# e vs Thomas & Friends Minis

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: e at none against Thomas & Friends Minis's 17. e also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 4 months) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 13.0). Thomas & Friends Minis's advantage is rating (4.4 vs 4.0) and ratings volume (60K vs 1). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Thomas & Friends Minis sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. e asks for nothing beyond the download.

Thomas & Friends Minis holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Thomas & Friends Minis has 60K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

e ships an update weekly, Thomas & Friends Minis every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 2, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | e | Thomas & Friends Minis |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/e-train-controller/id1133365438/reviews) | **[4.4 (60K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thomas-and-friends-minis/id1216643761/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **60K** |
| Positive reviews | — | 71.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 64 MB | 202 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [toytec](https://appshunter.io/developer/1556354133) | [Budge Studios](https://appshunter.io/developer/390712652) |

## What reviewers say

### e

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/e-train-controller/id1133365438)

Control your model railroad with your smartphone or tablet. This app supports various scales and both DC and DCC cars, featuring built-in sound capabilities for a more immersive experience. Simple and intuitive operation makes managing your trains effortless.

**Highlights:** Smartphone/tablet operation, Supports Z, N, and HO scales, Operates DC and DCC cars, Built-in sound function, Simple and easy to use

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Thomas & Friends Minis

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thomas-and-friends-minis/id1216643761)

Build and customize your own train sets with a variety of tracks, decorations, and terrain. Drive your favorite engines through your creations, experiencing thrilling stunts and adventures. Explore unique worlds and let your imagination run wild.

**Highlights:** Build exciting train tracks, Customize with decorations and terrain, Perform spectacular stunts, Drive trains in 3rd person, Explore unique themed worlds, Create from scratch or use pre-made sets

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $9.99 | per month |
| Monthly Subscription | $9.99 | per month |
| Monthly Subscription | $12.99 | per month |
| Iron Bert's Box | $3.99 | one-time |
| Millie's Box | $3.99 | one-time |
| Percy's Spooky Forest | $6.99 | one-time |
| James's Jurassic Cove | $6.99 | one-time |
| Gordon's  Winter Wonderland | $6.99 | one-time |
| Toby's Busy City | $6.99 | one-time |
| Spencer's Aqua Park | $6.99 | one-time |
| Emily's Coaster City | $9.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Everything | $59.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Fun and creative game
- 🚀 Engrossing gameplay
- 💡 Allows building custom train sets
- 🤩 Nostalgic for Thomas fans

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive in-app purchases
- 📺 Constant ads and pop-ups
- 🔒 Difficulty restoring purchases across devices
- 🐛 Glitches and bugs

**Reported bugs**

- Blueprints not unlocking properly
- Trains getting stuck or freezing
- Inability to restore previous purchases

**Requested features**

- Add more free content and characters
- Larger build areas and more track pieces
- Option to turn off ads after purchase
- Ability to rotate track pieces
- More free challenges and unlockables


## Frequently asked questions

### Is e free?

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

### Is Thomas & Friends Minis free?

Thomas & Friends Minis is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, e or Thomas & Friends Minis?

Thomas & Friends Minis is rated higher. e averages 4.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Thomas & Friends Minis averages 4.4 from 60K ratings.

### Do e or Thomas & Friends Minis have ads?

Neither e nor Thomas & Friends Minis shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, e or Thomas & Friends Minis?

e ships an update weekly, and Thomas & Friends Minis every 4 months. Most recently, e was updated on October 2, 2026 and Thomas & Friends Minis on October 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.*