# First Bus vs TravelMaster

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.

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 3.5. 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.

First Bus ships an update every 9 days, TravelMaster every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | First Bus | TravelMaster |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (2.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-bus/id566586379/reviews)** | [3.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/travelmaster/id6446685149/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2.2K** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | **22.8% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 days** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 149 MB | 75 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [FirstGroup Plc](https://appshunter.io/developer/566586382) | [TravelMaster](https://appshunter.io/developer/1678729449) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### TravelMaster

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/travelmaster/id6446685149)

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:** Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked 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 21, 2026 and TravelMaster on October 11, 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.*