MCTS Tracker vs Madison Bus Tracker
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
MCTS Tracker
Track bus arrival times in real-time. Enter your stop number, scan a QR code, or search to see when your bus is approaching. The app uses live data to provide accurate estimates, helping you avoid missed rides.
- Real-time bus arrival times
- Search by stop number
- QR code scanning for stops
- Live data integration
- Color-coded bus indicators
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Find yourself glancing down the street, wondering where the bus is? Wonder no more, with the MCTS Tracker app. Enter the stop number for the stop you're waiting at, scan the stop's QR code, or search to find out when the bus is getting there. Now with more colours to make it even easier to tell whether the bus you care about is almost there. The system uses live data from the MCTS to determine arrival times, so you'll be less likely to miss a bus again. By using the app, you agree to the MCTS terms of service (http://www.ridemcts.com/Privacy-Statement/); also, the makers of this app are not affiliated with the Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS).
Madison Bus Tracker
Get real-time bus arrival predictions and explore route maps for Madison Metro Transit. Save your favorite stops and routes for quick access, and receive service alerts. An optional Pro version offers advanced features and an ad-free experience.
- Live bus arrival predictions
- Nearby stop finder
- Interactive route maps
- Save favorite stops and routes
- Service alerts
- Pro version with advanced features
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Check Madison bus arrivals, find nearby Metro Transit stops and explore route maps. See upcoming departures, choose your direction and keep your everyday stops close at hand. NEARBY STOPS & ARRIVALS Find nearby bus stops on the map and see upcoming arrivals for the routes serving each stop. Know whether a departure is a live prediction or a scheduled time. Use your location to find nearby service, or explore the map around Madison. ROUTE MAPS & DIRECTIONS Search routes by number or name. Choose a direction, view the route and its stops on the map, and follow direction arrows and start/end markers to understand where it goes. AROUND MADISON & CAMPUS Explore Rapid Route A (BRT) and UW-Madison campus routes, including 80, 81, 82 and 84. Service varies by route, date and campus calendar. FAVORITES & SERVICE ALERTS Save unlimited stops and routes for quick access. Open a saved stop to check departures, and review service alerts on stop and route pages. MORE WITH MADISON BUS PRO - Live bus locations on route maps when vehicle data is available - Stop schedules for the next 7 days - Departure widgets for your Home Screen - An ad-free app experience Nearby arrivals, route maps, service alerts and unlimited favorites are free. Pro features require an in-app purchase. Prices and available plans are shown in the app. ABOUT THE DATA Live predictions and vehicle locations depend on available transit data. Scheduled times are shown when live predictions are unavailable. Arrival times and service information may change. Madison Bus Tracker is an independent app and is not affiliated with the City of Madison, Metro Transit or the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Data provided under license granted by City of Madison, WI, Metro Transit. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: MCTS Tracker at 52% against Madison Bus Tracker's 0%. MCTS Tracker also leads on rating (4.7 vs 3.8) and in-app purchases (none vs 3). On price, update cadence, device support and iOS requirement 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. Madison Bus Tracker sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. MCTS Tracker asks for nothing beyond the download.
MCTS Tracker holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: MCTS Tracker has 4.3K ratings behind it against 28, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 52% of MCTS Tracker's written reviews are positive against 0% of Madison Bus Tracker's.
MCTS Tracker ships an update every 3 months, Madison Bus Tracker every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 8, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | MCTS Tracker | Madison Bus Tracker |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (4.3K ratings) — better | 3.8 (28 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 51.8% of reviews — better | 0.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 4.3K — better | 28 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 2 months — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 10 MB | 29 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Evan Ricketts | 婧嘉 郭 |
Customer experience
MCTS Tracker
Madison Bus Tracker
Bugs and requests
MCTS Tracker
Reported bugs
4 issues- Route search not working
- Buses disappearing from map
- Connection issues
- Incorrect route numbers
Requested features
4 requests- Update routes and schedules
- Offline mode
- Apple Watch support
- Directions and route planning
Madison Bus Tracker
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
MCTS Tracker
No in-app purchases
Madison Bus Tracker
- Monthly$1.991 Month
- Yearly7 Days trial$17.991 Year
- lifetime$39.99
Questions
Is MCTS Tracker free?
Is Madison Bus Tracker free?
Which has better reviews, MCTS Tracker or Madison Bus Tracker?
Do MCTS Tracker or Madison Bus Tracker have ads?
Which is updated more often, MCTS Tracker or Madison Bus Tracker?
Other comparisons
