# TMHelper vs BaseTap

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: BaseTap at none against TMHelper's 6. BaseTap also leads on update cadence (every 3 months vs every 10 months) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 26.0). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. TMHelper sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. BaseTap asks for nothing beyond the download.

TMHelper ships an update every 10 months, BaseTap every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | TMHelper | BaseTap |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 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 | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 10 months | **Every 3 months** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 6 MB | 86 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Mike Mailyan](https://appshunter.io/developer/1547807750) | [Gabriel Berres](https://appshunter.io/developer/1861555074) |

## 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 |


### BaseTap

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/basetap/id6756585847)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is TMHelper free?

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

### Is BaseTap free?

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

### Do TMHelper or BaseTap have ads?

Neither TMHelper nor BaseTap shows ads.

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

TMHelper ships an update every 10 months, and BaseTap every 3 months. Most recently, TMHelper was updated on October 1, 2026 and BaseTap on October 8, 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.*