# OpenKey vs BART (Official)

OpenKey and BART (Official) both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 73% of OpenKey's written reviews are positive against 30% of BART (Official)'s. OpenKey also leads on iOS requirement (14.0 vs 17.6). BART (Official)'s advantage is ratings volume (26K vs 3.1K). On price, rating, update cadence 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 — 4.7 for OpenKey against 4.6 for BART (Official). That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: BART (Official) has 26K ratings behind it against 3.1K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 73% of OpenKey's written reviews are positive against 30% of BART (Official)'s.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | OpenKey | BART (Official) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (3.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/openkey/id990142776/reviews)** | [4.6 (26K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bart-official/id1439601871/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 3.1K | **26K** |
| Positive reviews | **72.6% of reviews** | 30.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 107 MB | 81 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 17.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [OPENKEY, INC.](https://appshunter.io/developer/990142775) | [San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District](https://appshunter.io/developer/1421336221) |

## What reviewers say

### OpenKey

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/openkey/id990142776)

Unlock hotel rooms worldwide using your smartphone as a secure digital key. Access your room instantly, share keys with companions, and manage your stay with features like check-out details and hotel information.

**Highlights:** Instant room access, Digital key sharing, Contact hotel operations, View check-out details, Room number displayed, Explore hotel amenities, Request check-out

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Seamless experience
- 🔑 Convenient keyless entry
- 💡 Sharing keys with others
- 👍 Easy to use
- 🔒 Secure access

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Connectivity issues
- 🔍 Needs better instructions
- 🔋 Drains phone battery
- 🤔 Doesn't work consistently

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes frequently
- Fails to unlock doors sometimes
- Issues with updating and reinstalling

**Requested features**

- Apple Watch app integration
- Improved error handling and troubleshooting


### BART (Official)

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bart-official/id1439601871)

Plan your Bay Area transit journeys with real-time train departures and official service alerts. This app offers end-to-end trip planning, step-by-step navigation, and customized notifications for a hassle-free commute.

**Highlights:** Real-time train departures, End-to-end trip planner, Step-by-step navigation, Customized service alerts, Contactless parking payment, Service disruption information

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Convenient in-app parking payment
- 👍 Accurate real-time train information
- 🚀 Easy to use app
- 👍 Helpful for planning trips

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Unreliable real-time information
- 🔍 Confusing parking payment process
- 🔍 Lack of key features like checking Clipper card balance
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🔍 Not intuitive for first-time users

**Reported bugs**

- Real-time departure times not updating accurately
- Trip planning providing incorrect/nonsensical routes
- Login and password issues causing frequent logouts
- Parking payment not working as expected

**Requested features**

- Ability to check Clipper card balance
- Automatic license plate recognition for parking
- Offline mode for schedules and trip planning
- Better notifications for service advisories and delays
- More customization options for favorite stations


## Frequently asked questions

### Is OpenKey free?

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

### Is BART (Official) free?

BART (Official) is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, OpenKey or BART (Official)?

OpenKey is rated higher. OpenKey averages 4.7 out of 5 from 3.1K ratings, while BART (Official) averages 4.6 from 26K ratings.

### Do OpenKey or BART (Official) have ads?

Neither OpenKey nor BART (Official) shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, OpenKey or BART (Official)?

OpenKey ships an update every 2 months, and BART (Official) every 2 months. Most recently, OpenKey was updated on October 8, 2026 and BART (Official) on October 13, 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.*
