Comparison

Trans4motor R vs Engine Lab

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

Head to head
About

Trans4motor R

Explore and animate four-stroke engines with detailed customization options. Simulate transmissions, edit engine specifications, and experience realistic vehicle physics. Share your creations and learn about engine mechanics through interactive tutorials.

Highlights
  • Seamless engine morphing (inline to V, cylinder count, firing intervals)
  • Full transmission visualization (3-shaft, 2-shaft, dog gearbox)
  • Deep engine specification editing
  • Realistic vehicle physics simulation
  • Community sharing platform for engine designs
  • Interactive learning modes (TechTour)
  • Enhanced, realistic engine sound simulation
Read full description

The definitive successor to the original Trans4motor is finally here — a new installment that lets you freely explore and animate four-stroke engines on your iPad or iPhone. Created for those who love internal-combustion engines and never tire of their rhythm, mechanics, and beauty. 【Seamless Engine Morphing】 Switch from inline to V configurations, alter bank angles, change cylinder counts, and adjust firing intervals. Every change transforms the engine while it continues running. Camshafts split and merge, crank phasing shifts, valve angles move dynamically — a completely new way to experience engines. 【All-New Transmission Simulation】 For the first time in the series, the gearbox itself is fully visualized. ・3-shaft synchromesh transmission ・2-shaft synchromesh transmission ・Dog gearbox (motorcycle-style) Enter tooth counts manually, or let the app generate realistic gear meshes from gear ratios. Follow shift forks, constant-mesh gears, clutch engagement, and truly see how power flows. 【Deep Engine Specification Editing】 Greatly expanded from the original, allowing a far richer expression of each engine’s character. ・Cylinder count, bore, stroke ・Bank angle, mounting angle ・Firing order, firing interval ・Cam drive (belt / chain / gear) ・Valve train (SOHC / DOHC / OHV / VTEC / Desmodromic) ・Valve diameter and included angle (reflected in the CG model) ・Tire width, aspect ratio, wheel diameter (outer diameter calculated automatically) Recreate everything from spirited singles to distinctive 5-cylinder pulses, modern V4 superbikes, and the bold heartbeat of American V8s. 【Realistic Vehicle Physics】 Not just an animation. Torque curves, vehicle mass, gear ratios, and tire diameter are calculated frame by frame to determine vehicle speed. Shift through the gears and feel how the engine and drivetrain connect as acceleration builds. 【Connect with the “Engines” Sharing Platform】 Share your creations with the world. ・Upload / download ・Share to X (formerly Twitter) ・Community “likes” and voting ・Planned competitions Build a community-driven engine library with fellow enthusiasts. 【GearVision Mode】 Gears, shift forks, clutches — see exactly which components are transmitting power at any moment. A visualized power-flow mode revealing the inner workings of each shift. 【TechTour】 A hands-on learning mode evolved from the series’ interactive tutorials. ・Four-stroke fundamentals ・Firing order ・Synchromesh mechanisms Engines become even more fascinating when you understand how they work. 【Enhanced Engine Sound】 With support from Sound Design Lab LLC, this latest audio method combines single-shot, harmonic, and random-noise components to create a natural and realistic engine presence. Differences in cylinder count and firing intervals come through with greater character and detail. Engine sound is included as a standard feature, not an in-app purchase. 【Preset Engines】 Trans4motor R includes 12 preset engines ranging from classic icons to modern super-sport engines and powerful V8s. ※ For learning and presentation purposes, the engine CG animations run at one-tenth of real-world rotational speed. ※ This app reproduces engines based on publicly available specifications for educational use and is not intended to be an exact replica of actual machinery, dimensions, or designs. ※ Company names and product names mentioned in this app are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

About

Engine Lab

Design and simulate car engines, from single cylinders to V12s, and hear them run. Explore 3D models, test performance on a dyno, and even drive them with a simulated gearbox. Share your creations and compare them with others.

Highlights
  • Build custom engines
  • Hear engines idle and rev
  • 3D engine visualization
  • Simulated dyno testing
  • Manual/automatic gearbox simulation
  • Import and share engine builds
Features
Read full description

Build an engine and hear it run. Engine Lab is a touch-first engine simulator: design anything from a single to a V12, then hear it idle, rev and pull to the limiter, live on your iPhone or iPad. BUILD BENCH • Start from 317 real engines with their published bore, stroke, compression and firing order, or design your own. • Set the layout, 1 to 12 cylinders, bore, stroke, firing order and redline. • Hear each change as you make it, and hold to rev. • Try different headers, exhausts and mufflers. • Compare against a saved version by ear or on the dyno. SEE IT IN 3D • Every engine, including your own builds, becomes a 3D model driven by the live simulation: pistons, crank, cams, valves and glowing headers. • Orbit, zoom, slow it down, switch between X-ray and solid, and tap any part for live readings. The classic 2D cutaway is one tap away. DRIVE IT • Manual or automatic gearbox with clutch and road speed, plus a gearing chart with top speed in each gear. • Simulated dyno pulls with torque and power curves. • Six built-in engines: Honda B18C5 VTEC, Honda TRX520 single, BMW M52B28, Toyota 2JZ, Audi 2.3 inline-5 and GM LS V8. IMPORT AND SHARE • Import engine-sim .mr scripts and share your builds as .mr files. • Export a WAV recorded by the on-device simulator. No account, network service or microphone permission is required. An optional one-time Pro purchase opens every catalog engine, the Specialists and Masters challenges, advanced tuning and unlimited saved builds; the free plan includes 20 catalog engines and keeps three builds. Values are simulated estimates for exploration, not certified engineering measurements.

Screenshots

Trans4motor R4 screens
Engine Lab4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Engine Lab at Free against Trans4motor R's $7.99. Trans4motor R's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and review sentiment (64% vs 50%). On rating, ratings volume, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Engine Lab is free to download; Trans4motor R costs $7.99 up front. Engine Lab sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Trans4motor R asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Trans4motor R against 4.8 for Engine Lab. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 11 and 16 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 64% of Trans4motor R's written reviews are positive against 50% of Engine Lab's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Trans4motor R ships an update every 2 weeks, Engine Lab every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and November 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Trans4motor R versus Engine Lab: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTrans4motor REngine Lab
Price$7.99Free — better
Rating4.6 (11 ratings)4.8 (16 ratings) — better
Positive reviews64.0% of reviews — better50.0% of reviews
Number of ratings1116 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 9 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size178 MB16 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKitt Peak, Inc.Jan Sokol

Customer experience

Trans4motor R

All ratings11 ratings
Positive90.9%
Neutral0.0%
Negative9.1%
Written reviews25 reviews
Positive64.0%
Neutral16.0%
Negative20.0%

Engine Lab

All ratings2 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral50.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral50.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Trans4motor R

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Engine Lab

One-time1
  • Engine Lab Pro$4.99

Questions

Is Trans4motor R free?
Trans4motor R costs $7.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Engine Lab free?
Engine Lab is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Trans4motor R or Engine Lab?
Engine Lab is rated higher. Trans4motor R averages 4.6 out of 5 from 11 ratings, while Engine Lab averages 4.8 from 16 ratings.
Do Trans4motor R or Engine Lab have ads?
Neither Trans4motor R nor Engine Lab shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Trans4motor R or Engine Lab?
Trans4motor R ships an update every 2 weeks, and Engine Lab every 9 days. Most recently, Trans4motor R was updated on November 8, 2026 and Engine Lab on November 10, 2026.

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