Comparison

Ruter vs SURF

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

Head to head
About

Ruter

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
Read full description

The Ruter app gives you full mobility in Oslo and Akershus. Find all departures and get around with public transport such as trams, metro, buses and ferries. Select your preferred modes of transport, find the best routes and buy your tickets – all in one app. Top features in the Ruter app: • Buy tickets for public transport – for yourself and others • Plan journeys from A to B • See all departure times, and use the map to see where your mode of transportation is in real time • See how crowded the bus or tram is • Get relevant service disruption information • Add favourites to save places you visit often • See accessibility information for stops • Pay by card, Vipps or Apple Pay Unlock more features by creating a personal profile: • Find, ride and pay for e-scooters, e-bikes and city bikes • Save your journeys for later • Store tickets, history and favourites – even if you change phones • Get access to new concepts and products With a Ruter profile you’ll also get quicker and more convenient customer service. We’re always happy to hear from you if you need help, have feedback or suggestions for improvement. Tips to get even more out of the Ruter app: • If you share your location, the app will show you nearby stops and give you more accurate and relevant travel suggestions. • Use smart widgets to buy tickets or see departures from your favourite stops. Keep an eye out for more features in the future – and thank you for travelling with us!

About

SURF

This app offers an efficient and eco-friendly urban transportation solution using electric scooters. It provides a convenient way to navigate cities, reducing your carbon footprint.

Highlights
  • Efficient urban transport
  • Environmentally friendly
  • Electric scooter rental
  • City navigation
  • Convenient travel
Features
Read full description

Enjoy the most efficient and environmentally friendly way to move in cities with your SURF scooter!

Screenshots

Ruter4 screens
SURF4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is monetization model: SURF at free against Ruter's free with in-app purchases. Ruter's advantage is review sentiment (51% vs 33%). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Ruter ships an update weekly, SURF every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Ruter versus SURF: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRuterSURF
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (3.8K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews50.9% of reviews — better33.3% of reviews
Number of ratings3.8K — better—
Update frequencyWeekly — betterEvery 8 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS16.415.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size89 MB105 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRuter AsAYVA Technologies AS

Customer experience

Ruter

All ratings3,848 ratings
Positive94.0%
Neutral2.2%
Negative3.8%
Written reviews108 reviews
Positive50.9%
Neutral7.4%
Negative41.7%

SURF

Written reviews3 reviews
Positive33.3%
Neutral33.3%
Negative33.3%

Bugs and requests

Ruter

Reported bugs

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

Requested features

4 requests
  • 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

SURF

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Ruter

No in-app purchases

None

SURF

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Ruter free?
Ruter is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is SURF free?
SURF is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Ruter or SURF have ads?
Neither Ruter nor SURF shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Ruter or SURF?
Ruter ships an update weekly, and SURF every 8 days. Most recently, Ruter was updated on October 15, 2026 and SURF on October 3, 2026.

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