# TfL Oyster and contactless — user reviews > 71 indexed App Store user reviews of TfL Oyster and contactless by Transport Trading Ltd., rated 3.39/5 from 325 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tfl-oyster-and-contactless/id1179420088/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tfl-oyster-and-contactless/id1179420088.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 161 · 4★ 28 · 3★ 12 · 2★ 15 · 1★ 105 ## What do users think of TfL Oyster and contactless? Overall sentiment: negative **Pros** - 🚀 Quick and easy top-up process - 👁️ Simple balance checking functionality - 💳 Convenient card management without station visits - 📊 Travel history tracking for budgeting - 🎯 Straightforward user interface for basic tasks **Cons** - 🐛 Constant random logouts requiring re-authentication - 🐛 Frequent glitches and app crashes - ⏱️ Delayed balance updates (24-48 hours behind) - 🔒 Password paste functionality disabled reducing security - ❌ Non-functional features (map, journey history often blank) - 🚫 Geographic restrictions blocking non-UK residents - 💳 Only accepts UK credit cards and addresses - ⚠️ Payment processing failures requiring multiple attempts - 📱 Poor optimization for newer iPhone models (notch issues) - 🔐 Excessive password requirements and security questions - 🚷 Incompatible with visitor cards and student photo cards - ⏳ 30-minute delays before top-up credits become usable - 🔄 Inconsistent data between app and website - ❌ No Apple Pay or digital wallet integration - 🎨 Inaccessible to visually impaired users (no VoiceOver support) **Commonly reported bugs** - Random logout occurring at inconvenient times - Password autofill not working with iOS Keychain - Paste functionality disabled in password fields - Journey history showing as blank despite active transactions - Balance display 24-48 hours out of sync - Payment processing failures requiring 3-4 attempts - No confirmation shown after successful payment - Amex authentication window rendering offscreen - App treating mobile devices as desktop browsers - Messages not dated causing confusion about relevance - Incomplete journey notifications not appearing in app - Text obscured by notch on iPhone 12+ - Slow card swiping performance (laggy interface) - Account creation failing with cryptic error messages - Two-factor authentication code autofill not working - Duplicate charges appearing on card - Negative balance errors after top-up - App crashing on certain device configurations - Login errors with 'permission denied' messages - Card addition requiring multiple attempts before success **Most requested features** - Apple Wallet/Apple Pay integration for contactless payments - Google Wallet support for digital card storage - Journey planner integrated into app - Railcard linking functionality - Touch and go payment directly from app - Payment card management (add/remove/update cards) - Instant top-up processing without delays - Biometric login (Face ID/Touch ID) support - Support for visitor and student photo cards - Ability to set default payment card - iPad support and better device optimization - Accessibility features for visually impaired users - Support for non-UK credit cards and addresses - Refund request functionality within app - Better password autofill and paste support - Dated messages for transaction history - Ability to reorder cards in app display - In-app incomplete journey resolution - Real-time balance updates - Account access from outside UK ## Newest reviews (14 of 71) ### 2/5 — Useless card *2024-06-05* I have to say it’s useless in many ways of ways especially considering it’s TFL AND ITS SERVICES, first the scan for the card doesn’t work (useless) second I toped up the 1,75 that I used the bus and didn’t have enough money and on the app says I still own 1,75 (but it shows my 1 month travel card) and says that I missed a touch in Manor House and that is not true… what a joke of an app and what a joke this TFL is. In any opportunity they want to ROB someone’s money, just like the other day I thought I had lost my oyster/travel card and I bought a new one zone 1/2 for a week then I found my old one (I thought I was going to get 43 pound back NO 😂😂 the lines were close so I could contact TFL, but since I haven’t used the travel card I thought I would get my money, I was COMPLETELY WRONG l, as I checking on line I would have to pay 5 ADMIN FEE plus the 7 pounds making it 12, next day when I called them up from my 50 pounds they wanted to give me ONLY 20 they said even if I didn’t use it counts as if I had used it..: if that is not a robbery I don’t know what is that the costumer service they are all rude and useless only looking to help TFL to get our money, sorry not get literally ROB our money. Before they closed the actual offices they used to deal with that in a better way, now FORGET ABOUT IT . ### 3/5 — Ok but could use some improvements *2024-01-17* Like that I can top up my Oyster card and check balance without needing to touch the machines at the station or have to get there early to factor in the time to do this or a queue. Logging in is a bit hit and miss with Face ID and saved password, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. I