# Terraforming Mars vs Dune

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Dune at 79% against Terraforming Mars's 45%. Dune also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.5) and update cadence (every 5 days vs every 3 weeks). Terraforming Mars's advantage is price ($8.99 vs $10.99) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On ratings volume, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Terraforming Mars costs $8.99 and Dune $10.99 up front. Terraforming Mars sells 6 one-off in-app purchases and Dune sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Dune holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 7.6K and 5K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 45% of Terraforming Mars's written reviews are positive against 79% of Dune's.

Terraforming Mars ships an update every 3 weeks, Dune every 5 days. Both last shipped on November 6, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Terraforming Mars | Dune |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$8.99** | $10.99 |
| Rating | [4.5 (7.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/terraforming-mars/id1353471030/reviews) | **[4.9 (5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dune-imperium/id1575414319/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **7.6K** | 5K |
| Positive reviews | 45.1% of reviews | **78.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #39 | **#21** |
| Size | 353 MB | 804 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Twin Sails Interactive](https://appshunter.io/developer/1135862620) | [Dire Wolf Digital](https://appshunter.io/developer/815343758) |

## What reviewers say

### Terraforming Mars

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/terraforming-mars/id1353471030)

**Currently charting:** #39 Top Paid · Board, #121 Top Paid · Strategy (US App Store)

Lead a corporation to terraform Mars by building cities, forests, and oceans. Manage resources, complete objectives, and increase your Terraform Rating to make the planet habitable. Compete against rivals and lead humanity into a new era.

**Highlights:** Official board game adaptation, Play against AI or up to 5 players, Online and offline multiplayer, Corporate Era variant, Solo challenge mode, Expansions available for new content

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

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Original Promo Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| Terraforming Mars - Prelude | $3.99 | one-time |
| Hellas & Elysium | $3.99 | one-time |
| Venus Next | $3.99 | one-time |
| Colonies | $3.99 | one-time |
| Big Box Promo Pack | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Faithful adaptation of board game
- 👍 Great UI and animations
- 🕹️ Smooth solo gameplay
- 💰 Good value for money

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🕹️ Unreliable multiplayer experience
- 🕰️ Long load times to resume games
- 🤯 Confusing multiplayer features
- 🤖 Weak AI opponents

**Reported bugs**

- Science tags not counted properly
- Power infrastructure card not functioning
- Inability to place tiles in some cases
- Saved games not loading properly

**Requested features**

- Undo button for actions
- Ability to see final game metrics
- Notifications for turn updates
- Ability to track win/loss records
- More expansion content


### Dune

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dune-imperium/id1575414319)

**Currently charting:** #21 Top Paid · Board, #64 Top Paid · Strategy (US App Store)

Engage in strategic warfare and political intrigue on the desert planet Arrakis. This award-winning board game adaptation blends deck-building and worker placement mechanics. Compete against AI, other players online, or face unique challenges and rotating game modes.

**Highlights:** Deck-building mechanics, Worker placement strategy, Online multiplayer, Local AI battles, Unique challenges, Rotating Skirmish Mode, Achievement system

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Dune: Imperium - Rise of Ix | $9.99 | one-time |
| Dune: Imperium - Immortality | $9.99 | one-time |
| Dune: Imperium - Uprising | $10.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth gameplay
- 🎨 Beautiful implementation
- 💪 Challenging AI
- 🕹️ Great digital adaptation of the board game
- 🕰️ Quick gameplay sessions

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Obtrusive DRM
- 🕹️ No local multiplayer/pass-and-play
- 🐛 Bugs and crashes
- 🔁 Slow reloading when switching between app and game
- 🔍 Difficulty seeing card details

**Reported bugs**

- Intrigue card issues
- Inconsistent login credentials
- Notification problems
- Victory points reset bug

**Requested features**

- Controller support
- Pass and play mode
- Ability to choose leaders
- Expand card detail visibility


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Terraforming Mars free?

Terraforming Mars costs $8.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is Dune free?

Dune costs $10.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Terraforming Mars or Dune?

Dune is rated higher. Terraforming Mars averages 4.5 out of 5 from 7.6K ratings, while Dune averages 4.9 from 5K ratings.

### Do Terraforming Mars or Dune have ads?

Neither Terraforming Mars nor Dune shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Terraforming Mars or Dune?

Terraforming Mars ships an update every 3 weeks, and Dune every 5 days. Most recently, Terraforming Mars was updated on November 6, 2026 and Dune on November 6, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Terraforming Mars or Dune?

Terraforming Mars currently peaks at #39 in the App Store charts, and Dune at #21. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*