Comparison

RET vs Student Mobility

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

Head to head
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

About

Student Mobility

Features
Read full description

Just arrived in the Netherlands and unfamiliar with the Dutch public transport system? No worry, Student Mobility gets you on your feet with the Student Mobility Card and Student Mobility App! With the Student Mobility App you will receive full control over your travels using public transport in the Netherlands. Pair your Student Mobility Card with the Student Mobility App and get the following benefits: 1. Easy access to public transport and shared bikes Student Mobility provides seamless access to all public transport in the Netherlands. It takes all the hassle away so that you can jump from train to tram to bus and on a bike, just like the locals do. After you collected your Student Mobility card and completed the registration process in the Student Mobility app you never have to upload money onto the pass. Therefore you never have to worry about the balance on your card or miss a train because of insufficient balance. 2. Customized application with international payment methods Since you are new in the Netherlands and probably don't speak Dutch nor have a Dutch bank account, we made a customized application process for international students, tourists and expats with international payment methods. Furthermore, you can find step-by-step instructions on traveling in the Netherlands on our website and our English speaking customer service is ready to answer your questions.

Screenshots

RET4 screens
Student Mobility4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Student Mobility at every 6 days against RET's every 6 weeks. Student Mobility also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.6). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

RET ships an update every 6 weeks, Student Mobility every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
RET versus Student Mobility: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRETStudent Mobility
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (160 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings160 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeksEvery 6 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.615.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size109 MB38 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRETMobility Services B.V.

In-app purchases

None

RET

No in-app purchases

None

Student Mobility

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is RET free?
RET is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Student Mobility free?
Student Mobility is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do RET or Student Mobility have ads?
Neither RET nor Student Mobility shows ads.
Which is updated more often, RET or Student Mobility?
RET ships an update every 6 weeks, and Student Mobility every 6 days. Most recently, RET was updated on September 26, 2026 and Student Mobility on September 25, 2026.

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