Reviews of EL Tracker

By: Davit Khachatryan App

List of user reviews and ratings for EL Tracker

Total ratings

4.90 (Rating count: 80)

Receive review notifications

Get notified when new reviews are posted so you can respond quickly.

See reviews on Apple App Store

View and respond to reviews directly on the store page.

Visit

Review summary

EL Tracker is highly praised for its strong widget support and clean UI, with reliable, up-to-date CTA data. The app shines for its map view, quick access, and Chicago-focused design. Common drawbacks are widget reliability (updates sometimes lag), occasional data loading issues, and the absence of bus data in the widget (with bus support planned). Overall, users love the app and want continued widget improvements and broader transit coverage.

Pros

Widget support is a game-changer, providing live arrivals for nearby stations and quick access from the home screen.
Clean, fast, intuitive UI with a CTA-like design and easy customization.
Data is accurate and up-to-date, pulled directly from the CTA, with reliable arrival times and no paywalls/ads.
Useful map view and live tiles that update smoothly, making it easy to see departures.
Lightweight, Chicago-focused design that shows only what you want and feels reliable.

Cons

Widget updates can lag or fail, sometimes requiring a manual refresh.
Occasional data loading failures reported by users.
Lack of bus data in the widget; bus tracker is not yet available there, with bus support planned.

Upgrade to see all 17 reviews

User Reviews

Recent rating average: 4.50

All time rating average: 4.90

Upgrade to see all 17 reviews

6% (1)

Date	Author	Comment
2025-04-03	Fe*****	Great app! Use it multiple times daily. Unfortunately, the most recent update appears to have broken the readability of widget text. In my case I'm using dark, grayscale icons on the homescreen (iOS 18 feature) and recently the text appears white against a white background. I can't read any information on direction or arrival time. Please fix!
Great app! Use it multiple times daily. Unfortunately, the most recent update appears to have broken the readability of widget text. In my case I'm using dark, grayscale icons on the homescreen (iOS 18 feature) and recently the text appears white against a white background. I can't read any information on direction or arrival time. Please fix!
2025-03-14	Ha*****	This was great but as of today the data doesn’t load
This was great but as of today the data doesn’t load
2025-01-26	A-*****	2025 Edit: I got a new phone with updated iOS. Yea, hands down the best El app out there. It’s not even close. I’ve recommended this to a ton of people and would totally pay to download it. It’s that easy, convenient, and gorgeous. Devs, y’all are awesome. What I wrote in 2024: The devs took all my criticisms of other El apps and corrected them. The widget feature is so convenient. The app is gorgeous, intuitive, and customizable. It all rocks, but I do have to constructive criticisms related to the widget: 1. Widget sometimes won’t update. I have an old iOS device so this might be the reason, but there will be times I’ll look at the widget, sprint to catch a train, only to realize the train passed my station 5 min ago and my widget says that it was updated 8 min ago. It definitely takes away from the convenience when the widget doesn’t update automatically every time. As I said, might be an old phone issue, but might I suggest adding a small refresh button in the top right corner of the widget? Just so I can manually refresh it when needed? 2. When i can tell it’s not refreshing, I click the widget, and the widget opens the app. I would loovveee if the widget can open right to the station it was displaying instead of going to the main screen. That’s especially helpful when the widget is set to the “closest station” setting (which also rocks, btw), because the nearest station might not be in my favorites and I’d have to go search for it. Other than those two things, everything about this app is amazing and still hands down the best app I’ve used for the El. It’s so clutch, thank you devs for taking the time to do this!
2025 Edit: I got a new phone with updated iOS. Yea, hands down the best El app out there. It’s not even close. I’ve recommended this to a ton of people and would totally pay to download it. It’s that easy, convenient, and gorgeous. Devs, y’all are awesome. What I wrote in 2024: The devs took all my criticisms of other El apps and corrected them. The widget feature is so convenient. The app is gorgeous, intuitive, and customizable. It all rocks, but I do have to constructive criticisms related to the widget: 1. Widget sometimes won’t update. I have an old iOS device so this might be the reason, but there will be times I’ll look at the widget, sprint to catch a train, only to realize the train passed my station 5 min ago and my widget says that it was updated 8 min ago. It definitely takes away from the convenience when the widget doesn’t update automatically every time. As I said, might be an old phone issue, but might I suggest adding a small refresh button in the top right corner of the widget? Just so I can manually refresh it when needed? 2. When i can tell it’s not refreshing, I click the widget, and the widget opens the app. I would loovveee if the widget can open right to the station it was displaying instead of going to the main screen. That’s especially helpful when the widget is set to the “closest station” setting (which also rocks, btw), because the nearest station might not be in my favorites and I’d have to go search for it. Other than those two things, everything about this app is amazing and still hands down the best app I’ve used for the El. It’s so clutch, thank you devs for taking the time to do this!
2024-12-06	Tr*****	The folks who’ve put this together are miles above Ventra and the rest of the trackers. Great UI, great loading and update times. Super responsive to feedback and suggestions for improvements. Keep up the great work!!!
The folks who’ve put this together are miles above Ventra and the rest of the trackers. Great UI, great loading and update times. Super responsive to feedback and suggestions for improvements. Keep up the great work!!!
2024-09-23	Tr*****	I was looking for an app exactly like this. After using for the first day transit times are accurate. Very excited for the bike widget to be ready!
I was looking for an app exactly like this. After using for the first day transit times are accurate. Very excited for the bike widget to be ready!
2024-08-15	Gr*****	I love how clean and organized this app is. I see only my train stations and bus routes, and nothing more unless I want to. It has been 100% accurate the whole time I have used it. I deleted all my other transit apps since downloading this one.
I love how clean and organized this app is. I see only my train stations and bus routes, and nothing more unless I want to. It has been 100% accurate the whole time I have used it. I deleted all my other transit apps since downloading this one.
2024-07-24	rm*****	Great app. Life changing!
Great app. Life changing!
2024-07-08	Da*****	I agree with many reviewers here that the widget function is a game-changer. I appreciate the UI and color palette resembles CTA UI as well. Lo único que le falta es poder tener datos de guaguas como widget. 👍
I agree with many reviewers here that the widget function is a game-changer. I appreciate the UI and color palette resembles CTA UI as well. Lo único que le falta es poder tener datos de guaguas como widget. 👍
2024-06-24	oh*****	This app is super reliable and I love the widget of nearby stations with arrivals. Thanks for the great app!!!
This app is super reliable and I love the widget of nearby stations with arrivals. Thanks for the great app!!!
2024-06-24	Aw*****	The widgets are beautiful and so intuitive. Cant wait for busses to be added. PS - Transit stop runs ads and has a far worse UI. If you guys need to put a banner or two on the page to keep the servers running, please do!
The widgets are beautiful and so intuitive. Cant wait for busses to be added. PS - Transit stop runs ads and has a far worse UI. If you guys need to put a banner or two on the page to keep the servers running, please do!