# UK Bus Checker vs NCTX Buses

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: NCTX Buses at none against UK Bus Checker's 1. NCTX Buses also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (57% vs 35%). On price, ratings volume, 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. NCTX Buses asks for nothing beyond the download.

NCTX Buses holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 94 and 64 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 35% of UK Bus Checker's written reviews are positive against 57% of NCTX Buses's.

UK Bus Checker ships an update monthly, NCTX Buses fortnightly. Both last shipped on October 29, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | UK Bus Checker | NCTX Buses |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (94 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/uk-bus-checker/id899757264/reviews) | **[4.9 (64 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nctx-buses/id952687024/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **94** | 64 |
| Positive reviews | 34.9% of reviews | **57.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 79 MB | 41 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [UrbanThings Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/339540256) | [Nottingham City Transport Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/463231931) |

## 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


### NCTX Buses

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nctx-buses/id952687024)

Plan your journeys, view live bus departures, and purchase mobile tickets for NCT services. Access timetables, save favorite routes, and stay updated on service disruptions.

**Highlights:** Mobile ticket purchase, Live departure times, Journey planning, Bus timetables, Save favorite routes, Service disruption alerts

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Real-time bus tracking
- 👍 Useful travel planning
- 👍 Convenient mobile tickets
- 👍 24-hour tickets save money
- 👍 Easy to use interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buses often late
- 🐛 App logs users out
- 🐛 Buses disappear from tracker
- 🐛 Mobile tickets fail to scan
- 🐛 App drains phone battery

**Reported bugs**

- App keeps logging users out
- App locks users out for extended periods
- Buses not arriving on time
- Buses disappearing from the app's tracker
- Mobile tickets failing to scan

**Requested features**

- Ability to rearrange favourites
- Setting to display time of day and minutes until next bus
- Integration with Apple Wallet/Google Pay for bus passes
- Option to display cancelled buses in real-time
- Separate timetables for different route variations (e.g., 79 and 79a)


## Frequently asked questions

### Is UK Bus Checker free?

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

### Is NCTX Buses free?

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

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

NCTX Buses is rated higher. UK Bus Checker averages 4.6 out of 5 from 94 ratings, while NCTX Buses averages 4.9 from 64 ratings.

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

UK Bus Checker shows ads; NCTX Buses does not.

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

UK Bus Checker ships an update monthly, and NCTX Buses fortnightly. Most recently, UK Bus Checker was updated on October 29, 2026 and NCTX Buses on October 29, 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.*