Comparison

Codenames vs CleverWords

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Codenames

Engage in a strategic word game of deduction and teamwork. Give one-word clues to help your team guess associated words before the opposing team. Enjoy a blend of casual fun and deep thinking with turn-based multiplayer matches.

Highlights
  • Turn-based multiplayer
  • One-word clue system
  • Teamwork and deduction
  • Multiple game modes
  • Spymaster and Operative roles
  • Logic and creativity challenges
Read full description

Codenames is available in ENGLISH, GERMAN, FRENCH, ARABIC, ITALIAN, PORTUGUESE, SPANISH, and CZECH. Codenames is a clever word game of deduction, teamwork, and strategy, inspired by the popular board game loved worldwide. Give one-word clues, link multiple words, and read your teammates’ minds to win before the other team does. Easy to learn, hard to master Codenames is simple to understand and instantly rewarding. Every match tests your logic, creativity, and intuition — a perfect blend of casual fun and deep thinking. Play at your own pace Turn-based matches let you play whenever you want, as much as you want. Start several games at once and return when it’s your turn — perfect for busy players. Smart fun for sharp minds If you enjoy games that make you think, this is for you. Every clue and guess matters — there’s no autoplay, no idle waiting, just pure wordplay and deduction. Why players love Codenames • Turn-based multiplayer — play with friends or online opponents. • Based on a beloved board game concept: give one-word clues, guess multiple words. • Exclusive twists and new game modes available exclusively in this version. • Choose your role — Spymaster or Operative — and master both perspectives. • One-time purchase unlocks a full experience — no freemium grind, no intrusive ads—just the pure enjoyment for the price of a cup of coffee for the dev team. Join millions of players and test how well you can get into the minds of others. Download Codenames today — the top multiplayer word game for clever thinkers.

About

CleverWords

Engage in a fun word game with multiple play modes. Create clues for others to guess, or challenge friends and family in asynchronous multiplayer matches. Compete daily for high scores and bragging rights.

Highlights
  • Solo endless word game
  • 2-player asynchronous mode
  • 4-player team mode
  • Create and guess word clues
  • Daily guessing challenges
  • Player rating system
Features
Read full description

Give a clue. Find your words. A free word game for friends, family and new people to play with. CleverWords is for the people you play with: your sister across the country, the group chat, the friend you only see at the holidays. Take your turn when you have a minute. Your partner takes theirs when they have one. No one to play with yet? Pick a role in the Commons and we'll find you a partner. HOW IT PLAYS One player looks at a board of words and gives a one-word clue with a number, like "orchard, 3". Their teammate tries to find the three words it points to. Read each other well and you clear the board. Read it wrong and you hand the other team a word, or land on a word that ends the game. WAYS TO PLAY • 4-player: two teams of two, a setter and a guesser on each side. First team to find all its words wins. • 2-player: co-op with one teammate. One of you gives every clue, the other guesses, and you swap when you play again. Clear the board in as few turns as you can. • Minis: a small board of nine words. Pick a few, give a clue, and other players guess it later. Or guess theirs. • Daily Guesser: a few real clues from real games, every day. Find the words each setter meant, then see what everyone else picked. Missed a day? Catch it up any time that week and your streak keeps going. • Daily Setter: one board for everyone, every day. You give every clue and GuessBot guesses right away. Clear it in as few clues as you can, then see how everyone else clued the same board. THE COMMONS Want more games than your friends can keep up with? The Commons is where you meet new people to play with. Finish a Daily Guesser and give your first clue, or finish any game with friends, and 2-player games with other players open up. 4-player opens after three finished games. Pick a mode and a role, and the game starts when someone joins. ON YOUR OWN TIME Turn reminders tell you when it's your move, and that's all they do. No marketing. Chat with the table, nudge a friend who's gone quiet, and rematch with roles switched. Friends can join with a link or a game code, from any phone. On iPhone and iPad. KEEPING IT FRIENDLY You can report any message, clue, name, photo or bio, and block anyone. We read every report, normally within 24 hours. FREE, WITH A MEMBERSHIP IF YOU WANT ONE The whole game is free, including this week's Daily Guesser and Daily Setter. If you're not a member, you'll occasionally see ads. You can also choose to watch a short ad for one more game in the Commons. Regulars is our membership, for people who want to back the game. It gets you: • No ads • More games with new players in the Commons at once • The archive: every past Daily Setter and Daily Guesser, to play any time • More boards with GuessBot, beyond the Daily Setter Pay monthly, yearly, or once for life. Monthly and yearly renew automatically until you cancel, which you can do in your Apple Account settings at least 24 hours before the renewal date. Payment is charged to your Apple Account. Family Sharing is on. Bought Remove Ads previously? You're a Charter Member: a Regular for life. If it doesn't show up on its own, tap You › Membership › Restore purchases. Terms of Use: https://cleverwords.app/terms Privacy Policy: https://cleverwords.app/privacy Questions or ideas: support@cleverwords.app

