Comparison

Trainventory vs Rail Roster

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

Head to head
About

Trainventory

Organize, track the value of, and create wishlists for your model train collection. Get reminders for new releases and manage your hobby efficiently.

Highlights
  • Organize train collection
  • Track costs and value
  • Create wishlists
  • Wishlist reminders
  • User-friendly design
Read full description

Trainventory: Organize, Track, and Dream Big with Your Model Train Collection Whether you're a lifelong model train enthusiast or just starting your collection, Trainventory is the essential app to keep everything on track. Effortlessly organize your trains, track their value, and build your dream wishlist – all in one place. Key Features: - Organize Your Collection: Easily catalog your locomotives, carriages, and accessories with detailed entries for model type, brand, and condition. - Track Costs and Value: Keep an eye on how much you’ve invested and monitor the value of your collection over time. - Create Your Wishlist: Never forget that must-have model again – build a wishlist of trains you’re dreaming of adding to your collection. - Get Reminded: Never miss out on a presale or release date with wish list reminders Why Trainventory? • User-friendly design built specifically for model train enthusiasts. • Keep your collection organized anytime, anywhere. • Perfect for collectors of all experience levels. All aboard for the most efficient way to manage your model train hobby. Download Trainventory today and let your collection shine! Start tracking, start organizing, and keep your model train passion on the right track with Trainventory.

About

Rail Roster

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
Read full description

Rail Roster helps model railroad hobbyists catalog trains, accessories, and consists with rich details, photos, and collection insights. Keep your entire roster in one place. Track model specs, electronics, condition, pricing, prototype info, and notes, then quickly find items with powerful search, sorting, and filters. Key Features • Track trains, accessories, and consists in one collection • Rich train records: category, locomotive type, road name/number, model number, livery, scale, era, coupler type, and notes • Prototype reference fields: builder, operator, dates, wheel arrangement, gauge, speed, horsepower, tractive effort, and more • Electronics and operation tracking: DCC, decoder/address, sound, lights, smoke, dummy units, and maintenance flags • NMRA weight guidance with compliance targets and status • Purchase tracking: date, location, price paid, and MSRP • Photo support across trains, accessories, and consists with thumbnail strips plus full-screen, swipeable, zoomable galleries • Consist tools: member ordering/roles/direction, readiness score, coupler consistency, DCC/DC mix, NMRA compliance, and aggregate stats (length, weight, paid value, MSRP) • Collection Info dashboard: inventory totals and value summary, plus premium charts for category, scale, era, locomotive type, DCC vs DC, NMRA compliance, and collection growth • Fast search, sort, and filter chips (category, scale, era, manufacturer, purchase location, coupler type, locomotive type, DCC, dummy, NMRA, and photo status) • iCloud sync diagnostics with account status, last sync/check timestamps, and detailed sync error history • Preferences and personalization: default scale and alternate app icons Rail Roster is built for collectors who want a clean, visual, data-rich way to manage and grow their model railroad fleet. Premium unlocks unlimited inventory/photos, advanced charts, and all custom app icons. Privacy Policy: https://www.roboticsnailsoftware.com/work/railroster/privacy-policy Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Trainventory4 screens
Rail Roster4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Trainventory at none against Rail Roster's 5. Trainventory also leads on ratings volume (25 vs 1) and iOS requirement (18.6 vs 26.0). Rail Roster's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 3 months) and rating (5.0 vs 4.6). On price, ads and device support 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. Rail Roster sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per year. Trainventory asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Rail Roster holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Trainventory has 25 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Trainventory ships an update every 3 months, Rail Roster weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Trainventory versus Rail Roster: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTrainventoryRail Roster
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (25 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings25 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, Mac — better
Requires iOS18.6 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size30 MB128 MB
Age rating4++4
DeveloperNicholas EbyRobotic Snail Software LLC

Customer experience

Trainventory

All ratings22 ratings
Positive95.5%
Neutral0.0%
Negative4.5%
Written reviews6 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Rail Roster

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Trainventory

No in-app purchases

5 purchases

Rail Roster

Subscriptions1
  • Premium - Yearly1 Month trial$4.991 Year
One-time4
  • Small Tip$0.99
  • Medium Tip$2.99
  • Large Tip$4.99
Show 1 more
  • Premium - Lifetime$19.99

Questions

Is Trainventory free?
Trainventory 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, Trainventory or Rail Roster?
Rail Roster is rated higher. Trainventory averages 4.6 out of 5 from 25 ratings, while Rail Roster averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Trainventory or Rail Roster have ads?
Neither Trainventory nor Rail Roster shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Trainventory or Rail Roster?
Trainventory ships an update every 3 months, and Rail Roster weekly. Most recently, Trainventory was updated on October 24, 2026 and Rail Roster on October 7, 2026.

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