# Mars vs Populus Run

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.

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.

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.

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

## The numbers

| Metric | Mars | Populus Run |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (22K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mars-mars/id1108964305/reviews)** | [4.7 (1.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/populus-run/id6470197867/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **22K** | 1.6K |
| Positive reviews | **90.7% of reviews** | 69.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 4 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 256 MB | 523 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 9+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Pomelo Games](https://appshunter.io/developer/899606172) | [FIFTYTWO](https://appshunter.io/developer/853087985) |

## 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


### Populus Run

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/populus-run/id6470197867)

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:** Game Controller support, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Game | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

- Freezing on login screen
- Graphical glitches on certain devices
- Saved data not restoring properly

**Requested features**

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


## Frequently asked 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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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*