dislike that you have to enter your card details and it doesn’t just connect with Apple Pay to top up your card. What would be great is if you could add your Oyster card to your wallet and use that too via watch or phone. You also can’t remove your payment card details from the app which seems odd that you don’t have control of your own data. But it seems TfL aren’t interested in these obvious and basic improvements. Finally would be useful to be able to apple for refunds and such via the app like when you log in online to your oyster account. ### 2/5 — Randomly logs you out, can’t autofill password *2023-11-23* The app itself is pretty simple but useful for letting you check your Oyster balance and top up your card. However usually when you go to use it it’s because you’re about to make a journey and want to have a quick way of doing the above. When you open the app however you see yet again it’s randomly logged you out and you need to log back in. You click sign in and go to populate the fields with your stored passwords but can’t because the autofill feature from iOS doesn’t work in the app. So you have to go to settings on your phone then passwords then scroll down to tfl then tap on your password then copy it. You go back to the app, click on the password field and go to paste the password in but guess what! That doesn’t work either. So now you have to go back to settings, reveal your password and flick between that and the app typing the password in manually. By which time you could have walked ten minutes to your nearest tube machine and checked your Oyster card balance on a machine 😩😩😩 ### 2/5 — Useful but takes patience *2023-10-13* This app is useful for topping up and checking oyster balance, fares and daily capping over TfL’s clunky website. But this app takes patience to use. In general the app seems glitchy and poorly written, very laggy to swipe between cards on the screen is one example. It logs out very frequently, and isn’t properly coded to work with iCloud Keychain - so you have to manually type in the password. The autofilling of 2FA codes also does not work, so these have to be manually typed in. The app seems to log out at completely random intervals - seemingly also exactly when you want to top up in a hurry. The app is also limited, you cannot all of the tasks you can complete on the website. It seems to frequently show ‘incomplete journey’, yet won’t allow you to correct the journey without contacting customer services. The app will also not allow you to type in a new credit or debit card to top-up with, this has to be done on the TfL website. Overall, the app is useful, but so poorly written it is frustrating to use. It needs to be drastically improved. Better integration with Apple’s well designed system integrations such as iCloud Keychain and autofill for logging in, and Apple Pay to pay for top-ups would make a massive difference to the user experience. ### 3/5 — Apple Wallet support *2023-07-02* If you aren’t working with them already, could you please work with Apple to get a digital version of the Oyster Card on Apple Wallet? I would happily just use my contactless card but buying a yearly season ticket is a lot cheaper overall than the daily/ weekly capping so need to carry an Oyster card around too. I’d happily just use Apple Pay than need to my card and risk losing it. Think about how much you could save on producing new cards if more people were encouraged to go to just use what they have already. That’d be a lot less wasted plastic and would reduce loss or theft of the cards too. There are multiple cities around the world that do this so it’s not impossible and Google Wallet offers the feature too so everyone has chance to use it. Please get on this TfL. ### 2/5 — Good idea but needs lots of fixes *2023-02-01* I downloaded this app in the hope that I could get my head more around TfL’s mind-boggling payment system and actually budget my travel outgoings to a degree. It’s a great idea for an app and it could easily be brilliant - but like so many other government/public sector apps: it doesn’t compete remotely in the same league as its private sector counterparts. It glitches a lot, I can’t see my payment history 50% of the time, it’s an incredibly limited app because there’s not a journey planner and you can’t link your railcard with your oyster card or debit card. If these things were fixed - this app would be brilliant and genuinely helpful. Unfortunately, I can’t work out whether it’s rubbish because TfL doesn’t think putting time into these kinds of resources is actually important and helpful to people; or whether it’s because they know they’ll ultimately make more money if they actually don’t help people inform travel choices on the underground - and make apps like this as a thinly veiled attempt at making themselves seem concerned with people’s efficiency of life. The app has great potential but needs the execution. Please improve it - it could be brilliant. ### 2/5 — Never works *2022-08-12, version 1.3.10* This app frequently doesn’t show your journey history. It’s all blank. Even when you sign out and sign in. Sometimes that fixes it. Sometimes not. When journey history does