# Word Zero — Familiar gameplay. Zero fluff.

> Two-player crossword board game with token-based gameplay and no in-game distractions. (iPhone/iPad app by SourceGear.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/word-zero/id6463043123 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [SourceGear](https://appshunter.io/developer/550525064)
- Category: Games, Board, Word
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Rating: 4.50/5 from 19 App Store ratings · 13 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 9+
- Requires: iOS 16.4 · 64 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2023-12-21
- Data updated: 2026-08-01
- Monetization: free with in-app purchases
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/word-zero/id6463043123/reviews.md

## What is Word Zero?

Word Zero is a crossword board game in the style of others you may have seen.  Two players take turns placing tiles on a board to form words.
Tiles have different point values, and some board spaces have bonuses (like double-word score), and so on.

What makes this game different is the absence of ... annoyances.

- Zero interruptions:  We have no ads during game play.

- Zero distractions:  We don't have gems, rewards, stickers, or achievements.

- Zero deception:  We do offer computer players (Bots), but they never pretend to be real people.

- Zero manipulation:  We don't send you notifications nagging you to play a game.

- Zero cheats:  We don't have in-game assistance or power-ups.

Instead, Word Zero has a simple model of requiring one "token" for each game you play.

- Each new user gets a batch of free game tokens to start.  More free tokens are provided periodically and as resources allow.

- Users who want to play more often can purchase additional tokens through In-App Purchases.

- Game tokens do not expire and can be used at whatever pace you like.

Highlights:

- Sign In With Apple

- Games are "correspondence" style. Each player has up to 3 days for their turn, but it is considered good form to play as quickly as possible. If a player does not make a turn within that time period, a pass is automatically assumed and it becomes the other player's turn. If a player "auto-passes" twice in a row, and if their opponent makes a turn in between, the game is declared a forfeit and the opponent wins. Note that it is considered bad form to abandon a game.

- Languages currently supported for game play include English and Spanish

- For games in English, we use the NASPA Word List, which is the official word reference for SCRABBLE play in the United States and Canada.

- Push notifications to let you know when it is your turn

- Players who use this app are expected to play without outside assistance. Using dictionaries, word lists, or other helps during a game is considered cheating.  All players are on the honor system. 

- An Elo rating system is used to give an approximate indication of the strength of each player.

- Although the primary focus of Word Zero is to facilitate games between people, the ability to play against computer players ("Bots") is provided as well.  The Bot-related features are intentionally kept separated from other areas of the app, so there can be no confusion about whether you are playing a Bot or a real person.

## Key features

- Two-player turn-based word formation
- Token system for game access
- No ads or in-game rewards
- Correspondence-style games with turn timers
- Play against computer bots
- Elo rating system
- English and Spanish language support

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**One-time purchases**

| Purchase | Price | Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 50 Game Tokens | $4.99 | one-time |
| 50 Game Tokens | $4.99 | one-time |


## Recent user reviews (10 of 13)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/word-zero/id6463043123/reviews.md

### 4/5 — Great Ad-free option that uses a standard dictionary

*2026-07-03*

Uses the NWL dictionary so it’s a good choice for tournament level players to practice with. It’s monetized with game tokens, which is a pretty fair deal, given that there are no ads. Games are timed so you’re expected to play through a session.

I would like it if it tracked tiles or at least showed you how many tiles are left in the bag.

I would also like an option to customize the board layout.

### 3/5 — Play button

*2026-01-16*

I love this game in every way, except it keeps looking the play button in the fade out position so I am unable to play when it is my turn. I guess I’m going to forfeit games because of this. I would change my review to 5 if th this is corrected.

### 4/5 — Please add a tile bag and this would be perfect

*2025-10-08*

This is by far the best scrabble app out there, no ads or garbage you’ll find on the popular scrabble type games, closest to actual scrabble rules/board layout. I’ve played over 300 games. This would easily be 5 stars if we could get a tile bag. It feels like it should be so simple to add and it’s frustrating to feel like I need to use a solver app or literally keep track of every tile with pen and paper.

### 5/5 — Please fix bot issue

*2025-10-05*

Great game me and my whole family play it. Wish there was an option to pay a yearly fee for no ads. Also, recently the bots stopped playing and accepting request not sure what happened.

### 4/5 — Great app, but add Blocks

*2025-03-27*

Had the app for over a year and love the simplicity. My only gripe is the lame-turds who cheat. I wish there was a block list so when I select a random opponent I don’t get re-stuck with the same player that plays three 7-letter obscure words in their first three turns. 

For the cheaters, I’ll just keep passing, you can play by yourself…

### 5/5 — Love this app

*2025-02-12*

I really love this app and I’m glad I found it. They have a great feature where you can go back and see what the max points were that you could have scored (and its associated word) for every turn you took in the game. Bots are hard! I’ve lost as many games against them as I’ve won. I enjoy the option to play as a standby, and the fact that they rank the standbys according to how actively involved they are in the game (i.e., you rank more highly if you are responsive and take your turns in a reasonable amount of time). 

