# NEPO Missions vs Mars

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: NEPO Missions at none against Mars's 11. NEPO Missions also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (43% vs 20%). Mars's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs monthly). On price, rating, ratings volume and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Mars sells 11 one-off in-app purchases. NEPO Missions asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 1.0 for NEPO Missions against 1.0 for Mars. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 2 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 43% of NEPO Missions's written reviews are positive against 20% of Mars's.

NEPO Missions ships an update monthly, Mars weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | NEPO Missions | Mars |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [1.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nepo-missions/id1539425110/reviews) | [1.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mars-colonization/id1644154430/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **2** |
| Positive reviews | **42.9% of reviews** | 20.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 185 MB | 407 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Fraunhofer](https://appshunter.io/developer/487639036) | [Paul Noack](https://appshunter.io/developer/1541962473) |

## What reviewers say

### NEPO Missions

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nepo-missions/id1539425110)

Embark on a simulated Mars mission where you program a rover to explore for water and life. This educational game uses a visual programming language, making it accessible for beginners, and features 17 levels inspired by real space exploration.

**Highlights:** Simulated Mars rover programming, Explore for water and life, Visual programming language, 17 exciting levels, Inspired by real ESA missions, Learn about space and sensors

**In-app purchases:** none


### 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 NEPO Missions free?

NEPO Missions is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Mars free?

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

### Which has better reviews, NEPO Missions or Mars?

NEPO Missions and Mars are both rated 1.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 2 ratings respectively.

### Do NEPO Missions or Mars have ads?

Mars shows ads; NEPO Missions does not.

### Which is updated more often, NEPO Missions or Mars?

NEPO Missions ships an update monthly, and Mars weekly. Most recently, NEPO Missions was updated on October 21, 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.*