work, there is a long timelag compared to the TFL website. It’s almost as if they use two different backend databases. ### 2/5 — Rubbish *2021-11-04, version 1.3.9* The app previously was functional. Now when I log in I receive there is a technical error to try again. Annoying. It’s constant and no way to request help. Why isn’t transit card offered in Wallet like in China or the Washington DC metro? The same company runs their systems as TFL. Get it together. Definitely not world class. ### 2/5 — When it works, it’s okay… *2021-08-26* When it works it’s okay but when it doesn’t it’s bad. You’re probably better off just logging on to your TfL oyster account via the web than using this app. First of all, I’ve seen someone mention this already, the app is NOT suitable for iPhone 12. All the writing is bunched up at the top of the screen so every time I want to go back in the app it’s activating my notification bar. A nightmare! Secondly, when I go to ‘Full history’ or ‘Journey history’ it ALWAYS says No history. Which is a lie because I can see all my journey history just fine on the website and there definitely is history because I use my oyster everyday. Funnily enough, it only does that for my oyster and not my contactless. Very annoying! I honestly just use the app to check my oyster balance and top up if the app feels like cooperating that day. Other than that it’s pretty useless for anything else. ### 3/5 — Good app, but poor optimisation for iPhone 12 *2020-11-03* This is is really good and does everything I need it to but the optimisation is poor on iPhone 12. There is so much space on the page due to the large screen size, but still text is being obscured at the top of the screen by the notch. Everything needs to be shifted down a bit, not a hard thing to fix. Also I wish there was a way of moving your most used card to the front of the app. As I use my Oyster card 100% of the time for travel, but I also have two backup contactless cards in my account, meaning I have to scroll past both of those cards before I can access/see my Oyster card and open it. If an option could be added for this, and the display optimisation issues fixed, it would make this a 5 star app. **Developer response:** Hey Dean. We absolutely love these types of reviews 'Good, but could do better'. When you next have a moment, please could you contact us so I can personally look into the iPhone 12 issue you've been having? Send in a web form by selecting 'Contact us about the TfL Oyster app', which can be found under the 'Help & Contacts' section at tfl.gov.uk. The suggestion for the most used card being sent to the front of the app sounds like it could be a nice little addition and I'll pass this feedback on for you 😊. Damien ### 2/5 — Can’t use if you don’t have a Uk residence *2020-09-17, version 1.3.7* London is a gateway to the world; and the world comes to England. To not have the app take cards from all over the world, makes little to no sense. The developer could take one day and make it so. ### 1/5 — Not fit for purpose *2020-07-12* I have been using this app since last year and rely on it to know how much credit I have left on my Oyster card. The app has never worked well - the constant signing out and having to create a new password almost every week is totally ridiculous. My banking app doesn’t even require this so why is the TFL app set up in this way? The app has now taken a worse path because I cannot log in to it at all - just constantly get a white message on that screen saying ‘cannot log you in at this time’ no matter what I try and how many passwords I create etc. Yesterday the app was also saying password incorrect over and over again even though I created new ones. I have to say I am appalled by this app considering it has been created for a city of 8 million+ people, it is terrible and have deleted it and will not be using it anymore. I will just have to check my credit and top up using the website via Safari on my phone instead. Sort it out TFL! I saw someone had written about similar issues to mine on a forum dated 2012! This proves you have done nothing about it since then. ### 2/5 — Cant handle Oyster Visitor card *2020-03-07, version 1.3.5* For some unkown reason, impossible to add Oyster Visitor card. Very bad, if this will change, happy to give 5 stars. ### 1/5 — Don’t even download if non UK resident *2020-02-16, version 1.3.5* In addition to the well published (on the reviews, not on the website) issues of refusing to accept non UK credit cards or even be accessible from outside the UK (the website doesn’t even tell you why just errors out of you try to login) it appears I can’t even login with my TfL contactless account to track. The website does it just fine so I’m assuming it’s being blocked here because of a US address (on the account, I am physically in the UK now and often). It does not, of course, give that as the error but since the website doesn’t (then works fine with a VPN) that is sadly not a surprise. