# Mars vs Grid Wave

The clearest difference is update cadence: Grid Wave at every 2 days against Mars's monthly. Grid Wave also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.8) and review sentiment (100% vs 91%). Mars's advantage is ratings volume (22K vs 1) and device support (4 vs 2). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

Grid Wave holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Mars has 22K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 91% of Mars's written reviews are positive against 100% of Grid Wave's.

Mars ships an update monthly, Grid Wave every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Mars | Grid Wave |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (22K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mars-mars/id1108964305/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/grid-wave/id6788761344/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **22K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 90.7% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 256 MB | 11 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Pomelo Games](https://appshunter.io/developer/899606172) | [VIskara Innovation Private Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1876871694) |

## 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


### Grid Wave

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/grid-wave/id6788761344)

A satisfying block puzzle game where you drag pieces onto a board to clear rows and columns. Compete for high scores, complete handcrafted levels, and tackle daily challenges. Power-ups and cosmetic unlocks add strategic depth.

**Highlights:** Drag-and-drop block placement, Clear rows and columns, Endless, Campaign, and Daily Challenge modes, Power-ups like Bomb and Line Blast, Global leaderboards and weekly leagues, Unlock cosmetic themes and boosters

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Ad Free Plus | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Mars free?

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

### Is Grid Wave free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Mars or Grid Wave?

Grid Wave is rated higher. Mars averages 4.8 out of 5 from 22K ratings, while Grid Wave averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Mars or Grid Wave have ads?

Both Mars and Grid Wave show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Mars or Grid Wave?

Mars ships an update monthly, and Grid Wave every 2 days. Most recently, Mars was updated on October 13, 2026 and Grid Wave on October 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.*