# UK Bus Checker vs Reading Buses

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Reading Buses at none against UK Bus Checker's 1. Reading Buses also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (61% vs 35%). 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. Reading Buses asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for UK Bus Checker against 4.8 for Reading Buses. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 94 and 83 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 35% of UK Bus Checker's written reviews are positive against 61% of Reading Buses's.

UK Bus Checker ships an update monthly, Reading Buses fortnightly. Both last shipped on October 26, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | UK Bus Checker | Reading Buses |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (94 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/uk-bus-checker/id899757264/reviews) | **[4.8 (83 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reading-buses/id1384118827/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **94** | 83 |
| Positive reviews | 34.9% of reviews | **61.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 79 MB | 42 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [UrbanThings Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/339540256) | [Reading Buses](https://appshunter.io/developer/1384118826) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### Reading Buses

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reading-buses/id1384118827)

Plan your bus journeys, purchase mobile tickets, and track live departures. This app provides real-time bus information, fare discovery, and contactless journey history. Save your favorite routes and stay updated on service disruptions.

**Highlights:** Mobile ticket purchase, Live departure tracking, Journey planning, Fare discovery, Timetable access, Contactless journey history, Service update notifications

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is UK Bus Checker free?

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

### Is Reading Buses free?

Reading Buses is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, UK Bus Checker or Reading Buses?

Reading Buses is rated higher. UK Bus Checker averages 4.6 out of 5 from 94 ratings, while Reading Buses averages 4.8 from 83 ratings.

### Do UK Bus Checker or Reading Buses have ads?

UK Bus Checker shows ads; Reading Buses does not.

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

UK Bus Checker ships an update monthly, and Reading Buses fortnightly. Most recently, UK Bus Checker was updated on October 26, 2026 and Reading Buses on October 26, 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.*