# Sid Meier’s Railroads! vs Train Manager

The clearest difference is update cadence: Train Manager at fortnightly against Sid Meier’s Railroads!'s every 5 months. On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Sid Meier’s Railroads! sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Train Manager sells 12 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Sid Meier’s Railroads! against 4.8 for Train Manager. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.4K and 941 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 59% of Sid Meier’s Railroads!'s written reviews are positive against 52% of Train Manager's.

Sid Meier’s Railroads! ships an update every 5 months, Train Manager fortnightly. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sid Meier’s Railroads! | Train Manager |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (1.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sid-meiers-railroads/id1449719281/reviews) | **[4.8 (941 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/train-manager-2026/id6448614242/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.4K** | 941 |
| Positive reviews | **59.4% of reviews** | 52.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 1.6 GB | 86 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.5 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Feral Interactive Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/402470125) | [Xombat ApS](https://appshunter.io/developer/453573467) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### Train Manager

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/train-manager-2026/id6448614242)

Build and manage your own railroad empire from scratch. Compete globally, schedule international routes, and track your trains live. Choose between easy or realistic gameplay modes to become a railway mogul.

**Highlights:** Manage your own railroad empire, Create and schedule international routes, Track trains live, Realistic gameplay modes, Manage staff and invest in companies, Customize and upgrade trains

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

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Special Deal | $0.99 | one-time |
| Mini Package | $2.99 | one-time |
| Rookie Deal | $4.99 | one-time |
| Rookie Deal | $5.99 | one-time |
| Standard Package | $5.99 | one-time |
| Rookie Deal | $6.99 | one-time |
| Kickstarter Package | $9.99 | one-time |
| Journeyman Deal | $9.99 | one-time |
| Expert Deal | $22.99 | one-time |
| Premium Package | $22.99 | one-time |
| Jumbo Package | $49.99 | one-time |
| Mega Package | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Good game
- 🚀 Realistic train operations
- 👍 Easy to learn
- 👍 Clear and easy to understand user interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and freezes
- 🐛 Glitchy and buggy
- 💰 Requires paying to progress
- 🕰️ Slow pace of the game
- 🚂 Limited train selection, especially for certain regions

**Reported bugs**

- Endless blue screen on launch
- Game freezes or crashes
- Issues with loading and logging in
- Inability to depart trains or make purchases

**Requested features**

- Add more train models and liveries
- Implement sandbox mode
- Add train timetables and running maps
- Allow trains to run automatically between destinations
- Improve the ticketing system


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sid Meier’s Railroads! free?

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

### Is Train Manager free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Sid Meier’s Railroads! or Train Manager?

Train Manager is rated higher. Sid Meier’s Railroads! averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.4K ratings, while Train Manager averages 4.8 from 941 ratings.

### Do Sid Meier’s Railroads! or Train Manager have ads?

Neither Sid Meier’s Railroads! nor Train Manager shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Sid Meier’s Railroads! or Train Manager?

Sid Meier’s Railroads! ships an update every 5 months, and Train Manager fortnightly. Most recently, Sid Meier’s Railroads! was updated on October 24, 2026 and Train Manager on October 24, 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.*