# Lionel iCab vs DCC

The clearest difference is review sentiment: DCC at 100% against Lionel iCab's 30%. DCC also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 4 months). Lionel iCab's advantage is rating (3.3 vs 2.3) and in-app purchases (none vs 5). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. DCC sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Lionel iCab asks for nothing beyond the download.

Lionel iCab holds the better App Store score, 3.3 against 2.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 19 and 6 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 30% of Lionel iCab's written reviews are positive against 100% of DCC's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Lionel iCab ships an update every 4 months, DCC every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Lionel iCab | DCC |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.3 (19 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lionel-icab/id920612683/reviews)** | [2.3 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dcc-ex-cab/id6695754417/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **19** | 6 |
| Positive reviews | 30.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 15 MB | 120 MB |
| Requires iOS | **7.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Lionel, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/616773170) | [Kostiantyn Kolesnik](https://appshunter.io/developer/1481627847) |

## What reviewers say

### Lionel iCab

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lionel-icab/id920612683)

Control Lionel TMCC and LEGACY engines, accessories, and trains from your iPhone or iPod Touch. Features include extended locomotive control, speed graphs, and accessory management.

**Highlights:** Control TMCC and LEGACY engines, Accessory and train operation, Extended Legacy locomotive controls, Speed graph with target/actual speed, Quilling Whistle feature, Train Builder for unified operation

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### DCC

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dcc-ex-cab/id6695754417)

Transform your mobile devices into wireless controllers for your model railroad. Manage trains, signals, and accessories remotely without wired connections. Ideal for seamless operation around your layout.

**Highlights:** Handheld model railroad controller, Wireless train operation, Control signals and turnouts, Accessory control, Seamless layout movement

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Cloud services, monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| Premium control, monthly | $7.99 | per month |
| Ultimate, monthly | $12.99 | per month |
| Premium control, annually | $39.99 | per year |
| Premium control, life-time | $119.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Lionel iCab free?

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

### Is DCC free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Lionel iCab or DCC?

Lionel iCab is rated higher. Lionel iCab averages 3.3 out of 5 from 19 ratings, while DCC averages 2.3 from 6 ratings.

### Do Lionel iCab or DCC have ads?

Neither Lionel iCab nor DCC shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Lionel iCab or DCC?

Lionel iCab ships an update every 4 months, and DCC every 2 weeks. Most recently, Lionel iCab was updated on October 24, 2026 and DCC on October 27, 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.*