# Cal vs Tracks

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Tracks at none against Cal's 1. Tracks also leads on ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (3 vs 1). Cal's advantage is update cadence (every 10 days vs every 5 weeks) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 18.0). On price, rating and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Cal sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $4.99 per year. Tracks asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Cal against 5.0 for Tracks. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 3 respectively.

Cal ships an update every 10 days, Tracks every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Cal | Tracks |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cal-ride/id6443437087/reviews) | [5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tracks-live-caltrain-tracker/id6480351976/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **3** |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 10 days** | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 45 MB | 8 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [XenaTech Software Integration Services, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1645917692) | [Octalwise](https://appshunter.io/developer/1717359953) |

## What reviewers say

### Cal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cal-ride/id6443437087)

Provides real-time train tracking and estimated arrival times for specific transit corridors. Access live train status and journey information for multiple commuter rail lines.

**Highlights:** Live train tracking, Real-time status updates, Estimated arrival times (ETA), Supports CCJPA, SJJPA, ACE, NCTD corridors, Station information

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Cal-Ride Pro | $4.99 | per year |


### Tracks

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tracks-live-caltrain-tracker/id6480351976)

This app provides real-time tracking of train locations and upcoming stops. It helps users plan journeys by showing trains that pass through specific stations, and offers live delay information and alerts powered by the official API.

**Highlights:** Live train tracking, Next stop information, Trip planning by station, Real-time delays, Alerts and notifications

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Cal free?

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

### Is Tracks free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Cal or Tracks?

Cal and Tracks are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 3 ratings respectively.

### Do Cal or Tracks have ads?

Cal shows ads; Tracks does not.

### Which is updated more often, Cal or Tracks?

Cal ships an update every 10 days, and Tracks every 5 weeks. Most recently, Cal was updated on October 21, 2026 and Tracks on October 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.*