Comparison

Live BART vs SF Muni Buses

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

Head to head
About

Live BART

This app provides real-time BART train departure information, including estimated arrival times, destinations, and platform details. It can locate your nearest station or allow you to select any other BART station to view upcoming departures and train car counts. It also features a trip planner with a "get a seat" mode and an alerts screen for delays.

Highlights
  • Real-time BART departures
  • Nearest station locator
  • Train destination and route color
  • Estimated time until departure
  • Number of cars and platform
  • Trip planner with 'get a seat' mode
  • BART delay and emergency alerts
Features
Read full description

Have you ever tried to catch a train at a BART station, but didn't exactly know when the train was coming? How about guessing how long the train is, only to find out the train was shorter than you thought? If so, then Live BART is for you! Live BART will instantly locate the nearest BART station, and display all the upcoming real-time estimated departures for that station. Additionally, you can also choose to select any other BART station, and get its estimated departures. KEY FEATURES: - Locates your nearest BART station instantly. - Displays real-time estimated departures loaded directly from BART servers. - Shows useful information for upcoming trains: - Destination - Estimated time until departure - Route color - Number of cars - Train Platform - Allows you to select a station by distance or by name - Trip Planner with unique “Get a seat” mode, based on train congestion - Feedback tab to send messages directly to the development team - Alerts screen to view BART delays and emergencies SERVICE REQUIREMENTS: - Location Services - A working internet connection DISCLAIMERS and DATA DISTRIBUTION LIABILITY STATEMENT Jonajo Consulting LLC, the owner and producer of Live BART, shall not be held liable for improper or incorrect use of the data described and/or contained herein. The information contained in these data is dynamic and may change over time. The data are not better than the original sources from which they were derived (http://api.bart.gov/docs/etd/etd.aspx). It is the responsibility of the data user to use the data appropriately and consistent within the limitations of real-time estimated departure data in general and these data in particular. Jonajo Consulting LLC gives no warranty, expressed or implied, as to the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of these data. Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life. By using the Live BART application, you agree to these terms and conditions.

About

SF Muni Buses

Track the real-time location and arrival predictions for buses. Get instant notifications for delays and closures, save favorite stops, and set reminders to never miss your ride. Optimized for various Apple devices.

Highlights
  • Live bus tracking on map
  • Real-time arrival predictions
  • Push notifications for delays
  • Favorite stops management
  • Nearby stops identification
  • Bus arrival reminders
  • Notification Center widgets
Features
Read full description

*** IMPORTANT: The SF Muni Buses app is being discontinued. Download the all-new Busly app to ensure continued updates & support: https://busly.app *** View up-to-date locations and time predictions for the SF Muni buses. LIVE MAP Get up-to-date bus positions showing exactly where each bus is along its route. PUSH NOTIFICATIONS Get real-time updates regarding delays, closures, and other important messages. FAVORITE STOPS Add stops you use often to your Favorites for quick, easy access. NEARBY STOPS See stops nearest to your current location, as well as how far they are. SET REMINDERS Easily set reminder notifications so you don't forget to catch your bus when it arrives. NOTIFICATION CENTER WIDGETS 2 Notification Center widgets for easy access to time predictions for nearby stops as well as your favorites. APPLE WATCH + IPAD Optimized for iOS 17, iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. If you run into any issues or have any feedback, use the in-app Support button or email support@iminichrispy.com. You can also tweet me @iMinichrispy.

Screenshots

Live BART4 screens
SF Muni Buses4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Live BART at none against SF Muni Buses's 1. Live BART also leads on ads (none vs shown) and rating (4.6 vs 4.2). On price, ratings volume, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. SF Muni Buses sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Live BART asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Live BART holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2.1K and 809 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of Live BART's written reviews are positive against 27% of SF Muni Buses's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Live BART ships an update every 6 weeks, SF Muni Buses every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on September 20, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Live BART versus SF Muni Buses: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLive BARTSF Muni Buses
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (2.1K ratings) — better4.2 (809 ratings)
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews — better27.4% of reviews
Number of ratings2.1K — better809
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeks — betterEvery 4 months
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple WatchiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch
Requires iOS13.012.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size42 MB12 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJonajo Consulting LLCAlex Perez

Customer experience

Live BART

All ratings2,059 ratings
Positive91.4%
Neutral3.3%
Negative5.4%
Written reviews40 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral2.5%
Negative47.5%

SF Muni Buses

All ratings808 ratings
Positive77.0%
Neutral6.6%
Negative16.5%
Written reviews95 reviews
Positive27.4%
Neutral7.4%
Negative65.3%

User reviews

Live BART

From 2.1K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Accurate real-time departure information
  • 👍 Convenient and easy-to-use interface
  • 🚀 Fast and responsive app
  • 👍 Helpful for daily commuters

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Inaccurate or outdated departure times
  • 🐛 Watch app issues (slow, unreliable, limited functionality)
  • 🐛 Location tracking problems (showing wrong station locations)
  • 🐛 Lack of support for newer BART stations

SF Muni Buses

From 809 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Efficient
  • 👍 Easy to use
  • 💡 Helpful features
  • 🚌 Accurate bus predictions

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Buggy
  • 🤔 Confusing interface
  • 👎 Not user-friendly
  • 🕰️ Inaccurate arrival times
  • 🙄 Useless

Bugs and requests

Live BART

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Departure times not updating correctly
  • App crashing or freezing
  • Incorrect station listings and locations

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add support for Antioch and Pittsburg/Bay Point eBART stations
  • Implement widgets for quick departure time access
  • Allow customization of favorite stations or commute routes
  • Improve Apple Watch app performance and features

SF Muni Buses

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • App crashes frequently
  • Disappearing bus predictions
  • Outdated route information
  • Inability to purchase tickets

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add bus route numbers
  • Improve trip planning and pricing
  • Allow customization of favorite routes
  • Provide a map of Muni train routes and stations

In-app purchases

None

Live BART

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

SF Muni Buses

One-time1
  • Remove Ads$4.99

Questions

Is Live BART free?
Live BART is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is SF Muni Buses free?
SF Muni Buses is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Live BART or SF Muni Buses?
Live BART is rated higher. Live BART averages 4.6 out of 5 from 2.1K ratings, while SF Muni Buses averages 4.2 from 809 ratings.
Do Live BART or SF Muni Buses have ads?
SF Muni Buses shows ads; Live BART does not.
Which is updated more often, Live BART or SF Muni Buses?
Live BART ships an update every 6 weeks, and SF Muni Buses every 4 months. Most recently, Live BART was updated on September 20, 2026 and SF Muni Buses on September 23, 2026.

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