nControl vs Hobby Dataslate
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
nControl
This application enables users to connect to and send commands to specific display devices via Bluetooth. It facilitates remote control of SB600 display units from Cardinal Scales.
- Bluetooth connectivity
- Send commands to SB600 display
- Control Cardinal Scales devices
- Remote device management
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Cardinal Scale's nControl app configures the model 195 and 225 weight indicators and the SB600 remote display from your iPhone or iPad, no cables, no laptop, no extra software. nControl connects directly over Bluetooth and presents every setting in the same menu structure shown on the device's own front panel, so a technician who knows the indicator already knows the app. Connections to a 195/225 are protected by the six-digit nControl password set at the indicator, and a built-in search finds any setting by name or value across the entire menu. Settings templates capture a configured unit every setting into a single file that can be applied to as many units as needed, so a row of identical scales is set up once and copied to the rest. Templates can also be built with no unit present by choosing the scale card and the cards fitted in both option slots. Before writing anything, nControl checks the template against the unit in front of it and warns when the scale card, option cards, or firmware menu version don't match. Every value written is read back from the device to confirm it, and anything the indicator refused or adjusted is reported. Templates are shared by Mail, AirDrop, or Files and open directly in nControl on another iPhone or iPad. The built-in ticket designer creates custom print layouts and sends them over Bluetooth to any of the indicator's three ticket slots, using the same file format as Cardinal's desktop nControl software. Command sets for Epson, Star, and Eltron/EPL printers are included. For the SB600 remote display, nControl edits the message slots: text, color, speed, and effects and configures display, communication, and serial settings, with the same template capture and upload used by the indicators. Recently used units stay one tap from the home screen and can be pinned in whatever order suits the job.
Hobby Dataslate
This app helps miniature collectors and painters track their Warhammer 40K models, log paints, organize army lists, and manage hobby projects. It offers features for collection management, painting progress, and social sharing of finished models.
- Track 1,600+ datasheets
- Barcode quick-add for boxes
- Painting pipeline tracking
- Sprue & bits stash management
- Unit paint recipes
- Import/backup from other formats
- Collection documentation & valuation
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Keep your miniature hobby organized and your painting memory close at hand. Hobby Dataslate is the unofficial hobby tracker for Warhammer 40K and Age of Sigmar — free to start. Know what you own. Remember how you painted and based it. Keep army lists, photos, work-in-progress notes, and future plans connected. When hobby time opens up, Today helps you choose a useful next action toward the completion goal you set. KEEP THE WHOLE HOBBY TOGETHER • Track painting progress across your whole collection — 40K and Age of Sigmar, one desk • Add Combat Patrols, Spearheads, and box sets in one tap (or scan the barcode) • 3,000+ combined units across 40K datasheets and AoS warscrolls, faction organization, and a flexible Wishlist → Finished lifecycle • Desk sessions, streaks, and a "what to paint next" wheel when you're stuck • Paint and basing recipes you can reuse — and a catalog of 11,000+ paints • Import BattleScribe / New Recruit / WH40k app lists, then see owned vs shortfall • Custom JSON data export on Free, plus tournament PDFs and collection valuation docs BUILT FOR THE HOBBY, NOT A SPREADSHEET Collection, Workbench, Armies, Stats, and Social in one app. Flag repairs, track stash & bits, browse finished-model showcases and friend collections, and join the Discord for WIP chat. FREE TO START 100 units, 5 armies, unit paint recipes, 40K and Age of Sigmar list costing, and unlimited desk session logs — no credit card. Custom data export remains available on Free. Upgrade only if you outgrow the free tier. PREMIUM — $1/mo or $10/yr Unlimited units & armies, WIP timelines, painted gallery, recipe share cards, batch projects, unlimited friends & public sharing, stash & paints, spending logs, session photos. HERO — $5/mo or $40/yr Higher-resolution showcase uploads, enhanced showcase sorting, army recipes, advanced stats, challenges & leaderboards, 40K theme, custom names/colors, alternate icons. FORGE# referrals — gift a friend 30 days of Hero. Privacy Policy: https://hobby-dataslate.app/privacy Terms of Use: https://hobby-dataslate.app/terms Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Download Hobby Dataslate and keep your collection, hobby memory, and next steps in one place. (Hobby Dataslate is an unofficial fan app and is not affiliated with, endorsed, or sponsored by Games Workshop Limited.)
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is monetization model: nControl at free against Hobby Dataslate's freemium. nControl also leads on ratings volume (3 vs 1). On price, rating, update cadence and ads 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for nControl against 5.0 for Hobby Dataslate. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 1 respectively.
nControl ships an update weekly, Hobby Dataslate every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | nControl | Hobby Dataslate |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (3 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) |
| Number of ratings | 3 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Every 4 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free — better | Freemium |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 — better | 16.4 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 24 MB | 69 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Cardinal Scale manufacturing company | Alexander Lewis |
Customer experience
nControl
Hobby Dataslate
In-app purchases
nControl
No in-app purchases
Hobby Dataslate
No in-app purchases









