# Ruter vs HSL

The clearest difference is rating: Ruter at 4.8 against HSL's 3.9. Ruter also leads on review sentiment (51% vs 14%) and ads (none vs shown). HSL's advantage is iOS requirement (13.4 vs 16.4). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

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

Ruter holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Ruter has 3.8K ratings behind it against 481, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 51% of Ruter's written reviews are positive against 14% of HSL's.

Ruter ships an update weekly, HSL monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Ruter | HSL |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (3.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ruter/id993620197/reviews)** | [3.9 (481 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hsl/id1340229182/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **3.8K** | 481 |
| Positive reviews | **51.4% of reviews** | 14.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 87 MB | 94 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | **13.4** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ruter As](https://appshunter.io/developer/581486549) | [Helsingin seudun liikenne](https://appshunter.io/developer/1078409528) |

## What reviewers say

### Ruter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ruter/id993620197)

Plan your journeys and purchase tickets for public transport in Oslo and Akershus. This app provides real-time departure information, route planning, and allows you to see vehicle locations and crowding levels. It also offers options for renting e-scooters, e-bikes, and city bikes.

**Highlights:** Plan journeys from A to B, Buy tickets for public transport, Real-time departure times, Live vehicle tracking, See crowding information, Rent e-scooters and bikes

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Smooth and easy to use
- 🚀 Helpful for navigating public transport
- 🚀 Provides real-time updates on bus/train arrivals
- 💡 Allows purchasing tickets within the app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Issues with account registration, especially for non-Norwegian phone numbers
- 🐛 Unreliable real-time arrival information
- 🔍 Lack of support for train and ferry travel
- 🤔 Confusing to determine the right ticket to purchase

**Reported bugs**

- Tickets disappearing after phone restart
- Verification codes not being received
- App crashing or freezing on older devices

**Requested features**

- Ability to manually reorder shortcut stations
- Offline support for proof of fare
- Improved walking directions between connections
- Support for international credit cards and Apple Pay


### HSL

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hsl/id1340229182)

Plan your public transport journeys in the Helsinki region, buy tickets, and get real-time updates. Access buses, trains, metro, trams, and ferries all in one place.

**Highlights:** Public transport ticket purchase, Journey planner, Real-time timetables, Vehicle tracking, Service disruption alerts, Multiple payment options

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent app for travel in Helsinki
- 👍 Convenient and worked very well
- 🚀 Great experience, nice UI

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and annoying
- 🐛 Doesn't work with international numbers
- 🐛 Kept coming with error triangle or claiming no internet connection
- 🐛 App doesn't function, unable to purchase tickets

**Reported bugs**

- Version 4.2.0 does not work on iPhone6 (iOS 12.5.5)
- Routes go blank, nothing to go back
- Login problems, like a scam
- Unable to create account, login, or purchase tickets

**Requested features**

- Allow buying multiple tickets in a single purchase
- Add maps showing all routes
- Provide email verification option instead of just SMS


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Ruter free?

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

### Is HSL free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Ruter or HSL?

Ruter is rated higher. Ruter averages 4.8 out of 5 from 3.8K ratings, while HSL averages 3.9 from 481 ratings.

### Do Ruter or HSL have ads?

HSL shows ads; Ruter does not.

### Which is updated more often, Ruter or HSL?

Ruter ships an update weekly, and HSL monthly. Most recently, Ruter was updated on September 23, 2026 and HSL on September 22, 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.*