# Cardiff Bus vs UK Bus Checker

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Cardiff Bus at none against UK Bus Checker's 1. Cardiff Bus also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (fortnightly vs monthly). On price, rating, ratings volume and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. UK Bus Checker sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Cardiff Bus asks for nothing beyond the download.

Cardiff Bus holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 65 and 94 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 45% of Cardiff Bus's written reviews are positive against 35% of UK Bus Checker's.

Cardiff Bus ships an update fortnightly, UK Bus Checker monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Cardiff Bus | UK Bus Checker |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (65 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cardiff-bus/id670910962/reviews)** | [4.6 (94 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/uk-bus-checker/id899757264/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 65 | **94** |
| Positive reviews | **45.0% of reviews** | 34.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Monthly |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 41 MB | 79 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 16.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Cardiff City Transport Services Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1324513294) | [UrbanThings Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/339540256) |

## What reviewers say

### Cardiff Bus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cardiff-bus/id670910962)

Plan your travel around Cardiff with real-time bus information. View live departures, plan journeys, and access timetables. Track contactless payments and save your favorite routes for easy access.

**Highlights:** Live departures, Journey planning, Timetables, Contactless journey tracking, Favorite stops and routes, Disruption alerts

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use and understand
- 📍 Real-time bus tracking
- ✅ Accurate arrival/departure times
- ❤️ Useful for planning trips
- 💯 Great for disabled travelers

**What reviewers complain about**

- ❌ Unreliable service
- 🐛 App crashes frequently
- ⏳ Inaccurate bus times
- 🚫 Buses not showing up
- 💸 Overcharging/double charging

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on iOS 16.2 when zooming
- App freezes or shuts down automatically
- App not working, unable to buy tickets
- Error 504, monthly ticket not showing
- Bus tracking not working

**Requested features**

- Offline version of the app
- Show timetable for tomorrow morning
- Ability to refund or gift unused tickets
- Use phone's GPS for nearest stops
- Input destination address for journey planner


### UK Bus Checker

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/uk-bus-checker/id899757264)

Plan bus and public transport journeys across Great Britain. Get real-time arrival information, see how busy services are, and purchase mobile tickets. Supports buses, trains, trams, and more.

**Highlights:** Journey planning, Real-time bus information, Mobile ticket purchasing, Live bus times, Service occupancy indicators, Multi-modal transport support

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove the Ads (discounted) | $6.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🗺️ Real-time bus tracking and location visibility
- 🌍 Comprehensive UK-wide bus coverage
- 👴 Easy to use interface for all ages
- 💾 Ability to save favorite bus stops
- 📍 Accurate bus arrival times (when working)

**What reviewers complain about**

- 📺 Intrusive full-screen unskippable ads
- ⏱️ Ads too long (30-60 seconds)
- 💰 Expensive ad-free subscription (£6.99)
- 🔴 Inaccurate real-time bus information
- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and freezing

**Reported bugs**

- App fails to load nearby bus stops
- Buses disappear from app 2 minutes before arrival
- Incorrect bus timing predictions (off by 5-10 minutes)
- App doesn't recognize saved bus stops
- Location placed incorrectly on map

**Requested features**

- Shorter or less frequent ads
- Ad-free subscription option
- Widget support for quick access
- Apple Watch app
- Cloud synchronization for saved stops


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Cardiff Bus free?

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

### Is UK Bus Checker free?

UK Bus Checker is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Cardiff Bus or UK Bus Checker?

Cardiff Bus is rated higher. Cardiff Bus averages 4.8 out of 5 from 65 ratings, while UK Bus Checker averages 4.6 from 94 ratings.

### Do Cardiff Bus or UK Bus Checker have ads?

UK Bus Checker shows ads; Cardiff Bus does not.

### Which is updated more often, Cardiff Bus or UK Bus Checker?

Cardiff Bus ships an update fortnightly, and UK Bus Checker monthly. Most recently, Cardiff Bus was updated on November 1, 2026 and UK Bus Checker on November 6, 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.*