# Wave by OCTA vs Routebook

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Routebook at 100% against Wave by OCTA's 9%. Routebook also leads on rating (4.0 vs 1.8) and ads (none vs shown). Wave by OCTA's advantage is ratings volume (178 vs 7). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

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

Routebook holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 1.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Wave by OCTA has 178 ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 9% of Wave by OCTA's written reviews are positive against 100% of Routebook's.

Wave by OCTA ships an update every 4 weeks, Routebook every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Wave by OCTA | Routebook |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [1.8 (178 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wave-by-octa/id6747179377/reviews) | **[4.0 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/routebook-move-together/id6782236621/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **178** | 7 |
| Positive reviews | 9.5% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 4 weeks | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 24 MB | 107 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **16.4** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Orange County Transportation Authority](https://appshunter.io/developer/1013090809) | [Rajiv Kataria](https://appshunter.io/developer/6782236623) |

## What reviewers say

### Wave by OCTA

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wave-by-octa/id6747179377)

This app simplifies public transit by allowing users to pay for rides and manage their transit cards. It automatically caps fares to ensure the best price and offers real-time bus information for trip planning. Users can easily add value, manage multiple cards, and utilize features like autopay and virtual cards for seamless travel.

**Highlights:** Automatic fare capping, Pay as you ride, Real-time bus information, Virtual card creation, Add value with cash, Autopay for reloads, Manage multiple cards

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 💡 Needs NFC support

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Can't sign in
- 🐛 Not working
- 🐛 Totally unable to sign in
- 🐛 No free virtual on update
- 🐛 Where's the free 15th-31st rides?

**Reported bugs**

- Can't sign in
- Not working
- Totally unable to sign in
- No free virtual on update
- Where's the free 15th-31st rides?

**Requested features**

- Free bus pass option
- Easier college pass transfer


### Routebook

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/routebook-move-together/id6782236621)

Connect with verified members to share rides and discover others traveling in the same direction. Make your existing journeys more social and cost-effective by finding fellow travelers.

**Highlights:** Verified member trust, Shared trip planning, Cost-sharing for drives, Discover fellow travelers, Social travel experience

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Siri integration, Apple Wallet, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Wave by OCTA free?

Wave by OCTA is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Routebook free?

Routebook is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Wave by OCTA or Routebook?

Routebook is rated higher. Wave by OCTA averages 1.8 out of 5 from 178 ratings, while Routebook averages 4.0 from 7 ratings.

### Do Wave by OCTA or Routebook have ads?

Wave by OCTA shows ads; Routebook does not.

### Which is updated more often, Wave by OCTA or Routebook?

Wave by OCTA ships an update every 4 weeks, and Routebook every 5 days. Most recently, Wave by OCTA was updated on October 19, 2026 and Routebook on October 10, 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.*