# TransPennine Express vs KingKabs

The clearest difference is ads: TransPennine Express at none against KingKabs's shown. TransPennine Express also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 3 months). KingKabs's advantage is review sentiment (54% vs 28%). On price, rating, 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.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.4 for TransPennine Express against 4.5 for KingKabs. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: TransPennine Express has 197 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 28% of TransPennine Express's written reviews are positive against 54% of KingKabs's.

TransPennine Express ships an update every 2 weeks, KingKabs every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and August 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | TransPennine Express | KingKabs |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (197 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/transpennine-express/id460359233/reviews) | **[4.5 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kingkabs/id712369998/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **197** | 8 |
| Positive reviews | 27.9% of reviews | **54.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 83 MB | 78 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [TransPennine Express](https://appshunter.io/developer/1709943037) | [Vedamain Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1282356274) |

## What reviewers say

### TransPennine Express

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/transpennine-express/id460359233)

Plan your next UK train journey and purchase tickets without any booking or card fees. Save money with advance bookings and store your eTickets or digital railcards directly within the app for easy access.

**Highlights:** Book train tickets with no fees, Save up to 50% with advance tickets, Store eTickets and digital railcards, View live departure and arrival times, Save common journeys for quick search, Manage bookings in 'My account'

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy and quick to use
- 👍 Straightforward app
- ⭐️ Great savings and easy to navigate
- ⭐️ Efficient and quick to book and pay for tickets

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App crashes and technical issues
- 🔒 Frequent log-outs and login problems
- 🔍 Difficult to find and access tickets
- 🤔 Unintuitive user experience and poor design
- 🔍 Lack of useful features like Apple Wallet integration

**Reported bugs**

- Tickets disappearing from the app
- Issues with adding tickets to Apple Wallet
- App not working outside the UK

**Requested features**

- Add tickets to Apple Wallet
- Remember login details and payment info
- Improve user interface and flow
- Provide better information on tickets and journeys
- Allow booking of open return tickets


### KingKabs

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kingkabs/id712369998)

Book rides easily with a personalized experience. Track your vehicle, save favorite journeys, and get upfront cost information. Offers a variety of vehicle options, including accessible ones.

**Highlights:** Personalized booking experience, Vehicle tracking, Save favorite journeys, Upfront journey cost, Wide vehicle selection, Wheelchair accessible options

**Features:** Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is TransPennine Express free?

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

### Is KingKabs free?

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

### Which has better reviews, TransPennine Express or KingKabs?

KingKabs is rated higher. TransPennine Express averages 4.4 out of 5 from 197 ratings, while KingKabs averages 4.5 from 8 ratings.

### Do TransPennine Express or KingKabs have ads?

KingKabs shows ads; TransPennine Express does not.

### Which is updated more often, TransPennine Express or KingKabs?

TransPennine Express ships an update every 2 weeks, and KingKabs every 3 months. Most recently, TransPennine Express was updated on September 22, 2026 and KingKabs on August 26, 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.*