Screenshots

Codenames4 screens
CleverWords4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: CleverWords at Free against Codenames's $4.99. Codenames's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months). On rating, review sentiment, ratings volume and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

CleverWords is free to download; Codenames costs $4.99 up front. Codenames sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and CleverWords sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Codenames against 4.7 for CleverWords. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.1K and 1.1K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 66% of Codenames's written reviews are positive against 63% of CleverWords's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Codenames ships an update fortnightly, CleverWords every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
Codenames versus CleverWords: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCodenamesCleverWords
Price$4.99Free — better
Rating4.7 (1.1K ratings) — better4.7 (1.1K ratings)
Positive reviews66.3% of reviews — better63.3% of reviews
Number of ratings1.1K1.1K
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
Best chart rank#9 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better16.4
Further details — not scored
Size221 MB90 MB
Age rating9+4+
DeveloperCGE Digital s.r.o.Misquamicut Technologies LLC

Customer experience

Codenames

All ratings1,129 ratings
Positive93.4%
Neutral2.6%
Negative4.0%
Written reviews442 reviews
Positive66.3%
Neutral14.5%
Negative19.2%

CleverWords

All ratings1,143 ratings
Positive93.4%
Neutral2.8%
Negative3.8%
Written reviews60 reviews
Positive63.3%
Neutral13.3%
Negative23.3%

User reviews

Codenames

From 1.1K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Smooth and intuitive gameplay
  • 🎨 Excellent visual design
  • 💰 Good value for money
  • 🕹️ Engaging single-player modes
  • 🤝 Enjoyable multiplayer experience

Room to improve

  • ⏱️ Long wait times for other players
  • 🌐 Connectivity issues and server problems
  • 🌍 Cultural differences and language barriers
  • 🔒 Restrictive clue-giving rules
  • 🤖 Jury system allowing questionable words

CleverWords

From 1.1K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Addictive gameplay
  • 👍 Great way to connect with friends
  • 💡 Variety of game modes
  • 🤩 Mindful and challenging

Room to improve

  • 🤬 Excessive ads
  • 🐛 Matching issues and bugs
  • 🤔 Lack of functionality (e.g. no random matchmaking)
  • 😡 Cheating and rule violations

Bugs and requests

Codenames

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Initial launch with only Czech language support
  • Occasional app crashes and server disconnections

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add Codenames Duet mode
  • Implement AI/bot players for faster games
  • Allow custom word packs and themes
  • Add a 'speed mode' for faster gameplay
  • Improve the jury system to maintain game integrity

CleverWords

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Login and account issues
  • Crashes and performance problems
  • Inconsistent UI behavior

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add new word bank to keep it fresh
  • Implement a timer for turns
  • Allow deleting or ending games
  • Add computer/AI player option
  • Improve chat and social features

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Codenames

One-time1
  • Krycí jména: Duet$4.99
4 purchases

CleverWords

Subscriptions2
  • Regulars (monthly)$2.991 Month
  • Regulars (yearly)$24.991 Year
One-time2
  • Remove Ads$3.99
  • Regulars for life$59.99

Questions

Is Codenames free?
Codenames costs $4.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is CleverWords free?
CleverWords is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Codenames or CleverWords?
Codenames is rated higher. Codenames averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.1K ratings, while CleverWords averages 4.7 from 1.1K ratings.
Do Codenames or CleverWords have ads?
CleverWords shows ads; Codenames does not.
Which is updated more often, Codenames or CleverWords?
Codenames ships an update fortnightly, and CleverWords every 2 months. Most recently, Codenames was updated on November 2, 2026 and CleverWords on November 3, 2026.

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