Comparison

Mars vs Populus Run

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Mars

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
Read full description

MarsCorp is ready to take the first group of volunteers on an exciting mission to Mars! Fly around Mars in one of our brand new jetpacks and discover what’s out there. As part of the “Put A Human On Mars No Matter What” program, we are proud to announce that MarsCorp is the first company cutting enough corners to make human flights to Mars finally viable. So-called “professional” astronauts will tell you things like “No sane person would travel across space on that thing” or “The fuel on that jetpack lasts about 30 seconds”, but you can prove them wrong! Here’s your chance to make history! - Explore Mars on a jetpack. - Take selfies on Mars's greatest sightings. - Avoid Rapid Unscheduled Disassemblies. - Have fun!

About

Populus Run

Control a crowd of people in this unique running game. Dodge obstacles, battle quirky bosses, and discover hidden characters. Enjoy the full experience with a one-time purchase.

Highlights
  • Control a crowd of people
  • Dodge giant fast food
  • Slide down pipes
  • Battle rapper bosses
  • Hardcore mode
  • Collect secret characters
  • Original soundtrack
Features
Read full description

Play the opening levels for free with no ads. Unlock the full game forever with a single in-app purchase. Populus Run is the unconventional running game where you control a crowd of people. • Dodge giant fast food • Slide down pipes like at a waterpark • Battle rapper bosses, including Macaron, Donut, and Burger • Test yourself in Hardcore mode • Collect all the secret characters who are hidden in the levels • Show your respect for the upbeat original soundtrack with its choral singing Populus Run was originally released exclusively on Apple Arcade. Now it's available on the App Store. If you've played the game before, your progress and achievements will be carried over.

Screenshots

Mars4 screens
Populus Run4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Populus Run at none against Mars's shown. Mars's advantage is review sentiment (91% vs 70%) and ratings volume (22K vs 1.6K). On price, rating, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Mars sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and Populus Run sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Mars against 4.7 for Populus Run. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Mars has 22K ratings behind it against 1.6K, 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 70% of Populus Run's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Mars ships an update monthly, Populus Run every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 9, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Mars versus Populus Run: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMarsPopulus Run
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (22K ratings) — better4.7 (1.6K ratings)
Positive reviews90.7% of reviews — better69.6% of reviews
Number of ratings22K — better1.6K
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 4 weeks — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TViPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple TV — better
Requires iOS12.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size256 MB523 MB
Age rating9+9+
DeveloperPomelo GamesFIFTYTWO

Customer experience

Mars

All ratings21,739 ratings
Positive96.7%
Neutral1.8%
Negative1.5%
Written reviews1,811 reviews
Positive90.7%
Neutral3.3%
Negative6.0%

Populus Run

All ratings1,512 ratings
Positive92.9%
Neutral4.2%
Negative2.9%
Written reviews345 reviews
Positive69.6%
Neutral9.0%
Negative21.4%

User reviews

Mars

From 22K App Store ratings

What we love

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

Room to improve

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

Populus Run

From 1.6K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Amazing game
  • 👍 Great developers
  • 👍 Fantastic music
  • 👍 Relaxing and fun
  • 👍 Colorful and visually appealing

Room to improve

  • 💰 Paywall after first few levels
  • 🐛 Occasional performance issues
  • 🐛 Compatibility problems on some devices

Bugs and requests

Mars

Reported bugs

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

Requested features

4 requests
  • 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

Populus Run

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Freezing on login screen
  • Graphical glitches on certain devices
  • Saved data not restoring properly

Requested features

4 requests
  • Make the full game free to play
  • Add more levels and worlds
  • Improve level selection UI
  • Allow customization of controls

In-app purchases

10 purchases

Mars

One-time10
  • Arnold$0.99
  • Little Martha$0.99
  • Marselot$0.99
Show 7 more
  • Nigiri$0.99
  • Ufo$0.99
  • Discman$0.99
  • Kestrel 5$0.99
  • Eagle$0.99
  • Stephen$3.99
  • El Dorado$3.99
1 purchases

Populus Run

One-time1
  • Full Game$3.99

Questions

Is Mars free?
Mars is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Populus Run free?
Populus Run is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Mars or Populus Run?
Mars is rated higher. Mars averages 4.8 out of 5 from 22K ratings, while Populus Run averages 4.7 from 1.6K ratings.
Do Mars or Populus Run have ads?
Mars shows ads; Populus Run does not.
Which is updated more often, Mars or Populus Run?
Mars ships an update monthly, and Populus Run every 4 weeks. Most recently, Mars was updated on November 9, 2026 and Populus Run on November 7, 2026.

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