# Social Bicycles vs Wave by OCTA

The clearest difference is rating: Social Bicycles at 4.4 against Wave by OCTA's 1.7. Social Bicycles also leads on ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

Social Bicycles holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 1.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Social Bicycles has 6.8K ratings behind it against 216, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 27% of Social Bicycles's written reviews are positive against 9% of Wave by OCTA's.

Social Bicycles ships an update every 4 weeks, Wave by OCTA monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Social Bicycles | Wave by OCTA |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (6.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/social-bicycles/id641497286/reviews)** | [1.7 (216 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wave-by-octa/id6747179377/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **6.8K** | 216 |
| Positive reviews | **27.5% of reviews** | 9.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 49 MB | 24 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 17.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [MobilityCloud Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1496252610) | [Orange County Transportation Authority](https://appshunter.io/developer/1013090809) |

## What reviewers say

### Social Bicycles

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/social-bicycles/id641497286)

Locate, reserve, and ride shared bicycles using your smartphone. This app allows you to find available bikes on a map, manage your account, and pay for rides. Return bikes to designated hubs or public racks.

**Highlights:** Find bicycles using map, Create account and pay, Reserve bicycles wirelessly, Manage your account, Contact customer support, Sync with Health app

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Convenient bike access
- 👍 Easy to use app
- 💡 Great bike sharing community
- 🚲 Comfortable bikes

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App crashes and glitches
- ⚠️ Unreliable bike availability
- 💳 Confusing payment system
- 🔑 Difficult bike unlocking process
- 🏪 Uneven bike distribution

**Reported bugs**

- Account login issues
- Incorrect bike charges
- Broken bike sensors
- Unresponsive bike keypads

**Requested features**

- Improved app navigation
- Better bike status information
- Streamlined payment options
- Expanded service area


### Wave by OCTA

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wave-by-octa/id6747179377)

This app simplifies public transit by allowing users to pay for rides and manage their transit cards. It automatically caps fares to ensure the best price and offers real-time bus information for trip planning. Users can easily add value, manage multiple cards, and utilize features like autopay and virtual cards for seamless travel.

**Highlights:** Automatic fare capping, Pay as you ride, Real-time bus information, Virtual card creation, Add value with cash, Autopay for reloads, Manage multiple cards

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 💡 Needs NFC support

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Can't sign in
- 🐛 Not working
- 🐛 Totally unable to sign in
- 🐛 No free virtual on update
- 🐛 Where's the free 15th-31st rides?

**Reported bugs**

- Can't sign in
- Not working
- Totally unable to sign in
- No free virtual on update
- Where's the free 15th-31st rides?

**Requested features**

- Free bus pass option
- Easier college pass transfer


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Social Bicycles free?

Social Bicycles is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Wave by OCTA free?

Wave by OCTA is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Social Bicycles or Wave by OCTA?

Social Bicycles is rated higher. Social Bicycles averages 4.4 out of 5 from 6.8K ratings, while Wave by OCTA averages 1.7 from 216 ratings.

### Do Social Bicycles or Wave by OCTA have ads?

Wave by OCTA shows ads; Social Bicycles does not.

### Which is updated more often, Social Bicycles or Wave by OCTA?

Social Bicycles ships an update every 4 weeks, and Wave by OCTA monthly. Most recently, Social Bicycles was updated on November 6, 2026 and Wave by OCTA on November 8, 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.*