# Mars vs Blue Box Simulator

The clearest difference is rating: Blue Box Simulator at 4.5 against Mars's 4.1. Blue Box Simulator also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months) and review sentiment (79% vs 66%). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Mars sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and Blue Box Simulator sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Blue Box Simulator holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 26 and 108 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 66% of Mars's written reviews are positive against 79% of Blue Box Simulator's.

Mars ships an update every 2 months, Blue Box Simulator every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Mars | Blue Box Simulator |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.1 (26 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mars-the-arrival/id1458927524/reviews) | **[4.5 (108 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blue-box-simulator/id1557069711/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 26 | **108** |
| Positive reviews | 65.6% of reviews | **79.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 2.6 GB | 2.4 GB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Stefan Nyul](https://appshunter.io/developer/1458927523) | [Jesus Garces Villarrubia](https://appshunter.io/developer/1518826992) |

## What reviewers say

### Mars

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mars-the-arrival/id1458927524)

Engage in a scientific simulation of establishing a Mars colony. Manage a small group of settlers, research technologies, and build a thriving settlement from a single module. Compete with other human-controlled colonies for success on the Red Planet.

**Highlights:** Scientific Mars settlement simulation, Research and development of technologies, Exploration of the Red Planet, Building and managing specialized structures, Managing settler types and life cycles, 3D view of settlement and Mars surface, Offline playability

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Logistics contract | $0.99 | one-time |
| MAA Gold Membership | $1.99 | one-time |
| Sponsors contract | $2.99 | one-time |


### Blue Box Simulator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blue-box-simulator/id1557069711)

Embark on interstellar journeys with a virtual time and space machine. Explore planets, engage in manual flight with warp capabilities, or utilize autopilot for guided expeditions. Experience time travel through a vortex for ultimate exploration.

**Highlights:** Time and space travel simulation, Manual flight with warp capabilities, Autopilot for guided navigation, Time vortex travel, Planet exploration, Superluminal speed travel

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Access to the 3D Earth | $0.99 | per month |
| Cup of tea | $0.99 | one-time |
| Unlock All The Extra Content | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fantastic game
- 👍 Great graphics and gameplay
- 🎨 Awesome TARDIS interiors
- 🎮 Immersive Doctor Who experience

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and glitches
- 🤖 Lack of alien species/enemies
- 🗺️ Limited planets and locations
- 🔌 Performance issues on some devices

**Reported bugs**

- Crashing when trying to land on planets
- Chameleon circuit issues causing problems
- Google Maps API unavailability
- Controls and navigation not always intuitive

**Requested features**

- Add 13th, 14th, and 15th Doctor's TARDIS interiors
- Implement more rooms and areas to explore within the TARDIS
- Introduce quests, companions, and other Doctor Who elements
- Optimize performance and stability across devices


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Mars free?

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

### Is Blue Box Simulator free?

Blue Box Simulator is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Mars or Blue Box Simulator?

Blue Box Simulator is rated higher. Mars averages 4.1 out of 5 from 26 ratings, while Blue Box Simulator averages 4.5 from 108 ratings.

### Do Mars or Blue Box Simulator have ads?

Both Mars and Blue Box Simulator show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Mars or Blue Box Simulator?

Mars ships an update every 2 months, and Blue Box Simulator every 2 weeks. Most recently, Mars was updated on October 5, 2026 and Blue Box Simulator on October 15, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*