# Terraforming Assistant vs TMHelper

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Terraforming Assistant at none against TMHelper's 6. Terraforming Assistant also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.5) and review sentiment (94% vs 67%). On price, update cadence, ads and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. TMHelper sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. Terraforming Assistant asks for nothing beyond the download.

Terraforming Assistant holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Terraforming Assistant has 28 ratings behind it against 2, 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 67% of TMHelper's.

Terraforming Assistant ships an update every 6 months, TMHelper every 10 months. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Terraforming Assistant | TMHelper |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (28 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/terraforming-assistant/id1419254320/reviews)** | [4.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tmhelper/id1627456078/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **28** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | **94.4% of reviews** | 66.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 months** | Every 10 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 1 MB | 6 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Alan You](https://appshunter.io/developer/1419254319) | [Mike Mailyan](https://appshunter.io/developer/1547807750) |

## What reviewers say

### Terraforming Assistant

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

This app digitally replaces your physical player mat for the board game Terraforming Mars. It automates generation advancement, resource setup by corporation, and tracks game history, allowing you to restore past game states.

**Highlights:** Automatic generation advancement, Automatic resource setup by corporation, View transaction history, Restore game state, Supports all expansions and promo corporations

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### TMHelper

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tmhelper/id1627456078)

A companion app for Terraforming Mars and its Ares Expedition expansion. It allows players to easily track global parameters, manage player boards, and keep score for up to five players. Designed for quick, touch-friendly adjustments.

**Highlights:** Track global parameters (oxygen, temperature, oceans), Manage player boards with production/resource controls, Keep Terraforming Rating and player scores, Dedicated Ares Expedition mode, Smart, touch-first controls

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| TMHelper 7-day Free Trial | Free | one-time |
| Mars | $0.99 | one-time |
| Earth | $1.99 | one-time |
| Saturn | $2.99 | one-time |
| Jupiter | $3.99 | one-time |
| TMHelper Lifetime | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Terraforming Assistant free?

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

### Is TMHelper free?

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

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

Terraforming Assistant is rated higher. Terraforming Assistant averages 4.9 out of 5 from 28 ratings, while TMHelper averages 4.5 from 2 ratings.

### Do Terraforming Assistant or TMHelper have ads?

Neither Terraforming Assistant nor TMHelper shows ads.

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

Terraforming Assistant ships an update every 6 months, and TMHelper every 10 months. Most recently, Terraforming Assistant was updated on October 24, 2026 and TMHelper on October 17, 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.*