[regarding the metro] what map to trust?

title… basically i have no car but that is not stopping me!! i want to go somewhere on the metro since im free this weekend ( i have never been on the metro but i have been on public transportation) but when looking at the routes i see the one i want but the directions vary, i want to know which one to trust. the metro plan a trip website and the app give me different routes, different starting points but halfway if gives me the same stops, which one is more reliable? the app or the website? also is EACH time i get on the bus 1.25? or is it 1.25 from my first bus to my destination? i hope i made sense im sorry if i sound dumb and clueless, this would be my first time on a big city metro system so i really dont want to get lost/ look dumb lol. anything helps !