Comparison

Forest vs Falcon Buses

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

Head to head
About

Forest

This app provides access to shared electric bikes across London for a faster, fun, and sustainable commute. Enjoy free ride minutes on every Pay As You Go trip after a small unlock fee.

Highlights
  • Shared electric bike service
  • Thousands of ebikes across London
  • Free ride minutes daily
  • Pay As You Go pricing
  • Ride bundles available
  • Subscription option
  • Watch ads for more free minutes
Features
Read full description

Get from A to B with Forest, London’s homegrown shared ebike. Switch your usual journey by train or bus for a faster, fun, and more sustainable way to get around. Plus, we’re the only shared ebike app that after a £1 unlock, gives you up to 30 free ride minutes on every Pay As You Go (PAYG) ride. HOW TO GET STARTED: 1. Download the app, create a free account and accept our Terms and Conditions. 2. Find your nearest Forest bike out of thousands across London using the map in the app. 3. Unlock a bike for £1 using the QR codes on the bike itself, or by tapping the selected bike on the app. 4. Enjoy an emissions free ride! WAYS TO RIDE: 1. PAYG: Simply unlock a bike for £1, get up to 30 free ride minutes, then pay 29p thereafter. 2. Buy a bundle: If you’re making longer trips, or planning multiple trips over a longer time. 3. Subscribe to Forest Plus: If you want the best value riding option. Always ride responsibly, respect other road users, and follow the safety guidance provided in the Forest app. WHY YOU SHOULD RIDE WITH FOREST: Choose from thousands of ebikes available across 18 boroughs of London with free ride minutes available every day. Gain additional free ride minutes by watching ads. We’re B Corp Certified and have run a zero-emissions operation since day one.

About

Falcon Buses

Features
Read full description

Our new app has everything you need to get around Surrey with Falcon Buses. It’s packed full of everything you’ll need to get mobile on the bus. Mobile Tickets: Purchase mobile tickets securely with Apple Pay or a debit/credit card and show the driver when boarding - no more searching for cash! Live Departures: Browse and view bus stops on the map, explore upcoming departures, or check out the routes from a stop to see where you could travel next. Journey Planning: Plan your commute, trip to the shops or night out with friends. It’s now even easier to plan ahead with Falcon Buses. Timetables: We’ve squeezed all of our routes and timetables into the palm of your hand. Favourites: You can quickly save your favourite Departure Boards, Timetables and Journeys, with quick access from one convenient menu. Disruptions: You’ll be able to keep up to date with service changes directly from our disruption feeds inside the app. As always, we welcome your feedback. You can send it to us via the app.

Screenshots

Forest4 screens
Falcon Buses4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Forest at weekly against Falcon Buses's fortnightly. Falcon Buses's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.5). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Forest ships an update weekly, Falcon Buses fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Forest versus Falcon Buses: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterForestFalcon Buses
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (833 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews11.6% of reviews—
Number of ratings833 — better—
Update frequencyWeekly — betterFortnightly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.513.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size219 MB41 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperHuman Forest LimitedFalcon Coaches Limited

Bugs and requests

Forest

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • App crashes and freezes frequently
  • Inability to properly end rides and park bikes
  • Inconsistent GPS tracking and bike availability
  • Login and password reset issues

Requested features

4 requests
  • Improve app stability and responsiveness
  • Provide clearer information on parking and no-ride zones
  • Maintain high service quality and bike condition
  • Offer transparent and fair pricing structure

Falcon Buses

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Forest

No in-app purchases

None

Falcon Buses

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Forest free?
Forest is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Falcon Buses free?
Falcon Buses is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Forest or Falcon Buses have ads?
Neither Forest nor Falcon Buses shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Forest or Falcon Buses?
Forest ships an update weekly, and Falcon Buses fortnightly. Most recently, Forest was updated on October 20, 2026 and Falcon Buses on October 10, 2026.

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