Redbus vs Abhibus vs MakeMyTrip: Which is Better for Bus Booking in India?

Booking buses online sounds easy until you have to figure everything out on your own. In India, RedBus, AbhiBus, and MakeMyTrip are the most popular bus booking platforms. And when you try to book for the first time all by yourself, confusion is mandatory.

To help you out and wave off the confusion, in this article we compared RedBus, AbhiBus, and MakeMytrip. We've compared these platforms based on prices, reliability, easy discounts, cancellation charges, and many other factors.

After understanding these things, you'll be able to choose the best bus booking platform easily for your next trip.

So, without wasting much time, let's find out which bus booking platform is suitable for you and help you book the cheapest fare online.

Before starting with the actual comparison, let's take an overview of these brands.

RedBus:

RedBus is one of the most popular bus booking platforms in India. They can help you book private buses, including sleeper, AC, and luxury ones.

One of the best things about RedBus is their clean and simple app. Through RedBus app, you can easily check seat layouts to book your preferred seat, boarding points, and reviews.

RedBus is made for safe and reliable bus bookings.

AbhiBus:

If you are trying to save money, AbhiBus can be a perfect bus booking partner for you. At AbhiBus, you can find bus fares at lowest price range, especially on state transport bus routes.

One of the best things about AbhiBus is their strong partnerships with government bus operators like APSRTC and TSRTC.

And this is why AabhiBus has many bus booking options compared to other apps and is popular in South India.

MakeMyTrip:

MakeMyTrip is bigger than just bus booking. It is popular for booking flights, hotels, trains, and buses.

MakeMyTrip is your one-stop shop for all types of bookings from travel to accommodation.

MakeMyTrip is not solely focused on bus booking, which is why you can find limited bus options at MakeMyTrip than at RedBus or AbhiBus.

When booking online, many platforms feel confusing, like you can't easily navigate through them and end up booking wrong or a pricey ride.

So, let's understand which online bus booking platform offers fast and easy bookings, Redbus or Abhibus or MakeMyTrip.

Let's start with RedBus. RedBus booking process feels very easy. You just need to search your route, pick a bus, select your seat, and pay. Their seat layout is easy to understand, boarding points are clearly displayed, and filters will actually help you book easily. For new users or quick bus booking, RedBus is a suitable platform.

Bus booking on AbhiBus is also easy, but it might feel a bit more confusing than RedBus. AbhiBus shows offers, bus types, and filters all at once, and this can be overwhelming for new users. It's obviously not difficult, but it'll take your time to find right options. And if you are comparing prices or looking for cheaper tickets, AbhiBus is suitable but not as quick as RedBus.

Bus booking with MakeMyTrip is more tangled compared to RedBus and AbhiBus. You might feel confused while booking buses on MakeMyTrip. This is because MakeMyTrip is made for full travel planning, not just bus booking. If you're planning your whole trip (hotel + bus), then MMT feels convenient.

App or Website: Where to book?

Whenever booking online, remember booking via the app is always better than the website. Whether you are booking through MakeMytrip, RedBus, or Abhibus, apps are faster, smoother, and more reliable for payments. Booking through websites, especially on mobile, can lag or feel less responsive.

Among all three, Redbus app is the most consistent.

Insight: Redbus gives the easiest booking experience. With Abhibus, you can get cheaper options after spending a bit more time. And if you're planning your whole vacation, booking with MakeMyTrip is more sense.

When you search for a bus, route and bus availability matter the most.

With RedBus, you'll usually get the widest range of buses across India. It connects lakhs of routes and thousands of operators. So, whether you're traveling between major cities or small towns, you'll find multiple options at RedBus. If you’re booking routes like Delhi to Jaipur, Mumbai to Pune, RedBus usually shows more private buses with better seat availability.

Tip for you: If you're traveling between different states, RedBus is more reliable.

AbhiBus also provides strong bus service. The only thing is they work really well in South India. They have strong tie-ups with state transport buses like APSRTC, TSRTC, and more. AbhiBus provides more routes within Andhra, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, or Karnataka than RedBus.

Tip for you: If you're traveling within South India, looking for cheaper government buses, AbhiBus is suitable.

