# Trainline vs First Bus

The clearest difference is rating: Trainline at 4.9 against First Bus's 4.7. Trainline also leads on chart position (#132 vs unranked) and ratings volume (10K vs 2.2K). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Trainline holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 10K and 2.2K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 29% of Trainline's written reviews are positive against 23% of First Bus's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Trainline | First Bus |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (10K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/trainline-cheap-train-tickets/id334235181/reviews)** | [4.7 (2.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-bus/id566586379/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **10K** | 2.2K |
| Positive reviews | **28.5% of reviews** | 22.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Weekly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#132** | — |
| Size | 377 MB | 154 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **16.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [thetrainline](https://appshunter.io/developer/334235184) | [FirstGroup Plc](https://appshunter.io/developer/566586382) |

## What reviewers say

### Trainline

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/trainline-cheap-train-tickets/id334235181)

**Currently charting:** #132 Top Free · Travel (US App Store)

Book train and bus tickets across Europe with ease. Compare prices from hundreds of operators, find the best deals, and manage your digital tickets all in one place. Get real-time updates and travel notifications for a smoother journey.

**Highlights:** Book train and bus tickets, Compare prices from 260+ companies, Best Price Guarantee, Real-time notifications, Live timetable tracking, Digital tickets, Travel blogs and popular journeys

**Features:** Apple Wallet, Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 🚀 Convenient for train travel
- 🚀 Helpful for planning trips
- 🚀 Reliable app
- 🚀 Great for booking tickets

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy app with glitches
- 🐛 Unreliable payment processing
- 🐛 Inaccurate train information
- 🐛 Poor customer service
- 💰 Expensive booking fees

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes frequently
- Inability to book tickets or complete transactions
- Incorrect train details and platform information
- Tickets not showing up in the app
- Railcard not recognized or applied correctly

**Requested features**

- Add ability to link existing railcards
- Improve search and filtering options
- Provide better notifications for train delays/cancellations
- Allow easy ticket refunds and exchanges
- Add map feature to locate train stations


### First Bus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-bus/id566586379)

Plan your bus journeys, track buses in real-time, and purchase digital tickets. Save favorite routes and stops for quick access. Manage your account and payments securely for a convenient travel experience.

**Highlights:** Journey planning, Live bus tracking, Digital ticket purchasing, Save favorite stops, Departure board, Gifting tickets

**Features:** Apple Wallet, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Helpful for planning journeys
- 🚀 Accurate live bus tracking
- 💡 Ability to save favorite stops
- 👍 Convenient ticket purchasing

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Unreliable bus arrival times
- 🐛 Buses disappearing from the app
- 🐛 Technical issues and app crashes
- 🤔 Confusing and unintuitive interface
- 🤔 Lack of service updates and notifications

**Reported bugs**

- App pausing music playback
- Inconsistent bus tracking and location data
- Inability to purchase certain ticket types

**Requested features**

- Offline ticket access
- Improved journey planning with timetables
- Service change notifications
- Simpler and more user-friendly interface


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Trainline free?

Trainline is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is First Bus free?

First Bus is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Trainline or First Bus?

Trainline is rated higher. Trainline averages 4.9 out of 5 from 10K ratings, while First Bus averages 4.7 from 2.2K ratings.

### Do Trainline or First Bus have ads?

Both Trainline and First Bus show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Trainline or First Bus?

Trainline ships an update weekly, and First Bus weekly. Most recently, Trainline was updated on September 26, 2026 and First Bus on September 24, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*