# Mars vs Space Frontier 2

Mars and Space Frontier 2 both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 91% of Mars's written reviews are positive against 39% of Space Frontier 2's. On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Mars sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and Space Frontier 2 sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Mars against 4.7 for Space Frontier 2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 22K and 47K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 91% of Mars's written reviews are positive against 39% of Space Frontier 2's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly monthly. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Mars | Space Frontier 2 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (22K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mars-mars/id1108964305/reviews)** | [4.7 (47K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/space-frontier-2/id1355694041/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 22K | **47K** |
| Positive reviews | **90.7% of reviews** | 38.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 256 MB | 285 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Pomelo Games](https://appshunter.io/developer/899606172) | [Ketchapp](https://appshunter.io/developer/528065807) |

## 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


### Space Frontier 2

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/space-frontier-2/id1355694041)

Embark on an epic space adventure across numerous solar systems and planets. Discover new technologies, customize your fleet with unique spaceship styles, and strive to rule the galaxy in this expansive exploration game.

**Highlights:** 50 Solar Systems to conquer, Hundreds of planets to colonize, 50 Spaceship technologies, Unique spaceship styles, Rule the Galaxy

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Elite Membership | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| No Ads | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great game
- 🚀 Fun and addictive
- 🚀 Chill and relaxing
- 🚀 Excellent brainless fun
- 🚀 Satisfying gameplay

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Too many ads
- 🐛 Crashes and bugs
- 💰 Expensive subscription
- 🔍 Ad interruptions during gameplay
- 🔍 Aggressive monetization

**Reported bugs**

- Offline earnings not tracking correctly
- Game crashes after reaching certain progress
- Ads causing game to freeze or crash
- Sound issues (music cutting out)
- Glitches with astronaut count and progression

**Requested features**

- Add more planets and galaxies
- Ability to rename planets
- Offline earnings tracking
- Customization options for rockets
- Ability to view progress on colonized planets


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Mars free?

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

### Is Space Frontier 2 free?

Space Frontier 2 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Mars or Space Frontier 2?

Mars is rated higher. Mars averages 4.8 out of 5 from 22K ratings, while Space Frontier 2 averages 4.7 from 47K ratings.

### Do Mars or Space Frontier 2 have ads?

Both Mars and Space Frontier 2 show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Mars or Space Frontier 2?

Mars ships an update monthly, and Space Frontier 2 monthly. Most recently, Mars was updated on September 24, 2026 and Space Frontier 2 on September 24, 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.*