Comparison

Mars vs Mars Today

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

Head to head
About

Mars

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

Mars Today

Access the latest images of Mars from NASA's Curiosity rover. Browse current photos or explore past images from Curiosity, Spirit, and Opportunity by SOL. Bookmark and share your favorite discoveries.

Highlights
  • Latest Mars images from Curiosity
  • View past images from Spirit and Opportunity
  • Browse by Mars SOL
  • Bookmark favorite images
  • Easy sharing functionality
  • No login required
Features
Read full description

Mars Today brings you the latest images of Mars from NASA’s Curiosity rover. You can view the current photos or jump to any Mars SOL to view past photos from Curiosity, Spirit, and Opportunity. Bookmark your favorite images and easily share with your friends. No login required. Explore the red planet today!

Screenshots

Mars4 screens
Mars Today4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Mars Today at none against Mars's shown. Mars Today also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 32 months) and iOS requirement (15.2 vs 17.0). On price, in-app purchases 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Mars ships an update every 32 months, Mars Today monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Mars versus Mars Today: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMarsMars Today
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (4 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—4 — better
Update frequencyEvery 32 monthsMonthly — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNoNo
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.015.2 — better
Further details — not scored
Size108 MB4 MB
Age rating9+4+
DeveloperAlparslan TopbasJames Buckhouse

In-app purchases

None

Mars

No in-app purchases

None

Mars Today

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Mars free?
Mars is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Mars Today free?
Mars Today is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Mars or Mars Today have ads?
Mars shows ads; Mars Today does not.
Which is updated more often, Mars or Mars Today?
Mars ships an update every 32 months, and Mars Today monthly. Most recently, Mars was updated on September 30, 2026 and Mars Today on October 12, 2026.

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