# Mars Globe vs Cosmic Atlas

The clearest difference is rating: Mars Globe at 4.7 against Cosmic Atlas's 3.7. Mars Globe also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and review sentiment (91% vs 59%). Cosmic Atlas's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

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

Mars Globe holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Mars Globe has 342 ratings behind it against 65, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 91% of Mars Globe's written reviews are positive against 59% of Cosmic Atlas's.

Mars Globe ships an update every 3 months, Cosmic Atlas every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Mars Globe | Cosmic Atlas |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (342 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mars-globe/id324185998/reviews)** | [3.7 (65 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cosmic-atlas/id1305522465/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **342** | 65 |
| Positive reviews | **90.7% of reviews** | 58.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 55 MB | 147 MB |
| Requires iOS | **7.0** | 14.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Midnight Martian](https://appshunter.io/developer/284473660) | [Cosmic Atlas LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1503373138) |

## What reviewers say

### Mars Globe

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mars-globe/id324185998)

Explore the Red Planet with a detailed virtual globe. This app features high-resolution satellite maps, altimeter data, and advanced topographic lighting to showcase Mars' surface. Discover over 1500 annotated features and enjoy an introductory guided tour.

**Highlights:** High-resolution satellite map, Laser altimeter data, Advanced topographic lighting, Annotated surface features, Introduction and guided tour, Free exploration

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth and fast
- 📚 Detailed and informative
- 🌍 Realistic 3D globe
- 🔍 Ability to explore and zoom
- 🎨 Adjustable lighting and visuals

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Limited zoom capability
- 🕰️ Outdated information (missing recent missions)
- 🗺️ Distortion when panning/rotating globe
- 🖼️ Could use higher resolution imagery

**Reported bugs**

- Occasional crashes or freezes
- Compatibility issues on older devices

**Requested features**

- Add support for other planets and moons
- Integrate real-time data from active Mars missions
- Implement a search function to quickly find locations
- Add an option to view Mars from an Earth-based perspective


### Cosmic Atlas

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cosmic-atlas/id1305522465)

Explore a vast, scientifically rendered universe with lifelike exoplanets and detailed celestial bodies. Navigate through trillions of light years with multiple exploration modes, from first-person flight to telescopic identification. Discover and learn about thousands of planets beyond our solar system.

**Highlights:** Explore 5,000+ lifelike exoplanets, Navigate 180 trillion sq light years, Six interstellar travel modes, First-person planet view, Scientifically accurate renderings, Telescope identification mode, Detailed planet information panels

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Features | $0.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- ✨ Stunning visuals and graphics
- 🌌 Immersive exploration experience
- 📚 Great for learning about the universe
- 💡 Unique and original app
- 🚀 Fast and smooth performance (when working)

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and errors
- 💸 Paywalls limit free version
- 🤔 Confusing in-app purchases
- 📱 Text size difficult to read
- 😵 Over-the-top and irritating graphics

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes upon opening
- Kicked out of the game
- Cannot connect to server
- Error that doesn't let user in
- Planets brighten up unexpectedly

**Requested features**

- Add more solar system objects
- Fix Haumea's shape
- Add more candidates, dwarf moons, hypothetical objects, spacecrafts, anomalies, random asteroids, meteoroids, and comets
- Add ability to go into planets and see a preview
- Add more galaxies to travel to


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Mars Globe free?

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

### Is Cosmic Atlas free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Mars Globe or Cosmic Atlas?

Mars Globe is rated higher. Mars Globe averages 4.7 out of 5 from 342 ratings, while Cosmic Atlas averages 3.7 from 65 ratings.

### Do Mars Globe or Cosmic Atlas have ads?

Neither Mars Globe nor Cosmic Atlas shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Mars Globe or Cosmic Atlas?

Mars Globe ships an update every 3 months, and Cosmic Atlas every 3 weeks. Most recently, Mars Globe was updated on October 23, 2026 and Cosmic Atlas on October 21, 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.*