Trainventory vs Poor Man's Throttle
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Trainventory
Organize, track the value of, and create wishlists for your model train collection. Get reminders for new releases and manage your hobby efficiently.
- Organize train collection
- Track costs and value
- Create wishlists
- Wishlist reminders
- User-friendly design
Read full descriptionHide 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.
Poor Man's Throttle
Transform your smartphone into a wireless throttle for model trains. This app enables smooth, responsive control of locomotives using inexpensive electronics and your phone, ideal for DIY enthusiasts and hobbyists looking for an affordable wireless solution.
- Wireless smartphone throttle
- PWM motor control for smooth operation
- Control speed, direction, and stop
- DIY hardware integration
- Affordable components
- Ideal for DC and dead-rail layouts
Read full descriptionHide full description
FREE DIY Wireless Model Train Control — Built for Hobbyists, **Poor Man’s Throttleturns your smartphone into a wireless throttle for model trains. Designed formodel railroad hobbyists, makers, and DIY builders**, the app allows you to control a locomotive using inexpensive electronics instead of costly commercial control systems. With simple ESP32-based hardware, your phone becomes asmooth, responsive wireless throttle**. --- Smooth Motor Control Many traditional DC transformers struggle with low-speed operation. Locomotives often: • hum at low speeds • start with weak torque • move in jerky steps Poor Man’s Throttle solves this by usingPWM motor control (Pulse Width Modulation)instead of simply lowering voltage. This allows locomotives to: • start smoothly • run at extremely slow speeds • maintain strong torque • eliminate most transformer hum --- Wireless Smartphone Control Control your locomotive directly from your phone. Features include: • Speed control • Forward direction • Reverse direction • Stop • Additional command support Because control is wireless, you canwalk around your layout while operating trains**, just like with professional wireless throttle systems. --- A Major Upgrade for Traditional DC Layouts Poor Man’s Throttle works especially well with classic DC transformers. Instead of using the transformer to regulate speed, the transformer is set tofull powerwhile Poor Man’s Throttle performs the motor control using PWM. This approach provides: • smoother slow-speed operation • higher starting torque • reduced transformer noise • modern wireless control for classic layouts --- Perfect for Dead-Rail Builders The system also works extremely well withdead-rail locomotivespowered by onboard batteries. Builders commonly use: • cordless tool batteries (DeWalt, Milwaukee, Ryobi, etc.) • lithium battery packs • LiPo or lithium-ion cells • NiMH packs • other hobby batteries This flexibility allows hobbyists to useinexpensive, widely available power sources**. --- A DIY System That Costs Around $20 A typical Poor Man’s Throttle hardware build costs about: • ESP32 development board • IBT-2 motor driver • 5V logic power module Total hardware cost is oftenaround $20 per locomotive**. Many builders already have some of these parts available. --- Built for the Model Railroad Community Poor Man’s Throttle was created to makewireless train control accessible to everyone**. Instead of expensive proprietary systems, this project focuses on: • simple hardware • open DIY building • affordable components • sharing knowledge with the hobby community The goal is simple: **Give model railroaders a powerful wireless throttle they can build themselves.** --- Who This App Is For This app is ideal for: • model railroad hobbyists • dead-rail builders • DC layout operators • electronics makers and tinkerers • DIY train control enthusiasts Bothbeginner buildersandadvanced hobbyistscan use the system. --- Learn More Hardware build guides, documentation, and project information are available through the Poor Man’s Throttle project resources. https://github.com/jamocle/PoorMansThrottle-DIY/blob/main/README.md Build your own throttle. Control your trains wirelessly. Keep the hobby affordable.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Poor Man's Throttle at every 3 days against Trainventory's every 3 months. Poor Man's Throttle also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.6) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.6). Trainventory's advantage is ratings volume (22 vs 4). On price, review sentiment, 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Poor Man's Throttle holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Trainventory has 22 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.
Trainventory ships an update every 3 months, Poor Man's Throttle every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Trainventory | Poor Man's Throttle |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (22 ratings) | 5.0 (4 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 22 — better | 4 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 3 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 30 MB | 110 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Nicholas Eby | James Theimer |
Customer experience
Trainventory
Poor Man's Throttle
In-app purchases
Trainventory
No in-app purchases
Poor Man's Throttle
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Trainventory free?
Is Poor Man's Throttle free?
Which has better reviews, Trainventory or Poor Man's Throttle?
Do Trainventory or Poor Man's Throttle have ads?
Which is updated more often, Trainventory or Poor Man's Throttle?
Other comparisons















