# Mars Legacy vs HydroponicsCalc

The clearest difference is price: Mars Legacy at Free against HydroponicsCalc's $1.99. Mars Legacy also leads on ratings volume (71 vs 1) and update cadence (monthly vs every 4 months). HydroponicsCalc's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 1.3). On ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Mars Legacy is free to download; HydroponicsCalc costs $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

HydroponicsCalc holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 1.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Mars Legacy has 71 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Mars Legacy ships an update monthly, HydroponicsCalc every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Mars Legacy | HydroponicsCalc |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $1.99 |
| Rating | [1.3 (71 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mars-legacy/id1612237275/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hydroponicscalc/id6775172331/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **71** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 12.2% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Paid |
| Size | 59 MB | 3 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [MARS TRADING RCC, INC.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1726858942) | [Douglas Stieber](https://appshunter.io/developer/6771586128) |

## What reviewers say

### Mars Legacy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mars-legacy/id1612237275)

Control and configure your indoor grow lights remotely. Automate growth cycles with custom timers, simulate sunrise and sunset, and manage multiple lights independently from a single device. Compatible with the Mars Hydro Smart Grow System.

**Highlights:** Remote LED light control, Adjustable light intensity, Automatic growth cycle programming, Sunrise/sunset simulation, Wireless multi-light control, Independent lighting group management

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- ✅ Fan control works reliably
- ⚙️ Basic on/off functionality operational
- 🎯 Good hardware quality (lights and fans)
- 💰 Reasonable price-to-quality ratio
- 📱 App concept is innovative

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent disconnections (WiFi and Bluetooth)
- ⏱️ Timer functionality completely broken
- 🌅 Sunrise/sunset mode non-functional
- 🎬 Scene/automation features unreliable
- 🔄 App randomly resets or crashes

**Reported bugs**

- App cannot detect Bluetooth despite phone detecting it
- Timer settings do not execute at scheduled times
- Scenes and automation groups fail to work
- WiFi connection drops frequently and reconnection fails
- Light brightness changes unexpectedly without user input

**Requested features**

- Multiple on/off cycles per day for automation
- Daylight saving time adjustment option
- Sunrise/sunset mode with adjustable brightness levels
- Better WiFi stability and range
- Improved app interface and user experience


### HydroponicsCalc

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hydroponicscalc/id6775172331)

Manage your hydroponic garden with this comprehensive tool. Track reservoir levels, mix nutrients precisely, calculate pH and VPD, and document your grow with a journal and harvest log. Supports both US and metric units.

**Highlights:** Reservoir management dashboard, Concentrate and EC mixing calculators, pH and VPD calculators, Grow journal with photo timeline, Harvest log and ROI dashboard, Light schedule tracker, US & Metric unit support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Mars Legacy free?

Mars Legacy is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is HydroponicsCalc free?

HydroponicsCalc costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Mars Legacy or HydroponicsCalc?

HydroponicsCalc is rated higher. Mars Legacy averages 1.3 out of 5 from 71 ratings, while HydroponicsCalc averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Mars Legacy or HydroponicsCalc have ads?

Neither Mars Legacy nor HydroponicsCalc shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Mars Legacy or HydroponicsCalc?

Mars Legacy ships an update monthly, and HydroponicsCalc every 4 months. Most recently, Mars Legacy was updated on October 22, 2026 and HydroponicsCalc on October 23, 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.*