Public Mobile vs Bus Status
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Public Mobile
This app offers a 5G wireless subscription service with self-service account management. Activate your service, manage plans, track usage, and earn rewards. Get 24/7 online support for all your mobile needs.
- 5G subscription phone service
- eSIM activation
- Self-service account management
- Plan usage tracking
- Rewards program
- Refer-a-friend savings
- 24/7 online support
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Welcome to different. Public Mobile is a wireless subscription service that does mobility differently. Sign up for Canada's first 5G subscription phone service in a few simple steps. With the Public Mobile app, you're in control. Activate in minutes with eSIM along with an eSIM compatible device and choose from 5G speed plans and unlimited data on Canada's largest network. Manage your own account with easy, self-service features in the app. Just like your other subscription services set it and forget it. Download the Public Mobile app for free to get started. Subscribe with a few quick clicks in the app: • Select and activate your subscription • Save with a 90 day subscription • Purchase and activate your eSIM or SIM card • You can keep your phone number when you subscribe to Public Mobile. Manage your plan anywhere, anytime with My Account: • Manage your subscription • Track your plan usage • Purchase add-ons Earn points that save you money with our Rewards program: • Check rewards balance • Redeem your points • Refer-a-friend to share savings Skip the wait time with 24/7 online solutions: • Access virtual support at your fingertips • Find answers and ask questions Download the Public Mobile App now. Learn more at publicmobile.ca
Bus Status
This app allows parents to track their school district's buses and receive real-time updates on cancellations, delays, or early arrivals. Users can select specific buses to follow and get push notifications for important changes.
- Follow specific school buses
- Receive push notifications
- Track cancellations
- Monitor delays
- Get early arrival alerts
- District-verified accuracy
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Bus Status 4 enables parents to stay up to date on their school district's buses. Choose which buses to follow, and receive push notifications when a favourited bus is cancelled, delayed, or early! The accuracy of all bus information is ensured by each subscribing district.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Public Mobile at 4.4 against Bus Status's 1.8. Public Mobile also leads on review sentiment (44% vs 11%) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 4 months). Bus Status's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and iOS requirement 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.
Public Mobile holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 1.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Public Mobile has 177 ratings behind it against 12, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 44% of Public Mobile's written reviews are positive against 11% of Bus Status's.
Public Mobile ships an update every 3 weeks, Bus Status every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Public Mobile | Bus Status |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.4 (177 ratings) — better | 1.8 (12 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 43.6% of reviews — better | 11.1% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 177 — better | 12 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks — better | Every 4 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.1 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 74 MB | 19 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | TELUS Communications Inc. | Box Clever |
Customer experience
Public Mobile
Bus Status
Bugs and requests
Public Mobile
Reported bugs
5 issues- Activation issues
- Logging in problems
- App crashes and freezes
- Unreliable service
- Billing and payment issues
Requested features
3 requests- Wifi calling
- Support for iPad/tablets
- Improve customer service access
Bus Status
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Public Mobile
No in-app purchases
Bus Status
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Public Mobile free?
Is Bus Status free?
Which has better reviews, Public Mobile or Bus Status?
Do Public Mobile or Bus Status have ads?
Which is updated more often, Public Mobile or Bus Status?
Other comparisons
