Platforms vs Railcard
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Platforms
Get ahead of the crowds by checking your train platform in advance. This app displays departure information and confirmed platform numbers for London stations, helping you prepare for your journey and avoid last-minute rushes.
- Platform information before departure boards
- Departure times displayed
- Confirmed platform numbers
- Station preparedness
- Basic yet functional interface
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Live departures, arrivals and platform numbers for every station on the National Rail network. See the platform as soon as it is known — and know how much to trust it. A platform confirmed by the train operator turns green. One that is only expected, or due to be confirmed shortly, says so. If it changes, you will see that too. ON THE BOARD • Live departures and arrivals, refreshed automatically • Platform numbers marked confirmed, expected or changed • Delays with the revised time and the reason for them • Cancellations, with the reason and where the train was meant to go • Operator, headcode and coach count at a glance TRAINS THAT DIVIDE Ending up in the wrong half of a dividing train means ending up somewhere you did not intend to go. Both destinations are named on the board, and at the stop where the train splits you are told which portion carries on where — and whether that is the front or rear coaches. THE WHOLE JOURNEY Open any service for its full list of calling points, where the train has got to, the reason for any delay, and the train actually working it — class, unit numbers and name. GETTING TO YOUR TRAIN FASTER • Filter the board down to trains calling at your destination • Look ahead to a particular time of day • Find your nearest station — matched on device, so your location never leaves your phone Covers every National Rail station in England, Scotland and Wales. Departure data is supplied by Realtime Trains. It is generally reliable, but please check platform and on-train displays before boarding.
Railcard
Access and display your train ticket discounts directly on your mobile device. Never forget your discount card again and save on most train fares. Supports a wide variety of railcards for different traveler needs.
- Store railcards on mobile
- Save 1/3 on train fares
- Instant digital access
- Supports multiple railcard types
- Ready for next train journey
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With a Railcard, you'll enjoy ⅓ off most fares when you go by train. Download the app now so you will never forget your Railcard again- have your Railcard on your mobile, ready for your next train journey. Suitable for storing newly-purchased 16-25 Railcard, Santander 16-25 Railcard, 26-30 Railcard, Devon & Cornwall Railcard, Family & Friends Railcard, Senior Railcard, Two Together Railcard, Veterans Railcard, Disabled Persons Railcard, Network Railcard, and 16-17 Saver. *Most Railcards are available instantly on your mobile. However, 16-25 Railcards for those applying as mature students, Veterans Railcards and Disabled Persons Railcards may take up to 5 working days for approval.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Railcard at 4.8 against Platforms's 1.0. Railcard also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). Platforms's advantage is review sentiment (67% vs 44%). On price, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Platforms sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Railcard asks for nothing beyond the download.
Railcard holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Railcard has 7.3K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 67% of Platforms's written reviews are positive against 44% of Railcard's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Platforms ships an update every 2 months, Railcard monthly. Both last shipped on November 1, 2026.
| Parameter | Platforms | Railcard |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 1.0 (1 ratings) | 4.8 (7.3K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 66.7% of reviews — better | 43.8% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 7.3K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Monthly — better |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 10 MB | 43 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Will Nash | National Rail |
Customer experience
Platforms
Railcard
Bugs and requests
Platforms
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Railcard
Reported bugs
3 issues- Railcard disappearing from app
- Download codes not working
- Incorrect/missing card details
Requested features
3 requests- Add to Apple Wallet
- Automatic renewal reminders
- Offline mode for digital cards
In-app purchases
Platforms
- Remove adverts for a year$1.99
Railcard
No in-app purchases









