Comparison

darb | درب vs SAT Transportation

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

Head to head
About

darb | درب

Navigate Riyadh's public transport network with ease. Plan your journeys using metro and bus, track buses in real-time, and purchase digital tickets. This app offers a comprehensive solution for exploring the city's transit options.

Highlights
  • Trip Planning
  • Live Bus Tracker
  • Metro and Bus Lines
  • Bus on Demand Service
  • Park & Ride Integration
  • Digital Ticketing
  • Account Management
Features
Read full description

darb is Riyadh Public Transport's official app – your all-in-one companion for getting around the city. Plan trips, buy passes, and track your ride in real time across the Metro, Bus, Bus on Demand and Park & Ride.​ One app connects every part of your journey. From the first mile to the last, darb helps you move through Riyadh seamlessly.​ ​ What you can do with darb:​ * Plan your trip in seconds: type a location, pick a station, or use your saved favorites​ * Buy passes your way: choose 2-hour, 24-hour, 7-day, or 1-month passes in the app or at stations​ * Ride first-class or regular: pick the option that suits you​ * Explore every line in detail: see metro and bus stations, routes, and amenities before you travel​ * Cover the first and last mile: book Bus on Demand, free with your metro or bus ticket​ * Track buses live: follow your ride on the map with real-time arrival times​ * Park for free: use Park & Ride with your darb card​ * Review your history: access purchases and past trips anytime​ * Manage your account: update your details in a few taps​ Built for every rider in Riyadh: darb works fully in both Arabic and English. We keep improving performance and reliability based on rider feedback – thank you for being part of the journey.​ Download darb and get where you're going.​

About

SAT Transportation

Book bus tickets conveniently and securely with a wide selection of routes. Reserve your seats in a few simple taps, avoiding long queues and last-minute hassles for your short or long journeys.

Highlights
  • Easy booking process
  • Extensive route coverage
  • Seat selection
  • Real-time availability
  • Secure payment options
  • Booking management
Features
Read full description

Welcome to SAT Bus, the ultimate app for booking bus tickets conveniently and securely. Whether you're planning a short trip or a long journey, our app offers a seamless booking experience with a wide selection of routes. Say goodbye to long queues and last-minute hassles – with SAT Bus, you can now reserve your seats in a few simple taps! Key Features: Easy Booking Process: Our app provides a user-friendly interface that allows you to book bus tickets effortlessly. Select your origin, destination, travel dates, and the number of passengers, and browse through a comprehensive list of available buses. Extensive Route Coverage: We cover a vast network of routes, connecting major cities and towns across the country. Explore various options and find the most convenient bus for your journey. Seat Selection: Take control of your journey by selecting your preferred seats on the bus. View a detailed seating layout and choose the perfect spot to make your trip even more enjoyable. Real-Time Availability: Get instant updates on seat availability, ensuring that you have the most up-to-date information while making your booking decisions. No more disappointments due to sold-out seats! Secure Payment Options: Our app supports secure payment gateways, allowing you to make transactions confidently. Pay using your preferred method, be it credit/debit cards, or other convenient options. Booking Management: Easily manage your bookings within the app. Retrieve your tickets, check your travel details, and make modifications or cancellations whenever necessary.

Screenshots

darb | درب4 screens
SAT Transportation4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: SAT Transportation at 3.0 against darb | درب's 2.6. SAT Transportation also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). darb | درب's advantage is ratings volume (395 vs 25). On price, review sentiment, update cadence 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

SAT Transportation holds the better App Store score, 3.0 against 2.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: darb | درب has 395 ratings behind it against 25, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 13% of darb | درب's written reviews are positive against 7% of SAT Transportation's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

darb | درب ships an update every 2 weeks, SAT Transportation every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
darb | درب versus SAT Transportation: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
Parameterdarb | دربSAT Transportation
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.6 (395 ratings)3.0 (25 ratings) — better
Positive reviews13.1% of reviews — better7.4% of reviews
Number of ratings395 — better25
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS17.016.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size143 MB56 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRoyal Commission for Riyadh CitySAT transportation‏

Customer experience

darb | درب

All ratings395 ratings
Positive37.2%
Neutral3.0%
Negative59.7%
Written reviews251 reviews
Positive13.1%
Neutral12.4%
Negative74.5%

SAT Transportation

All ratings25 ratings
Positive52.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative48.0%
Written reviews54 reviews
Positive7.4%
Neutral3.7%
Negative88.9%

User reviews

darb | درب

From 395 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Quick response from customer service
  • 👍 Easy to use and user-friendly
  • 🚀 Convenient commute experience
  • 👍 Good start, but needs improvement

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Constant technical issues and bugs
  • 🐛 Slow and laggy performance
  • 🐛 Unreliable ticket purchase and activation
  • 🐛 Confusing and unintuitive interface
  • 🐛 Lack of integration with Google Maps

SAT Transportation

From 25 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Easy and flexible app
  • 👍 Clean buses with AC and chargers
  • 👍 Simple and easy to use

Room to improve

  • 👎 App is not working
  • 👎 Payment fails
  • 👎 No OTP received
  • 👎 Poor customer service
  • 👎 Unreliable buses

Bugs and requests

darb | درب

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Inability to register or log in
  • Purchased tickets not showing up in the app
  • QR code not working or getting rejected
  • App crashing or freezing frequently
  • Incorrect or missing route and station information

Requested features

6 requests
  • Add Apple Pay and digital wallet integration
  • Improve search functionality and route planning
  • Provide real-time bus tracking and updates
  • Integrate with Google Maps for better navigation
  • Simplify registration and login process
Show 1 more
  • Enhance user experience and interface design

SAT Transportation

Reported bugs

12 issues
  • App is not working
  • Payment fails
  • OTP not received for login/registration
  • App crashes and freezes
  • Seat selection not showing
Show 7 more
  • App not responding
  • Login issues
  • Registration process fails
  • No search results showing
  • App not working for booking
  • Payment processing issues
  • App not working for guest login

Requested features

7 requests
  • Develop the app and fix issues
  • Add Arabic language support
  • Improve seat reservation system
  • Add missing city destinations
  • Improve payment system
Show 2 more
  • Add user profile with saved information
  • Improve customer service responsiveness

In-app purchases

None

darb | درب

No in-app purchases

None

SAT Transportation

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is darb | درب free?
darb | درب is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is SAT Transportation free?
SAT Transportation is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, darb | درب or SAT Transportation?
SAT Transportation is rated higher. darb | درب averages 2.6 out of 5 from 395 ratings, while SAT Transportation averages 3.0 from 25 ratings.
Do darb | درب or SAT Transportation have ads?
Neither darb | درب nor SAT Transportation shows ads.
Which is updated more often, darb | درب or SAT Transportation?
darb | درب ships an update every 2 weeks, and SAT Transportation every 3 weeks. Most recently, darb | درب was updated on November 3, 2026 and SAT Transportation on November 4, 2026.

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