Comparison

Here Comes the Bus vs RunPTO

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Here Comes the Bus

Track your child's school bus in real-time and receive notifications about its location and their boarding/deboarding. This app ensures your child arrives at the bus stop on time and provides peace of mind regarding their safety and transportation.

Highlights
  • Real-time bus location tracking
  • Customizable map view
  • Push notification alerts
  • Student ridership tracking
  • Arrival and departure information
  • Multi-child tracking
  • Multilingual support
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

**NOTICE: In order to use the app, your school district must have a contract with Synovia Solutions and make Here Comes the Bus® and/or Student Ridership available to parents. Please contact your school district or visit www.herecomesthebus.com for more information.** Here Comes the Bus is an easy-to-use app that gives you the real-time location of your child’s bus, and alerts you when the bus is near. With Here Comes the Bus, your children will get to the bus stop not a minute too early – or a minute too late. And with Student Ridership, you’ll not only know your child got on the right bus at the right time, but that they got off the bus at the right stop. All of this equals safety for your children, and peace of mind for you. KEY FEATURES: Find your bus quickly and easily See the exact location of your child’s school bus using your own customizable map. Receive alerts via push notification -Be notified when the bus is within 2 miles of your stop, has a schedule change, and more -Receive notifications when your child gets on/off the bus, including the bus number, location and time Access arrival & departure info Confirm your child’s bus has arrived at the bus stop and at school, both before and after school. Track all of your children Have children that ride different buses? See each child's bus information within one account. App and notifications in three languages The app and notifications are available in English, Spanish and French. Know your privacy is protected Parents must obtain a private ID number, which grants access to their child’s bus only.

About

RunPTO

This comprehensive management software helps Parent Teacher Organizations (PTOs), PTAs, and Booster Clubs streamline operations. It offers features for online stores, member directories, event planning, financial management, and communication.

Highlights
  • Online store for fundraising
  • Secure member directory
  • Event and volunteer management
  • Financial tracking and budgeting
  • Integrated calendar
  • Communication tools
  • Website builder
Features
Read full description

RunPTO is a comprehensive, cloud-based management software designed specifically for Parent Teacher Organizations (PTOs), Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs) and Booster ClubsKey features of the RunPTO App include Online Store: Allows PTOs to set up an online store for fundraising and merchandise sales, streamlining the process of selling and managing products. Directory: Provides a secure way to maintain and access a student or athlete directory, enhancing connections between parents, teachers/coaches, and students/athletes. Signup Forms: Simplifies the creation and management of signup forms for various activities and events, enhancing participation and organization. Calendar: Integrates a comprehensive calendar system to keep track of events, meetings, and important dates, ensuring that members stay updated. Membership Management: Efficiently tracks and manages members, including parents, teachers, and staff, allowing for effective community management. Financial Management: Offers tailored accounting features, including budgeting, financial reporting, and tracking of income and expenses, simplifying financial oversight. Event Planning and Volunteering: Facilitates organizing events, scheduling volunteers, and managing sign-ups, crucial for successful school events and fundraisers. Communication Tools: Features for effective communication with members such as email blasts, newsletters, and alerts ensure everyone is well-informed. Website Builder: Enables PTOs to create and manage their own website, serving as a central hub for information, news, and resources. Expense Form Reimbursements: Streamlines the process of submitting and managing expense reimbursement forms, making it easier to handle financial transactions. QR Codes: Incorporates the use of QR codes for easy access to information, forms, and payments, adding a layer of convenience and modern technology. RunPTO's user-friendly interface and comprehensive feature set significantly reduce the administrative burden on PTO volunteers and leaders. It's an invaluable tool for enhancing engagement within the school community and ensuring the smooth operation of PTO or Booster Club-related activities.

Screenshots

Here Comes the Bus4 screens
RunPTO4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: RunPTO at 5.0 against Here Comes the Bus's 4.5. Here Comes the Bus's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 33 months) and ratings volume (74K vs 1). 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

RunPTO holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Here Comes the Bus has 74K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Here Comes the Bus ships an update every 2 months, RunPTO every 33 months. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
Here Comes the Bus versus RunPTO: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHere Comes the BusRunPTO
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (74K ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews31.2% of reviews—
Number of ratings74K — better1
Update frequencyEvery 2 months — betterEvery 33 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
Best chart rank#87 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.1 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size40 MB0 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSynovia Solutions LLCShawn Dsouza

Customer experience

Here Comes the Bus

All ratings73,957 ratings
Positive90.2%
Neutral5.4%
Negative4.5%
Written reviews340 reviews
Positive31.2%
Neutral13.8%
Negative55.0%

RunPTO

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Here Comes the Bus

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Bus location stuck or showing incorrect position
  • App crashing or not loading bus data
  • Student bus assignments not properly reflected

Requested features

3 requests
  • Improve notification accuracy and timeliness
  • Allow customization of notification settings per child
  • Integrate with school transportation systems for better data sync

RunPTO

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Here Comes the Bus

No in-app purchases

None

RunPTO

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Here Comes the Bus free?
Here Comes the Bus is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is RunPTO free?
RunPTO is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Here Comes the Bus or RunPTO?
RunPTO is rated higher. Here Comes the Bus averages 4.5 out of 5 from 74K ratings, while RunPTO averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Here Comes the Bus or RunPTO have ads?
Neither Here Comes the Bus nor RunPTO shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Here Comes the Bus or RunPTO?
Here Comes the Bus ships an update every 2 months, and RunPTO every 33 months. Most recently, Here Comes the Bus was updated on October 30, 2026 and RunPTO on October 17, 2026.

Other comparisons