# Downtowner vs BearPool

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Downtowner at 414 against BearPool's 12. BearPool's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 4 months). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads 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 — 4.8 for Downtowner against 4.7 for BearPool. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Downtowner has 414 ratings behind it against 12, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 90% of Downtowner's written reviews are positive against 83% of BearPool's.

Downtowner ships an update every 4 months, BearPool every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Downtowner | BearPool |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (414 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/downtowner/id786617715/reviews)** | [4.7 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bearpool/id6747465780/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **414** | 12 |
| Positive reviews | **89.7% of reviews** | 83.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 134 MB | 44 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Via Transportation, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/657777018) | [Maaz Dhalech](https://appshunter.io/developer/1821583201) |

## What reviewers say

### Downtowner

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/downtowner/id786617715)

Request eco-friendly rides on-demand to get around town. See wait times, track your driver's arrival, and travel within designated service areas for work or leisure.

**Highlights:** On-demand ride requests, View wait times, Track driver progress, Service area travel, Eco-friendly transportation

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 💰 Completely free rides with optional tips
- 👍 User-friendly and easy-to-use app
- 🚗 Clean and well-maintained vehicles
- 😊 Friendly, polite, and knowledgeable drivers
- 🚀 Quick pickup times in most cases

**What reviewers complain about**

- ⏱️ Inconsistent and unpredictable wait times
- 🐛 Wait time estimates frequently change mid-request
- 📞 Poor customer support and communication
- ❌ No phone number for direct contact
- 🚫 Difficult account deletion process

**Reported bugs**

- Wait time estimates jump dramatically and change frequently
- Unable to verify ride request status after placement
- Account termination feature not functioning properly
- App login issues with password verification
- Drivers passing by and not stopping for waiting passengers

**Requested features**

- Extended service hours, including morning availability
- Expand service to additional locations (e.g., Aspen Meadows)
- Save multiple addresses in app
- Credit card tipping option
- Direct phone number for customer support


### BearPool

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bearpool/id6747465780)

This rideshare app connects UC Berkeley students to share rides and save money. It allows users to post or join ride groups, coordinate plans via chat, and offers gender preference filtering for added comfort. Designed for students, it simplifies carpooling for campus commutes and travel.

**Highlights:** Share rides to save money, Exclusive to UC Berkeley students, Post or join ride groups, Gender preference filtering, In-app group chat for coordination, Simple and affordable carpooling

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Downtowner free?

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

### Is BearPool free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Downtowner or BearPool?

Downtowner is rated higher. Downtowner averages 4.8 out of 5 from 414 ratings, while BearPool averages 4.7 from 12 ratings.

### Do Downtowner or BearPool have ads?

Neither Downtowner nor BearPool shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Downtowner or BearPool?

Downtowner ships an update every 4 months, and BearPool every 2 months. Most recently, Downtowner was updated on October 17, 2026 and BearPool on October 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.*