RCM&E vs Model Car Builder
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
RCM&E
This app delivers the latest in radio control flying, featuring in-depth reviews, build articles, and expert columns. Access current and past issues of the leading UK model flying magazine, with free plans included in print editions.
- In-depth reviews of R/C models and electronics
- Informative features and opinionated columns
- Free plans with accompanying build articles
- Access to current and back issues
- User accounts for purchase protection
- Multiple subscription options
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Catering for all aspects of R/C flying, Radio Control Models and Electronics first appeared in May 1960 and is the biggest and best selling monthly model flying magazine in the United Kingdom with a large overseas readership. RCM&E has brought benchmark levels of writing and photography to the hobby and each issue has extensive reviews, informative features and opinionated columns from a number of well-known contributors. With every Print issue you'll find a high-quality free plan along with an accompanying build article. RCM&E publishes 13 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
Model Car Builder
This app provides in-depth, step-by-step guides for detailing and building model cars. It features articles from experienced modelers, catering to both beginners and advanced hobbyists. Magazine subscriptions are available for purchase within the app.
- Step-by-step detailing guides
- Feature cars by top modelers
- Beginner to advanced tips
- Magazine subscriptions
- Visual design and graphics focus
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MODEL CAR BUILDER (MCB). I’ve been a model car builder all my life. I started as a kid and I’ve been building ever since. In the late 80s, early 90s I published a model car magazine called “Plastic Fanatic”. I sold the magazine and went back to school to study visual design and computer graphics. Kind of fell out of the hobby for a while, but then my wife and friends encouraged me to start building again, that’s when I decided to start a new magazine. Only this time the magazine is strictly a “how-to” magazine. No kit reviews, no events coverage, no new products section, strictly how-to’s and feature cars. Our in-depth how-to articles show you step-by-step how to detail a model car and our feature cars are done by some of the best modelers in the country. If you’re a serious model car builder, or a beginner looking for tips, then MCB is a “must have” for your work bench. Magazine Subscriptions are available for purchase inside this app. Six months subscription - $13.99 (automatically renewed until canceled) One year subscription - $16.99 (automatically renewed until canceled) Your subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. Your iTunes account will automatically be charged at the same price for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period unless you change your subscription preferences in your account settings. You can manage your subscriptions through your account settings after purchase on your device. No cancellation of the current subscription is allowed during active subscription period. Please visit http://www.magzter.com/ns/privacy-policy.html for our Privacy Policy and http://www.magzter.com/ns/terms_condition.html for our Terms & Conditions
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: RCM&E at 4.6 against Model Car Builder's 3.3. RCM&E also leads on monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription) and review sentiment (56% vs 25%). Model Car Builder's advantage is update cadence (every 3 months vs every 8 months) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 11.2). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases 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. RCM&E sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $12.99 per 3 months and Model Car Builder sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
RCM&E holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 14 and 12 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 56% of RCM&E's written reviews are positive against 25% of Model Car Builder's.
RCM&E ships an update every 8 months, Model Car Builder every 3 months. Both last shipped on November 1, 2026.
| Parameter | RCM&E | Model Car Builder |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (14 ratings) — better | 3.3 (12 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 56.3% of reviews — better | 25.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 14 — better | 12 |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | Every 3 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases — better | Subscription |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 11.2 | 8.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 25 MB | 26 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Mortons Media Group Ltd | Magzter Inc. |
Customer experience
RCM&E
Model Car Builder
In-app purchases
RCM&E
- RCM&E Auto-Renewable Subscription1 Month trial$12.993 Months
- RCM&E Auto-Renewable Subscription1 Month trial$26.996 Months
- RCM&E Auto-Renewable Subscription1 Month trial$36.991 Year
- April 2013 (id:738909)$4.99
- March 2013 (id:736741)$4.99
- Autumn Special ... (id:739560)$4.99
Show 4 moreShow fewer
- Model Flying Wo... (id:749308)$4.99
- Oct-16 (id:792353)$5.99
- Nov-16 (id:792357)$5.99
- Dec-16 (id:792359)$5.99
Model Car Builder
- Model Car Builder - Fall 2013$4.99
- Model Car Builder - Summer 2013$4.99
- Model Car Builder - Spring 2013$4.99
Show 7 moreShow fewer
- Model Car Builder - Winter 2013$4.99
- Model Car Builder - Winter 2014$4.99
- Model Car Builder - Summer 2014$4.99
- Model Car Builder - Winter 2014 vol 2$4.99
- Model Car Builder Winter 2015$4.99
- Model Car Builder - Summer 2015$4.99
- Model Car Builder - Winter 2014, Vol 2, No. 5$4.99
Questions
Is RCM&E free?
Is Model Car Builder free?
Which has better reviews, RCM&E or Model Car Builder?
Do RCM&E or Model Car Builder have ads?
Which is updated more often, RCM&E or Model Car Builder?
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