ViaBus vs Welo E
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
ViaBus
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.
- Real-time transit tracking
- Station search
- Direction finding
- Route and line information
- Support for multiple transport modes
- Area-based transit systems
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Never get lost again! ViaBus is a real-time public transport tracking and navigation application in Thailand that will make you travel much easier! Overall Features: - Real-time Public Bus, Boat and Transit - Search for station - Finding Direction - Routes and Line - Traffic Lines - Various mode of transport supported such as BMTA, MRT, BTS, Ferry(Boat), Sean seap, ARL, Songtheaw, Airport Bus, Bus, Microbus, Van, BRT, RapidKL etc. - Support Area-based transit with Official System such as Chula Popbus Covering various regions in - Thailand such as Bangkok Metropolitan Area, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Saraburi, Udon Thani. - Malaysia such as Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Kuantan, Johor Bahru - Laos such as Vientiane LIKE US: www.facebook.com/viabusapp FOLLOW US: www.twitter.com/viabusapp Terms of Service: https://www.viabus.co/terms Privacy Policy: https://www.viabus.co/terms#privacy
Welo E
Easily find, unlock, and ride electric bikes with this platform's mobile app. Follow simple steps to start your journey and end your ride, with options for manual unlocking and customer support for any issues.
- Discover nearby electric bikes
- Unlock bikes via QR code scanning
- Manual bike number input for unlocking
- Start riding by twisting the handle
- End ride and lock bike via app
- Customer support for locking failures
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Welo Ebike is an electric bike-sharing platform that is easily accessible via a mobile application. Here are the instructions: 1. **Usage Instructions** - **Finding a Bike:** Discover nearby bikes by clicking on the bike icon to view information. - **Unlocking:** Scan the QR code on the bike, display the unlocking interface, tap the unlock button, and the bike will unlock automatically. - **Starting:** Gently twist the right handle inward to start riding. - **Ending the Ride:** Tap the "End Ride" button, and the bike will automatically lock, ending the billing. 2. **Locking Failure** - If locking fails, check if the network is functioning properly. You can also try unlocking via Bluetooth. Multiple attempts might lead to successful locking. If repeated attempts fail, provide timely feedback through the "Online Customer Service." 3. **How to Unlock** - Hello, open the "Scan to Ride" feature at the bottom of the app. Enter the scanning page and place the bike's QR code in the viewfinder. Confirm clear focus. Shortly, the remaining mileage of the bike will pop up. Confirm that the displayed distance is greater than the distance to your destination. Click "Unlock," and the bike will audibly confirm "Unlock Successful." If the lighting is low, you can choose to activate the "Flashlight." Alternatively, on the scanning page, select "Input Number to Unlock" and manually input the bike number. 4. **Unlocking Failure** - If scanning indicates bike maintenance, ongoing use by others, or unlocking failure, Welo Ebike suggests switching to another bike. Check the network or attempt unlocking via Bluetooth. 5. **How to Lock** - After using Welo Ebike, freely return the bike within the service area. You can park the bike at roadside white lines or non-motorized vehicle parking areas. In the app, tap "End Ride." Don't rush to leave. Upon hearing the bike audibly confirm "Lock Successful," the corresponding trip details will display your ride bill, confirming a successful return. Currently, Welo Ebike only supports bike return via mobile app operation. 6. **Forgetting to Lock** - Overdue orders will incur certain fees. Therefore, promptly lock the bike after use. Welo Ebike sends reminders via SMS or calls for long periods of inactivity or excessive overdue periods. Fees incurred during this time will be charged normally. Thus, after returning the bike, ensure it's properly locked. If forgotten and the bike cannot be found, please contact customer service promptly for assistance. 7. **Temporary Locking** - Temporary locking incurs regular charges. To save costs, manage the duration of temporary parking according to your needs. Drive to your destination promptly to minimize expenses.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Welo E at none against ViaBus's 6. Welo E also leads on ads (none vs shown) and rating (5.0 vs 4.7). ViaBus's advantage is ratings volume (1.6K vs 1) and review sentiment (63% vs 43%). On price, update cadence 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. ViaBus sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Welo E asks for nothing beyond the download.
Welo E holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ViaBus has 1.6K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 63% of ViaBus's written reviews are positive against 43% of Welo E's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
ViaBus ships an update every 3 weeks, Welo E every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and September 10, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | ViaBus | Welo E |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (1.6K ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 62.7% of reviews — better | 42.9% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 1.6K — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 2 weeks — better |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 130 MB | 156 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Intouch Marsvongpragorn | TOYAR DIGITAL (THAILAND) COMPANY LIMITED |
Customer experience
ViaBus
Welo E
Bugs and requests
ViaBus
Reported bugs
2 issues- App shows bus routes that don't actually stop
- App doesn't update bus schedules properly
Requested features
4 requests- 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
Welo E
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
ViaBus
- ViaBus Fan I$2.991 Month
- ViaBus Fan II$6.491 Month
- ViaBus Fan III$9.491 Month
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- ViaBus Fan IV$15.991 Month
- ViaBus Fan - Yearly$24.991 Year
- ViaBus Fan V$32.991 Month
Welo E
No in-app purchases




