Swindon Bus vs Forest
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Swindon Bus
Plan your journeys, view live departures, and purchase mobile tickets for bus travel in Swindon. Access timetables, save favorites, and stay updated on service disruptions.
- Mobile ticket purchase
- Live departure times
- Route planning
- Timetable access
- Favorite routes and stops
- Service disruption alerts
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Our new app has everything you need to get around Swindon with Swindon's Bus Company. It’s packed full of everything you’ll need to get mobile on the bus. Mobile Tickets: Purchase mobile tickets securely with Apple Pay or a debit/credit card and show the driver when boarding - no more searching for cash! Live Departures: Browse and view bus stops on the map, explore upcoming departures, or check out the routes from a stop to see where you could travel next. Journey Planning: Plan your commute, trip to the shops or night out with friends. It’s now even easier to plan ahead with Swindon's Bus Company. Timetables: We’ve squeezed all of our routes and timetables into the palm of your hand. Favourites: You can quickly save your favourite Departure Boards, Timetables and Journeys, with quick access from one convenient menu. Disruptions: You’ll be able to keep up to date with service changes directly from our disruption feeds inside the app. As always, we welcome your feedback. You can send it to us via the app.
Forest
This app provides access to shared electric bikes across London for a faster, fun, and sustainable commute. Enjoy free ride minutes on every Pay As You Go trip after a small unlock fee.
- Shared electric bike service
- Thousands of ebikes across London
- Free ride minutes daily
- Pay As You Go pricing
- Ride bundles available
- Subscription option
- Watch ads for more free minutes
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Get from A to B with Forest, London’s homegrown shared ebike. Switch your usual journey by train or bus for a faster, fun, and more sustainable way to get around. Plus, we’re the only shared ebike app that after a £1 unlock, gives you up to 30 free ride minutes on every Pay As You Go (PAYG) ride. HOW TO GET STARTED: 1. Download the app, create a free account and accept our Terms and Conditions. 2. Find your nearest Forest bike out of thousands across London using the map in the app. 3. Unlock a bike for £1 using the QR codes on the bike itself, or by tapping the selected bike on the app. 4. Enjoy an emissions free ride! WAYS TO RIDE: 1. PAYG: Simply unlock a bike for £1, get up to 30 free ride minutes, then pay 29p thereafter. 2. Buy a bundle: If you’re making longer trips, or planning multiple trips over a longer time. 3. Subscribe to Forest Plus: If you want the best value riding option. Always ride responsibly, respect other road users, and follow the safety guidance provided in the Forest app. WHY YOU SHOULD RIDE WITH FOREST: Choose from thousands of ebikes available across 18 boroughs of London with free ride minutes available every day. Gain additional free ride minutes by watching ads. We’re B Corp Certified and have run a zero-emissions operation since day one.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Swindon Bus at 57% against Forest's 11%. Swindon Bus also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.5). 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.
Swindon Bus ships an update fortnightly, Forest weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Swindon Bus | Forest |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | 4.7 (834 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 57.1% of reviews — better | 11.2% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | — | 834 — better |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 15.5 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 42 MB | 219 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | The Go-Ahead Group plc | Human Forest Limited |
Customer experience
Swindon Bus
Forest
Bugs and requests
Swindon Bus
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Forest
Reported bugs
4 issues- App crashes and freezes frequently
- Inability to properly end rides and park bikes
- Inconsistent GPS tracking and bike availability
- Login and password reset issues
Requested features
4 requests- Improve app stability and responsiveness
- Provide clearer information on parking and no-ride zones
- Maintain high service quality and bike condition
- Offer transparent and fair pricing structure
In-app purchases
Swindon Bus
No in-app purchases
Forest
No in-app purchases









