# Locontrol vs ThrottleCard

The clearest difference is rating: ThrottleCard at 4.3 against Locontrol's 3.0. ThrottleCard also leads on device support (4 vs 2). Locontrol's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (11.2 vs 17.5). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Locontrol sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and ThrottleCard sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ThrottleCard holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 15 and 11 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 47% of Locontrol's written reviews are positive against 50% of ThrottleCard's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Locontrol | ThrottleCard |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.0 (15 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/locontrol-dcc-controller/id1473757920/reviews) | **[4.3 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/throttlecard/id6739982126/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **15** | 11 |
| Positive reviews | 47.4% of reviews | **50.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Weekly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 32 MB | 117 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.2** | 17.5 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Vision Pro** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Danny Araujo](https://appshunter.io/developer/1473757919) | [Ryan Gant](https://appshunter.io/developer/941497897) |

## What reviewers say

### Locontrol

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/locontrol-dcc-controller/id1473757920)

Control your model railroad locomotives with an elegant DCC controller. Capture videos and photos of your trains in action. Compatible with DCC systems featuring Wi-Fi modules and JMRI.

**Highlights:** DCC locomotive control, In-app camera for videos and photos, Wi-Fi module compatibility, JMRI integration, Elegant and easy-to-use interface, Locomotive list management

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Access | $0.99 | per month |
| Full Access | $9.99 | per year |


### ThrottleCard

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/throttlecard/id6739982126)

Control your model railroad with this app featuring vintage-inspired controls and realistic animations. It supports multiple trains, game controllers, and offers advanced features like turnout and route control. A free version is available, with a premium subscription for enhanced functionality.

**Highlights:** Multi-throttle support, Vintage-inspired controls, Game controller integration, Automatic command station discovery, Turnout and route control, Apple Watch support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ThrottleCard Premium - Monthly | $0.99 | per month |
| ThrottleCard Premium - Yearly | $9.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Locontrol free?

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

### Is ThrottleCard free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Locontrol or ThrottleCard?

ThrottleCard is rated higher. Locontrol averages 3.0 out of 5 from 15 ratings, while ThrottleCard averages 4.3 from 11 ratings.

### Do Locontrol or ThrottleCard have ads?

ThrottleCard shows ads; Locontrol does not.

### Which is updated more often, Locontrol or ThrottleCard?

Locontrol ships an update weekly, and ThrottleCard weekly. Most recently, Locontrol was updated on October 7, 2026 and ThrottleCard on October 4, 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.*