Scottish Ferries vs Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac)
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Scottish Ferries
Stay informed about ferry services across Scotland with real-time disruption alerts and easy-to-access timetables. Get notified about schedule changes and view weather conditions at terminals. Plan your journey with directions to ferry locations.
- Disruption information for Scottish ferry services
- Up-to-date timetables
- Subscription to service updates
- Notifications for disruptions
- Weather for ferry terminals
- Directions to ferry terminals
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Scottish Ferries provides up-to-date disruption information for ferry services in Scotland (CalMac, NorthLink, Orkney Ferries, Shetland Ferries and Western Ferries) as well as easy to read timetables. Features: – Subscribe to updates for ferry services and get notified when there are disruptions – Scheduled departure times – Weather for ferry terminals – PDF timetables – Service reliability information If you have any questions or issues please drop me an email at stefan.church@gmail.com
Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac)
Plan and manage your ferry journeys to Scotland's islands. Get real-time service updates, check timetables, and book tickets for over 50 island destinations. Your essential companion for exploring the Clyde and Hebridean islands.
- Real-time service updates
- Ferry timetables and fare information
- Ticketing and booking
- Favorite route management
- Island destination information
- Push notifications for service status
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Ready to explore Scotland's stunning islands? The CalMac app is your ultimate on-the-move travel companion, helping to make your journey stress-free and straightforward. From checking timetables to planning your next adventure or receiving service updates, we're with you every step of the way. Manage your entire trip from start to finish, connecting you to over 50 incredible locations across the Clyde and Hebridean islands. Key Features: - Stay informed: Get instant push notifications on service status for your routes. - Plan your trip: Access timetables, fare information and our ticketing site to effortlessly plan your island escape. - Save your favourites: Quickly access information and updates for your frequently used routes. - Find answers: Our help centre is packed with answers to all your travel questions. Discover your island escape: Scotland's islands offer something for everyone, from breathtaking landscapes to rich history and heritage. Not compatible with iPad
Screenshots
Verdict
Scottish Ferries and Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) both sit at 5.0 stars, but that hides the real split: 86% of Scottish Ferries's written reviews are positive against 6% of Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac)'s. Scottish Ferries also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac)'s advantage is iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). On price, rating, 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Scottish Ferries against 5.0 for Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac). Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 2 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 86% of Scottish Ferries's written reviews are positive against 6% of Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac)'s.
Scottish Ferries ships an update every 3 weeks, Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Scottish Ferries | Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (1 ratings) | 5.0 (2 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 85.7% of reviews — better | 6.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 2 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | 17.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 14 MB | 27 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Stefan Church | CalMac Ferries Limited |
Customer experience
Scottish Ferries
Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac)
Bugs and requests
Scottish Ferries
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac)
Reported bugs
3 issues- App crashes frequently
- Login process is buggy
- Inconsistent and contradictory information
Requested features
3 requests- Ability to view route information in both directions
- Improved real-time service updates
- Better integration with website and booking process
In-app purchases
Scottish Ferries
No in-app purchases
Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac)
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Scottish Ferries free?
Is Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) free?
Which has better reviews, Scottish Ferries or Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac)?
Do Scottish Ferries or Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) have ads?
Which is updated more often, Scottish Ferries or Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac)?
Other comparisons
