# ViaBus vs Distar Bus

The clearest difference is review sentiment: ViaBus at 54% against Distar Bus's 0%. Distar Bus's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 6) and ads (none vs shown). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. ViaBus sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Distar Bus asks for nothing beyond the download.

ViaBus ships an update every 3 weeks, Distar Bus weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ViaBus | Distar Bus |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (1.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/viabus/id1074208600/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **1.6K** | — |
| Positive reviews | **54.1% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 130 MB | 47 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Intouch Marsvongpragorn](https://appshunter.io/developer/1074208599) | [DISTAR INTERNATIONAL COMPANY LIMITED](https://appshunter.io/developer/1123293728) |

## What reviewers say

### ViaBus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/viabus/id1074208600)

Navigate public transport in Thailand, Malaysia, and Laos with real-time tracking for buses, boats, and trains. Find stations, get directions, and view routes for various transit modes.

**Highlights:** Real-time transit tracking, Station search, Direction finding, Route and line information, Support for multiple transport modes, Area-based transit systems

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ViaBus Fan I | $2.99 | per month |
| ViaBus Fan II | $6.49 | per month |
| ViaBus Fan III | $9.49 | per month |
| ViaBus Fan IV | $15.99 | per month |
| ViaBus Fan - Yearly | $24.99 | per year |
| ViaBus Fan V | $32.99 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Very helpful app
- 👍 Useful for bus trips
- 👍 Good for Thai people and foreigners
- 👍 Safe
- 👍 Must-have app for visiting Bangkok

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 GPS lags and doesn't work properly
- 🐛 App often freezes or shows buses in wrong location
- 🐛 Doesn't include blue EV buses
- 🐛 GPS not always on
- 🐛 Buses are usually late

**Reported bugs**

- App shows bus routes that don't actually stop
- App doesn't update bus schedules properly

**Requested features**

- Add blue EV buses operated by Thai Smile Bus
- Improve GPS and bus tracking accuracy
- Add ability to attach photos or screenshots
- Improve search and location selection


### Distar Bus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/distar-bus/id1573566232)

Streamline bus operations and dispatching for enhanced efficiency. This application helps manage your fleet effectively.

**Highlights:** Bus operation management, Smarter dispatching, Increased efficiency, Fleet management

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ViaBus free?

ViaBus is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Distar Bus free?

Distar Bus is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do ViaBus or Distar Bus have ads?

ViaBus shows ads; Distar Bus does not.

### Which is updated more often, ViaBus or Distar Bus?

ViaBus ships an update every 3 weeks, and Distar Bus weekly. Most recently, ViaBus was updated on October 16, 2026 and Distar Bus on September 30, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*