# CTA Transit Tracker vs BAL Next Bus

The clearest difference is update cadence: BAL Next Bus at every 11 days against CTA Transit Tracker's every 3 months. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

CTA Transit Tracker ships an update every 3 months, BAL Next Bus every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | CTA Transit Tracker | BAL Next Bus |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (234 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cta-transit-tracker/id6477437106/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **234** | — |
| Positive reviews | 66.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 11 days** |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | — |
| Size | 5 MB | 26 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [婧嘉 郭](https://appshunter.io/developer/1622970998) | [Junebot, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/488580697) |

## What reviewers say

### CTA Transit Tracker

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cta-transit-tracker/id6477437106)

Get real-time Chicago bus and 'L' train arrival estimates and countdowns. Save your favorite stops for quick access and view important service alerts before you travel. Navigate Chicago's public transit with ease.

**Highlights:** Live CTA bus and 'L' train arrivals, Save favorite stops and stations, View service alerts, Search routes, stops, and stations, Map view of stops and stations, Customizable appearance and text size

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### BAL Next Bus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bal-next-bus/id6796686473)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is CTA Transit Tracker free?

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

### Is BAL Next Bus free?

BAL Next Bus is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do CTA Transit Tracker or BAL Next Bus have ads?

Both CTA Transit Tracker and BAL Next Bus show ads.

### Which is updated more often, CTA Transit Tracker or BAL Next Bus?

CTA Transit Tracker ships an update every 3 months, and BAL Next Bus every 11 days. Most recently, CTA Transit Tracker was updated on November 8, 2026 and BAL Next Bus on October 31, 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.*