# WiThrottle vs Locontrol

The clearest difference is price: Locontrol at Free against WiThrottle's $9.99. Locontrol also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months). WiThrottle's advantage is rating (4.3 vs 3.0) and review sentiment (83% vs 47%). On ratings volume, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Locontrol is free to download; WiThrottle costs $9.99 up front. Locontrol sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. WiThrottle asks for nothing beyond the download.

WiThrottle holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 40 and 15 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 83% of WiThrottle's written reviews are positive against 47% of Locontrol's.

WiThrottle ships an update every 2 months, Locontrol weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | WiThrottle | Locontrol |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $9.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.3 (40 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/withrottle/id344172578/reviews)** | [3.0 (15 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/locontrol-dcc-controller/id1473757920/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **40** | 15 |
| Positive reviews | **83.1% of reviews** | 47.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | **#139** | — |
| Size | 6 MB | 32 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 11.2 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Beth Hoffman](https://appshunter.io/developer/344172581) | [Danny Araujo](https://appshunter.io/developer/1473757919) |

## What reviewers say

### WiThrottle

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/withrottle/id344172578)

**Currently charting:** #139 Top Paid · Utilities (US App Store)

Control your model railroad trains wirelessly using your mobile device. This app connects to JMRI software or specific hardware modules for comprehensive throttle, address, and function management.

**Highlights:** Wireless throttle control, JMRI integration, Function controls F0-F68, Control routes & turnouts, Import roster & function labels, Acquire & dispatch addresses

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use interface
- 🚀 Works great with JMRI
- 📱 Controls trains wirelessly
- 💡 Excellent value for money
- 🔧 Great customer support

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Connection drops when backgrounded
- 🐛 JMRI connection issues
- 🐛 Some features not working
- 🐛 UI could be improved
- 🐛 Limited on iPhone vs iPad

**Reported bugs**

- Power ON/OFF broken
- Horn gets stuck on with DCC-EX
- Minor glitchy unresponsive throttle slider
- App would not connect to JMRI 5.2
- Connection to JMRI server drops when app goes to background

**Requested features**

- Support for DCC-EX
- Night mode and dark mode
- Turnout/Points control in main UI
- Routes support with MRC Wi-Fi module
- Customizable features like Android app


### Locontrol

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/locontrol-dcc-controller/id1473757920)

Control your model railroad locomotives with an elegant DCC controller. Capture videos and photos of your trains in action. Compatible with DCC systems featuring Wi-Fi modules and JMRI.

**Highlights:** DCC locomotive control, In-app camera for videos and photos, Wi-Fi module compatibility, JMRI integration, Elegant and easy-to-use interface, Locomotive list management

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Access | $0.99 | per month |
| Full Access | $9.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is WiThrottle free?

WiThrottle costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Locontrol free?

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

### Which has better reviews, WiThrottle or Locontrol?

WiThrottle is rated higher. WiThrottle averages 4.3 out of 5 from 40 ratings, while Locontrol averages 3.0 from 15 ratings.

### Do WiThrottle or Locontrol have ads?

Neither WiThrottle nor Locontrol shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, WiThrottle or Locontrol?

WiThrottle ships an update every 2 months, and Locontrol weekly. Most recently, WiThrottle was updated on October 14, 2026 and Locontrol on October 7, 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.*