EL Tracker vs Chicago ETAs
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
EL Tracker
This free Chicago transit app provides real-time departure information with customizable widgets and smart delay calculations. It offers tailored alerts, Siri integration, and accessibility features for low-vision users and multiple languages.
- Customizable departure widgets
- SmartWalk delay calculation
- Siri support
- Low-vision accessibility
- Multiple language support
- Tailored push notifications
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EL Tracker is an app by CTA riders, for CTA riders. We are the only completely free Chicago transit app that offers: - Customizable widgets displaying departures, with SmartWalk delay - Siri support and low-vision accessibility - Multiple languages (including Spanish and Polish) - Tailored alerts with push notifications We are Chicagoans, who were irritated by the lack of a simple Chicago transit app. One night, we said, "Why can't I have a widget that shows me when the train is coming?" And from there, EL Tracker was born. We strive to create technology that has a positive impact on the lives of everyday Chicagoans. We also want to make traveling around the city as accessible as possible, which is why we provide low-vision support, ADA accessibility notations, elevator outage push notifications, and multiple languages. EL Tracker is not an official CTA app, nor are we endorsed by the CTA.
Chicago ETAs
This app provides real-time arrival estimates for Chicago's public transit system. It allows users to track specific departures on their lock screen, save favorite stops, and find nearby locations. Detailed route information is also available.
- Real-time arrival times
- Lock screen tracking
- Favorite stops
- Nearby stops finder
- Detailed route information
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Key Features: - Real-Time Arrival Times: Get up-to-the-minute updates for CTA buses and trains. - Lock Screen Tracking: Show live ETAs for busses and trains on lock screen to conveniently track specific departures. - Favorite Stops: Save your frequently used stops for quick access to arrival times. - Nearby Stops: Easily find nearby bus and train stops based on your current location. - Detailed Route Info: Look up specific buses and trains to view route details and schedules. This app is not affiliated with the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), though displays data provided publicly by the CTA.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ratings volume: EL Tracker at 83 against Chicago ETAs's 1. EL Tracker also leads on device support (4 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). On price, rating, update cadence and ads 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for EL Tracker against 5.0 for Chicago ETAs. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: EL Tracker has 83 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.
EL Tracker ships an update every 2 weeks, Chicago ETAs fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | EL Tracker | Chicago ETAs |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.9 (83 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 90.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 83 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks — better | Fortnightly |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 18.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 21 MB | 6 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Davit Khachatryan | Emil Mikkelsen |
Customer experience
EL Tracker
Chicago ETAs
In-app purchases
EL Tracker
No in-app purchases
Chicago ETAs
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is EL Tracker free?
Is Chicago ETAs free?
Which has better reviews, EL Tracker or Chicago ETAs?
Do EL Tracker or Chicago ETAs have ads?
Which is updated more often, EL Tracker or Chicago ETAs?
Other comparisons
