# Mars Hydro vs Grow Guide

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Grow Guide at 97% against Mars Hydro's 24%. Grow Guide also leads on rating (4.9 vs 2.6) and update cadence (weekly vs monthly). Mars Hydro's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Grow Guide sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Mars Hydro asks for nothing beyond the download.

Grow Guide holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 2.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 27 and 126 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 24% of Mars Hydro's written reviews are positive against 97% of Grow Guide's.

Mars Hydro ships an update monthly, Grow Guide weekly. The most recent releases landed on August 11, 2026 and September 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Mars Hydro | Grow Guide |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.6 (27 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mars-hydro/id6479227564/reviews) | **[4.9 (126 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/grow-guide/id6637720578/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 27 | **126** |
| Positive reviews | 23.8% of reviews | **96.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 45 MB | 85 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [MARS TRADING RCC, INC.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1726858942) | [phannafest llc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1209901791) |

## What reviewers say

### Mars Hydro

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mars-hydro/id6479227564)

Control your smart grow system with this app. Manage LED lights, ventilation, and monitor environmental data like CO2, temperature, and humidity for optimal plant growth. Automate your entire grow kit to mimic natural conditions.

**Highlights:** LED light control with timers and simulation, Ventilation system management, Complete grow kit automation via iHub, Environmental data monitoring (CO2, temp, humidity, PPFD), Sunrise and sunset simulation

**In-app purchases:** none


### Grow Guide

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/grow-guide/id6637720578)

This app helps users track their cannabis grows from seed to harvest. It offers AI-powered advice, a community forum for knowledge sharing, and professional tools like a VPD calculator and light meter. Create time-lapse videos of your plants and learn from experienced cultivators.

**Highlights:** Daily grow tracking journal, AI-powered plant advice, Time-lapse video creation, Active grower community, Professional growing tools (VPD, light meter), Nutrient and environment tracking

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Grow Guide Pro | $5.99 | per month |
| Grow Guide Pro | $39.99 | per year |
| Grow Guide Pro (LTD) | $149.00 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Mars Hydro free?

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

### Is Grow Guide free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Mars Hydro or Grow Guide?

Grow Guide is rated higher. Mars Hydro averages 2.6 out of 5 from 27 ratings, while Grow Guide averages 4.9 from 126 ratings.

### Do Mars Hydro or Grow Guide have ads?

Neither Mars Hydro nor Grow Guide shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Mars Hydro or Grow Guide?

Mars Hydro ships an update monthly, and Grow Guide weekly. Most recently, Mars Hydro was updated on August 11, 2026 and Grow Guide on September 28, 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.*