MakeMyTrip doesn't offer strong bus availability. This is because MakeMyTrip is mainly a flight and hotel booking platform. So, buses available on MMT are usually low as compared to AbhiBus and RedBus. But you'll still get options for popular routes. For smaller cities and less common routes, you'll get limited options here.

Tip for you: For bus bookings, MakeMyTrip offer limited options than AbhiBus and Redbus.

Smart Booking Tip: Always check bus fare prices on at least 2 apps before booking. This will help you get better timing, price, and seat options.

Before cursing the platforms solely for high bus fare prices, understand that none of these platforms sets the ticket prices. Bus operators decide the base fare. But what matters the most is who gives more discounts, cashback, or extra savings.

Abhibus:

AbhiBus focuses on providing low-priced fares with additional cashback. Most of the time, you'll notice that, on AbhiBus, the same bus is priced ₹50 to ₹100 cheaper compared to other apps.

On top of that, AbhiBus also offers additional discount deals. For instance, Flat 15% discount on First Bus Booking, Extra 15% off on APSRTC Bus Bookings, payment offers, and more.

Using AbhiBus coupon code will help you get additional discount on every booking. You can use AbhiBus coupon code "ABHIBUSCM" to get flat 15% off on all bus bookings.

One of the best things about AbhiBus is their wallet, AbhiCash. After booking, cashback will get added to your wallet, and you can use it for future bookings. This will make your booking and travel more reliable.

So, if you book buses too frequently, AbhiBus will help you get the lowest fare prices and offer the best deals.

RedBus:

RedBus prices are more stable. Usually, base fare prices at AbhiBus are slightly higher, but they don't add any surprise prices at the time of checkout.

RedBus mainly offers coupon discounts rather than cashbacks. Using RedBus coupon code, you can get up to ₹500 off on bus bookings. RedBus also offers coupons for old users. So, whether you are booking for the first time or a regular, RedBus offers extra discount for every user.

RedBus don't offer reusable cashback like AbhiBus. But you can get the most out of coupon codes and use bank offers to save more on your booking.

MakeMyTrip:

MakeMyTrip mostly provides bank and card offers rather than coupon discounts. On MakeMyTrip, you can see more credit card offers, UPI offers, or combo deals (bus and hotel bookings).

Using MakeMytrip coupon code, you can get flat 10% discount on bus bookings. If you're a new user, you can get up to 30% discount on your first booking.

On MMT, specific bus booking discounts are limited. But you can get the best offers on hotel or flight bookings. Also, if you book a package (bus + hotel) you might get additional discounts. If not, MMT is not the cheapest option for buses alone.

Sometimes plans change suddenly. But not every app offers last-minute booking. Here are some details about last-minute booking convenience of RedBus, AbhiBus, and MakeMyTrip.

RedBus usually gives you last-minute booking opportunities. You can mostly find a bus even a few hours before departure. This is because RedBus has a large number of bus operators and routes, so seats are still available till the last moment. You can book tickets just a few hours before departure if seats are available.

Tip for you: If you're booking at last-minute, on same day, or in late evening, at RedBus you'll have better booking options and can find a better seat.

AbhiBus also offers last-minute booking options, but it depends on the route. The truth is, AbhiBus offers last-hour booking and even shows last-minute deals. But it totally depends on bus availability. If the buses are full, how you're supposed to get a last-minute booking benefit? It's simple as that.

Tip for you: AbhiBus allows you to book even few hours before the departure time. But if you're booking on busy routes, there is very little hope for you to find a preferred bus or seat because of the limited bus options in Maharashtra.

Last-minute bookings are nearly impossible with MakeMyTrip. Here you will need to struggle the most because of the limited bus availability. And if you're looking for last-minute bus bookings on popular routes, you'd better postpone your plans, because there is near zero possibility of finding a seat.

Tip for you: For last-minute bus bookings, don't rely on ManyMyTrip, you'll be disappointed.

Smart booking tip: Choose RedBus for last-minute bus bookings.

Booking is easy on every app, but cancellation and refund policies matter the most.

RedBus:

The cancellation process of RedBus is simple and clear. You can cancel your ride directly from the app.

RedBus allows free cancellation and you can easily cancel your ride 6 to 12 hours before departure. With RedBus, most of the time, refunds are processed faster.

If you plan changes suddenly, RedBus will help you easily cancel your ride without confusion.

