Comparison

Poor Man's Throttle vs NetTether

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

Head to head
About

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.

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
Read 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.

About

NetTether

Features
Read full description

Your old PC is sitting there with terabytes of unused storage. NetTether puts it to work. Plug the NetTether dongle into your Windows PC, install the companion client, and this free app turns your phone into a remote control for all that storage — from anywhere in the world. Subscribe to NetTether PRO and enjoy uncapped high-speed forwarding plus 300 GB of high-speed data every month — perfect for 4K streaming, fast downloads, and seamless backups, all at one simple price. NetTether PRO subscriptions auto-renew at the end of each billing period until cancelled. You can manage or cancel your subscription anytime via your Apple Account Settings. Privacy Policy:https://looda.net/privacy Terms of Use:https://looda.net/terms

Screenshots

Poor Man's Throttle4 screens
NetTether4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Poor Man's Throttle at none against NetTether's 2. Poor Man's Throttle also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs every 2 weeks). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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. NetTether sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. Poor Man's Throttle asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Poor Man's Throttle ships an update every 3 days, NetTether every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Poor Man's Throttle versus NetTether: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPoor Man's ThrottleNetTether
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (4 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings4 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 days — betterEvery 2 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.015.0
Further details — not scored
Size110 MB118 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJames TheimerAVORA TECH COMPANY LIMITED

In-app purchases

None

Poor Man's Throttle

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

NetTether

Subscriptions2
  • NetTether Pro Monthly$7.991 Month
  • NetTether Pro Annual$79.901 Year

Questions

Is Poor Man's Throttle free?
Poor Man's Throttle is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is NetTether free?
NetTether is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Poor Man's Throttle or NetTether have ads?
Neither Poor Man's Throttle nor NetTether shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Poor Man's Throttle or NetTether?
Poor Man's Throttle ships an update every 3 days, and NetTether every 2 weeks. Most recently, Poor Man's Throttle was updated on October 10, 2026 and NetTether on October 14, 2026.

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