Comparison

LightPlan vs TrainsFYI

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

Head to head
About

LightPlan

Visualize the sun and moon's path in 3D on real-world terrain to plan outdoor photography. See golden hour, blue hour, and shadows with precision. Save locations and camera angles for perfect shots.

Highlights
  • Photorealistic 3D sun and moon visualization
  • Interactive timeline for golden hour and blue hour
  • 3D building shadow visualization
  • Smart location library with custom camera angles
  • Syncs locations across devices
  • Elevation charts and compass
Features
Read full description

Know exactly when the sun will light the façade, before you book the shoot. LightPlan shows where the sun will be and where the shadows will fall at any address, on any date, at any time. Find the building, slide the timeline, and see the light. That's it. Made for real estate and architecture photographers who would rather be shooting than learning an app. BOOK THE RIGHT HOUR, NOT A GUESS Your client wants the front elevation in full sun and the lobby glass without glare. Drop a pin on the property, scrub through the day and watch the sun swing across the building. You'll know which morning or afternoon gives you the light you need, and you can give the agent a time with confidence. SEE THE SHADOWS BEFORE THEY RUIN THE SHOT Neighbouring towers, trees and parking structures cast shadows you only discover on site. LightPlan's 3D shadow map shows how shadows move across the property through the day, so you can avoid the hour when half the façade goes dark. SCOUT WITHOUT DRIVING THERE Photorealistic 3D maps let you look at the building from the street or from above, the way your camera or drone will see it. Work out your angles at your desk and arrive knowing exactly where to set up. NAIL THE TWILIGHT EXTERIOR Twilight shoots are won or lost in a few minutes. LightPlan gives you sunset, golden hour, blue hour and twilight times for the exact location, so you're set up and lit before the sky turns. SHARE THE PLAN, SKIP THE BACK-AND-FORTH Send the agent, architect or your second shooter a link to the exact place, time and view. It opens in LightPlan or in any web browser, so nobody needs the app to see the plan. SIMPLE BY DESIGN No dashboards. Nothing to set up. One clean map and one timeline. If you can use Maps, you can use LightPlan, and you'll have your answer in seconds. ON EVERY DEVICE YOU WORK FROM Plan on your Mac at the office, walk the client through it on iPad, and check it on your iPhone on site. Saved locations sync through iCloud. Stop guessing at the light. Plan it. Privacy‑focused design · No ads, ever · Works worldwide Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://lightplan.app/privacy.html

About

TrainsFYI

Explore active trains worldwide on a real-time map. Follow individual train journeys, see routes and stops, and browse by transit network. Coverage is expanding to more countries and rail systems.

Highlights
  • Live train position updates
  • Follow individual train journeys
  • View routes and stops
  • Browse by transit network
  • Worldwide coverage
Features
Read full description

Track passenger trains across the globe, and see where your train is right now. TrainsFYI is your real-time map and tracker for passenger rail. Whether you are a transit fan, traveler, or just curious, you can explore active trains and follow their journeys. Whether you are checking your Amtrak route, following the New York MTA Subway, tracking BART across the Bay Area, or just exploring rail activity worldwide, TrainsFYI makes it fun and easy to see where the trains are right now. FEATURES: • Interactive Map — Watch train positions update live across the world. • Follow Individual Trains — See routes, stops, and estimated arrival times. • Browse by Network — Explore 140+ supported transit agencies. • Zoom Anywhere — From your local station to cross-country journeys. SUPPORTED US NETWORKS: Amtrak, MTA New York City Subway, BART, Caltrain, Metra, Chicago Transit Authority, NJ Transit, Long Island Railroad, Metro-North Railroad, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, Metrolink, LA Metro, Sound Transit, TriMet, SEPTA, SunRail, Brightline, RTD Light Rail, Valley Metro Rail, San Diego MTS, Pittsburgh Regional Transit, Tri-Rail, ACE, MetroLink, ION Light Rail, South Shore Line, Metro Transit, KCATA, EMBARK, VTA Light Rail, San Francisco Muni, Virginia Railway Express, MARC, Dallas Area Rapid Transit, MARTA, Maryland Metro, and more. SUPPORTED CANADIAN NETWORKS: VIA Rail, GO Transit, Toronto Transit Commission, TransLink SkyTrain, STM (Société de transport de Montréal), Réseau Express Métropolitain, Exo, OC Transpo, UP Express, Edmonton Transit Service, Calgary Transit CTrain, and more. MORE NETWORKS WORLDWIDE: ScotRail, LNER, Elizabeth line, London Overground, Great Western Railway, Eurostar, SNCF, DB Fernverkehr, S-Bahn Berlin, S-Bahn München, SL, SJ, Renfe, Sydney Trains, Sydney Metro, Yarra Trams, Auckland Transport, Indian Railways, and more. COUNTRIES COVERED: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, Sweden, France, Spain, Argentina, India, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Mexico, Egypt, Finland, Belgium, Netherlands, and more. COMING SOON: We are expanding coverage to more countries and networks, including major rail systems in Europe and Asia. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

LightPlan4 screens
TrainsFYI4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ratings volume: TrainsFYI at 93 against LightPlan's 11. TrainsFYI also leads on iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence 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. LightPlan sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and TrainsFYI sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for LightPlan against 4.6 for TrainsFYI. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: TrainsFYI has 93 ratings behind it against 11, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 57% and 57% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

LightPlan ships an update every 3 weeks, TrainsFYI monthly. Both last shipped on October 30, 2026.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
LightPlan versus TrainsFYI: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLightPlanTrainsFYI
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (11 ratings) — better4.6 (93 ratings)
Positive reviews57.1% of reviews57.1% of reviews
Number of ratings1193 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterMonthly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, MaciPhone, iPad, Apple Watch
Requires iOS26.017.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size77 MB70 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRivolu LLCRadical Sloth

Customer experience

LightPlan

All ratings10 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive57.1%
Neutral0.0%
Negative42.9%

TrainsFYI

All ratings89 ratings
Positive91.0%
Neutral2.2%
Negative6.7%
Written reviews14 reviews
Positive57.1%
Neutral7.1%
Negative35.7%

In-app purchases

3 purchases

LightPlan

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly7 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • Yearly7 Days trial$19.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Membership$59.99
2 purchases

TrainsFYI

Subscriptions2
  • TrainsFYI Pro - Monthly$8.991 Month
  • TrainsFYI Pro - Annual$89.991 Year

Questions

Is LightPlan free?
LightPlan is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is TrainsFYI free?
TrainsFYI is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, LightPlan or TrainsFYI?
LightPlan is rated higher. LightPlan averages 4.6 out of 5 from 11 ratings, while TrainsFYI averages 4.6 from 93 ratings.
Do LightPlan or TrainsFYI have ads?
Neither LightPlan nor TrainsFYI shows ads.
Which is updated more often, LightPlan or TrainsFYI?
LightPlan ships an update every 3 weeks, and TrainsFYI monthly. Most recently, LightPlan was updated on October 30, 2026 and TrainsFYI on October 30, 2026.

Other comparisons