# Mars vs Alien Invasion

Mars and Alien Invasion both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 91% of Mars's written reviews are positive against 40% of Alien Invasion's. Mars also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15). Alien Invasion's advantage is update cadence (every 10 days vs monthly) and chart position (#141 vs unranked). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Mars sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and Alien Invasion sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 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 4.8 for Alien Invasion. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Alien Invasion has 130K ratings behind it against 22K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 91% of Mars's written reviews are positive against 40% of Alien Invasion's.

Mars ships an update monthly, Alien Invasion every 10 days. Both last shipped on November 9, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Mars | Alien Invasion |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (22K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mars-mars/id1108964305/reviews) | **[4.8 (130K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alien-invasion-rpg-idle-space/id6443697602/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 22K | **130K** |
| Positive reviews | **90.7% of reviews** | 40.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#141** |
| Size | 256 MB | 320 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Pomelo Games](https://appshunter.io/developer/899606172) | [Crazy Labs](https://appshunter.io/developer/721307559) |

## 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


### Alien Invasion

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alien-invasion-rpg-idle-space/id6443697602)

**Currently charting:** #141 Top Grossing · Action, #149 Top Free · Role Playing (US App Store)

Command an alien and grow its army by defeating humans in this idle RPG. Evolve your alien with new abilities, upgrade its stats, and face challenging boss battles to achieve extraterrestrial dominance.

**Highlights:** Evolve alien for new abilities, Crush humans and challenge bosses, Upgrade capacity, speed, and radius, Progress through levels and quests, Unlock new locations, Stunning visuals and sound

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Subscription | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Subscription | $14.99 | per month |
| Key Money 1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Crystal Pack 1 | $1.99 | one-time |
| First Time Offer 2 | $2.99 | one-time |
| Crystal Pack 2 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Agents Offer 2 | $6.99 | one-time |
| Crystal Pack 3 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Bundle 1 New | $11.99 | one-time |
| Crystal Pack 4 | $24.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 No forced ads
- 🚀 Optional ads for rewards
- 👍 Addictive gameplay
- 👍 Fun concept
- 👍 Good time waster

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs and glitches
- 🔋 Game heats up device
- 💰 Expensive subscription
- 🕰️ Slow progression
- 🕰️ Repetitive grind

**Reported bugs**

- Enemies clipping through walls
- Delivery aliens not functioning properly
- Quests/progress disappearing after updates
- Ads not working as intended
- Inconsistent upgrade mechanics

**Requested features**

- Add new areas/worlds to explore
- Improve game balance and progression
- Add more upgrade options
- Improve delivery/assistant alien functionality
- Provide better in-game instructions and information


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Mars free?

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

### Is Alien Invasion free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Mars or Alien Invasion?

Alien Invasion is rated higher. Mars averages 4.8 out of 5 from 22K ratings, while Alien Invasion averages 4.8 from 130K ratings.

### Do Mars or Alien Invasion have ads?

Both Mars and Alien Invasion show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Mars or Alien Invasion?

Mars ships an update monthly, and Alien Invasion every 10 days. Most recently, Mars was updated on November 9, 2026 and Alien Invasion on November 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.*