Comparison

Duke Bus vs BearBus

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

Head to head
About

Duke Bus

Track Duke University buses in real-time with live maps and accurate arrival predictions. Find nearby stops, save favorites, and explore routes easily. Never miss your ride again.

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

Never miss a bus again. Duke Bus gives you accurate, real-time arrival times for every Duke University bus. 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 campus. • 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 Duke University. Download Duke Bus today and take the guesswork out of public transit.

About

BearBus

Track campus shuttles in real-time on a live map, get accurate arrival times, and receive turn-by-turn walking directions to your stop and destination. Never miss your bus with timely notifications before your stop.

Highlights
  • Live shuttle tracking on map
  • Accurate real-time arrival estimates
  • Turn-by-turn walking directions
  • Stop notifications before arrival
  • Filter routes by preference
  • Save favorite stops and places
Features
Read full description

Stop guessing when the shuttle is coming. BearBus puts every campus shuttle on a live map, tells you when the next one reaches your stop, and walks you there turn by turn. SEE EVERY BUS, LIVE • Every shuttle on the map in its route's color, moving along the street as it drives • Nearby stops listed by distance, each with live arrival times • Tap a stop for the next buses, which route they're on, and every stop they call at next • Filter the map to just the routes you ride ETAS YOU CAN TRUST • Arrival times come from a prediction model trained on real shuttle trips, not a fixed timetable • Times count down live and update as the bus moves, so "4 min" means 4 min GET ANYWHERE, DOOR TO DOOR • Search for a building, a stop, or any address, and BearBus finds the fastest way there: which stop to walk to, which bus to catch, and where to get off • If walking is faster, it says so • Turn-by-turn walking directions to the stop and from the bus to your destination, with the next turn always at the top of the screen • See the whole trip at a glance: every turn, every stop the bus passes, and when you'll arrive NEVER MISS YOUR STOP • BearBus notices when you've boarded and follows your ride • Your phone buzzes just before your stop, so you can keep it in your pocket MADE FOR EVERY DAY • Save your favorite stops and places for one-tap trips • Recent searches are one tap away • Full dark mode support • Found a wrong ETA? Send feedback from inside the app

Screenshots

Duke Bus4 screens
BearBus4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: BearBus at 5.0 against Duke Bus's 3.0. BearBus also leads on ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). Duke Bus's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs every 10 days). On price, ratings volume, 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

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

BearBus holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 2 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Duke Bus ships an update every 4 days, BearBus every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Duke Bus versus BearBus: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDuke BusBearBus
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.0 (2 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings22
Update frequencyEvery 4 days — betterEvery 10 days
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationAd-supportedFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS17.617.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size18 MB15 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRishi MasandTanay Panja

In-app purchases

None

Duke Bus

No in-app purchases

None

BearBus

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Duke Bus free?
Duke Bus is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is BearBus free?
BearBus is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Duke Bus or BearBus?
BearBus is rated higher. Duke Bus averages 3.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while BearBus averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.
Do Duke Bus or BearBus have ads?
Duke Bus shows ads; BearBus does not.
Which is updated more often, Duke Bus or BearBus?
Duke Bus ships an update every 4 days, and BearBus every 10 days. Most recently, Duke Bus was updated on October 28, 2026 and BearBus on October 29, 2026.

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