# Buffalo Roam vs First View

The clearest difference is rating: First View at 4.8 against Buffalo Roam's 4.2. First View also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 11 months) and ratings volume (14K vs 584). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

First View holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: First View has 14K ratings behind it against 584, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 22% of Buffalo Roam's written reviews are positive against 38% of First View's.

Buffalo Roam ships an update every 11 months, First View monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 20, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Buffalo Roam | First View |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.2 (584 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/buffalo-roam/id1239470250/reviews) | **[4.8 (14K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-view/id6477656451/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 584 | **14K** |
| Positive reviews | 21.7% of reviews | **38.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 11 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 108 MB | 47 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **13.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [City of Buffalo](https://appshunter.io/developer/1454507606) | [Firstgroup America Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/868213520) |

## What reviewers say

### Buffalo Roam

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/buffalo-roam/id1239470250)

This app allows you to pay for, extend, and manage your parking sessions in Buffalo directly from your smartphone. Avoid the hassle of meters and receive alerts before your session expires. Track your parking history and view future rate changes easily.

**Highlights:** Pay for parking on the go, Extend parking sessions remotely, Manage parking sessions, Receive parking expiration alerts, View future parking rate changes, Access parking history, Receive email receipts

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### First View

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-view/id6477656451)

This app helps K-12 parents and caregivers monitor their student's school commute. It provides real-time vehicle tracking, trip updates, and instant notifications for a stress-free transportation experience.

**Highlights:** Real-time vehicle location tracking, Monitor multiple students and transportation types, Access trip details and updates, Receive instant notifications and service alerts, Set up custom alerts for family members, Dedicated customer support

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Nice clean app
- 👍 Smooth bus tracking
- 🙏 Helpful for parents of nonverbal autistic kids

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inconsistent route and notification issues
- 🤔 Confusing with multiple app versions
- 🤦‍♀️ Worse than previous app in many ways
- 🤔 Unclear how to set up and use properly
- 🔒 Password reset issues

**Reported bugs**

- Routes disappearing from app
- Login and password reset problems
- Glitchy user interface

**Requested features**

- Estimated time of arrival for bus
- Simpler setup and configuration
- Consistent performance across all users


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Buffalo Roam free?

Buffalo Roam is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is First View free?

First View is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Buffalo Roam or First View?

First View is rated higher. Buffalo Roam averages 4.2 out of 5 from 584 ratings, while First View averages 4.8 from 14K ratings.

### Do Buffalo Roam or First View have ads?

Neither Buffalo Roam nor First View shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Buffalo Roam or First View?

Buffalo Roam ships an update every 11 months, and First View monthly. Most recently, Buffalo Roam was updated on September 20, 2026 and First View on September 24, 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.*