# Stansted vs First Bus

The clearest difference is rating: First Bus at 4.7 against Stansted's 3.0. First Bus also leads on update cadence (every 9 days vs every 4 months) and ratings volume (2.2K vs 2). Stansted's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, review sentiment, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

First Bus holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: First Bus has 2.2K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 19% of Stansted's written reviews are positive against 23% of First Bus's.

Stansted ships an update every 4 months, First Bus every 9 days. Both last shipped on October 15, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Stansted | First Bus |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stansted/id403835061/reviews) | **[4.7 (2.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-bus/id566586379/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **2.2K** |
| Positive reviews | 19.1% of reviews | **22.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 9 MB | 149 MB |
| Requires iOS | **7.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Trapeze Group UK](https://appshunter.io/developer/714804407) | [FirstGroup Plc](https://appshunter.io/developer/566586382) |

## What reviewers say

### Stansted

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stansted/id403835061)

Access live flight updates, terminal information, and transport options for your journey. Plan your trip with details on parking, shops, and restaurants. This app is your essential guide for traveling through the airport.

**Highlights:** Live flight departures and arrivals, Car park booking, Train times, Coach and bus services, Shopping and eating guide, Terminal maps, Airport news

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### 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 Stansted free?

Stansted 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, Stansted or First Bus?

First Bus is rated higher. Stansted averages 3.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while First Bus averages 4.7 from 2.2K ratings.

### Do Stansted or First Bus have ads?

First Bus shows ads; Stansted does not.

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

Stansted ships an update every 4 months, and First Bus every 9 days. Most recently, Stansted was updated on October 15, 2026 and First Bus on October 15, 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.*