SEPTA vs NYC Ferry
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
SEPTA
Plan your entire journey with this transit app. Find nearby stops, get real-time updates, and manage your transit card. It offers a streamlined experience with trip planning and station details.
- End-to-end trip planning
- Real-time transit information
- SEPTA Key Card management
- Nearby stop and station finder
- Station-specific alerts and schedules
- Metro line integration
Read full descriptionHide full description
SEPTA’s mobile app empowers riders to plan their trip end to end. Find stops and stations nearby, plan a trip, access real-time information, manage your SEPTA Key Card, and more! Improved performance and user experience - A more intuitive experience, now at faster speeds. Think ahead with the new Trip Planner - Plan your next ride without leaving the app. Get all of the Station Details - View station-specific alerts and schedules. Easily load up your SEPTA Key - Add funds and manage your SEPTA Key from the app. Get to know SEPTA Metro! - New letters and colors for our Metro lines fully integrated into the app. Stay in the know with Real-time Info - Get to-the-minute updates about upcoming routes. Find the closest stop with Nearby - Easily view (and favorite) nearby stations and routes. Get assistance from your pocket with Help - Report a concern or contact SEPTA straight rom the app. Improved features for riders with accessibility needs - Including full screen reader compatibility.
NYC Ferry
This app offers a comfortable and enjoyable way to commute and explore New York City. It provides paperless ticketing, live scheduling with real-time updates, and a trip planner to discover new routes. Receive personalized notifications and consider an unlimited pass for frequent travel.
- Paperless ticketing
- Live scheduling
- Real-time updates
- End-to-end trip planner
- Push notifications
- 30-day Unlimited Pass
Read full descriptionHide full description
Commuting made comfortable with NYC Ferry. Come see just how easy (and enjoyable) your journey can be. Here are 5 great things you can expect from the NYC Ferry app: Help NYC “go green” with paperless ticketing! Buy and use tickets directly from your phone. Take the stress out of your commute with live scheduling and real-time updates. Get ready for an adventure! Explore NYC with our end-to-end trip planner. Stay ahead of the game with push notifications for the routes that matter to YOU. Love to ride? Take advantage of our 30-day Unlimited Pass! Available in-app only. NYC Ferry (operated by Hornblower) proudly serves New Yorkers in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and The Bronx along the East River. Our state-of-the-art vessels offer you a better commuting experience—all for the same price as a subway ride!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: NYC Ferry at 59% against SEPTA's 13%. NYC Ferry also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.4) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). SEPTA's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 6 weeks). On price, ratings volume, 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.
NYC Ferry holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 29K and 54K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 13% of SEPTA's written reviews are positive against 59% of NYC Ferry's.
SEPTA ships an update every 3 weeks, NYC Ferry every 6 weeks. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.
| Parameter | SEPTA | NYC Ferry |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.4 (29K ratings) | 4.9 (54K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 13.1% of reviews | 58.8% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 29K | 54K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks — better | Every 6 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 13.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 91 MB | 121 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority | Hornblower Cruises & Events |
Customer experience
SEPTA
NYC Ferry
User reviews
SEPTA
From 29K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Accurate real-time tracking
- 👍 Convenient keycard management
- 🚀 Improved user interface design
Room to improve
- 🐛 Inaccurate schedule information
- 🐛 Unreliable real-time updates
- 👎 Difficult to navigate and find information
- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and bugs
- 👎 Removed useful features from previous version
NYC Ferry
From 54K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Efficient and convenient
- 🚢 Great ferry experience
- 👍 User-friendly app
- 💰 Affordable transportation
- 🌉 Beautiful views and scenery
Room to improve
- 🐛 Crashes and glitches
- ⏱️ Unreliable and late schedules
- 💳 Payment issues and overcharging
- 🗺️ Confusing navigation and trip planning
- 🚫 Lack of customer support
Bugs and requests
SEPTA
Reported bugs
4 issues- Login and password reset issues
- Inconsistent real-time data and schedule information
- Inability to add payment methods or reload transit cards
- Geolocation and mapping features not working properly
Requested features
4 requests- Ability to view full schedule instead of just point-to-point
- Notifications for service changes and delays
- Integration with mobile wallet for digital tickets
- More customization options for saved routes and favorites
NYC Ferry
Reported bugs
5 issues- App freezing and crashing
- Inaccurate schedules and route information
- Payment processing errors
- Compatibility issues with newer devices
- Login and account management problems
Requested features
5 requests- Improved trip planning and route optimization
- Real-time service updates and delay notifications
- Ability to change account information
- More ferry routes and increased frequency
- Better integration with other transportation apps
In-app purchases
SEPTA
No in-app purchases
NYC Ferry
No in-app purchases
