# Hello Mars vs Galaxy Map

The clearest difference is rating: Galaxy Map at 4.6 against Hello Mars's 3.6. Galaxy Map also leads on review sentiment (80% vs 57%) and ratings volume (600 vs 22). Hello Mars's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 13) and ads (none vs shown). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Galaxy Map sells 13 one-off in-app purchases. Hello Mars asks for nothing beyond the download.

Galaxy Map holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Galaxy Map has 600 ratings behind it against 22, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 57% of Hello Mars's written reviews are positive against 80% of Galaxy Map's.

Hello Mars ships an update every 3 days, Galaxy Map every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 7, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hello Mars | Galaxy Map |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.6 (22 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hello-mars/id1097625079/reviews) | **[4.6 (600 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/galaxy-map/id1170905456/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 22 | **600** |
| Positive reviews | 57.1% of reviews | **80.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 days** | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 227 MB | 613 MB |
| Requires iOS | **6.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Lockheed Martin](https://appshunter.io/developer/400687539) | [Andrei Nistorescu](https://appshunter.io/developer/1048905386) |

## What reviewers say

### Hello Mars

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hello-mars/id1097625079)

Explore the stars and journey to Mars with real-time weather data directly from the Curiosity Rover. Track planetary positions and share your cosmic adventures.

**Highlights:** Real-time weather from Curiosity Rover, Accurate planetary tracking, Share experiences on social media, Explore Mars on your phone

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Galaxy Map

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/galaxy-map/id1170905456)

Explore the Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies in an interactive 3D map. Discover nebulae, supernovae, and planets, with stunning visuals based on NASA data. Ideal for education and space enthusiasts.

**Highlights:** Interactive 3D galaxy map, Explore nebulae and supernovae, Fly through planetary atmospheres, Land on planets, Based on NASA data, Available in 100+ languages

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

**In-app purchases (13)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Buy ship - Alien Destroyer | $0.99 | one-time |
| Buy ship - Alien fighter | $0.99 | one-time |
| Remove ads | $1.99 | one-time |
| Buy ship - Alien Destroyer | $1.99 | one-time |
| Buy ship - Alien fighter | $1.99 | one-time |
| 3D Visualization Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Buy ship - Dragon Frigate | $1.99 | one-time |
| Essentials bundle - SALE | $2.99 | one-time |
| Remove ads | $3.99 | one-time |
| 3D Visualization Pack | $3.99 | one-time |
| Ultimate bundle - SALE | $4.99 | one-time |
| Essentials bundle | $4.99 | one-time |
| Ultimate bundle | $8.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🌌 Impressive 3D galaxy and nebula visualizations
- 🚀 Spaceship exploration feature with landing capability
- 📚 Educational content about space and astronomy
- 🎮 Fun and engaging gameplay mechanics
- ✨ No ads in free version

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Excessive paywall for most content
- 🐛 App crashes and fails to load
- 🎮 Poor control mechanics for flying and walking
- 🔍 Lack of zoom functionality or unclear controls
- 🌑 Black holes look too similar to each other

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on startup
- Explore button shows nothing
- Pinch-to-zoom doesn't work
- App won't load on iPad
- Text displays as boxes in language settings

**Requested features**

- Search button to find galaxies and objects
- More diverse and realistic black hole designs
- AR feature to identify stars/planets in real sky
- More free content and objects
- Exoplanet additions (TRAPPIST-1e, J1407B)


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Hello Mars free?

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

### Is Galaxy Map free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Hello Mars or Galaxy Map?

Galaxy Map is rated higher. Hello Mars averages 3.6 out of 5 from 22 ratings, while Galaxy Map averages 4.6 from 600 ratings.

### Do Hello Mars or Galaxy Map have ads?

Galaxy Map shows ads; Hello Mars does not.

### Which is updated more often, Hello Mars or Galaxy Map?

Hello Mars ships an update every 3 days, and Galaxy Map every 5 weeks. Most recently, Hello Mars was updated on September 7, 2026 and Galaxy Map on September 30, 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.*