MetroNow DC vs NextMetro
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
MetroNow DC
Get real-time train arrival countdowns for all Washington Metro stations. Track your specific train's live position on a map and view detailed journey progress. Features include nearest station detection and favoriting stations for quick access.
- Real-time train arrival countdowns
- Live train tracking on interactive map
- Nearest station detection
- Favorite stations
- Dismissable service alerts
- 6-car and 8-car train indicators
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When is my train? MetroNow DC answers in one glance — and keeps answering all the way to the platform. Arrivals come straight from WMATA's track circuits, the same hardware signals that run the railroad — not GPS guesses. MARC and VRE commuter rail are built in, every train in the region moves on a live map, and a Lock Screen countdown follows your train so you don't have to keep checking your phone. REAL-TIME ARRIVALS Boarding, arriving, and minute-by-minute countdowns for every Metrorail station. The board refreshes faster as your train gets close, and rolling numerals tick down in place. TRACK ANY TRAIN Follow any departure on your Lock Screen and in the Dynamic Island — even scheduled trains 30+ minutes out. The countdown updates by push, so it stays live while your phone is in your pocket. LIVE SYSTEM MAP Watch every train in the system move in real time. Tap any train or station to jump straight to its board. MARC & VRE COMMUTER RAIL All 61 MARC and VRE stations: live delays and cancellations, service alerts, journey timelines, Lock Screen tracking, and dedicated live maps for both systems. SYSTEM STATUS How each line is really running — measured headways, "gaps forming" or "recovering," and callouts naming the stations where riders are actually stuck. Not just the alerts: the numbers behind them. CROWDING, BEFORE YOU BOARD The first train after a long service gap has been collecting riders the whole time. Your board says so before the doors open. JOURNEY VIEW Tap any train to see its full run on a map, with live position from track circuits. Swipe the timeline to peek at exact clock arrival times for every station. PLAN AHEAD Tomorrow's full timetable one tap away, the last trains of the day flagged, and To DC / Outbound filters for busy boards. HOME SCREEN WIDGETS Your station's next trains at a glance — one tap opens the board. HONEST DATA Real-time numbers and estimates are never mixed silently: anything not confirmed by WMATA's own board is clearly marked with ~. And when a feed goes down, MetroNow says so instead of guessing. No account. No ads. Just the next train. MetroNow DC is an independent app and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), the Maryland Transit Administration (MDOT MTA), or the Virginia Railway Express (VRE). Train data provided by WMATA, MDOT MTA, and VRE.
NextMetro
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NextMetro helps Washington, DC Metro riders quickly check upcoming train arrivals from iPhone and Apple Watch. Pick your station, see real-time arrival estimates, and get a simple glanceable view designed for commuting.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is device support: NextMetro at 3 against MetroNow DC's 1. MetroNow DC's advantage is iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). On price, ads 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.
| Parameter | MetroNow DC | NextMetro |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (4 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 4 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | — |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 — better | 26.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 8 MB | 2 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Bojan Mihovilovic | Brian Brotsos |
In-app purchases
MetroNow DC
No in-app purchases
NextMetro
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is MetroNow DC free?
Is NextMetro free?
Do MetroNow DC or NextMetro have ads?
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