# TMHelper vs BoardGamePad

The clearest difference is update cadence: BoardGamePad at every 2 weeks against TMHelper's every 10 months. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. TMHelper sells 6 one-off in-app purchases and BoardGamePad sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

TMHelper ships an update every 10 months, BoardGamePad every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | TMHelper | BoardGamePad |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tmhelper/id1627456078/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **2** | — |
| Positive reviews | 66.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 10 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 6 MB | 310 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | 26.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Mike Mailyan](https://appshunter.io/developer/1547807750) | [Jaroslav Cecho](https://appshunter.io/developer/1485077132) |

## What reviewers say

### TMHelper

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tmhelper/id1627456078)

A companion app for Terraforming Mars and its Ares Expedition expansion. It allows players to easily track global parameters, manage player boards, and keep score for up to five players. Designed for quick, touch-friendly adjustments.

**Highlights:** Track global parameters (oxygen, temperature, oceans), Manage player boards with production/resource controls, Keep Terraforming Rating and player scores, Dedicated Ares Expedition mode, Smart, touch-first controls

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| TMHelper 7-day Free Trial | Free | one-time |
| Mars | $0.99 | one-time |
| Earth | $1.99 | one-time |
| Saturn | $2.99 | one-time |
| Jupiter | $3.99 | one-time |
| TMHelper Lifetime | $9.99 | one-time |


### BoardGamePad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/boardgamepad/id6755134379)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $0.99 | per month |
| Yearly | $9.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is TMHelper free?

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

### Is BoardGamePad free?

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

### Do TMHelper or BoardGamePad have ads?

Neither TMHelper nor BoardGamePad shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, TMHelper or BoardGamePad?

TMHelper ships an update every 10 months, and BoardGamePad every 2 weeks. Most recently, TMHelper was updated on November 3, 2026 and BoardGamePad on November 5, 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.*