Combat Clock 1a vs Virtual Railfan
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Combat Clock 1a
This app replicates a 12-hour analog ship's clock, displaying GPS coordinates, heading, and compass bearing. It features an alarm that rings every half hour based on traditional deck watch shifts. The application is active only in the foreground and does not save or transmit any user data.
- 12-hour analog clock with sweeping second hand
- Displays GPS coordinates
- Shows device heading and compass bearing
- Half-hourly alarm (1-8 bells)
- Foreground active only
- No data saving or transmission
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Combat Clock is a 12-hour analog clock (sweeping second hand) that is a contemporary replica of a WWI/WWII ship's clock used by the US Navy, Coast Guard and other government organizations. Location data is leveraged to display current GPS coordinates, heading and compass bearing that indicates the direction the top of the device (portrait mode) is pointing to (12 is North, 6 South, 3 East and 9 is West). Combat Clock includes an alarm that rings every half hour (1 to 8 bells) based on the old deck watch shift standard of 4 hour. The application is active only when it is in the foreground. No location or personal data is saved or sent from the device. There are no in-application advertisements, or purchases.
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 price: Virtual Railfan at Free against Combat Clock 1a's $0.99. Virtual Railfan also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months). Combat Clock 1a's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and rating (3.9 vs 3.5). On ratings volume, ads and device support 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
Virtual Railfan is free to download; Combat Clock 1a costs $0.99 up front. Virtual Railfan sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per month. Combat Clock 1a asks for nothing beyond the download.
Combat Clock 1a holds the better App Store score, 3.9 against 3.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 69 and 55 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 56% of Combat Clock 1a's written reviews are positive against 46% of Virtual Railfan's.
Combat Clock 1a ships an update every 2 months, Virtual Railfan weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 9, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Combat Clock 1a | Virtual Railfan |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $0.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 3.9 (69 ratings) — better | 3.5 (55 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 56.3% of reviews — better | 46.2% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 69 — better | 55 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | Free with in-app purchases — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 — better | 17.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 10 MB | 89 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | JOHN W GRANHOLM | Virtual Railfan |
Customer experience
Combat Clock 1a
Virtual Railfan
In-app purchases
Combat Clock 1a
No in-app purchases
Virtual Railfan
- First Class- Monthly Billing$8.991 Month
- First Class- Annual Billing$99.991 Year
Questions
Is Combat Clock 1a free?
Is Virtual Railfan free?
Which has better reviews, Combat Clock 1a or Virtual Railfan?
Do Combat Clock 1a or Virtual Railfan have ads?
Which is updated more often, Combat Clock 1a or Virtual Railfan?
Other comparisons
