# UK Bus Checker vs bluestarbuses

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: bluestarbuses at none against UK Bus Checker's 1. bluestarbuses also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (fortnightly vs monthly). UK Bus Checker's advantage is ratings volume (94 vs 17). On price, rating, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. UK Bus Checker sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. bluestarbuses asks for nothing beyond the download.

bluestarbuses holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: UK Bus Checker has 94 ratings behind it against 17, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 35% of UK Bus Checker's written reviews are positive against 43% of bluestarbuses's.

UK Bus Checker ships an update monthly, bluestarbuses fortnightly. Both last shipped on November 11, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | UK Bus Checker | bluestarbuses |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (94 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/uk-bus-checker/id899757264/reviews) | **[4.8 (17 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bluestarbuses/id1557708948/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **94** | 17 |
| Positive reviews | 34.9% of reviews | **43.1% 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 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [UrbanThings Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/339540256) | [The Go-Ahead Group plc](https://appshunter.io/developer/566501475) |

## 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


### bluestarbuses

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bluestarbuses/id1557708948)

Plan your bus journeys with mobile ticketing, live departure information, and route planning. Access timetables, save favorites, and stay updated on service disruptions.

**Highlights:** Mobile ticket purchase, Live departure times, Journey planning, Route timetables, Favorite stops and routes, Service disruption alerts

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Live bus tracking useful
- 👍 Handy app
- 👍 Helpful for planning journeys
- 👍 Great maps

**What reviewers complain about**

- 👎 Buses disappear from map
- 👎 Inaccurate times and stops
- 👎 Overcharged and rude driver
- 👎 Missing features for driver accountability
- 👎 Unreliable service, buses missing

**Reported bugs**

- Buses disappear from live map
- App freezes randomly
- App glitches, cannot see bus
- Bus arrival list broken, times don't update
- App doesn't load bus times

**Requested features**

- Allow submission of evidence for drivers embarking early
- Bring back The Key card system
- Allow planning journeys for days other than today
- Provide single journey cost information
- Watch companion app


## Frequently asked questions

### Is UK Bus Checker free?

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

### Is bluestarbuses free?

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

### Which has better reviews, UK Bus Checker or bluestarbuses?

bluestarbuses is rated higher. UK Bus Checker averages 4.6 out of 5 from 94 ratings, while bluestarbuses averages 4.8 from 17 ratings.

### Do UK Bus Checker or bluestarbuses have ads?

UK Bus Checker shows ads; bluestarbuses does not.

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

UK Bus Checker ships an update monthly, and bluestarbuses fortnightly. Most recently, UK Bus Checker was updated on November 11, 2026 and bluestarbuses on November 11, 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.*