# Train Sounds Effects vs Virtual Railfan

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Train Sounds Effects | Virtual Railfan |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.1 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/train-sounds-effects/id1332282961/reviews)** | [3.5 (52 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/virtual-railfan/id6743782085/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 10 | **52** |
| Positive reviews | **73.3% of reviews** | 48.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 51 MB | 89 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.3** | 17.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Janko Enke](https://appshunter.io/developer/1315299612) | [Virtual Railfan](https://appshunter.io/developer/1804526463) |

## What reviewers say

### Train Sounds Effects

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/train-sounds-effects/id1332282961)

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.

**Highlights:** 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

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Extra Package | $0.99 | one-time |


### Virtual Railfan

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/virtual-railfan/id6743782085)

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.

**Highlights:** Watch real trains live, Live camera feeds, Multiple North American locations, Real-time train viewing

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| First Class- Monthly Billing | $8.99 | per month |
| First Class- Annual Billing | $99.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Train Sounds Effects free?

Train Sounds Effects is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Virtual Railfan free?

Virtual Railfan is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Train Sounds Effects or Virtual Railfan?

Train Sounds Effects is rated higher. Train Sounds Effects averages 4.1 out of 5 from 10 ratings, while Virtual Railfan averages 3.5 from 52 ratings.

### Do Train Sounds Effects or Virtual Railfan have ads?

Neither Train Sounds Effects nor Virtual Railfan shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Train Sounds Effects or Virtual Railfan?

Train Sounds Effects ships an update every 3 months, and Virtual Railfan weekly. Most recently, Train Sounds Effects was updated on October 24, 2026 and Virtual Railfan on October 28, 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.*