Renfe Cercanias vs Alsa Cab
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Renfe Cercanias
Official app for checking train schedules, alerts, lines, and maps for commuter train services across various Spanish cities. Access real-time information for your daily commute.
- Official train schedules
- Real-time alerts
- Line information
- Network maps
- Multiple city coverage
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Esta aplicación ofrece nuevas funcionalidades adaptadas a las necesidades de nuestros usuarios. • Nuevos mapas interactivos que muestran estaciones, líneas y servicios como parkings de bicicletas cercanos. • Estaciones más cercanas: se muestra siempre la estación más próxima del usuario en la pantalla de inicio y en el mapa, con los horarios de los próximos trenes. • Personalización y favoritos: permite marcar estaciones y trayectos como favoritos, para que el usuario acceda a ellos de forma directa desde la pantalla de inicio. • Widgets de trenes: permite al usuario añadir su estación principal y ver las próximas salidas directamente desde la pantalla de inicio, sin abrir la app. • Buscador con IA: incorpora un buscador inteligente que permite planificar trayectos interactuando con un lenguaje natural indicando origen, destino, fecha y hora. • Información en tiempo real: ofrece datos en tiempo real sobre trenes y trayectos. Ofrece información de los próximos trenes que salen de una estación. • Compra de billetes más rápida, fácil e intuitiva. • Seguimiento en vivo: Seguimiento en tiempo real de una planificación elegida por el usuario.
Alsa Cab
Request urban mobility services to get you to your station or home. Easily book your route by selecting origin, destination, and preferred rate. Schedule your trips and choose your favorite payment method for quick and secure transactions.
- Request urban transport services
- Book routes with origin and destination
- Schedule trips for specific dates and times
- Select preferred rates and passenger numbers
- Multiple payment options: card, balance, vehicle
- Save favorite payment methods
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You already have the Alsa Cab App available! Download the App to be able to request services that bring you closer to the station or home with your Alsa (Madrid) trips. Enjoy the urban mobility offered by the Alsa Cab service in Madrid, offering you the possibility of moving around the city with total ease by selecting the origin and destination through the App. By entering the locator of your Alsa trip when ordering your service, you will get discounts on your Alsa Cab service. YOU HAVE US IN YOUR POCKET You only need to download our free App to book your route. Too easy! • Choose the desired origin and destination, the rate that best suits your needs and number of passengers. • Schedule your trip by selecting the origin and destination and marking the date and time you want to receive the service or arrive at your destination • Choose your favorite payment method: card, Alsa Balance or vehicle payment. You can save your favorite payment method for future purchases. Pay quickly, easily and safely!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Alsa Cab at 44% against Renfe Cercanias's 11%. Alsa Cab also leads on update cadence (every 11 days vs monthly). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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.
Renfe Cercanias ships an update monthly, Alsa Cab every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Renfe Cercanias | Alsa Cab |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.5 (566 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 10.7% of reviews | 43.8% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 566 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Every 11 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 16 | 16.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 308 MB | 58 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Renfe Viajeros | Alsa Grupo S.L.U |
Customer experience
Renfe Cercanias
Alsa Cab
Bugs and requests
Renfe Cercanias
Reported bugs
17 issues- App fails to launch and gets stuck on splash screen
- Crashes immediately after opening
- Two-factor authentication SMS codes never delivered or expire too quickly
- Login fails with 'Error: Problems getting results, service not available'
- App freezes when selecting stations or menu options
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- QR codes not recognized at turnstiles despite valid tickets
- Tickets disappear from app after updates
- Password recovery takes days or fails entirely
- App becomes unresponsive after recent updates (version 2.7)
- Slow loading times (up to 25 seconds to start)
- Cannot access stored passes and abonos
- Error codes displayed without explanation
- Station selection loops infinitely without advancing
- App incompatible with iPhone 5, iPhone 7, iPhone 11, iPhone 13, iPhone 14, iPhone 15
- Payment processing errors (Error v328)
- Authentication service returns 'try again later' indefinitely
- Biometric verification setup fails
Requested features
13 requests- Real-time train arrival countdown instead of scheduled times
- Platform number display before entering station
- Apple Pay and Google Pay integration
- Direct QR code acceptance at turnstiles without printing
- Email-based two-factor authentication option
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- Support for foreign phone numbers in verification
- Saved credit card as default payment method
- Dark mode option
- Multi-language support beyond Spanish-English
- Live delay notifications and service disruptions
- Ability to add tickets to Apple Wallet
- Complete station database with all lines
- Transit card integration for single fares
Alsa Cab
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Renfe Cercanias
No in-app purchases
Alsa Cab
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Renfe Cercanias free?
Is Alsa Cab free?
Do Renfe Cercanias or Alsa Cab have ads?
Which is updated more often, Renfe Cercanias or Alsa Cab?
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