# Colonize vs Mars

The clearest difference is rating: Colonize at 4.4 against Mars's 1.0. Colonize also leads on review sentiment (57% vs 20%) and ratings volume (146 vs 2). Mars's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs monthly). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Colonize sells 13 one-off in-app purchases and Mars sells 11 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Colonize holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Colonize has 146 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 57% of Colonize's written reviews are positive against 20% of Mars's.

Colonize ships an update monthly, Mars weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Colonize | Mars |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (146 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/colonize-transport-tycoon/id1518807068/reviews)** | [1.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mars-colonization/id1644154430/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **146** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | **57.1% of reviews** | 20.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 223 MB | 407 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Maksim Olegovich Zakopailov](https://appshunter.io/developer/1518807067) | [Paul Noack](https://appshunter.io/developer/1541962473) |

## What reviewers say

### Colonize

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/colonize-transport-tycoon/id1518807068)

Build and manage a space colony's transport network on a distant planet. This relaxing simulator offers real-time goods transportation without timers, allowing you to explore biomes and develop unique vehicles. Immerse yourself in a unique setting with an unforgettable soundtrack.

**Highlights:** Build global transportation network, Develop colony buildings, Manage unique vehicles, Explore planet biomes, Resource-based construction, Real-time transport

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (13)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Banks 100 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Mechanic | $3.99 | one-time |
| Parts package 1 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Banks 270 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Liquid autopilot | $4.99 | one-time |
| Starter pack | $5.99 | one-time |
| Transport for all resources | $7.99 | one-time |
| Driver | $7.99 | one-time |
| Parts package 2 | $7.99 | one-time |
| Premium pack | $11.99 | one-time |
| Advanced pack | $19.99 | one-time |
| Entrepreneur | $29.99 | one-time |
| Industrialist | $69.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎮 Engaging strategy and resource management gameplay
- 🎨 Attractive cute visual design and aesthetics
- 🎵 Beautiful and relaxing music
- 💰 No mandatory ads or aggressive monetization
- 🧩 Complex supply chain puzzle mechanics

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🚧 Game progression blocked at specific levels (19, 20, 26, 33)
- ⏳ Extremely long wait times for resource production
- 🔄 Repetitive and tedious gameplay loop
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and app stability issues
- 🔋 Excessive battery drain even in background

**Reported bugs**

- Game crashes on startup or during loading screen
- Progress loss after app crashes
- Vehicles not appearing after garage upgrades
- Premium vehicle purchases not received despite payment
- Deliveries not working in background mode after updates

**Requested features**

- Ability to build vertical/north-south roads and diagonal paths
- Zoom out further to see the full map
- Upgrade factories to hold more resources before shipping
- Color-coded roads for tracking upgrades
- Daily login rewards and better reward system


### Mars

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mars-colonization/id1644154430)

Build and manage a thriving colony on Mars in the year 2050. Explore the planet, research new technologies, and collaborate with other colonies to overcome daily challenges and establish a new civilization.

**Highlights:** Explore Mars with Rovers, Collaborate on Mega Builds, Help Citizens with Minigames, Research New Technologies, Build Colony Structures, Collect and Study Stone Samples

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

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Tiny Antimatter Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Small Antimatter Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Medium Antimatter Pack | $3.99 | one-time |
| Small Bundle | $4.99 | one-time |
| Large Antimatter Pack | $8.99 | one-time |
| Small Bundle | $12.99 | one-time |
| Medium Bundle | $13.99 | one-time |
| Extra Large Antimatter Pack | $24.99 | one-time |
| Large Bundle | $31.99 | one-time |
| Medium Bundle | $34.99 | one-time |
| Large Bundle | $69.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Colonize free?

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

### Is Mars free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Colonize or Mars?

Colonize is rated higher. Colonize averages 4.4 out of 5 from 146 ratings, while Mars averages 1.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Colonize or Mars have ads?

Both Colonize and Mars show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Colonize or Mars?

Colonize ships an update monthly, and Mars weekly. Most recently, Colonize was updated on October 22, 2026 and Mars on October 16, 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.*