# SAM Transit vs SamTrans Ride Plus

The clearest difference is monetization model: SamTrans Ride Plus at free against SAM Transit's free with in-app purchases. SamTrans Ride Plus also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.8). SAM Transit's advantage is ratings volume (261 vs 2). On price, update cadence, ads 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.

SamTrans Ride Plus holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SAM Transit has 261 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SAM Transit | SamTrans Ride Plus |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (261 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sam-transit/id6470201999/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/samtrans-ride-plus/id6740246845/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **261** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 37.5% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 129 MB | 32 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Via Transportation, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/657777018) | [RideCo Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1097869971) |

## What reviewers say

### SAM Transit

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sam-transit/id6470201999)

Plan and navigate your trips within the Sioux Falls Area using public transit and on-demand rideshare. Get real-time arrival information and track your vehicle for a seamless travel experience.

**Highlights:** Trip planning with transit options, On-demand rideshare booking, Live bus arrival times, Real-time vehicle tracking, Wheelchair accessible vehicle option

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### SamTrans Ride Plus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/samtrans-ride-plus/id6740246845)

Plan and book shared transit rides by selecting pickup and drop-off locations. Receive real-time updates on your vehicle's arrival and track its progress on a map. Easily manage multiple bookings, cancellations, and schedule rides in advance.

**Highlights:** Set pickup/drop-off points on map or by address, Plan trips with date and time, Real-time vehicle tracking, In-app pickup notifications, Book multiple rides, Schedule rides in advance, Cancel or change bookings

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SAM Transit free?

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

### Is SamTrans Ride Plus free?

SamTrans Ride Plus is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, SAM Transit or SamTrans Ride Plus?

SamTrans Ride Plus is rated higher. SAM Transit averages 4.8 out of 5 from 261 ratings, while SamTrans Ride Plus averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do SAM Transit or SamTrans Ride Plus have ads?

Neither SAM Transit nor SamTrans Ride Plus shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SAM Transit or SamTrans Ride Plus?

SAM Transit ships an update monthly, and SamTrans Ride Plus monthly. Most recently, SAM Transit was updated on September 25, 2026 and SamTrans Ride Plus on September 20, 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.*