# TrainDesign vs Circuit Planner

The clearest difference is update cadence: Circuit Planner at every 2 weeks against TrainDesign's every 4 months. Circuit Planner also leads on review sentiment (60% vs 33%) and device support (3 vs 1). TrainDesign's advantage is price ($1.99 vs $2.99). On ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

TrainDesign costs $1.99 and Circuit Planner $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

TrainDesign ships an update every 4 months, Circuit Planner every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 4, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | TrainDesign | Circuit Planner |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$1.99** | $2.99 |
| Rating | **[2.4 (14 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/traindesign/id820553356/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **14** | — |
| Positive reviews | 33.3% of reviews | **60.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Paid |
| Size | 16 MB | 7 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **15** |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Kind of Blue](https://appshunter.io/developer/456377317) | [Axel Hauschild](https://appshunter.io/developer/981831700) |

## What reviewers say

### TrainDesign

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/traindesign/id820553356)

Design and plan your model railroad tracks with ease. This app allows you to create custom layouts, modify track segments, and adjust curves to your specifications. Unleash your creativity and build intricate routes with intuitive touch controls.

**Highlights:** Plan model railroad tracks, Create custom track lines, Modify track segments (orient, stretch, shrink), Adjust curve width, angle, and radius, Determine track altitude, Intuitive touch controls

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 💰 Great value for the price
- 👍 Intuitive and easy to use (initially)
- 💡 Customizable track designs
- ✅ Useful for planning layouts
- 🌍 Supports various gauges/scales and manufacturers

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent bugs and glitches
- ❌ Unstable and crashes often
- 🚫 Editor not working properly
- 🪲 Track pieces not connecting/aligning
- 🔧 Difficult to rotate/move track pieces

**Reported bugs**

- App locks up after selecting first track
- Saving changes to existing layouts results in original disappearing
- Cannot move selected track
- Rotate icon greys out after one rotation
- App crashes on load

**Requested features**

- Add more track libraries (e.g., Rokuhan Z, Hornby, Lionel Fastrack, Realtrax, Fleishmann profi ho)
- Improve track connection and alignment
- Fix rotation and movement issues for track pieces
- Add a 'save as' function for layouts
- Include inch/feet measurement options


### Circuit Planner

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/circuit-planner/id6472896392)

Design professional IEC circuit diagrams with a user-friendly interface. Access a vast library of symbols, utilize automatic connection features, and export your plans in PDF format. Ideal for electrical engineering projects.

**Highlights:** User-friendly interface for circuit diagram creation, 1056 integrated IEC circuit diagram symbols, Automatic connection system for precise wiring, Export diagrams in PDF format, Supports A4, A3, A2 formats with up to 20 drawing sheets, Automatic backup of project data

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is TrainDesign free?

TrainDesign costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Circuit Planner free?

Circuit Planner costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Do TrainDesign or Circuit Planner have ads?

Neither TrainDesign nor Circuit Planner shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, TrainDesign or Circuit Planner?

TrainDesign ships an update every 4 months, and Circuit Planner every 2 weeks. Most recently, TrainDesign was updated on October 4, 2026 and Circuit Planner on October 9, 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.*