Comparison

Hornby Magazine vs LccTools

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

Head to head
About

Hornby Magazine

This app offers a comprehensive guide to railway modelling for enthusiasts of all levels. Discover step-by-step tutorials, inspiring photography, and the latest news to enhance your hobby. It's designed by passionate modellers for those who share their enthusiasm.

Highlights
  • Step-by-step guides
  • Hints and tips
  • High-quality photography
  • Latest news
  • Newcomer introductions
  • Hobby promotion
Features
Read full description

Hornby Magazine takes a unique approach to model railways with both the relatively inexperienced and the seasoned modeller in mind, so subscribe today to get started or develop your hobby! Unique step-by-step guides offer modellers hints and tips on how to get the most from the hobby. The very best photography and all the very latest news inspire and inform modellers of all abilities. Hornby Magazine is dedicated to promoting this most rewarding of hobbies, introducing it to newcomers and those returning to the hobby. It is written by enthusiasts for enthusiasts - the editorial and publishing team are all active modellers who care passionately about the hobby. Please note: Posters, calendars or wall planners, plans, decals etc. may not necessarily be included with this digital issue. Please check the specific issue’s description within the app, to see if it is included with that digital version. Published by Key Publishing Ltd. The entire contents of this title is © copyright. All rights reserved. ---------------------------------------------- This is a free app download. Within the app users can purchase the current issue and back issues. Subscriptions are also available within the application. A subscription will start from the latest regular issue at the time of purchase. -The subscription will renew automatically unless cancelled more than 24 hours before the end of the current period. You will be charged for renewal within 24 hours of the end of the current period, for the same duration and at the current subscription rate for the product. -You may turn off the auto-renewal of subscriptions through your Account Settings, however you are not able to cancel the current subscription during its active period. -Payment will be charged to your iTunes account at confirmation of purchase and any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when a subscription to that publication is purchased. -If a subscription offers a free trial, at the end of the trial period, you will be charged the full price of the subscription. You may cancel a subscription during its free trial period via the subscription settings on your iTunes account. This must be done 24 hours before the end of the subscription period to avoid being charged. Users can register for/ login to a pocketmags account in-app. This will protect their issues in the case of a lost device and allow browsing of purchases on multiple platforms. Existing pocketmags users can retrieve their purchases by logging into their account. We recommend loading the app for the first time in a wi-fi area so that all issue data is retrieved. If your app will not load past the splash page after a first install or an update, please delete and reinstall the app from the App Store Help and frequently asked questions can be accessed in-app and on pocketmags. If you have any problems at all please do not hesitate to contact us: help@pocketmags.com -------------------- You can find our privacy policy here: http://www.pocketmags.com/privacy.aspx You can find our terms and conditions here: http://www.pocketmags.com/terms.aspx

About

LccTools

Control and configure your LCC/OpenLCB model railroad directly from your mobile device. Manage locomotives, turnouts, and events, and even update node firmware. Includes a companion Apple Watch app for convenient fast clock display.

Highlights
  • Locomotive control
  • Consist management
  • Fast clock display
  • Turnout operation
  • Event activation
  • Node configuration
  • Firmware updates
  • Bus traffic monitoring
Features
Read full description

LccTools provides the tools you need to operate and configure your LCC/OpenLCB model railroad in the palm of your hand! - Throttle - Works with the TCS CS-105 to control your locomotives - Consisting - Make, modify and break up locomotive consists - Fast Clock - Display the fast clock time - Turnouts - Operate your DCC turnouts - Events - Send defined events to activate your railroad's controls - Configuration - Provides configuration menus for all your LCC nodes - Firmware Update - Download new, updated firmware into your nodes - Monitor - See the traffic on your LCC bus If you have an Apple Watch, LccTools includes a companion watch app that will let you put the railroad's fast time on your wrist for easy reference. Requires a WiFi LCC network hub. Works with hubs provided by the TCS CS-105, JMRI and others.

Screenshots

Hornby Magazine4 screens
LccTools2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: LccTools at 100% against Hornby Magazine's 50%. LccTools also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.3) and in-app purchases (none vs 10). Hornby Magazine's advantage is ratings volume (17 vs 5) and iOS requirement (11.2 vs 16.6). On price, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Hornby Magazine sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $5.49 per month. LccTools asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

LccTools holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 17 and 5 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of Hornby Magazine's written reviews are positive against 100% of LccTools's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Hornby Magazine ships an update every 5 months, LccTools every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 10, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Hornby Magazine versus LccTools: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHornby MagazineLccTools
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.3 (17 ratings)4.8 (5 ratings) — better
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings17 — better5
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS11.2 — better16.6
Further details — not scored
Size91 MB3 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKey PublishingBob Jacobsen

Customer experience

Hornby Magazine

All ratings17 ratings
Positive82.4%
Neutral0.0%
Negative17.6%
Written reviews38 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral7.9%
Negative42.1%

LccTools

All ratings5 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

10 purchases

Hornby Magazine

Subscriptions3
  • Hornby Magazine7 Days trial$5.491 Month
  • Hornby Magazine14 Days trial$28.996 Months
  • Hornby Magazine1 Month trial$49.991 Year
One-time7
  • April 2012 (id:748601)$4.99
  • June 2012 (id:735960)$4.99
  • May 2013 (id:736196)$4.99
Show 4 more
  • November 2013 (id:745904)$4.99
  • September 2012 (id:737634)$4.99
  • February 2013 (id:737253)$4.99
  • Hornby Magazine... (id:799375)$6.99
None

LccTools

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Hornby Magazine free?
Hornby Magazine is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is LccTools free?
LccTools is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Hornby Magazine or LccTools?
LccTools is rated higher. Hornby Magazine averages 4.3 out of 5 from 17 ratings, while LccTools averages 4.8 from 5 ratings.
Do Hornby Magazine or LccTools have ads?
Neither Hornby Magazine nor LccTools shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Hornby Magazine or LccTools?
Hornby Magazine ships an update every 5 months, and LccTools every 3 weeks. Most recently, Hornby Magazine was updated on November 10, 2026 and LccTools on November 3, 2026.

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