EL Tracker vs UIowa Bus
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
Read full descriptionHide 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.
UIowa Bus
Read full descriptionHide full description
Never miss a bus again. UIowa Bus gives you accurate, real-time arrival times for every bus across the DART 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 station 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 station 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 the Des Moines area. Download UIowa Bus today and take the guesswork out of public transit.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ads: EL Tracker at none against UIowa Bus's shown. EL Tracker also leads on device support (4 vs 2) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.6). On price, 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
EL Tracker ships an update every 2 weeks, UIowa Bus every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | EL Tracker | UIowa Bus |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.9 (83 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 90.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 83 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Every 6 days — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 17.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 21 MB | 15 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Davit Khachatryan | Rishi Masand |
In-app purchases
EL Tracker
No in-app purchases
UIowa Bus
No in-app purchases








