Train Sounds Effects vs Virtual Railfan
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Train Sounds Effects
Enhance your model railway experience with a variety of realistic train sound effects. Control playback with switches for continuous loops or buttons for single plays, and adjust individual volumes. Import your own sounds to further personalize your setup.
- Expand model railway with sound effects
- Use iPad or external speakers
- Control playback with switches (loop) or buttons (once)
- Individually adjust volume for each element
- Import custom sound effects
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With Train-Sounds you expand your model railway with additional sound effects. Thus the joy deepens around your model railway. Use your iPad speakers or external speakers to listen these effects. The combination of switches and buttons allow you to determine how these effects are to be played. With switches, the effects are playing in a continuous loop and with buttons only once. At each switching element, you can adjust the volume individually. Buy through the in-app you add value to your version of Train-Sounds, you can bring your own sound effects into the program.
Virtual Railfan
Stream live video feeds of real trains from numerous cameras across North America. Experience the thrill of watching trains in real-time, with a wide selection of locations available.
- Watch real trains live
- Live camera feeds
- Multiple North American locations
- Real-time train viewing
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Watch real trains live. The most live cameras and locations in North America. Terms of Use (EULA) - https://live.virtualrailfan.com/terms-and-conditions/web
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Train Sounds Effects at 4.1 against Virtual Railfan's 3.5. Train Sounds Effects also leads on review sentiment (73% vs 48%) and iOS requirement (12.3 vs 17.6). Virtual Railfan's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 3 months) and ratings volume (52 vs 10). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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
Both are free to download. Train Sounds Effects sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Virtual Railfan sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Train Sounds Effects holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Virtual Railfan has 52 ratings behind it against 10, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 73% of Train Sounds Effects's written reviews are positive against 48% of Virtual Railfan's.
Train Sounds Effects ships an update every 3 months, Virtual Railfan weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Train Sounds Effects | Virtual Railfan |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.1 (10 ratings) — better | 3.5 (52 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 73.3% of reviews — better | 48.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 10 | 52 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV |
| Requires iOS | 12.3 — better | 17.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 51 MB | 89 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Janko Enke | Virtual Railfan |
Customer experience
Train Sounds Effects
Virtual Railfan
In-app purchases
Train Sounds Effects
- Extra Package$0.99
Virtual Railfan
- First Class- Monthly Billing$8.991 Month
- First Class- Annual Billing$99.991 Year
Questions
Is Train Sounds Effects free?
Is Virtual Railfan free?
Which has better reviews, Train Sounds Effects or Virtual Railfan?
Do Train Sounds Effects or Virtual Railfan have ads?
Which is updated more often, Train Sounds Effects or Virtual Railfan?
Other comparisons
