# My Planet Simulation vs Mars

The clearest difference is rating: Mars at 4.1 against My Planet Simulation's 3.7. Mars also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.6). My Planet Simulation's advantage is ratings volume (219 vs 26). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. My Planet Simulation sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and Mars sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Mars holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: My Planet Simulation has 219 ratings behind it against 26, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 60% of My Planet Simulation's written reviews are positive against 66% of Mars's.

My Planet Simulation ships an update every 3 months, Mars every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | My Planet Simulation | Mars |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.7 (219 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/my-planet-simulation/id695687095/reviews) | **[4.1 (26 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mars-the-arrival/id1458927524/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **219** | 26 |
| Positive reviews | 60.4% of reviews | **65.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 34 MB | 2.6 GB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Brandon Stecklein](https://appshunter.io/developer/498894252) | [Stefan Nyul](https://appshunter.io/developer/1458927523) |

## What reviewers say

### My Planet Simulation

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/my-planet-simulation/id695687095)

Control a planet and nurture a thriving population by managing sunlight and rain. This real-time simulation game requires daily check-ins to maintain optimal conditions for vegetation and prevent your people from starving or suffering from extreme weather. Can you reach a population of over one million?

**Highlights:** Virtual planet simulation, Population growth management, Sunlight and rain manipulation, Real-time gameplay, Vegetation level monitoring, Resource optimization

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 100 Ape Coins | $0.99 | one-time |
| Advertising Removal | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast loading
- 👍 Cute and charming
- 🚀 Addictive gameplay
- 👍 Unique concept

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs and glitches
- 🔋 Planet dies when not playing
- 🕰️ Slow progression
- 🙄 Repetitive gameplay

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on launch
- Planet disappears or turns into a square
- Supplies not reaching moon colony
- Inconsistent sun/water levels

**Requested features**

- Add more planets and solar system
- Introduce more god-like powers
- Implement a pause/save feature
- Improve graphics and animations
- Add more content and complexity


### Mars

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mars-the-arrival/id1458927524)

Engage in a scientific simulation of establishing a Mars colony. Manage a small group of settlers, research technologies, and build a thriving settlement from a single module. Compete with other human-controlled colonies for success on the Red Planet.

**Highlights:** Scientific Mars settlement simulation, Research and development of technologies, Exploration of the Red Planet, Building and managing specialized structures, Managing settler types and life cycles, 3D view of settlement and Mars surface, Offline playability

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Logistics contract | $0.99 | one-time |
| MAA Gold Membership | $1.99 | one-time |
| Sponsors contract | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is My Planet Simulation free?

My Planet Simulation 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, My Planet Simulation or Mars?

Mars is rated higher. My Planet Simulation averages 3.7 out of 5 from 219 ratings, while Mars averages 4.1 from 26 ratings.

### Do My Planet Simulation or Mars have ads?

Both My Planet Simulation and Mars show ads.

### Which is updated more often, My Planet Simulation or Mars?

My Planet Simulation ships an update every 3 months, and Mars every 2 months. Most recently, My Planet Simulation was updated on October 23, 2026 and Mars on October 22, 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.*