Comparison

Darbi vs S'hail

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

Head to head
About

Darbi

This app offers real-time traffic updates, incident reports, and roadwork information for Abu Dhabi. Users can plan journeys, check bus and ferry schedules, top up transit cards, book taxis, and pay for parking. It also includes a feature to report transportation service complaints.

Highlights
  • Live traffic conditions
  • Traffic incidents and roadworks
  • Bus and ferry schedules
  • Hafilat card top-up
  • Taxi booking
  • On-street parking payment
  • Geofeedback reporting
Features
Read full description

The Integrated Transport Centre(ITC) presents the new update of Darbi application for Abu Dhabi residents and visitors. Darbi Mobile provides an “Intelligent Transport System in the palm of your hand”. The application requires at least 3G network or Wi-Fi access. For many of the system functions, an access to GPS location information on the smartphone is also required. Darbi app provides the users with live data on traffic conditions, traffic incidents and road works in Abu Dhabi. In addition, it provides access to road service patrol. Users can also plan journey around Abu Dhabi city and get real time information of Bus schedules and facilitate Toping up Hafilat Card. The app also enables users to book a taxi, pay for on-street Mawaqif parking, and obtain ferry schedule information. It also enables them to contact ITC through a “Geofeedback” feature to report any complains related to transportation services.

About

S'hail

Navigate Dubai with ease using this comprehensive travel planner. Discover optimal public transport routes, including buses, metro, marine, and taxis. Plan your journeys, top up your nol card, and explore the city efficiently.

Highlights
  • Public transport route planner
  • Multiple transport modes
  • Real-time departure times
  • Nol card top-up
  • Guest and registered user options
  • Route cost and time comparison
Features
Read full description

RTA S’hail Every day, a smarter way. S’hail is your perfect companion when moving around Dubai. It makes travelling quick, simple and hassle free. S’hail can show you the best public transport routes to take using different modes of transportation available in Dubai, such as Buses, Marine, Metro, Tram, Taxis, e-hailing and even cycling. All of this at your fingertips, thanks to S’hail. You can use S’hail app as a guest user, but we recommend that you login or create a RTA account to benefit from all of the cool features. With its clear, user-friendly and intuitive looks, it offers you a smile with a number of ways you can travel around Dubai . Looking for the fastest or the cheapest route to your destination? or want to know the real time departure time from your locations? Maybe you just wanted to explore new places in Dubai so why not topup your nol cards before you start your journey? When in Dubai, let S’hail guide you through all of your public transport needs. Did you like S’hail? please give us a rating on app stores and also on our Happiness Meter

Screenshots

Darbi4 screens
S'hail4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Darbi at 53% against S'hail's 9%. Darbi also leads on iOS requirement (10.0 vs 15.0). S'hail's advantage is rating (4.3 vs 2.4) and update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 4 months). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases 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

S'hail holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 2.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 25 and 59 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 53% of Darbi's written reviews are positive against 9% of S'hail's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Darbi ships an update every 4 months, S'hail every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Darbi versus S'hail: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDarbiS'hail
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.4 (25 ratings)4.3 (59 ratings) — better
Positive reviews52.9% of reviews — better9.0% of reviews
Number of ratings2559 — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 6 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPod, Apple Watch
Requires iOS10.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size192 MB112 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAbu Dhabi Integrated Transport CentreRoads & Transport Authority

Customer experience

Darbi

All ratings25 ratings
Positive28.0%
Neutral4.0%
Negative68.0%
Written reviews17 reviews
Positive52.9%
Neutral5.9%
Negative41.2%

S'hail

All ratings59 ratings
Positive81.4%
Neutral1.7%
Negative16.9%
Written reviews67 reviews
Positive9.0%
Neutral10.4%
Negative80.6%

In-app purchases

None

Darbi

No in-app purchases

None

S'hail

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Darbi free?
Darbi is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is S'hail free?
S'hail is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Darbi or S'hail?
S'hail is rated higher. Darbi averages 2.4 out of 5 from 25 ratings, while S'hail averages 4.3 from 59 ratings.
Do Darbi or S'hail have ads?
Neither Darbi nor S'hail shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Darbi or S'hail?
Darbi ships an update every 4 months, and S'hail every 6 weeks. Most recently, Darbi was updated on September 21, 2026 and S'hail on September 24, 2026.

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