Minnesota 511 vs Arrowhead Transit
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Minnesota 511
Access real-time traffic and road condition information for Minnesota highways. Get audio alerts, view maps with event icons, and check winter road conditions, incidents, and closures. Includes camera feeds, construction updates, and rest area information.
- Real-time traffic information
- Audio notifications
- Interactive map with event icons
- Winter road conditions
- Road closures and incidents
- Roadwork and construction updates
- Camera images and live video
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Minnesota 511 is the Minnesota Department of Transportation's traveler information resource. The 511MN app provides statewide, real-time traffic information for Minnesota highways and interstates, including: - Hands-free, audio notifications of traffic events while you drive - Zoom-enabled map with selectable event icons - Near real-time updates on winter road conditions, traffic incidents, and road closures - Roadwork and construction - Travel time delays associated with traffic reports (look for the orange glowing icons) - Current traffic speeds - Roadside camera images and live video capabilities - Road weather information - Snow plow camera images - Electric vehicle charging locations - Rest area locations including real-time truck parking availability for select state-run rest areas - Electronic roadway sign messages Learn about Minnesota's Law on wireless communication devices in vehicles at https://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/statutes/?id=169.475 The MnDOT privacy policy can be found at http://www.dot.state.mn.us/information/disclaimer.html#privacy Drive safely! Note: Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life.
Arrowhead Transit
This app provides convenient digital scheduling and purchasing for public transportation across ten counties in Northeast Minnesota. Plan, book, and track your rides in real-time, with support for various accessibility needs. Pay digitally or with cash for a seamless travel experience.
- Digital ride scheduling
- Ticket purchasing
- Real-time vehicle tracking
- On-demand trip requests
- Accessible design
- Multiple payment options
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The Arrowhead Transit app connects you to safe, affordable public transportation across ten counties in Northeast Minnesota. Whether you’re traveling to work, school, medical appointments, or just around town, the app makes riding easier than ever. Arrowhead Transit is your reliable rural transit company. The app provides convenient, digital ride scheduling and purchasing of tickets. Plan, book, and track rides: View route schedules, request on-demand trips, and see real-time vehicle locations. From Dial-A-Ride to intercity routes, Arrowhead Transit moves with you—wherever you need to go. Pay and ride with confidence: Book and manage your rides directly in the app. Use a debit or credit card to pay digitally, or pay your driver in cash when boarding. Accessible and inclusive: Built for every rider, the app supports language translation, screen readers, and mobile accessibility tools for riders with visual or mobility impairments. How it works: Open the app and enter your pick-up and drop-off locations. Choose your ride type (Dial-A-Ride or fixed route). Confirm your trip and get live updates as your bus approaches. Arrowhead Transit serves communities throughout Aitkin, Carlton, Chisago, Cook, Isanti, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake, Pine, and St. Louis counties. Thank you for riding with Minnesota’s largest rural transit system. Need help? For technical issues or app support, contact The Routing Company at support@theroutingcompany.com or use in-app live chat. For Arrowhead Transit service questions, visit arrowheadtransit.com or call 1-800-862-0175.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Arrowhead Transit at 4.8 against Minnesota 511's 2.5. Arrowhead Transit also leads on review sentiment (50% vs 16%) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months). Minnesota 511's advantage is ratings volume (1.6K vs 37) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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.
Arrowhead Transit holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 2.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Minnesota 511 has 1.6K ratings behind it against 37, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 16% of Minnesota 511's written reviews are positive against 50% of Arrowhead Transit's.
Minnesota 511 ships an update every 2 months, Arrowhead Transit fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Minnesota 511 | Arrowhead Transit |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.5 (1.6K ratings) | 4.8 (37 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 16.3% of reviews | 50.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 1.6K — better | 37 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Fortnightly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free — better | Ad-supported |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 41 MB | 108 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Minnesota Department of Transportation | The Routing Company |
Customer experience
Minnesota 511
Arrowhead Transit
Bugs and requests
Minnesota 511
Reported bugs
4 issues- App can't remember password
- Cameras don't work, app crashes
- Issues with updates, app not functioning properly
- Incomplete and inaccurate road condition information
Requested features
5 requests- Add road condition legend and explanation of color codes
- Improve user interface and navigation, make it more intuitive
- Provide more accurate and up-to-date road condition information
- Add option to view future road closures and construction projects
- Improve coverage of major roads and highways
Arrowhead Transit
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Minnesota 511
No in-app purchases
Arrowhead Transit
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Minnesota 511 free?
Is Arrowhead Transit free?
Which has better reviews, Minnesota 511 or Arrowhead Transit?
Do Minnesota 511 or Arrowhead Transit have ads?
Which is updated more often, Minnesota 511 or Arrowhead Transit?
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