# Mars vs Pilot Kurt

The clearest difference is rating: Mars at 4.8 against Pilot Kurt's 3.7. Mars also leads on ratings volume (22K vs 3) and update cadence (monthly vs every 4 months). Pilot Kurt's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10) and ads (none vs shown). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Mars sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Pilot Kurt asks for nothing beyond the download.

Mars holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Mars has 22K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Mars ships an update monthly, Pilot Kurt every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and September 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Mars | Pilot Kurt |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (22K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mars-mars/id1108964305/reviews)** | [3.7 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pilot-kurt/id1153921946/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **22K** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 90.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 256 MB | 215 MB |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | **9.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Pomelo Games](https://appshunter.io/developer/899606172) | [Kurt Dekker](https://appshunter.io/developer/680019078) |

## What reviewers say

### Mars

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mars-mars/id1108964305)

Embark on a thrilling space adventure as a volunteer on a mission to Mars. Pilot a jetpack to explore the Martian surface, capture unique selfies, and navigate the challenges of interplanetary travel. Prove the doubters wrong and make history on this groundbreaking expedition.

**Highlights:** Explore Mars on a jetpack, Take selfies on Mars, Avoid Rapid Unscheduled Disassemblies, Discover Martian sights, Volunteer for a space mission

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Arnold | $0.99 | one-time |
| Little Martha | $0.99 | one-time |
| Marselot | $0.99 | one-time |
| Nigiri | $0.99 | one-time |
| Ufo | $0.99 | one-time |
| Discman | $0.99 | one-time |
| Kestrel 5 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Eagle | $0.99 | one-time |
| Stephen | $3.99 | one-time |
| El Dorado | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Simple and addictive gameplay
- 👍 Relaxing and calming experience
- 👍 Variety of unique characters with different themes
- 👍 Optional ads that provide rewards
- 👍 Offline playability

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
- 🔁 Repetitive and can get boring over time
- 🔁 Lack of difficulty progression
- 🔁 Duplicate character unlocks can be frustrating

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when taking selfies
- Streak resets when returning to a previous level
- Inconsistent controls and fuel usage

**Requested features**

- Add new planets and environments to explore
- Introduce different gameplay modes (e.g., time trials, challenges)
- Allow players to customize platforms and backgrounds
- Implement a way to revisit previous levels


### Pilot Kurt

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pilot-kurt/id1153921946)

Perform daring aerial stunts and explore a city with realistic physics. Enjoy one-finger controls for easy gameplay or dive into minigames and explore the city with a rental car.

**Highlights:** Daredevil stunt flying, Realistic aerodynamics physics, Variable engine power, Pitch, roll, and yaw controls, Multiple minigames, City exploration with rental cars

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Mars free?

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

### Is Pilot Kurt free?

Pilot Kurt is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Mars or Pilot Kurt?

Mars is rated higher. Mars averages 4.8 out of 5 from 22K ratings, while Pilot Kurt averages 3.7 from 3 ratings.

### Do Mars or Pilot Kurt have ads?

Mars shows ads; Pilot Kurt does not.

### Which is updated more often, Mars or Pilot Kurt?

Mars ships an update monthly, and Pilot Kurt every 4 months. Most recently, Mars was updated on October 1, 2026 and Pilot Kurt on September 16, 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.*