# Subway Simulator 3D vs Bus Simulator Lite

The clearest difference is ads: Bus Simulator Lite at none against Subway Simulator 3D's shown. Bus Simulator Lite also leads on review sentiment (47% vs 26%). Subway Simulator 3D's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months) and ratings volume (5.3K vs 86). On price, rating, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Subway Simulator 3D sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days and Bus Simulator Lite sells 8 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Subway Simulator 3D holds the better App Store score, 3.9 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Subway Simulator 3D has 5.3K ratings behind it against 86, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 26% of Subway Simulator 3D's written reviews are positive against 47% of Bus Simulator Lite's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Subway Simulator 3D ships an update every 3 weeks, Bus Simulator Lite every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Subway Simulator 3D | Bus Simulator Lite |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.9 (5.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/subway-simulator-3d-driving/id818269124/reviews)** | [3.7 (86 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bus-simulator-lite/id1564701696/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **5.3K** | 86 |
| Positive reviews | 26.0% of reviews | **46.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 534 MB | 831 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.2** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Simulators Live, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1195044263) | [astragon Entertainment GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/433152241) |

## What reviewers say

### Subway Simulator 3D

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/subway-simulator-3d-driving/id818269124)

Experience the thrill of driving trains across diverse global subway systems. Explore realistic routes, manage passengers, and develop your career as a train driver. Customize your experience with AI-generated elements and adhere to traffic rules to avoid fines.

**Highlights:** Control trains from around the world, Visit different countries and explore routes, Realistic subway stations and routes, Develop a subway driver career, Manage passengers and follow traffic rules, AI customization for cabin and driver appearance

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 Week Subscription | $0.99 | per 7 days |
| 1 Week Subscription | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Сars, cities, stations & gold | $11.99 | per month |
| 1 Month Subscription | $19.99 | per month |
| VIP + No Ads Subscription | $19.99 | per month |
| 3 Month Subscription | $19.99 | per 3 months |
| All Cities Subscription | $22.99 | per month |
| 1 Month Subscription | $39.99 | per month |
| Disable Ads | $9.99 | one-time |
| VIP Status | $9.99 | one-time |
| Sale Trains Pack | $9.99 | one-time |
| 2 New Cities Pack | $15.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great game
- 🚀 Very realistic
- 🚀 Awesome trains
- 👍 Passenger mode is fun

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Spinning trains
- 🐛 Crashing issues
- 🐛 Speed limit glitches
- 💰 Too many paid features
- 💰 Expensive subscriptions

**Reported bugs**

- Trains spinning at stations
- Crashes and collisions
- Speed limit issues
- Subscription screen not dismissible
- Incompatibility with older devices

**Requested features**

- Add more train models and cities
- Improve passenger mode experience
- Reduce subscription requirements
- Fix bugs and glitches
- Improve AI train behavior


### Bus Simulator Lite

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bus-simulator-lite/id1564701696)

Experience realistic bus driving in a detailed city. Transport passengers, unlock new buses and routes, and build your own transport company. The Lite version offers a taste of the full game with licensed buses and missions.

**Highlights:** Drive officially licensed buses, Transport passengers in a lively city, Unlock new buses, districts, and routes, Build a public transport network, Detailed city map inspired by Northern Europe, Manage your transport company

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Some Credits | $0.99 | one-time |
| Small Package | $1.99 | one-time |
| Lots of Credits | $2.99 | one-time |
| Upgrade to Full Version | $3.99 | one-time |
| Medium Package | $5.99 | one-time |
| Financial Freedom | $7.99 | one-time |
| Large Package | $7.99 | one-time |
| All-in-one Package | $12.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Excellent graphics and visual quality
- 🚌 Realistic licensed buses with detailed design
- 🎮 Engaging gameplay mechanics and management features
- 🗺️ Detailed city map with varied routes
- 👥 Interactive NPC passengers with conversations

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Aggressive paywall at level 7 limits free gameplay
- 🎮 Poor steering controls and sensitivity issues
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and game instability
- ⚙️ Unrealistic physics and acceleration/braking behavior
- 🔋 High battery consumption on mobile devices

**Reported bugs**

- Game crashes during loading screen
- Crashes when creating player profile
- Crashes after 10 minutes of gameplay
- Game kicks player out randomly
- Full version purchase doesn't unlock content

**Requested features**

- Make full version free or reduce paywall level
- Add AI buses driving around the city
- Improve steering wheel mechanics with full 360-degree rotation
- Add more bus models and manufacturers
- Implement free drive/open world mode


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Subway Simulator 3D free?

Subway Simulator 3D is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Bus Simulator Lite free?

Bus Simulator Lite is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Subway Simulator 3D or Bus Simulator Lite?

Subway Simulator 3D is rated higher. Subway Simulator 3D averages 3.9 out of 5 from 5.3K ratings, while Bus Simulator Lite averages 3.7 from 86 ratings.

### Do Subway Simulator 3D or Bus Simulator Lite have ads?

Subway Simulator 3D shows ads; Bus Simulator Lite does not.

### Which is updated more often, Subway Simulator 3D or Bus Simulator Lite?

Subway Simulator 3D ships an update every 3 weeks, and Bus Simulator Lite every 3 months. Most recently, Subway Simulator 3D was updated on September 24, 2026 and Bus Simulator Lite on September 22, 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.*