# The Guides Compendium vs Cipher Command

The clearest difference is price: Cipher Command at Free against The Guides Compendium's $0.99. Cipher Command also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.2) and review sentiment (100% vs 70%). The Guides Compendium's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 5) and chart position (#92 vs unranked). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Cipher Command is free to download; The Guides Compendium costs $0.99 up front. Cipher Command sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. The Guides Compendium asks for nothing beyond the download.

Cipher Command holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.2. 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 100% of Cipher Command's.

The Guides Compendium ships an update every 25 months, Cipher Command every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Guides Compendium | Cipher Command |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $0.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.2 (18 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-guides-compendium/id1003979151/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cipher-command/id6758640357/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **18** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 70.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 25 months | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | **#92** | — |
| Size | 13 MB | 87 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [2 Fountains LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1730752274) | [Daniel McCarthy](https://appshunter.io/developer/1870137437) |

## What reviewers say

### The Guides Compendium

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

**Currently charting:** #92 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


### Cipher Command

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cipher-command/id6758640357)

Immerse yourself in WWII codebreaking. Decrypt authentic historical messages using real encryption techniques, from Caesar shifts to the Enigma machine. Learn about wartime operations and advance through ranks as you master cryptanalysis.

**Highlights:** Decrypt 7 historical cipher types, 30+ WWII-themed missions, Interactive cipher wheel, Learn historical context, Progress through ranks, Frequency analysis tools

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pacific Theatre | $2.99 | one-time |
| D-Day | $2.99 | one-time |
| Eastern Front | $2.99 | one-time |
| Premium Puzzles | $3.99 | one-time |
| Cold War | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Guides Compendium free?

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

### Is Cipher Command free?

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

### Which has better reviews, The Guides Compendium or Cipher Command?

Cipher Command is rated higher. The Guides Compendium averages 4.2 out of 5 from 18 ratings, while Cipher Command averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do The Guides Compendium or Cipher Command have ads?

Neither The Guides Compendium nor Cipher Command shows ads.

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

The Guides Compendium ships an update every 25 months, and Cipher Command every 2 days. Most recently, The Guides Compendium was updated on September 26, 2026 and Cipher Command on September 27, 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.*