# Subway Surfers vs Mars

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Subway Surfers at 3.9M against Mars's 22K. Subway Surfers also leads on update cadence (weekly vs monthly) and chart position (#7 vs unranked). Mars's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

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

Mars holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Subway Surfers has 3.9M ratings behind it against 22K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 87% of Subway Surfers's written reviews are positive against 91% of Mars's.

Subway Surfers ships an update weekly, Mars monthly. Both last shipped on October 30, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Subway Surfers | Mars |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (3.9M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/subway-surfers/id512939461/reviews) | **[4.8 (22K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mars-mars/id1108964305/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **3.9M** | 22K |
| Positive reviews | 86.5% of reviews | **90.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#7** | — |
| Size | 392 MB | 256 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 9+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Sybo Games ApS](https://appshunter.io/developer/471259040) | [Pomelo Games](https://appshunter.io/developer/899606172) |

## What reviewers say

### Subway Surfers

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/subway-surfers/id512939461)

**Currently charting:** #7 Top Free · Action, #22 Top Free · Casual, #42 Top Free · Games, #114 Top Grossing · Action (US App Store)

Embark on an exhilarating endless running adventure. Dash through vibrant environments, dodge obstacles, and outrun pursuers. Utilize power-ups like jetpacks and hoverboards to enhance your escape and achieve high scores.

**Highlights:** Endless running gameplay, Dodge oncoming trains, Grind trains, Colorful HD graphics, Hoverboard surfing, Paint powered jetpack

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 7,500 Coins | $0.99 | one-time |
| 12 500 Coins | $0.99 | one-time |
| Starter Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Coin Pack 1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| 45,000 Coins | $4.99 | one-time |
| Double Coins | $4.99 | one-time |
| 65 000 Coins | $4.99 | one-time |
| 25 Keys | $4.99 | one-time |
| 40 Keys | $4.99 | one-time |
| Key Pack 1 | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎮 Addictive and fun gameplay
- 📱 Works well offline
- 🎨 Diverse characters and themes
- 🎢 Challenging and fast-paced
- 🎁 Rewarding progression system

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive in-app purchases
- 🕰️ Frequent updates can be disruptive
- 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches
- 🕹️ Difficulty controlling character at times
- 🔍 Lack of save/sync across devices

**Reported bugs**

- Game crashes after updates
- Disappearing high scores and progress
- Unresponsive controls during gameplay
- Ads that redirect to App Store unexpectedly

**Requested features**

- Ability to save progress across devices
- More customization options for characters
- Difficulty settings or modes
- Multiplayer/competitive features
- Reduced ad frequency or ad-free option


### Mars

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mars-mars/id1108964305)

Embark on a thrilling space adventure as a volunteer on a mission to Mars. Pilot a jetpack to explore the Martian surface, capture unique selfies, and navigate the challenges of interplanetary travel. Prove the doubters wrong and make history on this groundbreaking expedition.

**Highlights:** Explore Mars on a jetpack, Take selfies on Mars, Avoid Rapid Unscheduled Disassemblies, Discover Martian sights, Volunteer for a space mission

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Arnold | $0.99 | one-time |
| Little Martha | $0.99 | one-time |
| Marselot | $0.99 | one-time |
| Nigiri | $0.99 | one-time |
| Ufo | $0.99 | one-time |
| Discman | $0.99 | one-time |
| Kestrel 5 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Eagle | $0.99 | one-time |
| Stephen | $3.99 | one-time |
| El Dorado | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Simple and addictive gameplay
- 👍 Relaxing and calming experience
- 👍 Variety of unique characters with different themes
- 👍 Optional ads that provide rewards
- 👍 Offline playability

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
- 🔁 Repetitive and can get boring over time
- 🔁 Lack of difficulty progression
- 🔁 Duplicate character unlocks can be frustrating

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when taking selfies
- Streak resets when returning to a previous level
- Inconsistent controls and fuel usage

**Requested features**

- Add new planets and environments to explore
- Introduce different gameplay modes (e.g., time trials, challenges)
- Allow players to customize platforms and backgrounds
- Implement a way to revisit previous levels


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Subway Surfers free?

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

### Is Mars free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Subway Surfers or Mars?

Mars is rated higher. Subway Surfers averages 4.6 out of 5 from 3.9M ratings, while Mars averages 4.8 from 22K ratings.

### Do Subway Surfers or Mars have ads?

Both Subway Surfers and Mars show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Subway Surfers or Mars?

Subway Surfers ships an update weekly, and Mars monthly. Most recently, Subway Surfers was updated on October 30, 2026 and Mars on October 30, 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.*