Railcard vs Big Issue eBikes
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.
Big Issue eBikes
Rent affordable electric bikes in multiple UK cities. This service creates local jobs and helps reduce car usage for cleaner air. Easily find, unlock, and track your rides through the app.
- Rent affordable electric bikes
- Create and authorize account quickly
- Select ride plans (pay-as-you-go or monthly)
- Find nearest eBike on map
- Unlock eBike via QR code
- Track trip and payment history
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ABOUT THE BIG ISSUE EBIKES APP The Big Issue eBikes app lets you rent affordable electric bikes in several cities across the UK, and is one of the first eBike schemes of its kind. We create new Living Wage jobs for unemployed and vulnerable people in your area. What’s more, we help take cars off the road improving air quality for everyone. Welcome to #BikingForGood HOW IT WORKS Download the app, then create and authorise your account in seconds by confirming your phone number and/or email. Select your town/city, pick a ride plan (pay as you go, or pay monthly), add a payment method, scan the QR code on the eBike, and you are ready to start your ride. You’ll find the nearest available eBike on the map or your personal dashboard. The dashboard also includes a weather forecast, your personal trip counter, and more... Features include: • Register in seconds, selecting your town/city, and ride plan • Find your nearest eBike on the map • Unlock the eBike by scanning the QR code on the handlebars • Track your full trip and payment history • Get in touch with us to report a problem
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Railcard at 43% against Big Issue eBikes's 10%. Railcard also leads on monetization model (free vs freemium). Big Issue eBikes's advantage is iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.0). 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 ships an update monthly, Big Issue eBikes every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and June 11, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Railcard | Big Issue eBikes |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (7.1K ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 43.5% of reviews — better | 10.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 7.1K — better | — |
| Update frequency | Monthly — better | Every 5 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free — better | Freemium |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 11.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 43 MB | 103 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | National Rail | Sharebike.com |
Customer experience
Railcard
Big Issue eBikes
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
Big Issue eBikes
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Railcard
No in-app purchases
Big Issue eBikes
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Railcard free?
Is Big Issue eBikes free?
Do Railcard or Big Issue eBikes have ads?
Which is updated more often, Railcard or Big Issue eBikes?
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