# SEPTA vs The Official MTA App

The clearest difference is update cadence: The Official MTA App at weekly against SEPTA's every 3 weeks. The Official MTA App also leads on chart position (#61 vs unranked). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.4 for SEPTA against 4.4 for The Official MTA App. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 29K and 13K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 13% of SEPTA's written reviews are positive against 18% of The Official MTA App's.

SEPTA ships an update every 3 weeks, The Official MTA App weekly. Both last shipped on November 2, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | SEPTA | The Official MTA App |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (29K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/septa/id724915219/reviews)** | [4.4 (13K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-official-mta-app/id1297605670/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **29K** | 13K |
| Positive reviews | 13.1% of reviews | **18.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | — | **#61** |
| Size | 91 MB | 135 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **16.4** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority](https://appshunter.io/developer/724915222) | [Metropolitan Transportation Authority](https://appshunter.io/developer/528916105) |

## What reviewers say

### SEPTA

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/septa/id724915219)

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.

**Highlights:** 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

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Wallet, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Accurate real-time tracking
- 👍 Convenient keycard management
- 🚀 Improved user interface design

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inaccurate schedule information
- 🐛 Unreliable real-time updates
- 👎 Difficult to navigate and find information
- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and bugs
- 👎 Removed useful features from previous version

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

- 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


### The Official MTA App

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-official-mta-app/id1297605670)

**Currently charting:** #61 Top Free · Travel (US App Store)

Get live transit updates directly from the source for subways and buses. Features real-time arrival information, service status updates, system maps, and a live customer service chat. Save frequently used routes for quick access.

**Highlights:** Real-time arrival information, Service status updates, System maps, Live customer service chat, Save favorite routes, Elevator and escalator outage info

**Features:** Apple Wallet, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Accurate train times
- 🚀 Helpful for commuters
- 🚀 Useful for tracking service changes
- 👍 Clean design
- 👍 Offline maps

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inaccurate bus arrival times
- 🐛 Unreliable train arrival times
- 🐛 Buggy and crashes frequently
- 👎 Confusing and unintuitive interface
- 👎 Too many steps to access basic information

**Reported bugs**

- Favorites disappearing after updates
- Inconsistent display of uptown/downtown directions
- Inability to view route options from current location

**Requested features**

- Add widget for favorite stations
- Improve bus tracking and real-time location
- Simplify navigation and reduce number of taps
- Restore previous app's functionality


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SEPTA free?

SEPTA is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is The Official MTA App free?

The Official MTA App is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, SEPTA or The Official MTA App?

SEPTA is rated higher. SEPTA averages 4.4 out of 5 from 29K ratings, while The Official MTA App averages 4.4 from 13K ratings.

### Do SEPTA or The Official MTA App have ads?

Neither SEPTA nor The Official MTA App shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SEPTA or The Official MTA App?

SEPTA ships an update every 3 weeks, and The Official MTA App weekly. Most recently, SEPTA was updated on November 2, 2026 and The Official MTA App on November 2, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*