Comparison

OVpay vs RET

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

Head to head
About

OVpay

Manage your Dutch public transport journeys and costs. Easily confirm check-ins/outs, adjust missed entries, and view all travel history. Create expense reports and add multiple payment cards.

Highlights
  • Confirm check-ins and check-outs
  • Adjust missed check-ins/outs
  • View all journeys and travel costs
  • Create travel expense overviews
  • Add multiple payment cards
  • Add age-based discount
Features
Read full description

With OVpay, you can check in and out using your OV-pass, debit card, credit card, mobile phone, or smartwatch. In the OVpay app, you can find everything you need to view and manage your journeys. Are you already travelling with OVpay, or thinking about switching? Download the app and discover how easy it is. Who can use the OVpay app The OVpay app is only for travellers who use OVpay. You cannot use the OVpay app with an OV-chipkaart. What you can do in the app with your OV-pass and payment card • View your journeys. • Correct missed check-ins or check-outs. • View your travel history and travel costs. • Create and download expense claims. • Add cards. • Manage your cards. • Check your card status (checked in or checked out). • View payments. • View subscriptions and travel products. • Apply for age-based discount. • Pay an outstanding amount. • Receive notifications, for example when you miss a check-out. What you can only do with an OV-pass in the app • Apply for an OV-pass. • Temporarily block your OV-pass. • View your balance. • Recharge your balance. • Request a balance refund. • Apply for or change automatic recharge. We will continue to add useful new features to the app. Follow our website, Instagram, or Facebook for the latest news. About OVpay OVpay is a partnership between Dutch public transport operators, banks, and credit card companies. Together, we make travelling by public transport easier for everyone. Privacy With OVpay, you can choose how you check in and out. For some services, we need your personal data. You can read how we handle your data in our privacy statement at ovpay.nl/privacy.

About

RET

Plan your journeys across the Netherlands with real-time public transport information for Rotterdam. View departure times, track your travel history, and purchase tickets and subscriptions directly through the app.

Highlights
  • Real-time departure times
  • Trip planner for all of Netherlands
  • Barcode ticket purchases
  • Travel history tracking
  • Disruption notifications
  • Shared mobility options
Features
Read full description

In the RET app you can find up to date information about public transport services in Rotterdam, see your travel history and buy barcode tickets to travel with the RET. The RET app also shows the nearest stops with current departure times. Get a push notification when there is a disruption at one of your favorite lines or stops. With the planner you can travel with public transport from any location to every address in The Netherlands. The planner contains the latest departure times for bus, tram, metro and trains. Why use the RET app? - Connect your payment cards and view your full travel history with the RET; - Buy a barcode ticket to travel with RET busses, trams and metros; - Buy savings subscriptions and place them on your bank card; - Buy Park and Ride Combi Ticket; - View the latest departure times on your favorite lines, stops - Plan your trip in the travel planner; - View the available shared mobility options nearby; - Push notifications of disruptions; - Overview of all the disruptions for bus, tram & metro and lifts en escalators; - Latest weather forecast - Contact customer service

Screenshots

OVpay4 screens
RET4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: RET at 4.7 against OVpay's 2.1. RET also leads on review sentiment (50% vs 9%) and ratings volume (163 vs 35). OVpay's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.6). 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

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

RET holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 2.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 35 and 163 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 9% of OVpay's written reviews are positive against 50% of RET's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

OVpay ships an update every 3 weeks, RET every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
OVpay versus RET: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterOVpayRET
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.1 (35 ratings)4.7 (163 ratings) — better
Positive reviews8.8% of reviews50.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings35163 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 5 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.0 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size239 MB110 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTrans Link Systems B.V.RET

Customer experience

OVpay

All ratings35 ratings
Positive25.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative74.3%
Written reviews68 reviews
Positive8.8%
Neutral4.4%
Negative86.8%

RET

All ratings163 ratings
Positive92.6%
Neutral4.9%
Negative2.5%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

In-app purchases

None

OVpay

No in-app purchases

None

RET

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is OVpay free?
OVpay is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is RET free?
RET is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, OVpay or RET?
RET is rated higher. OVpay averages 2.1 out of 5 from 35 ratings, while RET averages 4.7 from 163 ratings.
Do OVpay or RET have ads?
Neither OVpay nor RET shows ads.
Which is updated more often, OVpay or RET?
OVpay ships an update every 3 weeks, and RET every 5 weeks. Most recently, OVpay was updated on October 16, 2026 and RET on October 13, 2026.

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