Comparison

EL Tracker vs OC Bus

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • Customizable departure widgets
  • SmartWalk delay calculation
  • Siri support
  • Low-vision accessibility
  • Multiple language support
  • Tailored push notifications
Features
Read full description

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.

About

OC Bus

Get accurate, real-time arrival times for all transit buses. Track buses live on a map, find nearby stops, and save your favorites for quick access. Plan your commute with reliable predictions and a simple, fast user experience.

Highlights
  • Live bus map tracking
  • Nearby stop finder
  • Favorite stops
  • Interactive route map
  • Accurate ETAs
  • Clean user experience
Features
Read full description

Never miss a bus again. OC Bus gives you accurate, real-time arrival times for every bus across the OCTA transit service. Whether you’re commuting to work, heading to class, or exploring, you’ll always know exactly when the next bus is arriving. Features: • Live Bus Map: Follow buses as they approach your stop in real time. • Nearby Stops: Instantly find the closest bus stops around you. • Favorites: Save your most-used stops for one-tap access. • Interactive Map: Search the full stop/route map and explore every line and stop across the city. • Accurate ETAs: Reliable predictions so you’ll always know when to head out. • Clean User Experience: Simple, fast, and easy to use. Stay on top of your commute with the best bus tracking app for Orange County. Download OC Bus today and take the guesswork out of public transit.

Screenshots

EL Tracker4 screens
OC Bus4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: EL Tracker at none against OC Bus's shown. EL Tracker also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.6) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and in-app purchases 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

EL Tracker holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 83 and 117 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
EL Tracker versus OC Bus: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterEL TrackerOC Bus
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (83 ratings) — better4.6 (117 ratings)
Positive reviews90.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings83117 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 2 weeks
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterAd-supported
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size21 MB17 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperDavit KhachatryanRishi Masand

Customer experience

EL Tracker

All ratings83 ratings
Positive97.6%
Neutral1.2%
Negative1.2%
Written reviews20 reviews
Positive90.0%
Neutral5.0%
Negative5.0%

OC Bus

All ratings115 ratings
Positive91.3%
Neutral0.9%
Negative7.8%

In-app purchases

None

EL Tracker

No in-app purchases

None

OC Bus

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is EL Tracker free?
EL Tracker is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is OC Bus free?
OC Bus is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, EL Tracker or OC Bus?
EL Tracker is rated higher. EL Tracker averages 4.9 out of 5 from 83 ratings, while OC Bus averages 4.6 from 117 ratings.
Do EL Tracker or OC Bus have ads?
OC Bus shows ads; EL Tracker does not.
Which is updated more often, EL Tracker or OC Bus?
EL Tracker ships an update every 2 weeks, and OC Bus every 2 weeks. Most recently, EL Tracker was updated on October 21, 2026 and OC Bus on October 30, 2026.

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