# The Guides Compendium vs Cipherhack

The clearest difference is review sentiment: The Guides Compendium at 70% against Cipherhack's 0%. The Guides Compendium also leads on rating (4.2 vs 3.0) and in-app purchases (none vs 1). Cipherhack's advantage is price (Free vs $0.99) and update cadence (every 3 months vs every 25 months). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Cipherhack is free to download; The Guides Compendium costs $0.99 up front. Cipherhack sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. The Guides Compendium asks for nothing beyond the download.

The Guides Compendium holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: The Guides Compendium has 18 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 70% of The Guides Compendium's written reviews are positive against 0% of Cipherhack's.

The Guides Compendium ships an update every 25 months, Cipherhack every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Guides Compendium | Cipherhack |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $0.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.2 (18 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-guides-compendium/id1003979151/reviews)** | [3.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cipherhack-puzzle-game/id6450188755/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **18** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | **70.0% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 25 months | **Every 3 months** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | **#101** | — |
| Size | 13 MB | 40 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 11.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [2 Fountains LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1730752274) | [Farid Fakhnavar](https://appshunter.io/developer/1692223826) |

## What reviewers say

### The Guides Compendium

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-guides-compendium/id1003979151)

**Currently charting:** #101 Top Paid · Word (US App Store)

This illustrated and photographic novel offers supplementary details and clues for the primary game, The Guides. While not essential for progression, it provides inspiration for solving puzzles and continuing your cryptic journey.

**Highlights:** Illustrated and photographic novel, Supplementary game details, Provides clues, Inspiration for puzzle-solving, Cryptic journey assistance

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Cipherhack

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cipherhack-puzzle-game/id6450188755)

Embark on a code-breaking adventure solving intricate puzzles and cracking complex encryption methods. Unravel mysterious messages and challenge your intellect with a variety of classic and modern ciphers. Become a master of ciphers in this addictive and immersive puzzle game.

**Highlights:** Solve intricate puzzles, Crack complex encryption methods, Master classic and modern ciphers, Unravel mysterious messages, Captivating gameplay, Intriguing storyline

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Guides Compendium free?

The Guides Compendium costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Cipherhack free?

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

### Which has better reviews, The Guides Compendium or Cipherhack?

The Guides Compendium is rated higher. The Guides Compendium averages 4.2 out of 5 from 18 ratings, while Cipherhack averages 3.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do The Guides Compendium or Cipherhack have ads?

Neither The Guides Compendium nor Cipherhack shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, The Guides Compendium or Cipherhack?

The Guides Compendium ships an update every 25 months, and Cipherhack every 3 months. Most recently, The Guides Compendium was updated on October 12, 2026 and Cipherhack on October 9, 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.*