Comparison

First Bus vs TravelMaster

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

Head to head
About

First Bus

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
Read full description

Plan your journey, track your bus, and travel with confidence using the First Bus app. With real-time updates, mobile tickets, and personalised tools, getting around by bus has never been easier. Bus travellers can buy, gift, and activate digital bus tickets, manage secure payments, and save favourite locations, stops, and services for quicker access. The app also supports account management, consent management, while providing access to help and support features. Whether you’re commuting, exploring, or travelling occasionally, the app helps you stay in control from door to door. Planning your journey Find the best routes using locations, stops, or service numbers. View routes, timings, and stop information to plan trips that suit you. Live Bus tracking See your bus in real time on an interactive map and get more accurate arrival estimates. This feature helps reduce waiting uncertainty, improves journey planning, and enables users to make informed travel decisions by knowing exactly where their bus is at any moment. Departure Board Check upcoming services for either your stop or route, with clear timings and filtering (such as First Bus only) options. The time and dates can also be easily adjusted for future travel plans. Favourites Save your most-used stops, locations, and bus services for quick access every time you travel. Buying Buy, gift, and activate digital tickets directly in the app with a variety of filters. Secure payments and instant access mean no paper tickets needed. Tickets appear instantly ready to use in your account. Gifting Send tickets to friends or family quickly and easily. During the ticket buying flow, users can choose to gift a ticket instead of using it themselves, enter recipient details, and complete the purchase securely. Activating Tickets Activate your ticket in the First Bus app when you’re ready to travel. Once activated, it clearly shows its status and validity, making it quick and easy to present when boarding the bus. Account and Payments The First Bus app lets users securely manage their account and payment details in one place. Users can sign up, sign in, and reset their password if needed, as well as view and update their personal information and account settings. They can also choose to delete their account if required. Within the app, users can manage saved payment cards, set a default payment method, and remove cards at any time. All payment information is handled securely, helping ensure a smooth, safe, and convenient ticket purchasing experience. Preferences Choose your region, set walking distance preferences, and manage consent and notifications. Help and support Access FAQs , contacts and support resources in our dedicated help centre.

About

TravelMaster

This app simplifies public transport by allowing users to buy tickets and manage smartcards for various regional providers. It syncs purchased tickets and displays existing ones with expiry dates, offering integrated travel solutions.

Highlights
  • Buy tickets for multiple providers
  • Sync smartcards
  • View ticket expiry dates
  • Integrated travel solutions
  • Regional transport provider support
Features
Read full description

The App can be used to buy tickets and sync your TravelMaster, Zoom and Stagecoach smartcards all in one place. CityBus, CityWide, SYBus, SYConnect, SYConnect+, GetAbout, GetAbout+ and Wayfarer tickets are all available to buy via the App. Syncing your smartcard will add any tickets bought on the App or our website. It will also show what tickets along with their expiry dates already loaded to your card. At TravelMaster, we aim to provide South Yorkshire and Derbyshire with great value and simplified ways to use public transport. We work with all of the region’s transport providers to bring you some of the UK's lowest-priced, and most advanced, integrated travel tickets. This App is the next step in transforming travel in the region.

Screenshots

First Bus4 screens
TravelMaster4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: First Bus at 4.7 against TravelMaster's 3.5. First Bus also leads on ratings volume (2.2K vs 2) and review sentiment (23% vs 0%). TravelMaster's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, in-app purchases, device support 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

First Bus holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.5. 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: 23% of First Bus's written reviews are positive against 0% of TravelMaster's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

First Bus ships an update every 9 days, TravelMaster every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
First Bus versus TravelMaster: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFirst BusTravelMaster
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (2.2K ratings) — better3.5 (2 ratings)
Positive reviews22.8% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings2.2K — better2
Update frequencyEvery 9 days — betterEvery 6 weeks
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS16.016.0
Further details — not scored
Size149 MB75 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperFirstGroup PlcTravelMaster

Customer experience

First Bus

All ratings2,215 ratings
Positive94.1%
Neutral3.6%
Negative2.3%
Written reviews879 reviews
Positive22.8%
Neutral11.6%
Negative65.6%

TravelMaster

All ratings2 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%
Written reviews10 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral30.0%
Negative70.0%

Bugs and requests

First Bus

Reported bugs

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

Requested features

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

TravelMaster

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

First Bus

No in-app purchases

None

TravelMaster

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is First Bus free?
First Bus is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is TravelMaster free?
TravelMaster is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, First Bus or TravelMaster?
First Bus is rated higher. First Bus averages 4.7 out of 5 from 2.2K ratings, while TravelMaster averages 3.5 from 2 ratings.
Do First Bus or TravelMaster have ads?
First Bus shows ads; TravelMaster does not.
Which is updated more often, First Bus or TravelMaster?
First Bus ships an update every 9 days, and TravelMaster every 6 weeks. Most recently, First Bus was updated on October 18, 2026 and TravelMaster on October 11, 2026.

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