# Mars Globe vs xSky

The clearest difference is rating: Mars Globe at 4.7 against xSky's 4.2. Mars Globe also leads on review sentiment (91% vs 80%) and ratings volume (337 vs 75). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Mars Globe holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 337 and 75 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 91% of Mars Globe's written reviews are positive against 80% of xSky's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Mars Globe | xSky |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (337 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mars-globe/id324185998/reviews)** | [4.2 (75 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xsky/id850941042/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **337** | 75 |
| Positive reviews | **90.7% of reviews** | 79.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 55 MB | 60 MB |
| Requires iOS | **7.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Midnight Martian](https://appshunter.io/developer/284473660) | [Oleg Sur](https://appshunter.io/developer/1454732575) |

## 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- 🕰️ Outdated information (missing recent missions)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


### xSky

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xsky/id850941042)

Explore the cosmos with a virtual telescope. Point your device at the sky to identify celestial bodies. Zoom in for detailed views and use a search function to locate specific objects.

**Highlights:** Virtual telescope functionality, Identify Sun, Moon, Planets, Stars, Galaxies, Zoom up to a million times, Screen lock to stop motion, Object search arrow, Soft music and sound effects

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🔭 Realistic space simulation
- ✨ Beautiful visuals and music
- 👍 Easy to use interface
- 💡 Great for learning astronomy
- 💯 Highly accurate object identification

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App crashing issues
- 🧭 Location services not working
- 🔄 Inconsistent with reality (out of sync)
- 📱 Not optimized for all devices (e.g., iPhone 12)
- 🎛️ Hard to control

**Reported bugs**

- App keeps crashing
- Location services not working/picking a country
- App closes immediately upon opening
- App is glitchy and moves by itself
- Search button not working in horizontal position

**Requested features**

- Camera feature for high-quality photos
- Ability to turn down exposure for photos
- Facts read aloud about celestial objects
- Traditional constellation names (e.g., Virgo, Taurus)
- Show International Space Station or other satellites


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Mars Globe free?

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

### Is xSky free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Mars Globe or xSky?

Mars Globe is rated higher. Mars Globe averages 4.7 out of 5 from 337 ratings, while xSky averages 4.2 from 75 ratings.

### Do Mars Globe or xSky have ads?

Neither Mars Globe nor xSky shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Mars Globe or xSky?

Mars Globe ships an update every 3 months, and xSky every 3 months. Most recently, Mars Globe was updated on September 22, 2026 and xSky on September 26, 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.*