NextTransit vs MBTA Widgets
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
NextTransit
Get instant, real-time train departure information for selected stations. This app provides at-a-glance access to your next train times, eliminating the need to navigate through multiple menus. It supports major transit systems in several metro areas and offers convenient widget options for quick updates.
- Real-time train departures
- Station-specific information
- At-a-glance view
- Home Screen Widget support
- Lock Screen Widget support
- Supports 12 transit systems
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NextTransit is your station agent. It gives you real-time access to the next train at your selected stations. No more clicking and tapping through lists of train lines and stations. Set it up once and the next train time in each direction is always there at a glance. It even includes Home Screen Widget and a Lock Screen Widget so you always know when your next train is leaving. Supports 12 transit systems across six metro areas (with more on the way), including NYC/NJ/LI(MTA Metro-North, LIRR, NJ Transit), SF Bay Area (BART, Caltrain), Boston (MBTA Commuter Rail, The T), Philadelphia (SEPTA Regional Rail, NJ Transit, PATCO Speedline), Washington DC (WMATA Metrorail), and Chicago (CTA Rail, Metra).
MBTA Widgets
View real-time bus and train arrivals directly on your iPhone's home screen. This app offers customizable widgets for different routes and stops, with dynamic scheduling that changes based on the time of day. Get instant updates without needing to open a separate application.
- Real-time MBTA arrivals for buses, trains, subway
- Customizable widgets for routes and stops
- Live previews on Dynamic Island and Lock Screen
- Time-based smart scheduling for widgets
- Clean, minimal design for quick viewing
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See your next MBTA arrival without opening an app. MBTA Widgets puts live bus, subway and Commuter Rail times right on your Home Screen. Free. No ads, no account, no location access. Time-Based Widgets: One widget that changes with your day. Set your route to work for 7–10 AM and your route home for 4–7 PM, and it switches automatically. Same square on your Home Screen, right route at the right time. Live Countdown: Start a countdown before you leave and track it on the Dynamic Island and Lock Screen the whole walk to your stop. It clears itself once your ride arrives. Service Alerts Built In: Suspensions and delays appear right alongside your arrival times, so an empty screen never leaves you guessing whether your line is down. All Three Modes: Bus, Subway and Commuter Rail. Commuter Rail shows both live-tracked and scheduled departures for the rest of the day, each clearly labelled. Always Know How Fresh It Is: Every widget shows when it last updated, with a refresh button for instant new data without opening the app. Ask Siri for your next arrival (Shortcuts). Save your regular stops as favourites. Up to three widgets, in small and medium sizes. This app is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA). Data is provided via the official MBTA public API.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: NextTransit at 5.0 against MBTA Widgets's 4.5. MBTA Widgets's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and update cadence 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. NextTransit sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. MBTA Widgets asks for nothing beyond the download.
NextTransit holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 5 and 10 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.
NextTransit ships an update weekly, MBTA Widgets every 9 days. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.
| Parameter | NextTransit | MBTA Widgets |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (5 ratings) — better | 4.5 (10 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 5 | 10 — better |
| Update frequency | Weekly — better | Every 9 days |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | 18.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 2 MB | 26 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Christopher Hiester | PUNEET RAMINI |
Customer experience
NextTransit
MBTA Widgets
In-app purchases
NextTransit
- NextTransit Pro$3.99
MBTA Widgets
No in-app purchases
