SteamTrains vs Train Sounds Effects
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
SteamTrains
Watch 3D trains race on scenic landscapes and interact with them. Features simple driving games for younger children and collection challenges for older ones, offering a realistic train play experience.
- 3D train simulation
- Multiple camera angles
- Simple train driving game
- Wagon collection game
- Interactive railroad junctions
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SteamTrains Junior is a fun new app for kids aged from 3- 10. Small kids can watch the trains race around the railroad! Its all made in 3D so you can see everything from all angles. Its just like playing with the real thing ! The SteamTrains have properly functioning wheel mechanisms and race around the scenic landscape at high speed. It can all be viewed from different positions just by clicking the camera button. There are very simple games for small kids which involves driving a train around a railroad. The train can be driven as fast as you like and its course can be changed by clicking on the junction points matching buttons. For older kids there are more difficult games that involves trying to collect as many wagons as possible from around the traintrack. Loads of fun for kids !
Train Sounds Effects
Enhance your model railway experience with a variety of realistic train sound effects. Control playback with switches for continuous loops or buttons for single plays, and adjust individual volumes. Import your own sounds to further personalize your setup.
- Expand model railway with sound effects
- Use iPad or external speakers
- Control playback with switches (loop) or buttons (once)
- Individually adjust volume for each element
- Import custom sound effects
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With Train-Sounds you expand your model railway with additional sound effects. Thus the joy deepens around your model railway. Use your iPad speakers or external speakers to listen these effects. The combination of switches and buttons allow you to determine how these effects are to be played. With switches, the effects are playing in a continuous loop and with buttons only once. At each switching element, you can adjust the volume individually. Buy through the in-app you add value to your version of Train-Sounds, you can bring your own sound effects into the program.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Train Sounds Effects at 4.1 against SteamTrains's 3.5. Train Sounds Effects also leads on review sentiment (73% vs 37%). SteamTrains's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ratings volume (76 vs 10). On price, update cadence, ads and device support 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 Sounds Effects sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. SteamTrains asks for nothing beyond the download.
Train Sounds Effects holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SteamTrains has 76 ratings behind it against 10, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 37% of SteamTrains's written reviews are positive against 73% of Train Sounds Effects's.
Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 14, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | SteamTrains | Train Sounds Effects |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.5 (76 ratings) | 4.1 (10 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 36.7% of reviews | 73.3% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 76 — better | 10 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 3 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 8.0 — better | 12.3 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 287 MB | 51 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Kathrin Brock | Janko Enke |
Customer experience
SteamTrains
Train Sounds Effects
In-app purchases
SteamTrains
No in-app purchases
Train Sounds Effects
- Extra Package$0.99
Questions
Is SteamTrains free?
Is Train Sounds Effects free?
Which has better reviews, SteamTrains or Train Sounds Effects?
Do SteamTrains or Train Sounds Effects have ads?
Which is updated more often, SteamTrains or Train Sounds Effects?
Other comparisons
