# Swift Collector — user reviews > 56 indexed App Store user reviews of Swift Collector by West Midlands Combined Authority. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swift-collector/id1500287021/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swift-collector/id1500287021.md ## What do users think of Swift Collector? Overall sentiment: negative **Pros** - 👍 Can check balance - 👍 Works sometimes - 👍 Life saver when it works **Cons** - 🐛 App never works - 🐛 Card not reading - 🐛 Payment not loading - 🐛 Blocking card - 🐛 Wasting time and money - 🐛 Shops unable to top up - 🐛 App is poor and not user-friendly - 🐛 Gamble if it works - 🐛 Loading takes forever - 🐛 Driver not letting in - 🐛 Nightmare app - 🐛 Card payments not showing - 🐛 Lost money - 🐛 No help/live chat - 🐛 Technology not backed up - 🐛 Complete trash - 🐛 App is a s—t show - 🐛 Appalling experience - 🐛 Long wait for support - 🐛 App doesn't scan - 🐛 App times out - 🐛 NFC times out - 🐛 Cannot scan card - 🐛 Useless and foolish waste - 🐛 Pointless and inconvenient - 🐛 Awful app - 🐛 Rubbish app - 🐛 Horrible - 🐛 Difficult to understand - 🐛 Not fit for purpose - 🐛 Needs more improvements - 🐛 Worst app ever - 🐛 Does not work - 🐛 Does not scan - 🐛 Useless **Commonly reported bugs** - Will not read card - Help option opens website - Credit not loaded automatically - Never works to top up - Cannot top up child's card - Shops unable to top up - Won't let me collect ticket - Blocked my card - Card not updated - Payment doesn't load to card - Bus pass not showing on card - Card payments not showing - Cards not appearing - Cannot use child's bus pass - App shut down and not scan purchases - Lost over £30 - App refused to update - Instructions unclear on scanning - App does not scan card - Unable to collect via app - Support line long wait - Never tops it up - Cannot 'collect' to card after top up - Screen resets after scanning - No options to top up - Shows balance only - Wouldn't let me collect online payment - Won't scan card - Money can't be added - Swift collector never works - Swift collector still not working - Swift collector app is a joke - Card doesn't work - Refunds - Takes about 10 attempts to work - Cannot update card - Incompatible with phone - App doesn't work - Cannot add money to card - Just look at balance - App times out - NFC times out - iOS 14 problem - App won't pick up card - iPhone reader picks it up but app times out - Doesn't let you scan card - Takes hours to scan card - Cannot renew DD online - App is only a collector **Most requested features** - Clear top-up button - Option for additional cards - Child swift app in wallet - App called swift bus app - Store card in wallet - Virtual swift passes - Recent journey details - Add card to app - Phone payment by Swift - Card on phone to leave at home ## Newest reviews (17 of 56) ### 1/5 — Dire *2022-07-05, version 1.8* How TfWM keeps their license with the poor services they offer is beyond me. This app is a frustrating nightmare! Does not work! Card payments not showing, cards not appearing. Can’t use my child’s bus pass. Absolute waste of time. ### 1/5 — Doesn’t work! *2022-07-04* I’ve paid a few times for a weekly swift card for this app to completely shut down and not scan my purchases. What’s worse is there’s no help/live chat available, all responses can take several day. Imagine West Midlands wants to make bus travel paperless but don’t have the right technology to back it up! I’ve lost over £30 due to this app not allowing me to update my swift card, won’t use it ever again ### 1/5 — No star *2022-06-06, version 1.8* No sure why we have to give any star at all. This is the joke of the century. My daughter 11 was denied entry by a bus 33 bus driver on a cold dark winter night because this stupid app refused to update. What the hell is wrong with West Midlands travel services. Complete trash. By the way this is my first ever review on any platform whatsoever ### 1/5 — Process review urgently required!?! *2022-05-23* Imagine I am sat here yet again trying to load my daughters bus pass. Thought