# Clamshell vs Rail Roster

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Clamshell at none against Rail Roster's 5. Clamshell also leads on iOS requirement (18.4 vs 26.0). Rail Roster's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 6 weeks). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Rail Roster sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per year. Clamshell asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Clamshell against 5.0 for Rail Roster. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 1 respectively.

Clamshell ships an update every 6 weeks, Rail Roster weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Clamshell | Rail Roster |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/clamshell/id6477896729/reviews) | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rail-roster-tracker/id6758860130/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 80.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 8 MB | 128 MB |
| Requires iOS | **18.4** | 26.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | +4 |
| Developer | [Alexander Kovrazhkin](https://appshunter.io/developer/1544108014) | [Robotic Snail Software LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1232381880) |

## What reviewers say

### Clamshell

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/clamshell/id6477896729)

Monitor the status of all your Macs from your iPhone or iPad. This app allows you to track lid and system states remotely, ensuring you're always informed about your devices. It utilizes iCloud for secure data synchronization without third-party servers.

**Highlights:** Monitor Mac lid states, Track system statuses (Awake, Sleep, etc.), Remote monitoring from iPhone/iPad, iCloud synchronization, Supports Mac desktops

**In-app purchases:** none


### Rail Roster

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rail-roster-tracker/id6758860130)

Manage and catalog your model train collection with detailed records for trains, accessories, and consists. Track specifications, purchase history, and operational details, with powerful search and filtering tools. Visualize your collection's growth and value with insightful dashboards and charts.

**Highlights:** Catalog trains, accessories, and consists, Detailed model and prototype specifications, Track electronics, operation, and maintenance, Purchase history and value tracking, Photo support with galleries, Consist building and analysis tools, Collection insights and charts

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium - Yearly | $4.99 | per year |
| Small Tip | $0.99 | one-time |
| Medium Tip | $2.99 | one-time |
| Large Tip | $4.99 | one-time |
| Premium - Lifetime | $19.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Clamshell free?

Clamshell is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Rail Roster free?

Rail Roster is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Clamshell or Rail Roster?

Clamshell and Rail Roster are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 1 ratings respectively.

### Do Clamshell or Rail Roster have ads?

Neither Clamshell nor Rail Roster shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Clamshell or Rail Roster?

Clamshell ships an update every 6 weeks, and Rail Roster weekly. Most recently, Clamshell was updated on October 8, 2026 and Rail Roster on October 7, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*