# Terraforming Mars vs Ark Nova

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Ark Nova at none against Terraforming Mars's 6. Ark Nova also leads on review sentiment (72% vs 45%) and rating (4.8 vs 4.5). Terraforming Mars's advantage is ratings volume (7.5K vs 1.2K) and price ($8.99 vs $10.99). On update cadence, ads, chart position and device support there is nothing between them.

Terraforming Mars costs $8.99 and Ark Nova $10.99 up front. Terraforming Mars sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. Ark Nova asks for nothing beyond the download.

Ark Nova holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Terraforming Mars has 7.5K ratings behind it against 1.2K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 45% of Terraforming Mars's written reviews are positive against 72% of Ark Nova's.

Terraforming Mars ships an update every 3 weeks, Ark Nova every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Terraforming Mars | Ark Nova |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$8.99** | $10.99 |
| Rating | [4.5 (7.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/terraforming-mars/id1353471030/reviews) | **[4.8 (1.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ark-nova/id6449233549/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **7.5K** | 1.2K |
| Positive reviews | 45.3% of reviews | **72.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | #39 | **#26** |
| Size | 353 MB | 682 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| 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, #122 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


### Ark Nova

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ark-nova/id6449233549)

**Currently charting:** #26 Top Paid · Board, #87 Top Paid · Strategy (US App Store)

Design and manage a modern zoo to support global conservation efforts. Build enclosures, house animals, and utilize unique cards for special abilities. Compete to create the most successful zoological establishment.

**Highlights:** Plan and design a modern zoo, Build enclosures and accommodate animals, Support global conservation projects, Utilize 255 unique cards (animals, specialists, projects), Upgrade action cards for gameplay, Increase zoo appeal and scientific reputation

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great implementation overall
- 👍 Lots of fun
- 👍 Good animations
- 👍 Choice of modes
- 👍 Clean, modern and enjoyable design

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Tile placement/rotation issues on iPad
- 🐛 Building placement UI issues
- 👎 Difficult to read board state on mobile
- 👎 Lack of simultaneous view for key game info
- 👎 Cumbersome to create games with friends

**Reported bugs**

- iPad Flash exit issue
- Rewards screen being blocked by other UI elements

**Requested features**

- Option to enable larger UI buttons for modal panels
- Full screen mode
- Option to reverse zoom direction
- Improved card readability/zoom


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Terraforming Mars free?

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

### Is Ark Nova free?

Ark Nova costs $10.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Terraforming Mars or Ark Nova?

Ark Nova is rated higher. Terraforming Mars averages 4.5 out of 5 from 7.5K ratings, while Ark Nova averages 4.8 from 1.2K ratings.

### Do Terraforming Mars or Ark Nova have ads?

Neither Terraforming Mars nor Ark Nova shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Terraforming Mars or Ark Nova?

Terraforming Mars ships an update every 3 weeks, and Ark Nova every 2 weeks. Most recently, Terraforming Mars was updated on September 26, 2026 and Ark Nova on September 24, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Terraforming Mars or Ark Nova?

Terraforming Mars currently peaks at #39 in the App Store charts, and Ark Nova at #26. 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.*