AbhiBus:

AbhiBus usually doesn't offer free cancellation. If you cancel your ride before 72 hours, you'll need to pay low cancellation fees. For cancellations between 24 to 72 hours, AbhiBus charges 10% cancellation fee.

Moreover, if you cancel your ride 24 to 4 hours before departure, you'll need to pay 10% to 30% cancellation charges. And if you tried to cancel booking before 2 hours of departure, you won't get any refund.

If your plans are not fixed, booking with AbhiBus is risky than RedBus.

MakeMytrip:

MakeMyTrip allows you to cancel the bus bookings a few hours before departure. As MMT is not specific bus booking platform, the cancellation hours are usually set by bus operators. So, the best thing to do is check the cancellation policy before booking.

In case your bus gets canceled, you'll get a full refund.

Smart booking tip for you: Most of the time, the refund policy mainly depends on the bus operator, not on platform. So, always check the cancellation policy before booking, not after.

No one cares about the customer support until something goes wrong.

RedBus:

RedBus customer support is more reliable. You can raise issues directly from your booking. Also, their responses are usually quicker compared to AbhiBus and MakeMyTrip.

RedBus offers 24/7 Customer Support. So, if you have a refund query or if your bus gets delayed or if you need help urgently, RedBus customer support will give you clear updates and resolve your queries.

AbhiBus:

AbhiBus customer support is average as compared to RedBus. They provide help, but the response time can vary depending on the issue.

Sometimes you'll get a quick response, and the query will be resolved quickly. The other times you'll get slow response and take more time to resolve your query.

AbhiBus customer support is good for basic issues, but they don't offer faster solutions if something urgent happens.

MakeMytrip:

MakeMyTrip customer support feels slower for buses. You may need to wait longer or follow up multiple times to get your issue resolved.

So, when it comes to customer support, AbhiBus and RedBus are more trusted and reliable than MakeMyTrip.

Smart booking tip for you: Many times, bus booking platforms depend on the bus operators to get the query resolved. Response from bus operators may take more time, and you'll get slower customer service.

If you travel by bus often, rewards and cashback offers start making sense for you. So, here is about loyalty programs that'll help you save on your regular bus bookings.

RedBus:

RedBus offers reward credits and occasional offers on repeat bookings. You can use these credits to book a fare in the future.

You'll also earn reward points when you invite a friend, and a reward will be credited after they book their first fare through Redbus.

RedBus is good if you book once in a while with easy rewards.

AbhiBus:

AbhiBus offers cashback rewards more. They don't offer a free loyalty program. But you can join AbhiBus Prime membership program to get more exclusive deals and special offers on your bookings.

AbhiBus offers a digital wallet called AbhiCash wallet to manage cashbacks. This AbhiCash is valid for 90 days. Meaning you can use these points to cut prices on your bus bookings.

They also offer a referral program. You'll receive extra rewards when you refer AbhiBus to upir friend or family.

Additionally, AbhiBus offers a premium service called Abhi Assured. This will help you get 100% to 150% refunds for travel issues like cancellations, delays, or poor service quality.

If you travel regularly, AbhiBus cashback rewards will help you save a lot over time.

MakeMyTrip:

MakeMyTrip offers a free membership program called MMTBLACK. Through this program, you'll receive rewards in the form of MyCash and travel points.

You'll receive more rewards if you use MakeMyTrip for flights and hotel bookings. But if you prefer MMT for bus booking only, the rewards are limited but worth it.

You can use MyCash rewards for your future bookings and take a step forward into the smart online booking era.

MakeMyTrip reward program is beneficial only when you use MMT for full trip planning, not just for bus booking.

Smart booking tip for you: Always check conditions related to the received reward points. You need to check their expiry, minimum usage, and conditions to get the full benefit of your rewards.

Add-ons and features seem negligible at first, but they are important to make your journey smoother.

RedBus:

RedBus offers live tracking for many buses to help you check where your bus is before reaching the boarding point. You can also check ratings and reviews in detail, which will help you avoid the bad operators.

RedBus also offers free cancellation, so you don't have to pay fees if your plan is cancelled. They also offer FlexiTicket add-on, with which you can reschedule your fare in case your plans change.

