Comparison

Direct Ferries vs HSL

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

Head to head
About

Direct Ferries

Compare and book ferry tickets for over 3000 crossings worldwide. Access real-time pricing and availability, track your ferry live, and manage bookings easily. Find ports and get instant confirmation for your travels.

Highlights
  • Compare ferry crossings worldwide
  • Real-time pricing and availability
  • Book tickets up to 12 months in advance
  • Live ferry tracker
  • Port finder
  • Amend and cancel bookings
  • Secure payment options
Features
Read full description

Direct Ferries is the world's leading independent ferry ticket retailer. Compare and book over 3000 ferry crossings worldwide, using real-time pricing and availability, anytime, anywhere from your mobile. The Direct Ferries app is free, quick, and easy to use. With access to all ferry companies, routes, and destinations, it is the only app you need for ferry travel! Direct Ferries App Features: - Our easy comparison tool is designed to make your ferry ticket search a breeze, ensuring you always get the best deal. - Compare prices from the world's major ferry companies, including DFDS Seaways, Brittany Ferries, Irish Ferries, GNV, and more. - Whether you're a spontaneous traveller or a meticulous planner, our app allows you to book your ferry tickets as close as 2 hours before departure or up to 12 months in advance, giving you the freedom to travel on your terms. - Contact our exceptional customer support team directly through the app using our messenger service. - Receive notifications to stay up to date on the status of your sailing and conversations with our customer support team. - Save your quote to complete unfinished ferry bookings later; we'll email you the itinerary and quote so you can complete the booking when you're ready. - Use the Live Ferry Tracker feature to track your ferry an hour before departure and during the crossing. - Don't get lost; the port finder feature can help you find the ferry port. - Recall ferry bookings or quickly and easily amend and cancel your bookings. - Secure payment by PayPal, credit or debit card - Fast booking and instant email confirmation

About

HSL

Plan your public transport journeys in the Helsinki region, buy tickets, and get real-time updates. Access buses, trains, metro, trams, and ferries all in one place.

Highlights
  • Public transport ticket purchase
  • Journey planner
  • Real-time timetables
  • Vehicle tracking
  • Service disruption alerts
  • Multiple payment options
Read full description

Buses, trains, the Metro, trams and ferry – all in one app. The HSL app allows you to buy public transport tickets for the Helsinki region, find the best routes using the Journey Planner, view all timetables, and receive personalized transport information. You can buy single, day and season tickets for both adults and children via the HSL app. Adult multi-journey tickets and discounted tickets for students and passengers aged 70 and over are also available via the app. You can pay using the most popular payment methods, including debit/credit cards, MobilePay, phone bill and commuter benefits. The HSL app's Journey Planner helps you find routes and informs you about the ticket needed for your journey. You can view real-time stop-specific departure and arrival times and track vehicles in real time. The app also displays any service changes and disruptions, and you can choose to receive notifications about these updates directly on your phone. More information about Helsinki region public transport: hsl.fi

Screenshots

Direct Ferries4 screens
HSL4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Direct Ferries at 4.7 against HSL's 3.9. Direct Ferries also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and review sentiment (28% vs 15%). HSL's advantage is iOS requirement (13.4 vs 16.4). On price, ratings volume, update cadence 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

Direct Ferries holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.3K and 482 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 28% of Direct Ferries's written reviews are positive against 15% of HSL's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Direct Ferries ships an update every 3 weeks, HSL monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 2, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Direct Ferries versus HSL: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDirect FerriesHSL
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (1.3K ratings) — better3.9 (482 ratings)
Positive reviews27.6% of reviews — better14.5% of reviews
Number of ratings1.3K — better482
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterMonthly
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS16.413.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size92 MB94 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDirect FerriesHelsingin seudun liikenne

Customer experience

Direct Ferries

All ratings1,345 ratings
Positive92.9%
Neutral1.3%
Negative5.8%
Written reviews163 reviews
Positive27.6%
Neutral1.2%
Negative71.2%

HSL

All ratings482 ratings
Positive71.0%
Neutral2.9%
Negative26.1%
Written reviews172 reviews
Positive14.5%
Neutral4.7%
Negative80.8%

User reviews

Direct Ferries

From 1.3K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Easy to use
  • 🚀 Smooth booking process
  • 🚀 Convenient app features
  • 🚀 Global ferry services
  • 🚀 Painless booking experience

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Buggy app
  • 🔍 Lack of customer support
  • 🔍 Difficult to amend bookings
  • 🔍 Unreliable service
  • 💰 Expensive compared to direct booking

HSL

From 482 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Excellent app for travel in Helsinki
  • 👍 Convenient and worked very well
  • 🚀 Great experience, nice UI

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Buggy and annoying
  • 🐛 Doesn't work with international numbers
  • 🐛 Kept coming with error triangle or claiming no internet connection
  • 🐛 App doesn't function, unable to purchase tickets

Bugs and requests

Direct Ferries

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • App crashes frequently
  • Booking information not accurately reflected
  • Inability to log in or reset passwords
  • Mapping/directions feature not working properly

Requested features

4 requests
  • Improved customer support channels
  • Ability to easily amend or cancel bookings
  • More transparent pricing and booking policies
  • Tighter integration with ferry operator apps

HSL

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Version 4.2.0 does not work on iPhone6 (iOS 12.5.5)
  • Routes go blank, nothing to go back
  • Login problems, like a scam
  • Unable to create account, login, or purchase tickets

Requested features

3 requests
  • Allow buying multiple tickets in a single purchase
  • Add maps showing all routes
  • Provide email verification option instead of just SMS

In-app purchases

None

Direct Ferries

No in-app purchases

None

HSL

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Direct Ferries free?
Direct Ferries is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is HSL free?
HSL is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Direct Ferries or HSL?
Direct Ferries is rated higher. Direct Ferries averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.3K ratings, while HSL averages 3.9 from 482 ratings.
Do Direct Ferries or HSL have ads?
Both Direct Ferries and HSL show ads.
Which is updated more often, Direct Ferries or HSL?
Direct Ferries ships an update every 3 weeks, and HSL monthly. Most recently, Direct Ferries was updated on October 2, 2026 and HSL on October 1, 2026.

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