# Combat Clock 1a vs Virtual Railfan

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Combat Clock 1a | Virtual Railfan |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $0.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[3.9 (69 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/combat-clock-1a/id1464746159/reviews)** | [3.5 (55 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/virtual-railfan/id6743782085/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **69** | 55 |
| Positive reviews | **56.3% of reviews** | 46.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 10 MB | 89 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 17.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [JOHN W GRANHOLM](https://appshunter.io/developer/1464746158) | [Virtual Railfan](https://appshunter.io/developer/1804526463) |

## What reviewers say

### Combat Clock 1a

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/combat-clock-1a/id1464746159)

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.

**Highlights:** 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

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### 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 Combat Clock 1a free?

Combat Clock 1a costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Virtual Railfan free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Combat Clock 1a or Virtual Railfan?

Combat Clock 1a is rated higher. Combat Clock 1a averages 3.9 out of 5 from 69 ratings, while Virtual Railfan averages 3.5 from 55 ratings.

### Do Combat Clock 1a or Virtual Railfan have ads?

Neither Combat Clock 1a nor Virtual Railfan shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Combat Clock 1a or Virtual Railfan?

Combat Clock 1a ships an update every 2 months, and Virtual Railfan weekly. Most recently, Combat Clock 1a was updated on November 3, 2026 and Virtual Railfan on November 9, 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.*