# Ascension vs TMHelper

The clearest difference is rating: TMHelper at 4.5 against Ascension's 3.4. TMHelper also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). Ascension's advantage is ratings volume (1.1K vs 2) and update cadence (every 3 months vs every 10 months). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Ascension sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and TMHelper sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

TMHelper holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Ascension has 1.1K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 60% of Ascension's written reviews are positive against 67% of TMHelper's.

Ascension ships an update every 3 months, TMHelper every 10 months. Both last shipped on November 3, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Ascension | TMHelper |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.4 (1.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ascension-deckbuilding-game/id441838733/reviews) | **[4.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tmhelper/id1627456078/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.1K** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 60.0% of reviews | **66.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 months** | Every 10 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 1.2 GB | 6 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Playdek, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/493347346) | [Mike Mailyan](https://appshunter.io/developer/1547807750) |

## What reviewers say

### Ascension

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ascension-deckbuilding-game/id441838733)

Engage in a strategic deck-building card game where you acquire cards to gain Renown and unlock powerful Boons. Battle against the Fallen One alone or with friends, with expansions available to deepen the experience.

**Highlights:** Deck-building card game mechanics, Single-player and multiplayer modes, Unlock powerful Boons and Legendary status, Cross-platform online play, Offline AI opponents, Multiple expansions available

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Storm of Souls expansion | $0.99 | one-time |
| Promo Pack 1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Immortal Heroes expansion | $0.99 | one-time |
| Ascension Promo Cards - Pack 4 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Rise of Vigil | $0.99 | one-time |
| Darkness Unleashed expansion | $0.99 | one-time |
| Realms Unraveled expansion | $0.99 | one-time |
| Dawn of Champions | $0.99 | one-time |
| Dreamscape | $0.99 | one-time |
| Return of the Fallen expansion | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great game
- 👍 Awesome adaptation of the physical game
- 🕹️ Engaging gameplay
- 💰 Reasonable in-app purchase prices
- 🕰️ Excellent time killer

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and bugs
- 🔄 Slow AI turns
- 🔒 Issues with restoring purchases
- 🔍 Cluttered UI, hard to read cards
- 🔋 High battery consumption

**Reported bugs**

- Purchases disappearing after updates
- Restore function not working
- Crashes when certain cards are played
- Constructs getting stuck in the middle of the screen
- Game freezing and logging out users

**Requested features**

- Increase honor pool limit for online games
- Add custom deck building options
- Optimize for iPhone X and newer devices
- Provide option to revert to old art style
- Improve online multiplayer experience


### 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 |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Ascension free?

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

### Is TMHelper free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Ascension or TMHelper?

TMHelper is rated higher. Ascension averages 3.4 out of 5 from 1.1K ratings, while TMHelper averages 4.5 from 2 ratings.

### Do Ascension or TMHelper have ads?

Neither Ascension nor TMHelper shows ads.

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

Ascension ships an update every 3 months, and TMHelper every 10 months. Most recently, Ascension was updated on November 3, 2026 and TMHelper on November 3, 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.*