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Doesn’t function properly *2024-12-28* The app is so badly run. It’s constantly glitching or days behind updating so you often go to check your balance and it’s not updated from hours or sometimes days ago, meaning your balance is incorrect. Also so unbelievably annoying that you can’t purchase an oyster using the oyster app. It doesn’t let you connect it to your railcard either and it makes you go to a station to do that but when you go to the stations they all have no clue what you’re talking about unless you go to Euston. And finally the top up action on the app doesn’t work!!! Also the view full history section doesn’t actually show your full history which is very annoying and stops me being able to show work or even check how much it costs me. Sorry for the rant but it bothers me so much that nothing on the app works! Whoever designed this app really needs to work on a lot of the glitches and iron out some of the issues I mentioned ### 1/5 — Comically bad *2024-05-22* The worst app I unfortunately have to use regularly. It actively reduces security. It’s not really a native app at all: just takes you to in-app browsers without any viewport adjustment meaning that mobile devices are treated like widescreen desktop browsers, so UI elements are frequently inaccessible. Preventing paste in the password field results in poorer security because it bars the use of password managers and leads to the use of easily memorable and therefore weak passwords. The card authentication window for Amex renders offscreen, making it impossible to perform multi factor authentication. The usability is pitiful. Payments are frequently dropped so on average it takes three or four attempts to process a payment. Even when payments are made there is no confirmation shown and not even a UI element allowing users to leave the screen so you have to force quit the application to review the balance and confirm if the payment has been successful. Messages are not dated so a message indicating low balance or a pending top up persist without any information about what event they pertain to, and there is no hint for how to dismiss ancient and irrelevant messages. ### 1/5 — Totally non functional *2022-12-10, version 1.3.10* Seems to be a complete waste of bits. Tragic really. Tried to create an account and get nothing but incomprehensible web (HTML) errors. First tried to create an account from the US, which incomprehensibly failed. Then when in the UK tried to create an account with a different e-mail account, which also failed in new and mysterious ways. Don’t waste your time with this. (Why, why do I have to give this dumpster fire of an app even one star??? Developers, if you cannot manage the most simple of error messages you don’t deserve any stars) ### 1/5 — Silly waste of time for nonUK residents *2022-10-31, version 1.3.10* Really odd that in these days an individual without a UK residence address cannot have contactless Oyster account. Wasn’t there a thing called COVID? No contactless for Oyster but just about every other world travel card CAN be in my apple wallet, even China, but NOOOOOO not the U.K. Real head scratcher why no one has resolved this lunacy! ### 1/5 — Useless *2022-07-07, version 1.3.10* Useless app, wouldn’t allow me to activate my account, the website it directs you to for account activation kept returning an error stating I didn’t have permission to access the web site. I would give it negative stars review if it was possible, meantime I’ve deleted it, it’s a waste of space ### 1/5 — Just won’t work *2022-06-23, version 1.3.10* I thought it was because I was “stateside.” Nope. Doesn’t work in London either. Can’t log in to account or nothing. Keep getting errors. Glad I bought a card at the concierge in the airport. ### 1/5 — Abandoned? *2021-12-30, version 1.3.9* I live in America and have several oyster cards that I’m looking forward to using this summer. However, this app will not let me log in. When I try to change my password, it thinks I am a cyber threat. Is there a software team maintaining this application anymore? Doesn’t seem like it. Helloooo? ### 1/5 — Worthless app *2021-12-18, version 1.3.9* I’ve used my Oyster card then added it to the app, and the app accepted it. Then the next trip I make, I open the app to see the amount left on my card. The app needs the card added, which I do, and it then states again that I need to use the card once before I can add it into the app. I’m on round three of this crap. Can’t add the card until I’ve used it….. ### 1/5 — Not fit for purpose *2021-07-23* Did the developer actually tested this app? The messages are not clear, I understood I had to complete my top up in a station… but apparently not… The back button at the top left of the screen are not actionable (on iPhone 12 only?). Why these 30 minutes wait before I can use my top up? Why I have to enter my password every time I launch the app? Why the app doesn’t use Face ID? Why I can’t select a default card to use? Why I have to enter my credit card details to top up as I already entered my card detail into the app? Why a new password when I top up the app? Why all theses secret questions for both registrations of my credit card? Why I can’t take a picture of my card to add it into the app? And these questions only after few hours using this app.. I can’t reasonably believe anyone tested this app before put it on the market. ### 1/5 — Inaccessible outside the UK *2020-08-01, version 1.3.7* As many others stated, both the site and app are inaccessible outside the UK. I use this account in the UK but am now in the US. I keep receiving automated emails about an account issue which I can't log in to fix. Customer support is unresponsive. To any customer reading this experiencing the same issue, please complain to TfL. