# CODENAMES companion vs Taboo

The clearest difference is price: CODENAMES companion at Free against Taboo's $1.99. CODENAMES companion also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 10) and review sentiment (49% vs 37%). Taboo's advantage is rating (4.9 vs 3.2) and ratings volume (4.7K vs 55). On update cadence, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

CODENAMES companion is free to download; Taboo costs $1.99 up front. Taboo sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. CODENAMES companion asks for nothing beyond the download.

Taboo holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Taboo has 4.7K ratings behind it against 55, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 49% of CODENAMES companion's written reviews are positive against 37% of Taboo's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

CODENAMES companion ships an update every 2 months, Taboo monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | CODENAMES companion | Taboo |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $1.99 |
| Rating | [3.2 (55 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/codenames-companion/id1032754439/reviews) | **[4.9 (4.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/taboo/id1563932741/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 55 | **4.7K** |
| Positive reviews | **49.1% of reviews** | 37.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#3** |
| Size | 140 MB | 272 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [CGE Digital s.r.o.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1706267473) | [Marmalade Game Studio Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/988365603) |

## What reviewers say

### CODENAMES companion

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/codenames-companion/id1032754439)

This digital assistant enhances the physical board game by generating random key cards and providing an in-game timer. It streamlines setup and offers new grid configurations for a dynamic gameplay experience.

**Highlights:** Random Key Card Generator, Customizable Grid Setup, In-Game Timer, Device Sharing, Multi-Device Sync

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Taboo

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/taboo/id1563932741)

**Currently charting:** #3 Top Paid · Word, #18 Top Paid · Board, #185 Top Paid · Games (US App Store)

A word-guessing party game where teams compete to describe words without using forbidden terms. Play remotely with friends via video chat and customize game settings for endless fun.

**Highlights:** Video chat integration, Team-based word guessing, Customizable game settings, Ad-free gameplay, Multiple language support, Themed card decks

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mystery Mix Pack 1 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Generations Gen Z Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Taboo Premium | $2.99 | one-time |
| Midnight Night Out Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| Midnight Bedroom Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| Ready to Roast | $6.49 | one-time |
| Sports and Games Pack | $7.99 | one-time |
| Welcome Offer | $9.99 | one-time |
| Midnight Deck | $9.99 | one-time |
| Word Bonanza Bundle | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Fun game
- 🎉 Great for family and friends
- 🥳 Lots of laughter
- 🤩 Easy to play

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤔 Limited number of cards
- 🔁 Repeated cards after a few rounds
- 💰 Need to pay for more cards
- 🤨 Unclear how to add more players

**Reported bugs**

- Game stopped in the middle to ask for payment
- Video chat feature not working
- App not optimized for high refresh rate displays

**Requested features**

- Add more cards in the base version
- Allow customization of game rules
- Implement a stats/history section
- Support more than 2 teams


## Frequently asked questions

### Is CODENAMES companion free?

CODENAMES companion is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Taboo free?

Taboo costs $1.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, CODENAMES companion or Taboo?

Taboo is rated higher. CODENAMES companion averages 3.2 out of 5 from 55 ratings, while Taboo averages 4.9 from 4.7K ratings.

### Do CODENAMES companion or Taboo have ads?

Neither CODENAMES companion nor Taboo shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, CODENAMES companion or Taboo?

CODENAMES companion ships an update every 2 months, and Taboo monthly. Most recently, CODENAMES companion was updated on November 2, 2026 and Taboo on November 3, 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.*