ECoS Cab vs RocControl
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
ECoS Cab
Transform your mobile devices into wireless handheld controllers for your model railroad. Seamlessly manage trains, signals, and accessories across your layout without the hassle of wired connections. Requires a compatible command station connected to your network.
- Handheld model railroad controller
- Wireless network connection
- Control trains, signals, and accessories
- No need for wired devices
- Compatible with ESU ECoS, CabControl, PIKO SmartBox
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ECoS Cab is the number-one application that turns your devices into handheld controllers for your model railroad. With ECoS Cab, you can follow your trains around your layout without worrying about plugging and unplugging a wired device as you move. Using a wireless network connection and an ESU ECoS, ESU CabControl, PIKO SmartBox, or Central Station Reloaded command station connected to the network, ECoS Cab can run trains and control signals, turnouts, and other accessories configured in the command station.
RocControl
Control your digital model railroad layouts remotely. Manage locomotives, switches, and signals, and set trains to run automatically. Connect to a Rocrail server to operate your entire layout from your mobile device.
- Control locomotives, switches, and signals
- Automatic train operation
- Dialogs for blocks, turntables, and staging yards
- Dedicated locomotive throttle
- Layout, driving, and system control tabs
- Automatic connection to local Rocrail servers
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The app controls digital model railroad layouts by driving locomotives, set switches, set signal, and let run trains automatically. This app is a mobile client for the model railroad program Rocrail. See https://wiki.rocrail.net for more information on Rocrail. The app offers dialogs for blocks, turntables, traversers, staging and fiddleyards; All you need to control your model railroad layout with a mobile device. A special dialog is the throttle for controlling locomotives speed and functions. The app has 3 main tabs: One for the layout, one for driving and one for the system controls and tracing. In order to control a model railroad layout the app must be connected to a Rocrail server. If one is found on the local network, mDNS/Bonjour, it will automatically connect to it. The Rocrail Demo server can be connected if no local server has been found. This option is available in the Settings menu, the gear symbol right on top, if no local server has been found.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: RocControl at none against ECoS Cab's 9. RocControl also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (weekly vs every 6 weeks). ECoS Cab's advantage is review sentiment (60% vs 50%). On price, device support and iOS requirement 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
Both are free to download. ECoS Cab sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. RocControl asks for nothing beyond the download.
ECoS Cab ships an update every 6 weeks, RocControl weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 15, 2026 and August 30, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | ECoS Cab | RocControl |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.0 (5 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 60.0% of reviews — better | 50.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 5 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | Weekly — better |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 16.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 120 MB | 4 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Kostiantyn Kolesnik | Rocrail |
Customer experience
ECoS Cab
RocControl
In-app purchases
ECoS Cab
- Cloud Sync, monthly$2.991 Month
- Client, monthly2 variants$12.991 Month
- Web Server, monthly2 variants$17.991 Month
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- Client, annually2 variants$99.991 Year
- Client, life-time2 variants$149.99
RocControl
No in-app purchases







