# ViaBus vs THE SKYTRAINs

The clearest difference is rating: ViaBus at 4.7 against THE SKYTRAINs's 3.3. ViaBus also leads on review sentiment (63% vs 33%) and ratings volume (1.6K vs 7). THE SKYTRAINs'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. THE SKYTRAINs asks for nothing beyond the download.

ViaBus holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ViaBus has 1.6K ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 63% of ViaBus's written reviews are positive against 33% of THE SKYTRAINs's.

ViaBus ships an update every 3 weeks, THE SKYTRAINs every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ViaBus | THE SKYTRAINs |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (1.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/viabus/id1074208600/reviews)** | [3.3 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-skytrains/id6446191311/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.6K** | 7 |
| Positive reviews | **62.7% of reviews** | 33.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 130 MB | 64 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Intouch Marsvongpragorn](https://appshunter.io/developer/1074208599) | [Bangkok Mass Transit System Public Company Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1405046330) |

## 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


### THE SKYTRAINs

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-skytrains/id6446191311)

Plan your Bangkok transit journeys with ease. This app provides route planning, fare information, and station details for the BTS Green Line, Gold Line, and MRT Yellow Line. Discover station amenities, parking, and helpful travel news.

**Highlights:** Route and fare search, Station information and parking, Travel time calculation, First/last train times, Platform guidance, Station area maps, News and promotions

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ViaBus free?

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

### Is THE SKYTRAINs free?

THE SKYTRAINs is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, ViaBus or THE SKYTRAINs?

ViaBus is rated higher. ViaBus averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.6K ratings, while THE SKYTRAINs averages 3.3 from 7 ratings.

### Do ViaBus or THE SKYTRAINs have ads?

ViaBus shows ads; THE SKYTRAINs does not.

### Which is updated more often, ViaBus or THE SKYTRAINs?

ViaBus ships an update every 3 weeks, and THE SKYTRAINs every 2 months. Most recently, ViaBus was updated on September 22, 2026 and THE SKYTRAINs on September 10, 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.*