Train Throttle vs RocControl
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Train Throttle
Control your DCC model trains wirelessly from your Mac, iPhone, or iPad. Manage multiple engines, set turnouts, and toggle routes. A free trial offers core functionality, with a subscription unlocking advanced features.
- Wireless DCC train control
- Control multiple engines/consists
- Set turnouts and toggle routes
- Free trial with core features
- Full feature subscription
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Train Throttle is a fully featured client for the JMRI WiThrottle server, which allows you to control your DCC equipped model trains using your iPhone or iPad and a compatible WiThrottle server. You can control multiple engines or consists, set turnouts, toggle routes, and more. The free trial is unlimited! However, certain features are disabled, including: * Turnout control * Route control * Roster lists * Functions 13-68 * Some Customization features The use of this app is covered by Apple's EULA: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ This app respects your privacy: https://drewhoffman.net/trainthrottle/privacy.html
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 review sentiment: Train Throttle at 100% against RocControl's 50%. RocControl's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months). On price, ads, 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. Train Throttle sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per year. RocControl asks for nothing beyond the download.
Train Throttle ships an update every 2 months, RocControl fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Train Throttle | RocControl |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better | 50.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 2 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Fortnightly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Requires iOS | 16.1 — better | 16.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 6 MB | 4 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Drew Hoffman | Rob Versluis |
Customer experience
Train Throttle
RocControl
In-app purchases
Train Throttle
- Subscribe$1.991 Year
- Tip a Coffee$3.99
- Purchase$12.99
RocControl
No in-app purchases









