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.
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.
- Monthly aviation modeling news
- Kit reviews by expert enthusiasts
- Full build features
- Classic plastic section
- In-app issue purchases
- Subscription options available
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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
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.
- Constructional articles
- Technique and tool guides
- Prototype profiles
- Current and back issue purchases
- Digital subscription options
- Cross-platform access via pocketmags account
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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
Verdict
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
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.
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.
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.
| Parameter | Scale Aviation Modeller INT | Model Engineer |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.4 (29 ratings) | 4.4 (12 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 33.3% of reviews | 50.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 29 — better | 12 |
| Update frequency | Every 10 months — better | Every 16 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 11.2 | 11.2 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 79 MB | 27 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | MA Publications Limited | Mortons Media Group Ltd |
Customer experience
Scale Aviation Modeller INT
Model Engineer
In-app purchases
Scale Aviation Modeller INT
- Scale Aviation Mod$2.991 Month
- Scale Aviation Mod$22.996 Months
- Scale Aviation Mod1 Month trial$39.991 Year
- 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 moreShow fewer
- 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
Model Engineer
- 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
- Vol. 209 No. 4438 (id:377458)$3.99
- 4528 (id:413119)$3.99
- 4529 (id:413121)$3.99
Show 9 moreShow fewer
- 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?
Is Model Engineer free?
Which has better reviews, Scale Aviation Modeller INT or Model Engineer?
Do Scale Aviation Modeller INT or Model Engineer have ads?
Which is updated more often, Scale Aviation Modeller INT or Model Engineer?
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