This week, the bots feature hasn’t seemed to be working. My requested games have timed out after two days, and the bot never accepts the game. I’m confused about that. Think it needs an update. 

Overall, though, I’m hooked and it’s a nice way to stay connected to my son while he’s in college, because he can come back to it as his schedule allows. There really aren’t any ads, and the software is solid – – it doesn’t crash or fail, so you can easily pick up games where you left off. 

You can play 10 games for free to get a sense whether or not you like it, and then subsequent games are very cheap – – five dollars for 50, and you earn extra tokens by accepting standby games, which also don’t cost anything to play. Definitely possible to stay engaged and only play for free. Thanks, Word Zero!

### 3/5 — Close, but…

*2025-01-23*

Invariably, the game ends with a pile of vowels. The game experience in itself is fine, but the prolonged attempt to end the game by having to place a single vowel for 5 or 6 turns really takes away from it all. I really enjoy those players that like to play in ‘real time’. 10 minute games are awesome.

### 4/5 — Great Alternative

*2025-01-03*

I like the minimalist experience of using this app — it’s a nice change of pace from spammier alternatives, and I’d gladly pay a nominal rate instead of being forced to watch ads. Thank you for making this option.

A couple of UX requests:
- I can’t zoom out after I zoom in by clicking on the board. Some kind of scroll out or button would be nice.
- Implement a more intelligent bot, possibly using an open source project like Macondo.
- Stats on other players. For example, I click on the name of my opponent, and it shows their win/loss record and rating.
- View moves in game thus far, instead of only at the very end.
- View tiles left in bag + unseen, instead of just the number in bag.

I’ve recommended this app to others. I think it has a lot of potential for greater traction if more time were invested in these kinds of UX upgrades.

**Developer response:** Double-tap to un-zoom.  We agree this needs to be more intuitive.  Thanks!

### 5/5 — Best word game

*2024-12-20*

It’s literally scrabble go/ wwf without all the annoying ads! And you can play with bots, so no more waiting for another player to take their turn.

### 5/5 — Good app, still has bugs

*2024-10-04*

I like the concept.  Wish I could widen the screen with 2 fingers or revert easily to full screen.  It has some bugs that are annoying and can affect scoring.  Hope they can get these fixed!!

**Developer response:** To un-zoom, double-tap the board.

We are unaware of any "bugs that can affect scoring", so we'd like to know more about what you have seen.  Thanks!

## Frequently asked questions about Word Zero

### Does Word Zero have ads?

No, Word Zero is designed with zero interruptions and has no ads during gameplay. This allows for a pure and focused gaming experience.

### How do I play games in Word Zero?

Each game in Word Zero requires one 'token' to start. New users receive free tokens, and additional tokens can be earned periodically or purchased through in-app purchases.

### What languages does Word Zero support?

Word Zero currently supports gameplay in English and Spanish. For English games, it uses the official NASPA Word List.

### Can I play Word Zero offline?

The description indicates games are 'correspondence' style, implying an online connection is needed to take turns and for the turn timers to function. Offline play is not explicitly mentioned.

### How does the turn system work in Word Zero?

Games are correspondence-style, with each player having up to 3 days for their turn. If a player doesn't make a turn, a pass is assumed. Two consecutive auto-passes can result in a forfeit.

### Is Word Zero suitable for children?

Word Zero has an age rating of 9+, suggesting it is appropriate for children aged 9 and above. The gameplay involves word formation and strategy.

### How often is Word Zero updated?

The app was last updated on July 22, 2024, with version 1.0.8. This indicates a relatively recent update, suggesting ongoing development and support.

### What is the user sentiment for Word Zero?

Word Zero has a high rating of 4.6 stars from 15 ratings, indicating positive user sentiment. Users likely appreciate its ad-free and distraction-free design.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 1.0.8 — 2024-07-22

Bug fixes

### 1.0.7 — 2024-03-27

Minor user interface improvements.

### 1.0.6 — 2024-03-25

Minor user interface improvements

### 1.0.5 — 2024-03-20

- New feature:  Game Review.  Review a completed game and see where you missed higher scoring plays.

- New feature:  Standby list.  No game tokens are required for standby players who make themselves available to anyone who is looking for an opponent.  See Profile/Standby in the app for details.

- Several usability improvements and fixes.

### 1.0.3 — 2024-01-20

Minor bug fixes and performance improvements.

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## More apps by SourceGear

- [WordBox.game](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wordboxgame/id6739068180)

All apps by SourceGear: https://appshunter.io/developer/550525064

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-01.*