# Harvard Van vs Lucky Star Bus

The clearest difference is rating: Harvard Van at 4.7 against Lucky Star Bus's 4.2. Harvard Van also leads on ratings volume (170 vs 11). Lucky Star Bus's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and review sentiment (75% vs 60%). On price, update cadence, 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.

Harvard Van holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Harvard Van has 170 ratings behind it against 11, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 60% of Harvard Van's written reviews are positive against 75% of Lucky Star Bus's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Harvard Van | Lucky Star Bus |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (170 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/harvard-van/id1419081124/reviews)** | [4.2 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lucky-star-bus/id1449095593/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **170** | 11 |
| Positive reviews | 60.0% of reviews | **75.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 134 MB | 43 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **9.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Via Transportation, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/657777018) | [United Bus Technology Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1139035391) |

## What reviewers say

### Harvard Van

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/harvard-van/id1419081124)

Book on-demand shuttle rides around the Harvard University campus. Select your pickup and drop-off locations, track your van in real-time, and enjoy a safe and convenient travel experience. Matches riders going in the same direction for efficient routing.

**Highlights:** On-demand shuttle booking, Real-time van tracking, Customized and flexible routing, Campus-wide service area, Estimated pickup ETAs, Safe and convenient travel

**Features:** Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases:** none


### Lucky Star Bus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lucky-star-bus/id1449095593)

Book and manage bus tickets for travel between New York City and Boston. Track your bus in real-time and enjoy free movies on board with WiFi access.

**Highlights:** Easy ticket booking, Trip rescheduling, Real-time bus tracking, Onboard movie entertainment, WiFi access

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Harvard Van free?

Harvard Van is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Lucky Star Bus free?

Lucky Star Bus is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Harvard Van or Lucky Star Bus?

Harvard Van is rated higher. Harvard Van averages 4.7 out of 5 from 170 ratings, while Lucky Star Bus averages 4.2 from 11 ratings.

### Do Harvard Van or Lucky Star Bus have ads?

Neither Harvard Van nor Lucky Star Bus shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Harvard Van or Lucky Star Bus?

Harvard Van ships an update every 5 weeks, and Lucky Star Bus every 5 weeks. Most recently, Harvard Van was updated on October 21, 2026 and Lucky Star Bus on October 1, 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.*