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Great app but improvements can be made *2023-12-17* I have been using this app now for roughly 3.5 years and found it incredibly useful. It is simple to use. If there are improvements that can be made they are: 1. Debit/credit card management is not available on the app. Expired cards cannot be removed and there is no choice to remove cards you no longer wish to use. 2. To make the app more interactive it would be very helpful if the touch and go facility is added so that travelcards or pay-as-you-go credits can be used directly from the app instead of using contactless cards or an actual travelcard. Would have thought that this would have been the way to go in the development of the app but the app has stood still from its original launch bar the removal of bugs. ### 5/5 — Great app but needs apple wallet support *2022-11-27* An apple wallet feature should be added so that we can add our Oyster card to apple wallet via the oyster app. That will make life so much easier, especially for those on the go, as we can just pull up Apple Pay and select our Oyster card and tap in on oyster readers. Now you might be thinking “why don’t they just use their credit/debit card using apple wallet?”, but I have my National Rail Railcard registered onto my Oyster card meaning I get 1/3 off off-peak fares if I use my Oyster and so I only use my Oyster card. This makes sense in an ever-changing digital world does it not? Especially as it reduces the need for physical plastic cards in a world that’s trying to tackle global warming and CO2 emissions through the reduction of plastic. ### 5/5 — Quick and Easy *2022-06-13, version 1.3.10* The app makes it super quick and easy to top up my Oyster card. Great work TfL! ### 5/5 — Need to waive fare for regular decent users *2021-03-29, version 1.3.8* Good service ### 5/5 — Simple and elegant! *2019-05-06, version 1.3.4* A really great looking app that is simple to use as a tourist from another country. Makes the stress of transportation in a foreign country disappear! ### 5/5 — Needed to check value remaining and worked perfectly *2019-04-14, version 1.3.4* I Needed to check value remaining and it worked perfectly to do that. I did not try to top off using the app, so I cannot speak to that. ### 5/5 — I find this app very useful *2018-07-07, version 1.3.1* I live in the UK and I am on the American iTunes store. I think this app works best with these to factors. It's simple, quick, fast and does everything that I need on a day to day level. Like top ups and travel cards. Anything complex I go to the tfl site. Which is rare. Thanks Tfl. 👌🏻 ### 4/5 — Map doesn’t work *2022-10-10, version 1.3.10* Everything works, except the map. ### 4/5 — Won’t accept my Oyster card *2017-10-20* The app says it can’t accept first generation Oyster cards and that you’ll need to upgrade. However it’s shows you how to tell if it’s first or second generation by the ‘D’ next to ‘Mayor of London’ at the back of the card. So I am wondering why my card is not being accepted if it has a ‘D’ on the back and is clearly a second generation. Edit: I was trying to connect an 18+ Student Oyster ‘photocard’ and now understand that photocards are not accepted. This of course makes sense for the 16+ Oyster not to be accepted since it’s free travel however 18+ Student Oyster photo card is not. Seems like the photocard tfl site is the only way to see your credit for photocard users. This app will be better once this option added. **Developer response:** Hi IncubusDig. At the moment photocards and Visitor Oyster card are not compatible with the app. Adding photocards to the app is something we're working on. If this is a blue Adult Oyster card you're adding, then please fill in the following form so we can help: https://tfl.gov.uk/help-and-contact/mobile-ticketing-app?cid=app ### 3/5 — Good but could be better *2024-06-01* Like being able to view Oyster payments as it allows me to keep tabs on my travel budget easily. But not being able to use Apple Pay? Odd and v out of date. And why does the app log me out randomly then not allow me to access my saved passwords directly when I try to log in? All other apps I have allow me to view them (via biometric login), but for this one I have to click out, go into phone settings, find passwords, remember the very long scramble of letters and numbers etc that are saved there, go back to the oyster app and type it in. It won’t allow me to paste!!! A complete pain in the bum that could be easily sorted out. And don’t suggest I use my bank card. There are good reasons to keep my travel separate, primarily for budgeting purposes that the bank card system doesn’t allow me to see. --- *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 2026-06-10.*