let me try the reviews and spotted that though the instructions state hold your swift card TO THE BACK of the device it worked first time holding the card to the FRONT facing camera. Wonders will never cease!?! ### 1/5 — Does not scan *2022-05-04, version 1.8* I have tried and tried but the app does not scan my card ! I’ve held on front, back , next to both cameras . Nothing works. ### 1/5 — Absolutely useless *2022-04-18* The entire Swift system is an absolute s—t show. I’ve literally never had a smooth transition. This app is just more of the same appalling experience. I paid £170 to update my kids bus passes three days. Still unable to collect via the app. Support line has a message saying expect a long wait because of all the angry customers calling them. ### 1/5 — waste of time *2022-03-16, version 1.8* NEVER WORKS I HAVE THE IPHONE8 and it never tops it up ### 1/5 — Horrendous *2022-01-09* This app is probably the worst app I have ever used. Firstly, it takes ages for ur phone to actually scan the card and when u do the screen just resets. Secondly, there is no options to top up ur card or anything like that it’s just like “We can’t help u with that just deal with it” ### 1/5 — Doesn’t work *2022-01-06, version 1.8* App doesn’t work shows balance only wouldn’t let me collect my online payment so a waste of time downloading it ### 1/5 — Useless App *2021-11-30, version 1.8* This all really needs help, won’t scan the card so the money can’t be added to the card, for such a big company they can’t get an easy app to add money to your swift card. Really disappointed ### 1/5 — Poor app/service *2021-11-24* This whole operation and management of this company and the products they supply are absolutely horrific. You spend a good 40 minutes just trying to get to customer services and when they do answer half of them are dim wits that do not know what to do and have to wait for another employee. They should’ve just kept the travel shops open! ### 1/5 — Terrible app, waste of time *2021-11-08* Every time I have to top up my daughter swift card the swift collector never works. I’ve had to call national express on numerous occasions and they never get back to you. I have Topped -Up my daughters card again yesterday and the swift collector is still not working this morning, I’ve now had to give her money again. What a waste of time and I can’t keep affording to top up the card and give my child money, the whole reason of having the card is that I don’t have to keep giving her cash every day. This needs to be sorted asap. ### 1/5 — Absolutely Disgusting *2021-10-05* The swift collector app what a joke why do we even need it!!! I pay and the swift app does not work hardly ever put my child’s weekly bus fare on it!!! I have so many refunds!!! it’s unbelievable how many times my child has had to go to school and her card doesn’t work how embarrassing for her and incredibly upsetting you keep on doing this time and time again!!! this will be my fourth refund, 6 weeks to get my money back not only that paying 2.30 a day I end up compared to the swift prices I swear which is cheaper! It’s just useless and needs to GO!!!!!! I’m sure this done on purpose as you don’t want us to pay lower prices. Why make my go through this process for it not to work!!! When I does work it takes about 10 attempts for it too work. I hardly ever write reviews but this has happened too many times for me ignore!!! Not only do you take money off me for the collector app and card not work I also have to pay daily and the extra because this swift company or whoever are robbing money off parents and don’t care and yes it’s NX West Midlands fault!!!!! Sort it out ### 1/5 — Lacks features *2021-10-05, version 1.8* Checking a card is great but it would be useful to have that card stored in the Wallet app to use at the ticket barriers instead of the physical card. ### 1/5 — iPhone 6s *2021-09-26* How am I meant to update my card when it dosent even except them on iPhone 6s.... we are all meant to update our cards on our phone soon and guess what I CANT AS ITS NOT COMPATIBLE