Comparison

Scale Aviation Modeller INT vs Model Engineer

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

Head to head
About

Scale Aviation Modeller INT

This app offers a monthly publication focused on aircraft modeling, featuring news, reviews, and build guides. It caters to enthusiasts of all skill levels, encouraging personal skill development. Users can purchase individual issues or subscribe for access.

Highlights
  • Monthly aviation modeling news
  • Kit reviews by expert enthusiasts
  • Full build features
  • Classic plastic section
  • In-app issue purchases
  • Subscription options available
Features
Read full description

SAMI has established itself firmly as the market-leading title for news and product showcasing throughout the hobby, as well as the first choice for active modellers. Focussed entirely on kits and modelling, SAMI covers a wide range of subjects, genres and scales, presenting material intelligently and sympathetically, and always aimed at engaging the reader at every level. SAMI takes a monthly look at news of future releases, in box previews of new arrivals and test shots, kit reviews built up by a team of expert enthusiasts and full build features covering all aspects of modelling, including brand new up to the minute releases and our Classic Plastic section, dealing with the many thousands of kits in circulation that date back over fifty years and more. Contributions are drawn from all skill levels and styles, allowing the magazine depth and diversity, and our aim is to assist the reader to realise their own skills and abilities. With more than enough titles offering an elitist and exclusive approach to the hobby, our message is not ‘look at what we can do’, but rather ‘look at what you can do,’ and modellers everywhere have recognised that SAMI is written not only by modellers, but for people who build models, as well as those who collect them, or just like to look at those built by someone else. ---------------------------------------------- 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

Model Engineer

Explore the world of mechanical models, from vintage steam locomotives to modern engineering marvels. Access constructional articles, technique guides, and prototype profiles. Published 26 times a year, this app offers current and back issues for purchase.

Highlights
  • Constructional articles
  • Technique and tool guides
  • Prototype profiles
  • Current and back issue purchases
  • Digital subscription options
  • Cross-platform access via pocketmags account
Features
Read full description

Model Engineer is a great way to stay informed of everything to do with working mechanical models. With over 100 years of experience to draw on, Model Engineer covers everything from classic steam locomotives to cutting-edge modern developments in scale engineering. Regular content includes constructional articles, features on the best techniques and tools available and profiles of full-size modelling subject prototypes. Model Engineer magazine publishes 26 great issues a year. ---------------------------------------------- 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

Screenshots

Scale Aviation Modeller INT1 screens
Model Engineer1 screens

Verdict

The call

Scale Aviation Modeller INT and Model Engineer both sit at 4.4 stars, but that hides the real split: 50% of Model Engineer's written reviews are positive against 33% of Scale Aviation Modeller INT's. On price, rating, ratings volume 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. Scale Aviation Modeller INT sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Model Engineer sells 15 in-app purchases, starting at $22.99 per 3 months. 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 — 4.4 for Scale Aviation Modeller INT against 4.4 for Model Engineer. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 29 and 12 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 33% of Scale Aviation Modeller INT's written reviews are positive against 50% of Model Engineer's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Scale Aviation Modeller INT ships an update every 10 months, Model Engineer every 16 months. The most recent releases landed on August 25, 2026 and September 4, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Scale Aviation Modeller INT versus Model Engineer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterScale Aviation Modeller INTModel Engineer
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (29 ratings)4.4 (12 ratings)
Positive reviews33.3% of reviews50.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings29 — better12
Update frequencyEvery 10 months — betterEvery 16 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS11.211.2
Further details — not scored
Size79 MB27 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMA Publications LimitedMortons Media Group Ltd

Customer experience

Scale Aviation Modeller INT

All ratings29 ratings
Positive89.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative10.3%
Written reviews9 reviews
Positive33.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative66.7%

Model Engineer

All ratings12 ratings
Positive91.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative8.3%
Written reviews8 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

In-app purchases

11 purchases

Scale Aviation Modeller INT

Subscriptions3
  • Scale Aviation Mod$2.991 Month
  • Scale Aviation Mod$22.996 Months
  • Scale Aviation Mod1 Month trial$39.991 Year
One-time8
  • SAMI Vol 19 Iss... (id:373099)$3.99
  • SAMI Vol 19 Iss... (id:373311)$3.99
  • SAMI Vol 19 Iss... (id:371746)$3.99
Show 5 more
  • SAMI Vol 19 Iss... (id:375903)$3.99
  • SAMI Vol 20 Iss... (id:374269)$3.99
  • SAMI Vol 22 Iss... (id:416990)$3.99
  • SAMI Vol 22 Iss... (id:417000)$3.99
  • SAMI Vol 26 Iss... (id:480272)$3.99
15 purchases

Model Engineer

Subscriptions3
  • Model Engineer Auto-Renewable Subscriptions1 Month trial$22.993 Months
  • Model Engineer Auto-Renewable Subscriptions1 Month trial$44.996 Months
  • Model Engineer Auto-Renewable Subscriptions1 Month trial$51.991 Year
One-time12
  • Vol. 209 No. 4438 (id:377458)$3.99
  • 4528 (id:413119)$3.99
  • 4529 (id:413121)$3.99
Show 9 more
  • 4536 (id:413135)$3.99
  • 4540 (id:413143)$3.99
  • 4670 (id:493511)$3.99
  • 4527 (id:370106)$3.99
  • 4525 (id:379801)$3.99
  • No. 214 Vol. 4506 (id:403682)$3.99
  • 4582 (id:450649)$3.99
  • 25 Years of Mod... (id:799136)$6.99
  • The Best of Mod... (id:807404)$7.99

Questions

Is Scale Aviation Modeller INT free?
Scale Aviation Modeller INT is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Model Engineer free?
Model Engineer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Scale Aviation Modeller INT or Model Engineer?
Scale Aviation Modeller INT and Model Engineer are both rated 4.4 out of 5 on the App Store, from 29 and 12 ratings respectively.
Do Scale Aviation Modeller INT or Model Engineer have ads?
Neither Scale Aviation Modeller INT nor Model Engineer shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Scale Aviation Modeller INT or Model Engineer?
Scale Aviation Modeller INT ships an update every 10 months, and Model Engineer every 16 months. Most recently, Scale Aviation Modeller INT was updated on August 25, 2026 and Model Engineer on September 4, 2026.

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