RedBus also offers Primo service. This will help you find high-quality, on-time, and comfortable bus operators. They also offer women's safety features. So, if you're a woman travelling alone, you'll feel safe.

AbhiBus:

AbhiBus also offers several add-ons that'll help you travel with flexibility. With the AbhiAssured program, you can select the on-time services and quality buses.

They also offer bus tracking feature to help you track the bus. With AbhiBus free cancellation program, you can easily cancel your fares and get easy refunds.

With AbhiBus bookings, you can get a Travel Insurance that provides coverage during the trip. AbhiBus is known for their government bus integration. This means with AbhiBus, you can easily book RTC buses that are not always available on other booking sites.

MakeMytrip:

MakeMyTrip does not offer noticeable add-ons for bus bookings. Their bus booking features are limited.

They offer live tracking for some operators, not all. You can still select Zero Cancellation protection and Travel Insurance for your bus journey.

As compared to RedBus and AbhiBus, bus booking benefits at MakeMyTrip are limited.

RedBus Pros:

• Easy and smooth booking experience
• Strong bus availability across India
• Better support and faster refunds
• Useful features like tracking and ratings

• Prices can be slightly higher on some routes
• Fewer cashback-style rewards

Abhibus Pros:

• Often the cheapest option
• Good cashback and wallet offers
• Strong availability of govt buses

Abhibus Cons:

• App can feel cluttered
• Refunds may take longer in some cases
• Support is average

MakeMyTrip Pros:

• Useful for booking full trips (bus + hotel)
• Bank and card offers available

MakeMyTrip Cons:

• Limited bus options
• Slower support for bus-related issues
• Not ideal for last-minute booking
• Basic features compared to others

Here are some smart tips that'll help you make your next bus booking process and entire journey more enjoyable than feeling like a task.

• First, always compare prices on all three apps. The same bus can show different prices on different platforms.
• Check fare price after applying coupons and offers. Compare prices on all three apps to get the best deal.
• Try stacking a coupon code with bank offer or payment offer. Applying both coupon and offer will help you unlock double savings.
• If your plans are fixed, book early. This will help you get better seat choices and you can avoid increased prices for last-minute bookings.
• If your plans are not fixed, cancel your fare as soon as possible to avoid cancellation fees.
• More importantly, always check the cancellation policy before booking.

In the end, we'll say that RedBus is the safest and most reliable bus booking platform. They are safe for last-minute bookings.

AbhiBus will help you get the cheapest booking options for every fare. And if you're traveling in South India, they are the best.

We'll suggest that use MakeMyTrip for bus booking only when needed. As MMT is not a dedicated bus booking platform, they don't offer much reliability. They're a great choice if you're trying to book your whole vacation, including hotels and flight bookings.

When it comes to bus booking, RedBus and AbhiBus are the best options for you. Just check who offers the minimum fare price after applying discounts, and you're done.

So, what are you waiting for? Start smart booking today with coupons and bank offers.

1. Are MakeMyTrip and RedBus the same?

🡆 No, MakeMyTrip and RedBus are different. On MakeMyTrip, you can book hotels, flights as well as buses. RedBus is a bus booking platform. You can book train tickets with ReBus but you can't book flights or hotels with them.

2. Which platform is best for bus booking?

🡆 For bus booking, RedBus is the best choice with better availability, easier booking, and faster support.

3. Which one is better, AbhiBus or RedBus?

🡆 When it comes to AbhiBus or RedBus, AbhiBus is suitable to book cheapest fares, and RedBus provides a more reliable and smooth booking experience.

4. Which is cheaper, Redbus or Abhibus?

🡆 Most of the time, AbhiBus is cheaper because they offer lower base fares and additional cashback offers.

5. Is MakeMyTrip good for bus booking?

🡆 MakeMyTrip works fine for basic bus booking. But if you travel regularly via bus, prefer RedBus or AbhiBus for additional benefits.

6. Which app is best for last-minute bus booking?

🡆 RedBus is best for last-minute bus booking. This is simply because they have more bus options than others, and this helps you get a better seat even at the last minute.

7. Should I book bus via app or website?

🡆 Always use the bus booking app. Apps are faster, smoother, and handle payments better. Whether you're booking through RedBus, AbhiBus, or MaMytrip, booking via app is always a smart choice.