Can we accurately estimate sediment budgets on Mars?

•Sediment budgets are fundamentally important for planetary geomorphology.•Two methods, remote sensing and in-situ, used on Earth, but only the former on Mars.•What is effect of only one available method without a second for validation on Mars?•Terrestrial analog case study revealed 3 to 138 relative % difference between methods.•Many more analog studies will improve sediment budgets on Mars, other planets.