Railcard vs Preston Bus
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Railcard
Access and display your train ticket discounts directly on your mobile device. Never forget your discount card again and save on most train fares. Supports a wide variety of railcards for different traveler needs.
- Store railcards on mobile
- Save 1/3 on train fares
- Instant digital access
- Supports multiple railcard types
- Ready for next train journey
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With a Railcard, you'll enjoy ⅓ off most fares when you go by train. Download the app now so you will never forget your Railcard again- have your Railcard on your mobile, ready for your next train journey. Suitable for storing newly-purchased 16-25 Railcard, Santander 16-25 Railcard, 26-30 Railcard, Devon & Cornwall Railcard, Family & Friends Railcard, Senior Railcard, Two Together Railcard, Veterans Railcard, Disabled Persons Railcard, Network Railcard, and 16-17 Saver. *Most Railcards are available instantly on your mobile. However, 16-25 Railcards for those applying as mature students, Veterans Railcards and Disabled Persons Railcards may take up to 5 working days for approval.
Preston Bus
Plan your bus journeys and access real-time information on your smartphone. Purchase mobile tickets, track your bus for on-time arrivals, and find nearby stops. Manage your account and get instant service updates.
- Mobile ticket purchasing
- Real-time bus tracking
- Journey planner
- Next stop notifications
- Service timetables
- Service updates
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Now you can get even more connected. Access all the information and tools you need to get around on our services, right in the palm of your hand. It allows you to track your bus and plan your journey. You can use your smartphone as your bus ticket when you buy M-tickets. Simply purchase tickets on the app, activate them and present your phone screen to the ticket reader on our buses. Features include: Buy tickets and passes. Find your nearest bus stops and services. Track your bus and check if it’s on-time. Plan a journey Get next stop notifications on your phone, when travelling. Manage your tickets account quickly and easily. Check service timetables. Get the latest service updates through our Twitter feed. Create a list of favourite services. We look forward to welcoming you on board.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Railcard at 4.8 against Preston Bus's 4.3. Railcard also leads on ratings volume (7.3K vs 6) and review sentiment (44% vs 29%). On price, update cadence, 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Railcard holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Railcard has 7.3K ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 44% of Railcard's written reviews are positive against 29% of Preston Bus's.
Railcard ships an update monthly, Preston Bus every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Railcard | Preston Bus |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (7.3K ratings) — better | 4.3 (6 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 43.8% of reviews — better | 29.4% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 7.3K — better | 6 |
| Update frequency | Monthly — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 43 MB | 143 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | National Rail | Rise Digital Media Limited |
Customer experience
Railcard
Preston Bus
Bugs and requests
Railcard
Reported bugs
3 issues- Railcard disappearing from app
- Download codes not working
- Incorrect/missing card details
Requested features
3 requests- Add to Apple Wallet
- Automatic renewal reminders
- Offline mode for digital cards
Preston Bus
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Railcard
No in-app purchases
Preston Bus
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Railcard free?
Is Preston Bus free?
Which has better reviews, Railcard or Preston Bus?
Do Railcard or Preston Bus have ads?
Which is updated more often, Railcard or Preston Bus?
Other comparisons
