NextThere vs Opal Travel
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
NextThere
Get real-time public transport departure information for trains, buses, ferries, and trams. Track your journey live, receive disruption alerts, and access live service load data. Offers optional premium features like walking directions and customizable notifications.
- Real-time departure information
- Live trip tracking
- Disruption and service change alerts
- Live train and bus load data
- Save favorite stations and routes
- Walking directions and boarding notifications (Pro)
- Home/Lock Screen widgets (Pro)
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Want to know exactly when the next train, bus, ferry, or tram to your destination will arrive? NextThere has you covered. It’s simple, fast, and real-time - like having a platform indicator in the palm of your hand. It knows where you are, and with a tap you can see just the services that go to your destination. • Save stations, stops, and routes you use for public transport - and see the next services due to depart • Tap a service to track your trip live • Live train and bus load data (where available) • Detailed alerts about disruptions, service changes, and trackwork • A simple, gorgeous iOS interface • VoiceOver support NextThere covers public transport in these cities on your iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch - for free! Australia: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Canberra, Hobart, Darwin, Alice Springs, Gold Coast, regional towns New Zealand: Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch United States: San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Boston, Portland, Seattle, Honolulu, North Carolina Want even more awesome features? Subscribe to NextThere Pro: • Tap "Go" to get walking directions and boarding or alighting notifications as your service approaches • Home Screen and Lock Screen widgets for nearby upcoming services • Save as many stops as you like - non-subscribers are limited to 3 saved items • Get push notifications about incidents and disruptions so you’re always up to date • View run numbers and other internal info from train, tram, ferry, and bus operators • Remove all ads • Access themes • Access additional settings to customize the look and function of the app The subscription is optional and available for either 1 month or 1 year. Payment will be charged to your Apple ID account at confirmation of purchase. Subscription automatically renews unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. You can manage and cancel your subscriptions by going to your account settings in the App Store after purchase. Terms of use are available at http://nextthere.com/support/terms.html. Check http://nextthere.com/coverage for details on where real-time data is available in your area.
Opal Travel
Plan and manage your journeys across New South Wales, Australia. This official app allows you to plan trips, check fares, and manage your transport card. Get real-time updates and track your travel history all in one convenient place.
- Manage and top up Opal card
- Track payment activities and fares
- Plan public transport, cycling, walking, driving trips
- Check real-time departure times
- Receive live trip updates and alerts
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The Opal Travel app is the official Transport for NSW app to help you get around in NSW Australia. You can plan and save your trip, check travel activities and fares, top up Opal card and more, all in one place. Download the FREE Opal Travel app now. Key features: - Manage and top up Opal card on the go: Register your Opal card to check your balance, top up or set up auto top-up. - Track Opal and Contactless payment activities: Review your Opal and contactless payment travel history and fares. - Simple trip planning: Plan your trip via public transport, cycling, walking, or driving, set your favourite trips and locations, and check public transport fares. - Check departure times at a glance: Check public transport departure times for train, metro, bus, light rail and ferry services. - Get live trip update: Receive service update, disruption and on-the-go hop off alerts for your trip. For more info, visit https://transportnsw.info/apps/opal-travel By installing Opal Travel you acknowledge and accept the Opal Travel app Terms of Use and agree to receive those Terms of Use and any amendments electronically via the Apple App Store. You acknowledge that Transport for NSW will not send you a paper copy. This application is not optimised for iPad's larger screen, which may cause visual or layout issues. For the best experience, please use an iPhone device.
Screenshots
Verdict
NextThere and Opal Travel both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 71% of NextThere's written reviews are positive against 21% of Opal Travel's. NextThere also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs monthly). Opal Travel's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and ratings volume (480 vs 74). On price, rating, ads and device support 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. NextThere sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Opal Travel asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for NextThere against 4.5 for Opal Travel. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Opal Travel has 480 ratings behind it against 74, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 71% of NextThere's written reviews are positive against 21% of Opal Travel's.
NextThere ships an update every 2 weeks, Opal Travel monthly. Both last shipped on November 6, 2026.
| Parameter | NextThere | Opal Travel |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (74 ratings) — better | 4.5 (480 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 70.7% of reviews — better | 20.9% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 74 | 480 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks — better | Monthly |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 150 MB | 93 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | AppJourney Pty Ltd | Transport for NSW |
Customer experience
NextThere
Opal Travel
Bugs and requests
NextThere
Reported bugs
4 issues- Frequent app crashes
- Disappearing saved stops
- Incorrect route information
- Live tracking not updating in real-time
Requested features
5 requests- Offline mode for timetable access
- Journey planning across multiple modes
- Integration with mobile wallets/cards
- More detailed map and station information
- Customizable alerts and notifications
Opal Travel
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
NextThere
- NextThere Pro - Monthly7 Days trial$1.991 Month
- NextThere Pro - Annual7 Days trial$12.991 Year
- NextThere Pro - Family7 Days trial$19.991 Year
Opal Travel
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is NextThere free?
Is Opal Travel free?
Which has better reviews, NextThere or Opal Travel?
Do NextThere or Opal Travel have ads?
Which is updated more often, NextThere or Opal Travel?
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