# ThrottleCard vs Poor Man's Throttle

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Poor Man's Throttle at 100% against ThrottleCard's 50%. Poor Man's Throttle also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.3) and in-app purchases (none vs 2). ThrottleCard's advantage is ratings volume (14 vs 4). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

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

Poor Man's Throttle holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 14 and 4 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of ThrottleCard's written reviews are positive against 100% of Poor Man's Throttle's.

ThrottleCard ships an update weekly, Poor Man's Throttle every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ThrottleCard | Poor Man's Throttle |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (14 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/throttlecard/id6739982126/reviews) | **[5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/poor-mans-throttle/id6760155416/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **14** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Weekly | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 117 MB | 112 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.5 | **15.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Vision Pro** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ryan Gant](https://appshunter.io/developer/941497897) | [James Theimer](https://appshunter.io/developer/1003785136) |

## 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 |


### Poor Man's Throttle

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/poor-mans-throttle/id6760155416)

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.

**Highlights:** 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

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ThrottleCard free?

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

### Is Poor Man's Throttle free?

Poor Man's Throttle is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, ThrottleCard or Poor Man's Throttle?

Poor Man's Throttle is rated higher. ThrottleCard averages 4.3 out of 5 from 14 ratings, while Poor Man's Throttle averages 5.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do ThrottleCard or Poor Man's Throttle have ads?

ThrottleCard shows ads; Poor Man's Throttle does not.

### Which is updated more often, ThrottleCard or Poor Man's Throttle?

ThrottleCard ships an update weekly, and Poor Man's Throttle every 3 days. Most recently, ThrottleCard was updated on October 21, 2026 and Poor Man's Throttle on October 24, 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.*