Comparison

Railstream vs Beijing Subway

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Railstream

Experience live railcams from across the United States and Canada. Watch over two dozen cameras in real time, with a selection available for all viewers and premium content for members. Keep your devices entertained with continuous railway action.

Highlights
  • Live railcams
  • United States and Canada coverage
  • Real-time streaming
  • Multiple camera views
  • Membership-exclusive content
Features
Read full description

Live from the United States and Canada, Railstream brings you over 2 dozen railcams to watch in real time! Nine cameras are available for all viewers, while others are membership only. Try this app and your TV and mobile devices will never be dark again! Railstream Pricing: • Subscription 1 Month - USD 12.99* • Subscription 1 Year - USD 149.99* * For non-US app stores, the equivalent currency charges will apply. Please note: App subscriptions do not include access to subscription-only content on our website. Additional Subscription Information: • Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. • Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. • Account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period, and identify the cost of the renewal. • Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's Account Settings after purchase. • No cancellation of the current subscription is allowed during active subscription period. Privacy Policy - https://bit.ly/2J5Ujfh Terms of Use - https://bit.ly/2J1YZqL • Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription to that publication, where applicable.

About

Beijing Subway

Experience the hustle of a major city's subway system as a train driver. Navigate iconic Beijing landmarks, manage train operations, and learn the responsibilities of a machinist. Explore the city's transportation network from a unique perspective.

Highlights
  • Subway train driving simulation
  • Explore Beijing landmarks
  • Learn machinist profession
  • Adjust speed and control doors
  • Study subway map
  • Play as a passenger
Features
Read full description

If you love noise and the hustle and bustle of the city, then you will love Beijing Subway! With our subway simulator, you will not only see all the magnificent sights of Beijing but also learn a lot about the profession of machinist! TOUGH JOB Being a machinist is not easy, but you can do it! The instructions in the driver's cabin will help you. Adjust the speed, stop the train, open and close the doors. The control panel looks complicated, but its use is simple: press the buttons, twitch the levers - and everything will work! In just a couple of minutes, you will become a high-class driver, who will be applauded by passengers at every stop. TOURISM IS IN FULL SWING National Library, Tiananmen Square, Wangfujing, Temple of Heaven, and more: find out how to get to the most famous sights by subway! Immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the Chinese metropolis! You are one of the most important parts of Beijing's transportation artery, and the city's life and economy depend on your actions. Thanks to you, the city will flourish! Also, you can: - choose your train; - play as a passenger; - study the map of subway lines. https://gamenesis.com/privacy https://gamenesis.com/tos

Screenshots

Railstream4 screens
Beijing Subway4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is monetization model: Beijing Subway at free with in-app purchases against Railstream's subscription. Beijing Subway also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 4 months). Railstream's advantage is review sentiment (58% vs 33%) and rating (4.1 vs 3.8). On price, ads, in-app purchases 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Railstream sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $12.99 per month and Beijing Subway sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 3 months. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Railstream holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 3.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 128 and 27 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 58% of Railstream's written reviews are positive against 33% of Beijing Subway's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Railstream ships an update every 4 months, Beijing Subway fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on August 25, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Railstream versus Beijing Subway: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRailstreamBeijing Subway
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.1 (128 ratings) — better3.8 (27 ratings)
Positive reviews58.5% of reviews — better33.3% of reviews
Number of ratings128 — better27
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsFortnightly — better
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationSubscriptionFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.6 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size85 MB581 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRailstream, LLCGamenezis

Customer experience

Railstream

All ratings128 ratings
Positive75.8%
Neutral4.7%
Negative19.5%
Written reviews65 reviews
Positive58.5%
Neutral7.7%
Negative33.8%

Beijing Subway

All ratings27 ratings
Positive66.7%
Neutral7.4%
Negative25.9%
Written reviews30 reviews
Positive33.3%
Neutral6.7%
Negative60.0%

Bugs and requests

Railstream

Reported bugs

24 issues
  • Boyce Cam stuck at night
  • Sound bugs on Fostoria Ohio free cams
  • App crashes or freezes
  • App gets slow
  • Login issues, doesn't recall membership
Show 19 more
  • Annoying messages for members
  • Stuck waiting message
  • Reset and spinning wheel icon
  • iPad app killed after update
  • Static and connection problems
  • App kicks out members
  • Selma cam glitches, shows daytime at night
  • Issues with Apple Play (sound but blank screen)
  • Blank picture on Apple Play for some cameras
  • Cameras off at 10pm PST
  • Cameras jumping back and forth
  • Internal service error on password reset
  • App crashes in landscape mode
  • Payment option not available (forcing PayPal)
  • App says 'something went wrong' on sign in
  • Shenedoah junction free cam does not work
  • White line bug on video player
  • Light brown screen with RETRY error
  • Little black airplane icon

Requested features

21 requests
  • Add Thomasville NC railcam for free
  • Lower membership price
  • Add Metra camera
  • Add multi-view cams back
  • Add more multi-view cams
Show 16 more
  • Add a railcam in WA (Sumner, Puyallup, Auburn, Tukwilla)
  • Add another free camera for Atlanta, GA (other direction)
  • Add cameras in St. Louis, MO, Jonesboro, AR, Memphis, TN, Little Rock, AR
  • Add 1 or 2 new free cams
  • Add more free cameras
  • Add more cameras on the west coast
  • Add cameras at Horseshoe Curve
  • Add cameras on the BNSF railway line
  • Add more spots on the free section
  • Add BNSF and Union Pacific cameras
  • Add playback mode
  • Add a cam in Cleveland Ohio
  • Add more cams and information overlay
  • Add Spokane or Seattle cams
  • Add a dark mode option
  • Add advanced analytics dashboard

Beijing Subway

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

10 purchases

Railstream

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Subscription$12.991 Month
  • Annual Subscription$149.991 Year
One-time8
  • Railstream Feed 95$12.99
  • Railstream Feed 96$12.99
  • Railstream Feed 93$12.99
Show 5 more
  • Railstream Feed 94$12.99
  • Railstream Feed 97$12.99
  • Railstream Feed 98$12.99
  • Railstream Feed 99$12.99
  • Railstream Feed 100$12.99
6 purchases

Beijing Subway

Subscriptions6
  • 3 Months Sale Subscription$1.993 Months
  • 1 Week Subscription$6.997 Days
  • 1 Week Subscription Sale$9.997 Days
Show 3 more
  • 1 Week Subscription$13.997 Days
  • 1 Month Subscription2 variants$19.991 Month
  • 2 Months Subscription Sale$27.492 Months

Questions

Is Railstream free?
Railstream is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Beijing Subway free?
Beijing Subway is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Railstream or Beijing Subway?
Railstream is rated higher. Railstream averages 4.1 out of 5 from 128 ratings, while Beijing Subway averages 3.8 from 27 ratings.
Do Railstream or Beijing Subway have ads?
Both Railstream and Beijing Subway show ads.
Which is updated more often, Railstream or Beijing Subway?
Railstream ships an update every 4 months, and Beijing Subway fortnightly. Most recently, Railstream was updated on August 25, 2026 and Beijing Subway on September 21, 2026.

Other comparisons