Comparison

KVB vs A

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

KVB

Plan trips, view live departure times, and purchase tickets for public transport and shared mobility services in Cologne. Find and book bicycles, cars, and taxis.

Highlights
  • Trip planner with live data
  • Departure monitor for stations
  • Ticket purchasing
  • KVB-Rad bicycle booking
  • Car-Sharing and Taxi-Ruf integration
  • Disruption information
Features
Read full description

The KVB-App provides time tables, trip planning, navigation as well as a ticket shop for busses and trains in the area of Cologne and around. Beside the trip planner and discruption information you are able to get live data for your station. The KVB-App offers all information about KVB-Rad, Car-Sharing and Taxi-Ruf in Cologne. You can register yourself an account, localize vehicles and bicycles and you are able to book a bicycle/care directly. Overview of the functions: - Trip planner (live data) - Departure monitor for stations (live data) - Save station and ticket favorites and change their names individually - Purchase tickets (also anonymous) - Tariff price information - Information about disruptions - KVB-Rad (Bicylce search, prices, registration and booking) - Taxi-Ruf Cologne (Show places where you can get a taxi and booking within the KVB-App) - Car-Sharing (Vehicle location, registration and booking) The KVB-App will be updated and enhanced with new features and functions frequently.

About

A

Plan your river cruise journey and enhance your onboard experience. Access ship information, daily programs, menus, and order drinks directly from your mobile device. Enjoy GPS-triggered audio commentaries on your sailing route and guided walking tours in port.

Highlights
  • Pre-cruise journey planning
  • Onboard ship and cruise information
  • In-app drink ordering
  • Personalized onboard calendar
  • GPS-triggered sailing route commentaries
  • Audio walking tours in ports
Read full description

SMART ON THE CRUISE: COMFORTABLE PLANNING AND RELAXED ENJOYMENT - WITH THE NEW A-ROSA APP. Even more service - anytime and anywhere: that's what the new A-ROSA app does. Never before have our guests literally been able to plan their entire journey themselves. Easy to use, convenient and always up to date. Functional overview + A-ROSA MY CRUISE Fill in your ship manifest before your cruise starts and get all important information pre-cruise. + SHIP- & CRUISE INFORMATION All on board information in one place – get all relevant information including day programs, routing information or lunch and dinner menus on the spot on your mobile phone or tablet. + DRINKS ORDER FUNCTIONALITY Wherever you are on board – you will be able to order a drink using the A-ROSA APP and our service team will bring it straight to your table. + CALENDER All information in one place in your personal calendar within the A-ROSA APP. Plan your time on board or just get information on what´s going on + SAILING ROUTE INFORMATION Listen to GPS triggered commentaries on your sailing route – relax and enjoy the surroundings while listening to professional explanations on sights along the way. + AUDIO WALKING TOURS Together with our partner Quietvox the APP is linked with the QVtoGO app – get the city map available on board and start a walking tour in many harbors along our routings. + HOLIDAY COUNT DOWN Check the count in the app down before your cruise About A-ROSA A-ROSA is one of Germany's leading providers of premium city trips along Europe's most beautiful rivers - the Danube, Douro, Rhine/Main/Moselle, Rhône/Saône and Seine. The fleet currently comprises thirteen ships, which combine the comforts of a hotel with the advantages of a cruise, offering a comprehensive range of services and modern facilities. On board, guests in the Premium all-inclusive rate are pampered with varied buffets, high-quality drinks and in the SPA-ROSA with sauna, massage room and fitness room. One highlight is letting the unique landscape views pass by, on the sun deck or on the cabin balcony. Thanks to the locations in the heart of the cities, the distances to the centres of Europe's metropolises, historical landmarks or famous cultural and natural highlights are short and unforgettable experiences are guaranteed. Spacious cabins, a Kids Club, heated outdoor pools and free travel in many cabins for children up to and including the age of 15 ensure a wonderful holiday with the whole family. Simply drift along and enjoy your dream holiday, which has just become a reality.

Screenshots

KVB4 screens
A4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: A at 3.0 against KVB's 2.3. KVB's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 4 months) and iOS requirement (15.5 vs 26.0). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

A holds the better App Store score, 3.0 against 2.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 3 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 21% and 21% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

KVB ships an update every 2 months, A every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
KVB versus A: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterKVBA
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.3 (4 ratings)3.0 (3 ratings) — better
Positive reviews20.6% of reviews21.4% of reviews — better
Number of ratings4 — better3
Update frequencyEvery 2 months — betterEvery 4 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.5 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size58 MB10 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperKölner Verkehrs-Betriebe AGA-ROSA Flussschiff GmbH

Customer experience

KVB

All ratings4 ratings
Positive25.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative75.0%
Written reviews34 reviews
Positive20.6%
Neutral8.8%
Negative70.6%

A

All ratings3 ratings
Positive33.3%
Neutral33.3%
Negative33.3%
Written reviews28 reviews
Positive21.4%
Neutral10.7%
Negative67.9%

In-app purchases

None

KVB

No in-app purchases

None

A

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is KVB free?
KVB is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is A free?
A is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, KVB or A?
A is rated higher. KVB averages 2.3 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while A averages 3.0 from 3 ratings.
Do KVB or A have ads?
Neither KVB nor A shows ads.
Which is updated more often, KVB or A?
KVB ships an update every 2 months, and A every 4 months. Most recently, KVB was updated on September 26, 2026 and A on September 19, 2026.

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