Comparison

Mars vs Discover Mars

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Mars

Explore Mars with stunning visuals and interactive features. Discover NASA photos, watch HD videos of Curiosity's journey, and examine 3D models of Martian landscapes and hardware. This app offers a premium, immersive experience for space enthusiasts.

Highlights
  • Browse NASA photos of Mars
  • Watch HD videos of Curiosity's journey
  • Interactive 3D models of Martian topography
  • Smart search and discovery
  • Cinematic slideshow of Mars imagery
  • Modern, animated interface
Features
Read full description

Humanity’s fascination with the Red Planet has never been stronger. With the completely reimagined "Mars: Curiosity" app, we bring the frontiers of space exploration directly to your fingertips through a premium, state-of-the-art experience. Witness Mars as if you were standing on its dusty plains. Our latest update introduces a stunning modern interface featuring glassmorphism elements, dynamic background animations, and an overall design language inspired by the future of space travel. WHAT’S NEW & REIMAGINED: SMART SEARCH & DISCOVERY: Quickly find exactly what you’re looking for with our new global search feature in both the Browse and Video sections. IMMERSIVE VIDEO EXPERIENCE: Watch Curiosity’s journey in high-definition with our all-new video player. Now supporting landscape mode for a true cinema feel, smart autoplay with preview protection, and an elegant Apple TV-inspired layout. MODERN DESIGN SYSTEM: Experience a "alive" interface with subtle stars animations, glass-like cards, and haptic feedback that makes exploring feel tactile and premium. KEY FEATURES: EXPLORE (BROWSE): Navigate through hundreds of official NASA photos with ease. Toggle between grid and list views, shuffle your findings, and search specifically for the missions that interest you most. CINEMATIC SLIDESHOW: Lose yourself in the Martian landscape. Browse full-screen, high-resolution imagery that makes you feel truly present on the planet. HD VIDEO ARCHIVE: Dive deep into Gale Crater, learn about Curiosity’s historic achievements, and explore over 50 years of Martian research through curated video content. INTERACTIVE GALLERY: Examine every detail with intuitive pinch-to-zoom gestures and high-contrast viewing modes. 3D MODELS: Step into the third dimension with interactive models that bring Martian topography and hardware to life. Whether you are a casual observer or a dedicated space enthusiast, Mars: Curiosity provides a compact, powerful, and visually stunning window into the future of our species on another world.

About

Discover Mars

Explore stunning, high-definition images captured on Mars by NASA rovers. View the latest photos, zoom in for detail, and learn fascinating facts about the Red Planet's atmosphere, gravity, and temperature.

Highlights
  • View latest Mars rover images
  • Slideshow mode for full-screen viewing
  • Zoom into high-definition photos
  • Save images to your device
  • Explore Mars' atmosphere, gravity, and temperature
Features
Read full description

The Discover Mars app provides easy access to images taken on Mars by the NASA Mars rovers. - View the latest images taken on Mars by the Perseverance, Curiosity, Opportunity, and Spirit rovers. - Tapping on a photo launches it in slideshow mode to view the full high-definition image. You can double-tap to zoom into a photo or tap on the Share icon to save images directly onto your iPhone. - The Mars tab provides interesting visuals about Mars, such as its atmosphere, gravity, temperature, and much more. Designed by Spencer Everett Developed by Monte Thakkar

Screenshots

Mars4 screens
Discover Mars3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Discover Mars at none against Mars's 1. Discover Mars also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (monthly vs every 6 months). On price, rating and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Mars sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Discover Mars asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Mars against 5.0 for Discover Mars. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Discover Mars has 12 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Mars ships an update every 6 months, Discover Mars monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Mars versus Discover Mars: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMarsDiscover Mars
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings)5.0 (12 ratings)
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings212 — better
Update frequencyEvery 6 monthsMonthly — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationAd-supportedFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size107 MB8 MB
Age rating9+4+
DeveloperAlparslan TopbasManthan B Thakkar

Customer experience

Mars

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Discover Mars

All ratings11 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Mars

One-time1
  • Remove Ads$1.99
None

Discover Mars

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Mars free?
Mars is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Discover Mars free?
Discover Mars is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Mars or Discover Mars?
Mars and Discover Mars are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 2 and 12 ratings respectively.
Do Mars or Discover Mars have ads?
Mars shows ads; Discover Mars does not.
Which is updated more often, Mars or Discover Mars?
Mars ships an update every 6 months, and Discover Mars monthly. Most recently, Mars was updated on November 7, 2026 and Discover Mars on November 3, 2026.

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