Comparison

BART Watch vs SF POPOS

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

Head to head
About

BART Watch

This app provides a discreet way for public transit riders to report suspicious activity directly to transit police. Users can send text messages, photos, and location data, with options for anonymity. It also features alerts for persons of interest.

Highlights
  • Report suspicious activity
  • Send text messages and photos
  • Discreet reporting with disabled flash
  • Location sharing
  • Anonymous reporting option
  • Direct call to transit police
  • Be On the Look Out (BOLO) alerts
Features
Read full description

BART Watch: Free Security App for Riders. The BART Watch App offers the public a quick and discreet method for reporting suspicious activity directly to BART Police. The app can send pictures, text messages, and locations of suspicious people or activities. From the home screen, users have two easy options for contacting BART Police: * The “Report a Problem” button allows users to send text or photos directly to BART Police. To ensure discretion, the camera flash is automatically disabled when photos are taken through the app. When reporting an issue, users can select locations and report categories to assist BART Police. Riders can also send reports anonymously if they chose. * The “Call BART Police” button will connect customers directly to BART Police. The application is designed for BART. If you send a report in an area without cellular connectivity, it will be stored and sent when connectivity returns. The system is also designed to send text messages before pictures so that BART Police can get app reports as quickly as possible. Additional Features BOLO (Be On the Look Out) Alerts. BOLO Alerts on the BART Watch App may display alerts from BART Police about specific persons of interest. For example, BART Watch may display information about a missing person or child, such as where they were last seen. If you see a person from a BOLO, immediately call 911 and send an app report to BART Police discreetly. Help keep BART safe, "See something, Say something."

About

SF POPOS

Discover San Francisco's hidden urban oases, from quiet plazas to rooftop terraces. Find private spaces open to the public for a moment of calm or a place to recharge. Explore the city's dense fabric and uncover unique retreats.

Highlights
  • Discover hidden urban retreats
  • Find quiet plazas and courtyards
  • Detailed space information
  • Smart navigation with map and list view
  • Advanced filtering by amenities
  • Save favorite spaces
Features
Read full description

SF POPOS is your definitive guide to San Francisco’s Privately Owned Public Open Spaces—quiet plazas, rooftop terraces, hidden courtyards, and indoor retreats woven into the city’s dense urban fabric. From the Financial District to SoMa, discover spaces that offer a place to sit, recharge, or step away from the pace of the city. Whether you are looking for a calm spot to read, eat lunch, or take a break between classes or work, SF POPOS helps you uncover public spaces that are open to everyone, even when they are located on private property. Turn everyday movement through the city into exploration. Save your favorite spaces, keep track of where you have been, and build your own collection of places across San Francisco. EXPLORE WITH EASE • Smart Navigation: Seamlessly switch between a fast, interactive map and a clean list view to find spaces nearby • Advanced Filtering: Discover locations based on seating, amenities, accessibility, and more • Detailed Information: View hours, rules, and space descriptions to plan your visit with confidence Thoughtfully designed for a simple, modern experience, SF POPOS makes it easy to see the city differently and find places you might otherwise walk past. Download SF POPOS and explore San Francisco in a new way.

Screenshots

BART Watch3 screens
SF POPOS4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: SF POPOS at 100% against BART Watch's 35%. SF POPOS also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.4) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 3 months). BART Watch's advantage is ratings volume (2.9K vs 6) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

SF POPOS holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: BART Watch has 2.9K ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 35% of BART Watch's written reviews are positive against 100% of SF POPOS's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

BART Watch ships an update every 3 months, SF POPOS every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
BART Watch versus SF POPOS: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBART WatchSF POPOS
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (2.9K ratings)5.0 (6 ratings) — better
Positive reviews34.8% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings2.9K — better6
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS13.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size20 MB75 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperELERTS CorpSamuel Snow

Customer experience

BART Watch

All ratings2,797 ratings
Positive85.7%
Neutral4.4%
Negative9.9%
Written reviews89 reviews
Positive34.8%
Neutral7.9%
Negative57.3%

SF POPOS

All ratings6 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

BART Watch

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • had a good connection but unable to upload
  • Can't file a report and a kid is lighting things on fire in the BART car. Obvious the camera doesn't work. Good job!
  • Don't see an option for fare evader

Requested features

2 requests
  • Need a way to report non-police matters too
  • Upload a photo of disruptive behavior

SF POPOS

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

BART Watch

No in-app purchases

None

SF POPOS

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is BART Watch free?
BART Watch is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is SF POPOS free?
SF POPOS is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, BART Watch or SF POPOS?
SF POPOS is rated higher. BART Watch averages 4.4 out of 5 from 2.9K ratings, while SF POPOS averages 5.0 from 6 ratings.
Do BART Watch or SF POPOS have ads?
Neither BART Watch nor SF POPOS shows ads.
Which is updated more often, BART Watch or SF POPOS?
BART Watch ships an update every 3 months, and SF POPOS every 2 weeks. Most recently, BART Watch was updated on October 21, 2026 and SF POPOS on October 12, 2026.

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