# Ascent vs Mars Info Lite

The clearest difference is update cadence: Mars Info Lite at every 3 months against Ascent's every 46 months. Mars Info Lite also leads on ratings volume (200 vs 16) and device support (4 vs 1). Ascent's advantage is rating (4.6 vs 4.4) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 17.0). On price, review sentiment, 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.

Ascent holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Mars Info Lite has 200 ratings behind it against 16, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 89% of Ascent's written reviews are positive against 96% of Mars Info Lite's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Ascent ships an update every 46 months, Mars Info Lite every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Ascent | Mars Info Lite |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ascent-commemorating-shuttle/id473973416/reviews)** | [4.4 (200 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mars-info-lite/id1093071808/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 16 | **200** |
| Positive reviews | 89.5% of reviews | **96.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 46 months | **Every 3 months** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 731 MB | 210 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [NASA](https://appshunter.io/developer/355542146) | [Viktor Goltvyanytsya](https://appshunter.io/developer/556365139) |

## What reviewers say

### Ascent

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ascent-commemorating-shuttle/id473973416)

Explore stunning Shuttle mission footage with commentary, additional scenes, and production notes. This educational compilation offers a deep dive into the STS-114, STS-117, and STS-124 missions.

**Highlights:** Ground-based Shuttle motion imagery, STS-114, STS-117, and STS-124 mission footage, Includes commentary, Additional scenes, Selected images, Production notes

**In-app purchases:** none


### Mars Info Lite

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mars-info-lite/id1093071808)

Explore the surface of the Red Planet with an interactive 3D globe. Discover significant locations like volcanoes, craters, and mountains, and view detailed information about each. This version offers a curated selection of points of interest.

**Highlights:** Interactive 3D Mars globe, Rotate, tilt, and zoom controls, Pinpoint key locations, View location details (name, type, size, coordinates), List of selectable locations

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to navigate and self-explanatory
- ✨ Fantastic graphics and useful information
- 🚀 Responsive navigation around Mars
- 💡 Great for learning about Mars
- 🌟 Awesome info graphics and data

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Pinpoints shifted 90 degrees in longitude
- 🔭 Can't zoom in close enough
- 🖼️ Picture can be unsteady when scrolling text

**Reported bugs**

- Pinpoints shifted 90 degrees in longitude
- Crashes immediately on iPhone 4s

**Requested features**

- Implement geomorphology data
- Add ability to zoom out and see Mars alignment with other planets
- Add VR support
- Add apps for other planets


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Ascent free?

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

### Is Mars Info Lite free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Ascent or Mars Info Lite?

Ascent is rated higher. Ascent averages 4.6 out of 5 from 16 ratings, while Mars Info Lite averages 4.4 from 200 ratings.

### Do Ascent or Mars Info Lite have ads?

Neither Ascent nor Mars Info Lite shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Ascent or Mars Info Lite?

Ascent ships an update every 46 months, and Mars Info Lite every 3 months. Most recently, Ascent was updated on October 13, 2026 and Mars Info Lite on October 16, 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.*