# Stagecoach Bus vs Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac)

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.

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

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Stagecoach Bus | Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (813 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stagecoach-bus/id1151110474/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/caledonian-macbrayne-calmac/id1621523538/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **813** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | **10.4% of reviews** | 6.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 68 MB | 27 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Stagecoach Group plc](https://appshunter.io/developer/536149143) | [CalMac Ferries Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1621523540) |

## What reviewers say

### Stagecoach Bus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stagecoach-bus/id1151110474)

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:** Apple Wallet, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

- Routes disappearing from app
- Ticket purchases failing
- Inability to purchase youth/student tickets

**Requested features**

- More regional voice announcers
- Improved bus cancellation notifications
- Better integration with mobile payment options


### Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac)

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/caledonian-macbrayne-calmac/id1621523538)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Unreliable and outdated information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

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes frequently
- Login process is buggy
- Inconsistent and contradictory information

**Requested features**

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


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