MuniMobile vs Carmel Guide
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
MuniMobile
Plan your trips and purchase transit fares instantly on your phone. Avoid paper tickets and cash by buying and using fares directly through the app with various payment options. Store multiple tickets for future use and manage your account securely.
- Trip planning
- Mobile ticketing
- Instant fare purchase
- Multiple payment options
- Store tickets
- Group fares
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The official trip planning and mobile ticketing app from San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA). MuniMobile helps you navigate the Muni transit network effortlessly and purchase and use fares and passes instantly on your phone—anywhere, anytime. Just download the free app, create an account and you're ready to go. WHY YOU'LL LOVE THIS APP: • No paper fares to keep track of. • No need to carry cash, count exact change, or find a ticket machine. • Buy and use fares using a debit/credit card, PayPal or Apple Pay • Store multiple tickets on your phone for future use. • Pay a single fare or multiple fares for a group of riders from a single device. • Register your debit/credit card(s) in our secure system. HOW IT WORKS: 1. CHOOSE RIDER TYPE: Adult, Senior/Disabled/Medicare, Youth, or SF Access 2. CHOOSE FARE: Single Trip Fare for Muni Bus & Rail, Single Ride Fare for Cable Car, or Passports 3. CHOOSE QUANTITY: You can buy multiple tickets to use later 4. CHECK OUT: Pay with debit/credit card, PayPal or Apple Pay COMMON QUESTIONS: Q: Do I need to be connected to the Internet? A cellular network or a wireless Internet connection is required to purchase tickets, but you can use/activate your tickets offline. Q: What if my battery dies? Just like with paper tickets, you're responsible for making sure you have a valid fare at all times, so be sure to plan ahead! IMPORTANT REMINDERS: • Activate your ticket before boarding. • In the subway, activate (“use”) your purchased mobile ticket before passing through metro station fare gates. Show your active ticket to the station agent, and pass through the fare gate closest to the station agent booth. If the station agent is not present, you may still pass through the gate as long as your ticket has been activated. Do not attempt to “tag” the gate. • On the surface, use your purchased mobile ticket before boarding the vehicle. You may board through any door. If you feel more comfortable boarding through the front door to show your ticket to the transit operator, please feel free to do so. • For Cable Car, use your purchased mobile ticket once you are on board the vehicle. Show your mobile ticket to the Cable Car conductor. • Watch your battery level! Just like with paper tickets, you're responsible for making sure you have a valid fare at all times. • Create an account before purchasing tickets, as this is the only way you can transfer your unused tickets if you get a new phone. (Note: Only unused tickets can be transferred. Use up any activated tickets before switching phones.) • Don't uninstall the MuniMobile app or erase your phone without transferring your unused tickets first. Your tickets are stored on your phone (which makes it possible to use them without a cellular network or a wireless Internet connection).
Carmel Guide
Discover local businesses, dog-friendly spots, and outdoor dining in Carmel and Monterey County. Includes helpful tools like a parking meter timer, tip calculator, and menu translator for visitors.
- Curated local business listings
- Dog-friendly venue finder
- Outdoor dining recommendations
- Parking meter timer with alerts
- Tip calculator and currency converter
- Menu translator
- Real-time weather updates
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Carmel Guide is your pocket companion for exploring Carmel-by-the-Sea and the greater Monterey County area. Browse over 464 hand-picked local businesses across dining, shopping, galleries, wineries, outdoor activities, hotels, and essential services. DISCOVER LOCAL FAVORITES Explore curated listings for restaurants, cafes, bakeries, wine tasting rooms, art galleries, boutique shops, spas, and more. Each listing includes photos, hours, location, phone number, and website so you have everything you need at a glance. DOG-FRIENDLY GUIDE Carmel is one of the most dog-friendly towns in America. Find restaurants with dog-friendly patios, pet-welcoming hotels, off-leash beaches, and pet supply shops — all in one place. OUTDOOR DINING Discover the best patios, courtyards, and ocean-view terraces for al fresco dining along the Monterey Peninsula. TOURIST TOOLS Built-in tools designed for visitors: a parking meter timer with alerts so you never get a ticket, a tip calculator for quick dining math, a currency converter for international travelers, and a menu translator to help decode local cuisine. EXPLORE BY AREA Browse businesses across Carmel-by-the-Sea, Pacific Grove, Monterey, Big Sur, Carmel Valley, Pebble Beach, and Seaside. Whether you are planning a weekend getaway or a week-long vacation, find exactly what you need in every corner of the county. SAVE YOUR FAVORITES Bookmark the places you love and build your own personalized guide to revisit anytime. REAL-TIME WEATHER Check current conditions and the forecast before heading out to explore the coast. Carmel Guide is free to use with no account required. All data is stored locally on your device for fast, private access.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Carmel Guide at 5.0 against MuniMobile's 1.0. Carmel Guide also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 4 months) and device support (3 vs 1). MuniMobile's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and chart position (#207 vs unranked). On price, ratings volume, ads and monetization model 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. Carmel Guide sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. MuniMobile asks for nothing beyond the download.
Carmel Guide holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 1.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 2 respectively.
MuniMobile ships an update every 4 months, Carmel Guide weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 18, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | MuniMobile | Carmel Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 1.0 (1 ratings) | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 7.6% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 2 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | #207 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.7 | 15.1 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 191 MB | 49 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | SFMTA | Splitsnap |
Customer experience
MuniMobile
Carmel Guide
Bugs and requests
MuniMobile
Reported bugs
3 issues- Purchased tickets not showing up
- Inability to log in or reset password
- Incorrect stop locations on map
Requested features
4 requests- Default ticket/pass purchasing screen
- Ability to save favorite routes
- Improved accessibility for visually impaired users
- Integration with other transit apps (Google Maps, etc.)
Carmel Guide
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
MuniMobile
No in-app purchases
Carmel Guide
- Lifetime Access$4.99
Questions
Is MuniMobile free?
Is Carmel Guide free?
Which has better reviews, MuniMobile or Carmel Guide?
Do MuniMobile or Carmel Guide have ads?
Which is updated more often, MuniMobile or Carmel Guide?
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