Comparison

Aircoach vs Translink mLink

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

Head to head
About

Aircoach

Plan and track your journeys, purchase tickets, and manage your travel details with ease. Access digital tickets directly from your phone for a convenient boarding experience.

Highlights
  • Journey planning
  • Ticket purchasing
  • Digital ticket access
  • Route search
  • User-friendly interface
  • Manage travel details
Features
Read full description

Introducing the new Aircoach App. Whether you’re a frequent traveller or just planning a one-time trip, our app makes it easier to plan and track your journey, purchase great value tickets, manage, and have access to them at your fingertips. With our user-friendly interface, you can quickly search for available routes and services, and book your ticket in just a few taps. Our app offers a range of great value fares to suit your budget, so you can travel comfortably without breaking the bank. Once you’ve purchased your ticket, you can access it from within the app, eliminating the need for printing or keeping track of paper tickets. Simply show your digital ticket (QR code) to the driver to scan and hop on board. Our app offers services to various locations, including Dublin City, Dublin Airport, Belfast, Cork, Galway and Derry/Londonderry. So why wait? Download our app today and start planning your next journey with ease and convenience!

About

Translink mLink

Purchase and use public transport tickets directly from your mobile device. This app allows you to buy various ticket types for multiple transit services, simplifying your travel experience.

Highlights
  • Mobile ticket purchase
  • Weekly, Monthly, and Day tickets
  • NI Railways, Metro/Glider support
  • Airport Express 300
  • Refund and Delay Repay information
Features
Read full description

The quicker and easier way to travel with Translink. Buy, receive & use your tickets via your mobile. You can buy your Weekly, Monthly, 3 Day Flexi and new 1 Day Peak and 1 Day Off-Peak tickets using your mobile phone. You can purchase NI Railways, Metro/Glider, Foyle Metro, yLink and 24+, Airport Express 300, Goldline services (within Northern Ireland), selected Ulsterbus and urby tickets. Full details of ticket validities, what to do if your phone is lost, stolen, damaged or faulty, how to apply for a Refund, how to make a claim under our Delay Repay scheme, further information and full Terms & Conditions can be found at www.translink.co.uk/mLink

Screenshots

Aircoach4 screens
Translink mLink3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Aircoach at 2.0 against Translink mLink's 1.5. Translink mLink's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 5 months) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads 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

Aircoach holds the better App Store score, 2.0 against 1.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 8 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 0% of Aircoach's written reviews are positive against 2% of Translink mLink's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Aircoach ships an update every 5 months, Translink mLink fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Aircoach versus Translink mLink: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAircoachTranslink mLink
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.0 (3 ratings) — better1.5 (8 ratings)
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews2.1% of reviews — better
Number of ratings38 — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS14.014.0
Further details — not scored
Size55 MB24 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperFirstGroup PlcCorethree Ltd.

Customer experience

Aircoach

All ratings3 ratings
Positive33.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative66.7%
Written reviews6 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral16.7%
Negative83.3%

Translink mLink

All ratings8 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral25.0%
Negative75.0%
Written reviews188 reviews
Positive2.1%
Neutral2.1%
Negative95.7%

Bugs and requests

Aircoach

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Translink mLink

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Constant log-outs
  • Tickets disappearing
  • Crashes when selecting destination
  • Basket validation errors when purchasing
  • Password reset emails not being received

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add 'Add to Apple Wallet' button
  • Remember last route when buying tickets
  • Ability to buy tickets for multiple people
  • Integrate ticket purchasing into main app

In-app purchases

None

Aircoach

No in-app purchases

None

Translink mLink

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Aircoach free?
Aircoach is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Translink mLink free?
Translink mLink is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Aircoach or Translink mLink?
Aircoach is rated higher. Aircoach averages 2.0 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while Translink mLink averages 1.5 from 8 ratings.
Do Aircoach or Translink mLink have ads?
Neither Aircoach nor Translink mLink shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Aircoach or Translink mLink?
Aircoach ships an update every 5 months, and Translink mLink fortnightly. Most recently, Aircoach was updated on October 24, 2026 and Translink mLink on October 28, 2026.

Other comparisons