (17 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mad-next-bus/id579770184/reviews) | **[3.8 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/madison-bus-tracker/id6743434894/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **17** | 12 |
| Positive reviews | **20.8% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 21 MB | 32 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) | [婧嘉 郭](https://appshunter.io/developer/1622970998) |

## What reviewers say

### MAD Next Bus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mad-next-bus/id579770184)

Find nearby bus stops and get real-time arrival information for Madison Metro Transit. Use your location or map navigation to discover stops, view routes, and save your favorites. An optional in-app purchase can remove ads.

**Highlights:** Location-based bus stop identification, Real-time bus arrival information, Map navigation for stop discovery, View bus routes, Save favorite stops, Ad removal in-app purchase

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

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


### Madison Bus Tracker

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/madison-bus-tracker/id6743434894)

Track buses in real-time with live updates on arrival times, delays, and routes. Bookmark your favorite stops for quick access to schedules and never miss your bus again.

**Highlights:** Real-time bus tracking, Live arrival time updates, Delay notifications, Route information, Favorite stop bookmarking

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is MAD Next Bus free?

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

### Is Madison Bus Tracker free?

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

### Which has better reviews, MAD Next Bus or Madison Bus Tracker?

Madison Bus Tracker is rated higher. MAD Next Bus averages 2.0 out of 5 from 17 ratings, while Madison Bus Tracker averages 3.8 from 12 ratings.

### Do MAD Next Bus or Madison Bus Tracker have ads?

Both MAD Next Bus and Madison Bus Tracker show ads.

### Which is updated more often, MAD Next Bus or Madison Bus Tracker?

MAD Next Bus ships an update every 6 weeks, and Madison Bus Tracker every 5 weeks. Most recently, MAD Next Bus was updated on August 20, 2026 and Madison Bus Tracker on September 24, 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.*