Comparison

NYC Underground vs Simple Transit

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

Head to head
About

NYC Underground

Features
Read full description

NYC Underground turns your iPhone into a fast, native New York City subway companion. The complete MTA subway map is bundled right into the app: pinch to zoom anywhere, tap any station, and see real-time train arrivals the instant you look. No account, no sign-up, no ads. Your location never leaves your device. FEATURES • The whole subway map: the full New York City subway map is built in and renders at high resolution. Smooth pinch-to-zoom and pan, even at street level. • Real-time arrivals: tap any station to see live train times, straight from the MTA's official real-time feeds, grouped by direction with colored line bullets. • Your location on the map: an optional GPS dot shows exactly where you are on the subway map, so you always know which station is closest. • Nearby stations: one tap shows the closest stations ranked by distance, each with live arrivals. • All 445 stations: every line, every borough, with proper station complexes and direction labels sourced from official MTA data. • Always current: arrivals refresh automatically every 30 seconds. No API key, no login, nothing to configure. PRIVATE BY DESIGN NYC Underground does not collect analytics, has no trackers, and requires no account. Your GPS location is used only on your device to place the dot on the map and find nearby stations; it is never transmitted anywhere. The app's only network requests are to the MTA's public real-time data feeds. HOW IT WORKS 1. Open the app, the subway map loads instantly. 2. (Optional) Allow location to see your position and nearest stations. 3. Tap any station to see real-time arrivals by direction. 4. Tap the location banner for a ranked list of nearby stations. REQUIREMENTS • iPhone running iOS 18 or later. • An internet connection for live arrival times (the map itself works offline). NYC Underground is an independent app and is not affiliated with, authorized, endorsed by, or in any way officially connected to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) or New York City Transit. "MTA", the subway map, and the route symbols are trademarks of their respective owners and are used here only to describe and display the transit system this app helps you navigate. Real-time and schedule data is provided by the MTA under its open-data program.

About

Simple Transit

Navigate NYC's public transit system with ease. Find nearby stations, plan multi-modal routes, and receive clear, step-by-step guidance for your journey. Stay informed about service changes and access offline timetables.

Highlights
  • Nearby station and stop finder
  • Multi-modal route planning (trains & buses)
  • Step-by-step trip guidance
  • MTA service notice summaries
  • Offline transit timetables
  • Step-free accessibility planning
  • Personalized trip saving
Features
Read full description

MTA Transit, made simple. Simple Transit NYC helps you find your next train or bus, see where it is right now, and know exactly what to do next. SEE THE CITY MOVE The Map tab shows live trains and buses across the city. Trains show their line and buses their route, each pointing the way it’s heading. Subway stations and bus stops are clear signs you can tap for arrivals. Bus routes are dashed lines so they never look like subway lines, and tapping a train or bus highlights its route. START WITH WHAT'S NEARBY See your closest subway station and bus stop together. Switch to Trains or Buses to see the three closest. Check the route, direction, and upcoming arrivals when live predictions are available. PLAN AROUND YOUR DAY Search for an address, place, or landmark. Leave now, pick a later time, or choose when you need to arrive. Choose trains, buses, or both, add a stop along the way, and reorder your places as plans change. KNOW WHEN TO LEAVE (BETA) Turn on a reminder and the app watches live times for your train or bus, then tells you when to head out. Reminders need a connection and can arrive late, so set an alarm too for a trip you can’t miss. KNOW YOUR NEXT MOVE Follow walking, boarding, transfer, and arrival guidance in plain language. Trip progress updates from your location when a reliable signal is available, and your Lock Screen shows a countdown and stops left. If you miss your stop, adjust your trip for recovery help. SEE CHANGES THAT MATTER The Service tab shows subway and bus changes together; search any line to narrow it down. Read MTA service notices in simpler language and open the original message for details. Save your usual trips to see relevant route changes on Home. Optional notifications can check those routes around your usual departure time. KEEP YOUR EVERYDAY PLACES CLOSE Add, edit, and delete saved places and usual trips. Your saved addresses and trip history stay on your device; optional online alerts use route and stop information to watch for changes. MADE FOR YOU English or Spanish, switchable right in Settings, plus light or dark mode and support for larger text. A LITTLE WEATHER HELP Get a small forecast powered by Apple Weather, with practical reminders such as bringing an umbrella or bundling up. PLAN WITH FEWER STAIRS Step-free planning uses MTA station accessibility information and reported elevator outages. Availability depends on the information supplied and conditions at the station. USEFUL WHEN THE SIGNAL ISN'T The bundled timetable and subway map work offline. New place searches, uncached walking routes, weather, live vehicles, and live arrivals need an internet connection. No account is required. Location access is optional for planning: you can enter your starting address instead. Simple Transit NYC is an independent app, not affiliated with or endorsed by the MTA. Arrival predictions, vehicle locations, accessible paths, reminders, and notifications may be delayed or unavailable. Always check posted signs and follow transit staff instructions.

Screenshots

NYC Underground4 screens
Simple Transit4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Simple Transit at every 9 days against NYC Underground's every 3 weeks. On price, rating, ratings volume and ads 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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for NYC Underground against 5.0 for Simple Transit. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 1 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

NYC Underground ships an update every 3 weeks, Simple Transit every 9 days. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

Scorecard1 real difference · 8 level
NYC Underground versus Simple Transit: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNYC UndergroundSimple Transit
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings)
Number of ratings11
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 9 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS18.017.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size10 MB19 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developerkitdesai, LLCJuan Duverglas

In-app purchases

None

NYC Underground

No in-app purchases

None

Simple Transit

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is NYC Underground free?
NYC Underground is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Simple Transit free?
Simple Transit is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, NYC Underground or Simple Transit?
NYC Underground and Simple Transit are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 1 ratings respectively.
Do NYC Underground or Simple Transit have ads?
Neither NYC Underground nor Simple Transit shows ads.
Which is updated more often, NYC Underground or Simple Transit?
NYC Underground ships an update every 3 weeks, and Simple Transit every 9 days. Most recently, NYC Underground was updated on October 24, 2026 and Simple Transit on October 24, 2026.

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