# RollerCoaster Tycoon® 3 vs Sid Meier’s Railroads!

The clearest difference is price: Sid Meier’s Railroads! at Free against RollerCoaster Tycoon® 3's $4.99. Sid Meier’s Railroads! also leads on rating (4.7 vs 3.9). RollerCoaster Tycoon® 3's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 5 months). On review sentiment, ratings volume, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Sid Meier’s Railroads! is free to download; RollerCoaster Tycoon® 3 costs $4.99 up front. Sid Meier’s Railroads! sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. RollerCoaster Tycoon® 3 asks for nothing beyond the download.

Sid Meier’s Railroads! holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.7K and 1.3K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 58% of RollerCoaster Tycoon® 3's written reviews are positive against 59% of Sid Meier’s Railroads!'s.

RollerCoaster Tycoon® 3 ships an update every 3 weeks, Sid Meier’s Railroads! every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | RollerCoaster Tycoon® 3 | Sid Meier’s Railroads! |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $4.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [3.9 (1.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rollercoaster-tycoon-3/id1008692660/reviews) | **[4.7 (1.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sid-meiers-railroads/id1449719281/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.7K** | 1.3K |
| Positive reviews | 57.5% of reviews | **59.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | **#68** | — |
| Size | 672 MB | 1.6 GB |
| Requires iOS | **7.0** | 15.5 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Atari](https://appshunter.io/developer/291286181) | [Feral Interactive Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/402470125) |

## What reviewers say

### RollerCoaster Tycoon® 3

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rollercoaster-tycoon-3/id1008692660)

**Currently charting:** #68 Top Paid · Simulation, #73 Top Paid · Strategy (US App Store)

Build and manage your dream theme park in this classic PC strategy simulation, now on mobile. Design thrilling rides, keep guests happy, and explore five unique themes in stunning 3D. Enjoy the full depth of the original game with no in-app purchases.

**Highlights:** Create ultimate theme park in 3D, Sandbox mode for free building, 18 original PC scenarios, Guest happiness management, Five distinct park themes, Controllable cameras and Coaster Cam

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Exactly like the PC version
- 👍 Great value for money
- 👍 Intuitive touch controls
- 🚀 Smooth performance
- 👍 Faithful port of a beloved game

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and bugs
- 🔇 No background audio support
- 🚫 Lacks expansion packs
- 🚫 Object limit in sandbox mode
- 🚫 Outdated graphics and UI

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when park gets too large
- Path and queue connections issues
- Saving and loading problems
- Unresponsive buttons and UI elements

**Requested features**

- Add expansion packs (Soaked, Wild)
- Improve path and terrain editing
- Increase object limit in sandbox mode
- Add support for custom music
- Optimize for newer devices and iOS versions


### Sid Meier’s Railroads!

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sid-meiers-railroads/id1449719281)

Become a railroad tycoon by building and managing intricate railway networks. Optimize routes, transport goods and passengers, and grow your profits through shrewd business decisions and innovation. Compete with historical figures to become the greatest rail baron.

**Highlights:** Lay tracks and design routes, Transport freight and passengers, Acquire patents and trade stocks, Build or buy industries, Compete with historical figures, Collect 40 famous trains, Train Table Mode for creative building

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Game Unlock | $12.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great game
- 👍 Faithful port of original
- 🎮 Enjoyable gameplay
- 🎨 Beautiful graphics
- 🕰️ Hours of replay value

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes
- 🔋 Battery draining issues
- 🕹️ Fiddly track laying controls
- 🤖 Subpar AI opponents
- 💰 Expensive for a mobile game

**Reported bugs**

- Disappearing tracks
- Routing issues and inability to connect stations
- Map freezing and becoming unresponsive

**Requested features**

- Larger maps
- More scenarios and campaigns
- Multiplayer mode
- Ability to buy/sell shares
- More train and engine variety


## Frequently asked questions

### Is RollerCoaster Tycoon® 3 free?

RollerCoaster Tycoon® 3 costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Sid Meier’s Railroads! free?

Sid Meier’s Railroads! is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, RollerCoaster Tycoon® 3 or Sid Meier’s Railroads!?

Sid Meier’s Railroads! is rated higher. RollerCoaster Tycoon® 3 averages 3.9 out of 5 from 1.7K ratings, while Sid Meier’s Railroads! averages 4.7 from 1.3K ratings.

### Do RollerCoaster Tycoon® 3 or Sid Meier’s Railroads! have ads?

Neither RollerCoaster Tycoon® 3 nor Sid Meier’s Railroads! shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, RollerCoaster Tycoon® 3 or Sid Meier’s Railroads!?

RollerCoaster Tycoon® 3 ships an update every 3 weeks, and Sid Meier’s Railroads! every 5 months. Most recently, RollerCoaster Tycoon® 3 was updated on September 25, 2026 and Sid Meier’s Railroads! on September 23, 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.*