# RailControl Pro vs Smaart

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Smaart at none against RailControl Pro's 3. Smaart also leads on iOS requirement (15.4 vs 17.6). RailControl Pro's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 23 months). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. RailControl Pro sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per year. Smaart asks for nothing beyond the download.

RailControl Pro ships an update monthly, Smaart every 23 months. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | RailControl Pro | Smaart |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.3 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/railcontrol-pro/id1598836499/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **6** | — |
| Positive reviews | 72.2% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 23 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 19 MB | 14 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **15.4** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Boterham](https://appshunter.io/developer/552486731) | [D-Home Smaart](https://appshunter.io/developer/1277650357) |

## What reviewers say

### RailControl Pro

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/railcontrol-pro/id1598836499)

Easily control your Märklin model train layout from your iPhone or iPad. Manage locomotives, accessories, and events with intuitive controls, keyboard shortcuts, and even game controllers. Offers a free trial before requiring a subscription.

**Highlights:** Connect Märklin CS2/CS3, Control locomotives (speed, direction, functions), Control accessories (turnouts, signals), Start events, Multi-window and Stage Manager support on iPad, Dark Mode, Keyboard shortcuts, Game controller support

**Features:** Game Controller support, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Hobby | $14.99 | per year |
| Pro | $24.99 | per year |
| Family Pro | $39.99 | per year |


### Smaart

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smaart-access/id1606763080)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is RailControl Pro free?

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

### Is Smaart free?

Smaart is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do RailControl Pro or Smaart have ads?

Neither RailControl Pro nor Smaart shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, RailControl Pro or Smaart?

RailControl Pro ships an update monthly, and Smaart every 23 months. Most recently, RailControl Pro was updated on October 25, 2026 and Smaart on October 19, 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.*