# ThrottleCard vs RailPilot

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: RailPilot at none against ThrottleCard's 2. RailPilot also leads on ads (none vs shown). ThrottleCard's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 4 months) and device support (4 vs 2). On price and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. ThrottleCard sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. RailPilot asks for nothing beyond the download.

ThrottleCard ships an update weekly, RailPilot every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on July 6, 2026 and September 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ThrottleCard | RailPilot |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.3 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/throttlecard/id6739982126/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **11** | — |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 117 MB | 2 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.5** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Vision Pro** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ryan Gant](https://appshunter.io/developer/941497897) | [Eric Staedler](https://appshunter.io/developer/1818134874) |

## What reviewers say

### ThrottleCard

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/throttlecard/id6739982126)

Control your model railroad with this app featuring vintage-inspired controls and realistic animations. It supports multiple trains, game controllers, and offers advanced features like turnout and route control. A free version is available, with a premium subscription for enhanced functionality.

**Highlights:** Multi-throttle support, Vintage-inspired controls, Game controller integration, Automatic command station discovery, Turnout and route control, Apple Watch support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ThrottleCard Premium - Monthly | $0.99 | per month |
| ThrottleCard Premium - Yearly | $9.99 | per year |


### RailPilot

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/railpilot/id6746725630)

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ThrottleCard free?

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

### Is RailPilot free?

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

### Do ThrottleCard or RailPilot have ads?

ThrottleCard shows ads; RailPilot does not.

### Which is updated more often, ThrottleCard or RailPilot?

ThrottleCard ships an update weekly, and RailPilot every 4 months. Most recently, ThrottleCard was updated on July 6, 2026 and RailPilot on September 16, 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.*