WITH MY PHONE... all the travel shops are closing and all the mechanics are been taken down... so guess I can’t get a pass anymore! ### 1/5 — Useless and a foolish waste of time!!!!!!!!! *2021-09-06, version 1.8* I HAT THIS APP!!!! THiS APP DOENST WORK!!!!!!! I THOUGHT IT WOULD LET ME ADD MONI TO MY CARRD!?!?! IT DOENT WORK!!! YOU CAN JUST LUK AT YOUR BALANCE!!!!! ‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️ THATS NOT HELPFUL I HAVE TO GO SCHOOL TOMMOROW AND I HAVE NO MONDY !!!! HEMLP ME!DONT DOWMLOAND IT IS A WASTE OF TIEM?!?!?!?!?!?!?'cn 🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️🗣 Donda, Donda, Donda, Donda, Donda, Donda Donda, Donda, Donda, Donda, Donda, Donda Donda, Donda, Donda, Donda, Donda, Donda Donda, Donda, Donda, Donda, Donda, Donda Donda, Donda, Donda, Donda, Donda, Donda Donda, Donda, Donda, Donda, Donda, Donda Donda, Donda, Donda, Donda, Donda, Donda Donda, Donda, Donda, Donda, Donda, Donda Donda, Donda, Donda, Donda, Donda, Donda Donda, Donda, Donda, Donda, Donda, Don Listen to kanye new album byeee ### 1/5 — Does not work!! *2021-08-17, version 1.8* Please please update this app so it works. I’m sick of having to travel to a bus shelter for half a mile to load my pass onto my swift card. Pointless, useless & inconvenient app….sort it out ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — AWFUL - AVOID *2025-09-21* Terrible app that doesn't work. Deserves zero stars. Will not read the card - judging by reviews this is a common and longstanding issue. TfWM simply do not care. The 'help' option from the menu is anything but helpful - all it does is open the website on the homepage. Great job guys. There is also the fact that this app does not need to exist. I bought credit online while logged into my account. Why do I have to "claim" credit I have bought? You could just load it onto the card automatically, but for some reason have chosen not to? Very odd I can not think of any other system that works in this way. AVOID. ### 1/5 — Useless App *2025-01-03, version 2.0.20* Never works to top up swift ### 1/5 — Never works *2024-10-08* The swift app never works, I haven’t been able to top up my child’s swift card for months and the shops that it tells you that you can top up on are never able to top it up either. Complete waste of time rather like the bus timetables. ### 1/5 — Swift *2024-02-05, version 2.0.3* You need to fix the app it won’t let me collect my swift ticket. This is so annoying wasting our time and money . ### 1/5 — Waste of time *2023-09-01, version 1.8* Do not use this app has blocked my card! ### 1/5 — Poor app *2023-06-23* The app is clearly poor and not user friendly, whoever designed it must be going home daily thinking that they are stealing a living. Ultimately the app should have a clear top up button. Then card number then amount you wish to top up with. Simple. Then below options for additional cards. I’ve have 2 children and don’t have a swift card myself. You should also have the clear facilities for child to have the swift app in there wallet on there phone. Finally the apps are hard to find and logically should be called the swift bus app (sounds to obvious) ### 1/5 — Mostly doesn’t work *2023-01-31, version 1.8* It’s a gamble maybe it will work maybe it won’t. Took me many many many tries to make it work and only one of my cards was updated the other wouldn’t work! Don’t bother switching to the TfWM app it’s even worse! ### 1/5 — Worst app ever *2023-01-05, version 1.8* Whenever I even try to scan it takes forever to load and when it does the payment doesn’t load to the card ### 1/5 — Aga *2022-11-06* It doesn’t work ! Useless! Can not load the bus pass on to the card ! ! ! I have bought 4 weeks bus pass for my son but it’s not showing on the card , driver doesn’t let him in the bus , I have to give him cash 😡😡😡.It’s like a big scum !!common it’s years it is not working! ### 1/5 — This app is a nightmare *2022-09-11, version 1.8* Never ever works, my poor child ends up walking really far to school every time because she tries to save money. But when she wants to get the bus this app never works!!!! ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Yes *2021-08-19, version 1.8* ʞɔnʇsun ǝɯoɔ ʎǝɥʇ pu∀ ɥo-ɥɥɐ-ɥɐ 'ɥoo-ɥoo-ɥoo-ɥ∀ ɟlǝɥs ʇsǝɥƃᴉɥ ǝɥʇ uo ƃuᴉʌᴉl uǝǝq s,ǝɥs pu∀ ɟlǝsɯᴉɥ ɯoɹɟ ƃuᴉuunɹ s,ʎoqʍoɔ sᴉɥ┴ ʎʇᴉƆ ʞɹo⅄ ʍǝN oʇ spɐǝɥ puɐ qoɾ sᴉɥ ʇᴉnb oʇ sǝpᴉɔǝp ʎnƃ sᴉɥ┴ ǝʞᴉl ll,noʎ ʞuᴉɥʇ I ʇɐɥʇ ǝᴉʌoɯ sᴉɥʇ s,ǝɹǝɥ┴ ƃuoɹʍ spɹoʍ ǝɥʇ ƃuᴉs ɐuuoƃ ǝɹ,noʎ ǝsnɐƆ, ʇɐoɹɥʇ ʎɯ uᴉ dɯnl ɐ ʇoƃ I pu∀ ƃuos ʇɐɥʇ ƃuᴉƃuᴉs ǝɹ,noʎ uǝɥʍ noʎ ǝʌol I uɐɯ puɐɥ ʇɟǝl ɹnoʎ ǝq ɐuuɐʍ I ǝpᴉs ʞɹɐp ǝɥʇ oʇ ʎɐʍɐ uǝʞɐ┴ ǝpᴉʇdᴉɹ ǝɥʇ oʇ uʍop ƃuᴉuunɹ 'ʎpɐ˥ ʞɔnʇsun ǝɯoɔ ʎǝɥʇ pu∀ ɥɐ-ɥɐ-ɥɥɐ-ɥɐ 'ɥoo-ɥoo-ɥoo-ɥ∀ ɯɐǝɹp ɹᴉǝɥʇ uᴉ ʇuɐʇsᴉssɐ s,uɐᴉɔᴉƃɐɯ ǝɥʇ ǝɹ,no⅄ uǝǝɹƃ ƃuᴉuɹnʇ ǝɹɐ spuǝᴉɹɟ ʎɯ llɐ 'ɥO suoᴉʇɐsɹǝʌuoɔ ƃuᴉʇɹɐʇs puɐ slɹᴉƃ ʎʇʇǝɹd ɟo pǝɹɐɔs sɐʍ I ʞɹɐp ǝɥʇ puɐ sʇsᴉʇuǝp ɟo pǝɹɐɔs sɐʍ I sʇlnsǝɹ uᴉɐW sƃuᴉpɹoɔǝɹ ɹǝɥʇOuǝʇsᴉ˥sɔᴉɹʎ˥ʍǝᴉʌɹǝʌO ʎoſ ǝɔuɐΛ ʎq ƃuoS ǝpᴉʇdᴉɹ ### 5/5 — Fabulous app *2021-03-15, version 1.8* Worked straight away an absolute life saver! ### 4/5 — Alright but needs work *2021-06-14* Good app in the sense of you can check your latest balance on the card. Not clear of where to put it, discovered you can put it at the top front or back front of your device and it should work fine. I would now like to see the app have recent journey details and information of your latest travels and for the app to have top up and also for the app to allow you to add your card in case you didn’t want to carry it around. Apart from that, good app ### 4/5 — Took me a while but it works. *2020-12-23* For me I just have to place my back camera on the centre of my card, even though it took me 10 minutes to figure it out. But my card is updated now so that’s good. ### 4/5 — Great upgrade *2020-10-13, version 1.8* Saving me a trip to the collector ..do it from the comfort of my home ..great upgrade 👍🏽 ### 4/5 — Worked straightaway - place card on front facing camera! *2020-10-06* Just downloaded app & used for the 1st time! Uploaded my top up to my Swift card straightaway! App says to hold card on back of device but followed another’s advice & placed on top of front facing camera & done! That’s saved me a trip to my nearest Swift collector! Have iPhone 8 & iOS 13. Would have been 5 stars if your card could be uploaded onto app. Hope it continues to work! ### 3/5 — Useless UPDATED *2022-03-07, version 1.8* It was useless at the beginning as cannot “collected” to the card after top up. There should be better user instructions: 1. Top-up online 2. Open this app and place the swift card ON TOP OF YOUR SMARTPHONE (I use iPhone, placed the card on top near the front camera, bingo! Successful collected! I hope.) Since it worked this time PUTTING THE CARD ON THE FRONT NOT THE BACK, I added two more stars. ### 3/5 — Would give 5 star if it was possible to integrate with Apple Wallet *2021-09-20* Good app, excellent for applying the update to my swift pass after purchasing passes. Always wondered if it was possible to not have my actual swift pass physically on me rather it be in the Apple wallet app, would be veryyyy handy and neat. I think if swift passes were able to become virtual it would really give it 5 stars. ### 3/5 — Temperamental *2021-03-05* It’s a life saver when it’s works as otherwise you’re having to find the nearest bus shelter to redeem the purchase. Very odd technology where credit cannot be uploaded onto card. I have the iPhone ZR (10) I found the best location to hold the card is, on the screen at the top. After my 10th attempt, I tried this area and it seemed to work very quickly. ### 3/5 — Needs to be more clear on instructions *2020-09-25* Ok, so I kept putting my card onto back of my phone then the front and it would not work. Then I decided to put it on my front facing camera and it worked perfectly. I have I phone 7 which is updated to the iOS 13. Only thing is, is that when you go onto the options button on right hand side to log into your account, it don’t let you. You have to go onto the website. So this app needs a lot of improvements to get it to work properly. --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-09-01.*