Comparison

Stagecoach Bus vs Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac)

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Stagecoach Bus

Plan your bus journeys, track buses in real-time, and purchase mobile tickets securely. Features an interactive map to view services and stops, with options to save favorite routes.

Highlights
  • Interactive route map
  • Real-time bus tracking
  • Find nearest stops
  • Save favorite journeys
  • Secure mobile ticket purchase
  • Instant ticket delivery
Features
Read full description

Use the app to see bus information on your mobile, plan your journey, check when your bus will arrive, search for the right mobile ticket and buy securely on your phone all in one place. App Features: *Interactive map* We’ve made it easier to travel on our buses with a new interactive map, showing all of our services and stops – simply tap on a bus or stop to find your journey information. *Latest bus information* Check when your bus will arrive and how far away from you it is. *Find the right stop for you* View your nearest bus services and stops wherever you are, which buses stop there and what routes they take. *Favourites* Save your favourite journeys, bus services and stops to make journey planning even easier. *Mobile tickets:* Buy mobile tickets safely and securely and your tickets will appear instantly on your phone ready to use. Simply activate your ticket when you're ready to board and show it to the driver. Stagecoach buses run in the following areas: Aberdeenshire Alton and Petersfield Alyth Blairgowrie and Coupar Angus Andover and Salisbury Arbroath Montrose and the Mearns Coast Ashford Aviemore Ayrshire and Arran Barnsley Barrow and Furness Basingstoke Bedfordshire Blackwater Valley Caithness Cambridgeshire Canterbury Cardiff Carlisle Penrith and Wigton Cheltenham Cheshire Chesterfield Chichester and Bognor Regis Cirencester Clackmannanshire Falkirk and Stirling Doncaster Dover Dronfield Dumfries and Galloway Dundee Dunfermline and West Fife Eastbourne East Devon Edinburgh Folkestone Forest of Dean Forfar and Brechin Fort William Gainsborough Glasgow Glenrothes Leven and Kirkcaldy Gloucester Greater Exeter Grimsby Cleethorpes Guildford and South Surrey Gwent Hartlepool Hastings Herefordshire Highland Perthshire Hull Inverness Kendal and The Lakes Lancashire Leicestershire Lincoln Manchester Mansfield Merseyside Merthyr Tydfil Milton Keynes Moray Morecambe and Lancaster Newark Newcastle upon Tyne Norfolk Northamptonshire North Cornwall North Devon Orkney Oxfordshire Perth Peterborough Plymouth Portsmouth and Havant Powys Retford Rhondda Cynon Taf Rotherham Salford Scunthorpe Sheffield Skegness Skye Somerset South Hams South Perthshire South Shields Staffordshire St Andrews Cupar and the East Neuk Stockport Stroud Sunderland Swindon Tameside Teesside Teignbridge Tewkesbury Thanet Torbay Wakefield Warwickshire and Coventry West Cumbria West Devon West Perthshire Wigan Winchester Worcestershire Worksop Worthing and Brighton

About

Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac)

Plan and manage your ferry journeys to Scotland's islands. Get real-time service updates, check timetables, and book tickets for over 50 island destinations. Your essential companion for exploring the Clyde and Hebridean islands.

Highlights
  • Real-time service updates
  • Ferry timetables and fare information
  • Ticketing and booking
  • Favorite route management
  • Island destination information
  • Push notifications for service status
Features
Read full description

Ready to explore Scotland's stunning islands? The CalMac app is your ultimate on-the-move travel companion, helping to make your journey stress-free and straightforward. From checking timetables to planning your next adventure or receiving service updates, we're with you every step of the way. Manage your entire trip from start to finish, connecting you to over 50 incredible locations across the Clyde and Hebridean islands. Key Features: - Stay informed: Get instant push notifications on service status for your routes. - Plan your trip: Access timetables, fare information and our ticketing site to effortlessly plan your island escape. - Save your favourites: Quickly access information and updates for your frequently used routes. - Find answers: Our help centre is packed with answers to all your travel questions. Discover your island escape: Scotland's islands offer something for everyone, from breathtaking landscapes to rich history and heritage. Not compatible with iPad

Screenshots

Stagecoach Bus4 screens
Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac)4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) at 5.0 against Stagecoach Bus's 4.6. Stagecoach Bus's advantage is ratings volume (813 vs 1) and update cadence (monthly vs every 2 months). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Stagecoach Bus has 813 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 10% of Stagecoach Bus's written reviews are positive against 6% of Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac)'s, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Stagecoach Bus ships an update monthly, Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Stagecoach Bus versus Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac): the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterStagecoach BusCaledonian MacBrayne (CalMac)
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (813 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews10.4% of reviews — better6.0% of reviews
Number of ratings813 — better1
Update frequencyMonthly — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS14.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size68 MB27 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperStagecoach Group plcCalMac Ferries Limited

Customer experience

Stagecoach Bus

All ratings813 ratings
Positive89.1%
Neutral4.1%
Negative6.9%
Written reviews701 reviews
Positive10.4%
Neutral9.0%
Negative80.6%

Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac)

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews84 reviews
Positive6.0%
Neutral4.8%
Negative89.3%

User reviews

Stagecoach Bus

From 813 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Easy to use
  • 🚀 Convenient ticket purchase
  • 👍 Good for frequent travelers

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Apple Pay not working
  • 🐛 Unreliable bus tracking
  • 🐛 Inaccurate timetables
  • 🐛 Glitchy app performance
  • 🐛 Difficult to navigate

Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac)

From 1 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Useful and improved app
  • 🚀 Sleek and modern design
  • 💡 Ability to save favorite routes

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Unreliable and outdated information
  • 🤔 Confusing and difficult to navigate
  • 🔍 Harder to find information compared to old app
  • 🔁 Requires frequent reinstallation

Bugs and requests

Stagecoach Bus

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Routes disappearing from app
  • Ticket purchases failing
  • Inability to purchase youth/student tickets

Requested features

3 requests
  • More regional voice announcers
  • Improved bus cancellation notifications
  • Better integration with mobile payment options

Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac)

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • App crashes frequently
  • Login process is buggy
  • Inconsistent and contradictory information

Requested features

3 requests
  • Ability to view route information in both directions
  • Improved real-time service updates
  • Better integration with website and booking process

In-app purchases

None

Stagecoach Bus

No in-app purchases

None

Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac)

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Stagecoach Bus free?
Stagecoach Bus is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) free?
Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Stagecoach Bus or Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac)?
Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) is rated higher. Stagecoach Bus averages 4.6 out of 5 from 813 ratings, while Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Stagecoach Bus or Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) have ads?
Neither Stagecoach Bus nor Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Stagecoach Bus or Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac)?
Stagecoach Bus ships an update monthly, and Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) every 2 months. Most recently, Stagecoach Bus was updated on November 2, 2026 and Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) on November 3, 2026.

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