# Terraforming Assistant vs Scythe

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Terraforming Assistant at 94% against Scythe's 39%. Terraforming Assistant also leads on price (Free vs $9.99) and rating (4.9 vs 3.1). Scythe's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 6 months) and chart position (#42 vs unranked). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Terraforming Assistant is free to download; Scythe costs $9.99 up front. Scythe sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Terraforming Assistant asks for nothing beyond the download.

Terraforming Assistant holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Scythe has 217 ratings behind it against 28, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 94% of Terraforming Assistant's written reviews are positive against 39% of Scythe's.

Terraforming Assistant ships an update every 6 months, Scythe every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Terraforming Assistant | Scythe |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $9.99 |
| Rating | **[4.9 (28 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/terraforming-assistant/id1419254320/reviews)** | [3.1 (217 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scythe-digital-edition/id1482645966/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 28 | **217** |
| Positive reviews | **94.4% of reviews** | 39.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#42** |
| Size | 1 MB | 421 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Alan You](https://appshunter.io/developer/1419254319) | [The Knights of Unity](https://appshunter.io/developer/1445540630) |

## What reviewers say

### Terraforming Assistant

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/terraforming-assistant/id1419254320)

This app acts as a digital player mat for the board game Terraforming Mars. It automates game setup, tracks resources and tag counts, and allows you to review and restore game states.

**Highlights:** Automatic generation advancement adjustments, Automatic resource setup by corporation, View transaction history, Restore game state, Track tag counts

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Scythe

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scythe-digital-edition/id1482645966)

**Currently charting:** #42 Top Paid · Board (US App Store)

Experience an award-winning 4X strategy board game set in an alternate 1920s Europe. Lead one of seven unique factions, explore, expand, exploit, and exterminate your way to victory. Engage in asymmetric gameplay with varied starting conditions and secret objectives.

**Highlights:** Alternate 1920s Europe setting, 7 unique factions with different possibilities, 4X mechanics: explore, expand, exploit, exterminate, Asymmetric gameplay with varied starting resources and objectives, Turn-based combat and resource management, Single-player AI modes, Online multiplayer for up to 7 players

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Invaders From Afar | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great game adaptation
- 👍 Smooth gameplay
- 👍 Excellent tutorial
- 👍 Offline mode works well
- 👍 Visuals and UI are well-designed

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and loading issues
- 🐛 Buggy undo functionality
- 🐛 Inability to see opponent actions
- 🐛 Confusing UI elements
- 🐛 Lack of offline play

**Reported bugs**

- Game freezes on loading screen
- Unable to load/unload individual resources
- Crashes after recent updates
- Incompatibility with older iOS devices

**Requested features**

- Ability to invite offline friends
- Push notifications for turn updates
- More difficulty settings for AI
- Expansion content (Invaders from Afar)
- Better analytics and player stats


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Terraforming Assistant free?

Terraforming Assistant is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Scythe free?

Scythe costs $9.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Terraforming Assistant or Scythe?

Terraforming Assistant is rated higher. Terraforming Assistant averages 4.9 out of 5 from 28 ratings, while Scythe averages 3.1 from 217 ratings.

### Do Terraforming Assistant or Scythe have ads?

Neither Terraforming Assistant nor Scythe shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Terraforming Assistant or Scythe?

Terraforming Assistant ships an update every 6 months, and Scythe every 2 months. Most recently, Terraforming Assistant was updated on November 2, 2026 and Scythe on November 11, 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.*