# Heritage Units vs Lionel Cab3

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Lionel Cab3 at none against Heritage Units's 2. Lionel Cab3 also leads on ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.0). Heritage Units's advantage is review sentiment (58% vs 27%) and rating (4.1 vs 3.6). On price, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Heritage Units sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per year. Lionel Cab3 asks for nothing beyond the download.

Heritage Units holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 3.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 258 and 56 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 58% of Heritage Units's written reviews are positive against 27% of Lionel Cab3's.

Heritage Units ships an update every 10 days, Lionel Cab3 every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Heritage Units | Lionel Cab3 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.1 (258 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/heritage-units/id1117504088/reviews)** | [3.6 (56 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lionel-cab3/id1606814421/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **258** | 56 |
| Positive reviews | **58.1% of reviews** | 27.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 10 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 122 MB | 134 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **9.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Brian Minnich](https://appshunter.io/developer/1117504087) | [Lionel, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/616773170) |

## What reviewers say

### Heritage Units

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/heritage-units/id1117504088)

This app allows users to track and report special interest locomotives from major US railroads. View reported units on a map within a 200-mile radius and contribute new sightings directly from your device.

**Highlights:** Track heritage units, Report new locomotive locations, View locomotives on maps, Search within 200 miles, Support for major railroads

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Ad Free | $0.99 | per year |
| Premium Membership | $5.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎯 Excellent tool for tracking heritage units and special locomotives
- 📍 Real-time location reporting from community users
- 👍 User-friendly interface and intuitive navigation
- 📸 Ability to upload photos of locomotives
- 🚀 Responsive developer support and regular updates

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and freezing
- 🔓 Persistent login/logout issues
- ⚠️ Confusing error messages without clear explanations
- 📵 Limited photo upload capacity for free users
- 🚫 Arbitrary account suspensions and bans

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when refreshing or loading reports
- Persistent 'You've reached your limit for spots' error that lasts weeks or months
- Login credentials rejected despite correct password/username
- Automatic logout after 1-2 months of inactivity
- Premium subscription purchases not recognized by app

**Requested features**

- Dark mode and light mode toggle
- Report timestamp visibility to distinguish old vs new reports
- Edit and delete buttons for submitted reports
- Increase daily/monthly report submission limits
- Ability to favorite or star specific locomotives


### Lionel Cab3

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lionel-cab3/id1606814421)

Control your Lionel model trains directly via Bluetooth or by connecting to the Base3 command system. Experience enhanced control and unlock the full capabilities of your locomotives.

**Highlights:** Bluetooth locomotive control, One-to-one pairing, Base3 system interface, Unlock full train potential, Direct locomotive control

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Heritage Units free?

Heritage Units is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Lionel Cab3 free?

Lionel Cab3 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Heritage Units or Lionel Cab3?

Heritage Units is rated higher. Heritage Units averages 4.1 out of 5 from 258 ratings, while Lionel Cab3 averages 3.6 from 56 ratings.

### Do Heritage Units or Lionel Cab3 have ads?

Heritage Units shows ads; Lionel Cab3 does not.

### Which is updated more often, Heritage Units or Lionel Cab3?

Heritage Units ships an update every 10 days, and Lionel Cab3 every 3 weeks. Most recently, Heritage Units was updated on October 24, 2026 and Lionel Cab3 on October 24, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*